The Second World war honours including CBE, DSO, DFC and Bar and logbooks awarded to Air Commodore Peter Malam ‘Pete’ Brothers (1917-2008) had sold for £155,000 (plus 20% buyer’s premium) on May 20.
Henry Meadows of Dominic Winter said: “Our group was bought by Melissa John, the owner of the world’s foremost Battle of Britain medals collection, and this group will be joining the rest of the collection which will be put on public display at her new museum at Chandos House in London when it opens in about a year.”
John also owns Bill Reid’s Victoria Cross group, given for his bravery during a bombing raid over Germany, and John ‘Cat’s Eyes’ Cunningham’s group plus many other important gallantry groups. Reid’s group set a British record for a VC when it took £335,000 at Spink in 2009. The group awarded to Cunningham, the night fighter ace, fetched £384,000 at Spink in 2012, a new world record auction price for a group of British medals.
The Brothers group had been estimated at £120,000-160,000. Meadows said there were several phone bidders and on the day the underbidder was a private collector.
He added: “The family of Peter Brothers were delighted. Peter had requested the group be sold in due course and the proceeds split among his grandchildren. Peter’s daughters thanked me for all the hard work and we are delighted the group will be on public display for all to appreciate.”
