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Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & MilitariaHISTORY OF THE MEDAL DEPARTMENT Founded in 1666, Spink has been buying and selling war medals since they first appeared after the Napoleonic Wars. In 1880 we entered the Medal manufacturing business with the purchase of the Soho Mint, and in 1897 produced the commemorative medals for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, being awarded our first Royal Warrant in 1900. Today we hold Warrants as Medallists to HM The Queen, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, and HRH The Prince of Wales. We hold three Medal Auctions a year, on the Thursday after the third Sunday in April, July, and November. In 2008 our auctions will be held on 24th April, 24th July, and the 20th November. To date our highest total for a medal sale was for the auction on the 19th April 2007, which realized £1,111,957. Last year we sold 2967 lots at our three auctions for a combined total of £2,436,480. ACHIEVEMENTS AT AUCTION Over the years the Medal Department has set and re-set many Auction World Records, including a ‘hat trick’ of World Records for a Victoria Cross Group at auction:
The V.C., D.F.C. Group to Flying Officer Lloyd Allan Trigg, Royal New Zealand Air Force (sold 6th May 1998 for £138,000)
For Details of the Victoria Crosses sold by Spink at auction over the past ten years, and for a short history of the Victoria Cross, please click here. Below are a selection of Orders, Decorations, and Medals sold by Spink over the past few years: GALLANTRY
The Superb and Important 'Dhofar' C.B.E., Immediate 'Battle of the Imjin' M.C. Group of Seventeen to Brigadier 'Mike' Harvey, Who Commanded 'D' Company The 'Glorious Glosters' During the Battle and led the Survivors of the 1st Battalion to Safety After Their Position Had Been Completely Overwhelmed by the Chinese 198th Division; He Went on to do Two Tours of Oman, the Latter at the Personal Request of Sultan Qaboos, Where he Commanded the Brigade in Dhofar, Including 22 SAS Regiment Teams in Operations Against the Rebel Insurgents, 1971-72
The Important Falklands War 'Goose Green' M.M. Group of Four to Lance-Corporal M.W.L. 'Bill' Bentley, 2nd Parachute Regiment, For Conspicuous Gallantry on a Number of Occasions During the Operations, Notably for Making his Way to a Forward Slope to Assist a Severely Wounded Comrade; He Amputated an Almost Severed Leg with a 'Swiss Army Knife' under Heavy Bombardment and Sniper Fire.
The Extremely Rare Inter War 'Palestine' 1939 G.C. Group of Five to Sergeant T. Atkinson, The Green Howards.
The Remarkable and Unique G.C.B., K.B.E., D.S.O. and Three Bars, D.F.C., A.F.C. Group of Eighteen to Air Chief Marshal Sir B.E. Embry, Royal Air Force, Blenheim and Later Mosquito Pilot, Who Was Shot Down Over Occupied France in 1940, Famously Evading Capture For Two Months Before Returning to Active Duty Including The Specialist Precision Bombing Operations on The Gestapo Headquarters in Aarhus, Copenhagen, and Odense, Whilst Holding the Rank of Acting Air Vice-Marshal; Later Commander-in-Chief Fighter Command, 1949-53.
The Highly Important Baltic Victoria Cross to Commander, Later Rear-Admiral John Bythesea, Royal Navy, Who Took Part In The Daring Mission To Capture Russian Despatches, and Took Three of the Enemy Prisoner, Armed Only With a Single Flint Pistol; The Second Ever Victoria Cross to be Awarded.
The Second War Bomber Command Conspicuous Gallantry Medal Group of Six to Warrant Officer J. 'Jack' Bettany, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, For His Outstanding Bravery over Pforzheim in Saving the Lives of the Entire Crew of his Lancaster, by Throwing Out a Number of Blazing Incendiary Bombs, Through Holes in the Fuselage with his Bare Hands; the Last to Bale Out from the Stricken Aircraft Bettany Walked in Full Uniform, Through Enemy Lines to Saftey. The Last Bomber Command V.C. of the War was Awarded for this Raid. The Second War Bomber Command Victoria Cross Group of Eight to Sergeant Later Warrant Officer N.C. Jackson, Royal Air Force for His Incredible Courage in Climbing Out of His Lancaster at 22,000 Feet Above Schweinfurt, While Wounded, to Put Out a Serious Fire on the Starboard Wing. The Exceptional Great War V.C., D.S.O., M.C. and Bar Group of Twelve to Major General D.M.W. Beak, South Lancashire Regiment, Late Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Commander, Drake Battalion, Royal Naval Division.
