May 2003 Medal Newsletter

Medal Auctions at Spink

Those of you who attended our 1 May sale, and there were many of you as we had a room packed to overflowing, will already be aware of the excellent and sometimes magnificent prices, made by the wide ranging lots of orders, medals and decorations at auction that day. The prices realised can also now be checked on line.

The sale contained more than its fair share of unusual and scarce items, together with many pieces that had been in private collections since the late 1960s and 1970s, hence were very fresh on the market. The £52,000 hammer price, which with buyer's premium translates to over £60,000, was a remarkable result for the Distinguished Service Medal Group (together with replacement group) for the famous Yangtse incident to Petty Officer L. Frank, RN, who was at the wheel of the ship during its eight hour escape from detention by Chinese Communist Forces. Probably the finest known specimen of a Davison's Trafalgar Medal brought a spectacular hammer price of £5,000.

Click here to view the results of our auction of 1 May

Our next sale on November 5 promises to include further very interesting pieces. We already have two collections consigned for sale, which will once more introduce fresh material that has not been on the market for some considerable period. For example, the following 31 gallantry items, from 'The Property of a Lady', are being catalogued to be included in this sale:

For further information about these lots or if you wish to consign items for the auction on 5 November 2003, please contact John Hayward on 020 7563 4049.

Catalogues
To take out an annual subscription for our auction catalogues, or to purchase catalogues individually, please contact Client Services on 020 7563 4089, or email catalogues@spink.com.

Spink Representatives Out and About
Our new representative in North America is William 'Bill' F. Brown Jr who can be contacted at:
PO Box 2221,
Lompoc,
CA 93438 2221,
USA
tel 805 740-9714
email: wbrown@utech.net
fax 805 740 9704

Our representative in Australasia is Mike Downey who can be contacted at:
PO Box 274,
Double Bay,
NSW 1360,
Australia
tel 0408 215 404
email: mikerayd@yahoo.com

New Auction Service
For those who prefer to engage an agent to bid on their behalf at the major auctions in London of Orders, Decorations and Medals, Spink now offer this as a free service. A representative from the Medal Department attends all major auctions and will be pleased to act on your behalf. The procedure for retaining Spink in this capacity is very straightforward, just contact John Hayward on 020 7563 4049

New Reference Work for Medal Collectors
The Spink Book Department has just published a 96 page catalogue of books on coins and medals, which can all be ordered through the Department. The bulk of the material listed in the catalogue are in-print books which are considered to be standard works for collectors, dealers, museum curators and those interested in any aspect of numismatic study. The catalogue is £3 including postage. If you would like a copy then contact:

Philip Skingley
Spink and Son Ltd
Book Department
69 Southampton Row
London
WC1B 4ET

Email: jchang@spinkandson.com
Fax: +44 (0) 20 7563 4068.

Please include credit card details to cover the £3 charge.

New works of reference for medal collectors include:
BRITISH ORDERS, DECORATIONS AND MEDALS AWARDED TO AMERICAN FORCES FOR THE KOREAN WAR
By Paul B. Morrissey and William R. Westlake.
2003, 270 pages, illustrated. Cardcovers.

Price: UK orders £18 (plus £3 postage) to:
    Paul B.Morrissey
    17 Lyon Avenue
    New Milton
    Hants
    BH25 6AP

US orders $27 (plus $3 postage) to:
    William R. Westlake
    1444 W. La Jolla Drive
    Tempe
    Arizona
    85282-4457
    USA

This is the first comprehensive listing of the 120 American soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines who were awarded British Honours for the Korean War The work includes citations, biographies, photographs and UK award documents.

FOOTPRINTS ON THE SANDS OF TIME: RAF Bomber Command Prisoners-of-War in Germany 1939-45
By Oliver Clutton-Brock.
Grub Street, 3003. 512 pages. Price: £35 Casebound

This book is divided into 2 parts. The first deals with German PoW camps chronologically as they were opened to which Bomber Command POWs were sent, and gives anecdotes and stories of the men in captivity. It also provides information about repatriation, war crimes, and the role of the Red Cross. The second part of the book comprises an annotated list of all 10,995 RAF Bomber Command airmen.

COMPANIONS OF HONOUR
By Peter Galloway. 2003, approx 600 pages.

Available from:

Dr P.J. Galloway
c/o Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood
St James's Palace
London
SW1A 1BH

Price: £50.00 (includes UK postage: p&p to Europe £4, elsewhere £10). Payment by Sterling Cheque or international money order only.

The book traces the history of the Order beginning with its institution in 1917. Limited to just 65 Members, its ranks have included writers, poets, artists, architects, sculptors, composers, conductors, actors, journalists , broadcasters, industrialists, trades unionists, clergy, social pioneers, choreographers, and politicians.