Militaria
With a network of specialists covering all fields of militaria we are able to maximise potential return on medals, badges, bladed weapons, firearms and associated collectables from all wars, periods and nations with a particular interest in historical diaries, photographs, paintings and ephemera.
A .450 cal Whitworth percussion muzzle loading rifle, circa 1862-63,
33" hexagonal bore barrel, marked “Whitworth Patent”, 2 band with bayonet bar to front band, ladder sight marked to 1200yds. Lock marked with "The Whitworth Company Limited" and with Whitworth crest. Dark patina metalwork, original woodwork with some minor dings, Complete with safety chain, swivels and ram-rod. No military markings. #D366. ALR
Realised: $3,100
A good Indian mail and lamellar shirt, 17thC, probably Bijapur, Karnataka state, India,
of large riveted iron rings open at the front and extending to cover the upper leg, the back with single vent and formed around three rows of narrow vertically overlapping iron plates, the central row with cusped lower edges, the sides incorporating pairs of iron plates, the front with two pairs of overlapping square convex iron plates each with two shaped bars with buckles for straps, and full length sleeves. Note: This shirt is almost certainly part of the large group captured in 1689 following the defeat of Adilshahi dynasty at the siege of Adoni by Maharajah Anup Singh and subsequently installed in the armoury at Bikaner, Rajasthan. (from Christies catalogue lot essay https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-5356449 ) Provenance: The estate of Richard Rice. A noted and life-long Gisborne collector. Purchased Christies, South Kensington London 30 Sep 2010, Sale 5477 Lot 24, GBP1875 (NZ$3990)
Realised: $2,400
A 22-bore flintlock trade musket by Cooper and Goodman,
c.1857 in Birmingham who took over from Joseph Rock Cooper and stamped with London proofs. Long 51" barrel. All steel furniture, full wooden stock to muzzle. With original cleaning rod. These rifles were traded with Māori during the Land War period.
Realised: $2,200
A 17thC Indian mail shirt and head covering with plume.
The shirt formed of slender iron rings extending to below the knees and to wrists, with a series of plates and to front larger plates with fastening buckles, the head mail similar with large black ostrich plume to top. Provenance: Christies, South Kensington London, 9 Oct 2009, Lot 220
Realised: $2,100
Flight Lieutenant Clive Woodward (Bomber) Estcourt, RNZAF (NZ 391045), RAF Bomber Command WWII archive collection.
Includes historical memorabilia from pre-WWII, WWII period and some later material. Estcourt flew as a bomber aimer and navigator, an incredible 40 missions in active service for Bomber Command. The collection includes Ink signed and detailed bra ‘1.8.44 TO 18.3.45. 75(NZ) Squadron -&- 7 Pathfinder Squadron’. Signed by crew members and with their position; ‘Skipper J.R.Layton, Navigator L.E.Anger, Rear Gunner L.D.Moore, Mid Upper Gunner D.O.Light, FHR Bomber Clive W.Estcourt, Wireless Op. T.Nicholas, Engineer F.Samuel’. Together with 42 named towns and cities, presumably bombed by them. Together with two R.A.F. 8.5lb practice bombs, his leather flying money belt, photos of Estcourt, 50+ various planes & others, NZ flags, Roamer watch, flying sunglasses, badges, blue trench coat, blazer, jacket, books and manuals, 11 pre and war period mostly cloth maps and 12 later, movie memorabilia; day bill and other posters, photo stills for 'Mosquito Squadron’ and ‘633 Squadron’ etc., manuscript for the book ‘The Stain On The Glass’ by Charles Jeffrey Gray, brass model planes, plastic model planes, archive material from the Te Rapa Air Force base closed 1992 and more.
Realised: $2,000
A rare 16thC Indian Moghul chain mail coat with integral iron plates front and rear,
constructed from individually riveted links that are graduated in size, being thicker and larger at the shoulders and chest, ranging down in size to the arms and skirt. Four large iron plates on front with fastening devices (still intact); approximately 104 smaller plates across the back, extending down to the waist. These overlap like a crayfish tail. . Vendor's notes record: Coat of Armour made for Lion Maharaja Lord Shratoon Shijajee, North India, 16th Cent. Wht 28 lbs. Provenance: Private purchase: 1995, Napier
Realised: $2,000
A Flintlock trade musket with 39" barrel,
bearing 1855 proof marks. Made in Liege Belgium by Dresse Laloux and Co. and proofed in Birmingham. Brass furniture. banister rail stock, four ramrod rings, sling swivels in place. With cleaning rod. Used by ship's captains as trade muskets in the colonies including New Zealand.
Realised: $2,000
A 19thC Persian kulah khud helmet, with nasal bar,
the steel skull embossed with a demon face with gold highlights and chiseled overall with foliage inhabited by wild animals and cartouches containing courtly figures, the base with a border of calligraphy; surmounted by demons horns, a square section spike and twin plume holders. With 'vandyke' camail of steel and brass butted links. The nasal bar incorrectly fitted Provenance: purchased Philips Auctions, London, 2000, £1250.
Realised: $2,000
A fine muzzle loading percussion double barrel rifle/shotgun, cased, with two sets of barrels, by Franz Leutheuser, Graz, Austria, c.1860.
23¾" .38 bore damascus-barrels with flat top ridge marked 'Leutheuser in Gratz', with hinged leaf sight. 30½" 16 bore damascus-barrels with flat top ridge marked 'Leutheuser in Gratz'. Fine walnut stock , with tang mounted diopter sight. Baize lined teak case with accessories including a powder flask. Provenance: The estate of Richard Rice. A noted and life-long Gisborne collector. No license required.
Realised: $1,800
A mid-19thC .50 cal smoothbore muzzle loading percussion rifle with spare 20 bore shotgun barrel, by Clayton of Lymington. In baize lined fitted oak case with accessories.
With figured walnut half-stock, with sling eye, steel butt-plate and trigger-guard with acanthus and pineapple finials and a large bow with a rear finger-spur, a vacant white-metal escutcheon at the grip, signed "Clayton' to action, replaced horn tipped forend. The .50 cal octagonal damascus barrel, signed "Clayton Lymington", with rear elevator sight, steel ram rod. The 20 bore 29½" octagonal to round damascus barrel, signed with wooden ram rod. Bearing original label for ‘Edward Whistle, Gun and Pistol Repository’. NLR Footnote: Alfred Clayton is recorded at Lymington, Hampshire, between 1843 and 1855. In December 1850 he registered a design for an improved tube for Col. Hawker's ignition. Between 17 January 1838 and 12 January 1850 numerous references to him appear in Colonel Peter Hawker's Diary
Realised: $1,750