The Important Seven Clasp Army Gold Cross Group to Major-General Sir Denis Pack K.C.B., Brigade Commander, Wounded Eight Times, Thanked by Parliament Five Times for his Military Services.
The Famous 'Amethyst' D.S.M. Group of Seven to Petty Officer L. Frank, Royal Navy, at the Wheel during the Epic Full Speed Escape Down the Yangtse, One of the Most Sensational Naval Exploits of the Post-War Era.
The Famous C.B., C.B.E., Fighter Operations ‘Triple’ D.S.O., ‘Double’ D.F.C. Group of Nineteen to Air Vice-Marshal J.E. ‘Johnnie’ Johnson, Royal Air Force, the Officially Recognised Highest Scoring R.A.F. Fighter Pilot of the 1939-45 War. CAMPAIGN GROUPS AND PAIRS
The Important South Africa 1877-79 and India General Service 1854-95 Pair to Sergeant T. Burke, Liverpool Regiment, Who Served with "B" Company 2/24th Foot at the Defence of Rorke's Drift.
The Highly Emotive and Well Documented Crimea Group of Three to Sergeant E. Hindley, 13th Light Dragoons, Later 7th Hussars, Who Charged with the Light Brigade at Balaklava, 25th October 1854.
The Historic 'Falklands' Group of Three to Lieutenant Commander C.J. Pollard, Royal Naval Reserve, Late Lieutenant Royal Navy, Who from H.M.S. Coventry Shot Down The Leading Aircraft from a Wave of Argentinean Skyhawks Engaged in a Low Level Bombing Attack on Coventry and Broadsword and Before Coventry was Sunk by Further Determined Enemy Air Attack.
The Peninsular War and Waterloo Pair to Lieutenant Colonel the Right Honourable Lord Charles Fitzroy, M.P., Grenadier Guards and D.A.A.G., later Vice Chamberlain of the Household. SINGLE CAMPAIGN MEDALS
The Superb Two Clasp 'Phoebe' Naval General Service Medal to Lieutenant C. Prowett, together with a Fine-Quality Miniature Portrait of the Recipient.
The Field Officer’s Small Gold Medal for Nivelle to Major J. Walmsley, 82nd Foot.
The Unique Three-Clasp Combination Naval General Service Medal to Commander E. Johnston, Who Served in Nelson's Flagship H.M.S. Elephant at the Battle of Copenhagen 2nd April 1801; in H.M.S. London at the Capture of the Marengo 1806; and was Later Made Prisoner-of-War.
The Rare Indian Mutiny Medal to Original Defender of Lucknow Surgeon W.W. Wells, 48th Native Infantry, Who Was Wounded By a Roundshot During the Siege and Whose Privations During the Period are Mentioned in Various Publications and Journals.
The Great War Memorial Plaque to Captain E.K. Bradbury, 'L' Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, Who Was Killed in Action Manning the Battery's Last Remaining Gun Whilst Under Intense Enemy Fire at the Gallant Stand at Nery, Near Compeigne, France, 1 September 1914; He Was Awarded A Posthumous Victoria Cross For His Conspicuous Bravery.
An Important Kambula Casualty South Africa 1879 Medal to Second Lieutenant A.T. Bright, Who Lost His Life at the Head of his Men Counter Attacking the Zulu Impi at the Point of the Bayonet.
The Extremely Rare Three Clasp Undated Reverse British South Africa Company's Medal to Captain T.J. 'Bins' Christison, Salisbury Field Force, Late Salisbury Horse and Pioneer Corps
The Indian Mutiny Medal to the Legendary Pipe Major John McLeod, 93rd Highlanders, Veteran of the Thin Red Line at Balaklava; Who Struck up the Highland Charge ('On wi' the Tartan') at the Storming of the Secundrabagh Fortress at Lucknow and First Through the Breech at the Fortified Position of Begum Kothi, Where He Piped His Men to Victory.
The Historically Important Waterloo Medal to Lieutenant G. Gunning, 1st Royal Dragoons, who Inspired his Men in the Successful Capture of the Eagle and Colours of the 105th French Regiment of the Line.
The Highly Important Large Gold Medal for Vittoria with Clasp Salamanca, and Small Gold Medal for Salamanca, to Major General Sir William Ponsonby, One of the Most Famous Cavalry Commanders of The Napoleonic Wars, Led the Charge of the Union Brigade and was Killed by the Polish Lancers in the Most Emotive Single Episode of the Battle of Waterloo FOREIGN ORDERS
Imperial Russian Order of the White Eagle, an Extremely Rare With Swords set of Insignia, bestowed upon General T.C.M. Janin, Commanding Officer of the Czech Legion and one of the Three Most Senior Allied Officers During the Allied Intervention in Russia.
French Order of the Holy Spirit, Collar and Badge.
Imperial Russian Order of St. Andrew, Collar
BRITISH ORDERS
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire, G.C.I.E. Collar, sash Badge, and Star; The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India, K.C.S.I. neck Badge and Star; and related Medals Bestowed upon Sir Charles Stuart Bayley, First Lieutenant-Governor of Bihar and Orissa.
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, a Superb Lesser George Garter Jewel, by G.A. Santarelli.
The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India, a Superb and Excessively Rare G.C.S.I. Collar and Badge Bestowed upon General His Highness Al-Haj Sir Sadiq Muhammad Khan, Abassi, Bahadur, Nawab of Bahawalpur. MISCELLANEOUS MEDALS
A Carnegie Hero Fund Large Bronze Medallion to Duncan Campbell, an Islay Farmer, Who Rescued Four Seamen from the Steamship Ena, Wrecked on the Isle of Islay.
The Kyoto Prize Medal Bestowed Upon Sir Karl Raimund Popper, Philosopher and Academic.
The Woman’s Social and Political Union Medal With Three Date Bars and Portcullis Badge Awarded to Norah Dacre Fox.
The Miniature Awards worn by Lieutenant General Sir H.C. Holman, late Bengal Lancers, and Chief of the British Military Mission to South Russia. AUCTION SERVICESPRICES REALISEDClick here to view the prices realised for the 24th April 2008 auction. CATALOGUESTo take out an annual subscription for our auction catalogues, or to purchase catalogues individually, please contact us on 020 7563 4000, or email catalogues@spink.com. A breakdown of charges is provided here. PRIVATE TREATY SALESAs well as at Auction, we buy and sell a significant number of medals by private treaty, which avoids the publicity of the auction-room, whilst still maintaining excellent prices for items bought and sold this way.
Whilst the vast majority of medals sold this way goes unpublished, we are pleased to be able to announce the sale, in early 2007, of the magnificent Great George, commissioned for Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Kent, for his installation as a Knight of the Garter, 4th August 1713. DEALING SALESTHE SPINK GALLERYDesigned by the renowned international architect Bruno Moinard, and officially opened on the 28th November 2006, the Spink Gallery has transformed our dealing activities here in London, allowing us to display in superb surroundings a substantial selection of medals for sale at fixed prices, as well as exhibiting forthcoming auction lots. Adjacent to the Gallery is the Coomassie Room, named in honour of those Officers and Men who gave their lives in the three Ashanti Wars, 1873-74, 1895-96, and 1900, which houses the departmental library and provides the perfect atmosphere to discuss all medal-related matters with the collector. BUYING MEDALS ON THE SPINK WEBSITEThe Spink website goes from strength to strength, with items from £10 to £10,000. We aim to update our online stocklists every fortnight, although on some occasions, such as around auctions, this might vary. For those who have expressed an interest in receiving updates by email from Spink, we can contact you when new items are added to our online stocklists. If you are unsure whether we hold an email address for you, please email your details to enquiry@spink.com, stating that you wish to receive medal stock updates from Spink. •Click here to browse a selection of medals online FORTHCOMING EVENTS For a list of shows and events that Spink will be attending, please click here. MEDAL DEPARTMENT Mark Quayle (Head of Department) 020 7563 4064
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© Spink 2008. All rights reserved
Tel: +44 (0)20 7563 4000
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