November 2004 Medal Newsletter

Forthcoming Auction, 30 November 2004
The catalogue for our 30 November auction is now available and subscribers should each have received their copy through the post. In this website newsletter we have been able to cover only a few highlights of the sale during recent months hence reference to catalogue will reveal many others item of an interesting, unique and/or unusual nature.

Among them is the unique Queen's Army Best Shot Medals pair to Corporal G. Bryant, 62 Foot; he won both medals whilst serving in India at Lucknow and Barrackpore in the early 1870s (estimate GBP 1400-1800). Also of note are a rare Burma 1887 gold Distinguished Service Order group of five to Colonel R.E. Golightly, Imperial Yeomanry (estimate GBP 4000-4500); and the gold CB group of three to an Artilleryman, Lieutenant Colonel T. Hicks, Bombay Artillery, who led a cavalry charge of 8 Hussars at Kotah ke Serai during the Indian Mutiny (estimate GBP 3500-4000).

For Zulu War enthusiasts, Lot 332 is an emotive item, it is the 'Isandhlwana' cornet used by Bandsman G. Conboy, 24 Foot and recovered from the battlefield. It is engraved 'Found whilst burying the dead. Presented at Rorke's Drift to E. Conboy by the Commd. Officer of 24th Regt. it being the instrument his brother used who was killed at Isandhlwana' (estimate GBP 500-1000).

Among many fine quality single items are the Field Officer's Gold Medal for Martinique to Major Luke Alen, 3 West India Regiment (estimate GBP 7000-9000); and a Naval General Service Medal 1793-1840 clasp 'Trafalgar' to Midshipman James H. Johnston (GBP 6500-7500). Noteworthy also is the India Mutiny Medal 1857-58 to the original 'Champagne Charlie', Viscount Royston, later the 5th Earl of Hardwick, whose social life and fondness for elegant living soon dissipated the fortune built up by his father (estimate GBP 800-1000)

Our first sale of orders, decorations, and medals in 2005 will take place on 28 April 2005. Cataloguing has already commenced so please contact us as soon as possible if you wish to consign items for auction.

For further information, please contact JOHN HAYWARD (020 7563 4049), RICHARD BISHOP (020 7563 4053) or MARK QUAYLE (020 7563 4064).

Prices Realised
Click here to view the prices realised for the 22 July auction

BRITISH BATTLES AND MEDALS
Seventh Edition

Our thanks to the many collectors who have supplied corrections, addenda and suggestions. We have had a wide variety of interesting contributions which will add significantly to the comprehensiveness and accuracy of this book. Further information about British Battles and Medals and its publication will follow in due course.

NEW REFERENCE WORKS FOR MEDAL COLLECTORS
The Spink Book Department maintains a website list of both new and second hand books on orders, medals and decorations. The list can be accessed here. Below are details of two recently published specialist works of reference that will interest collectors:

THE MEDAL ROLL OF THE ROYAL ENGINEERS Volumes 4 and 5
Presented in gold blocked (on spine) ring binders.
Volume 4 £50 (p&p £6.05) Volume 5 £40 (p&p £5.85).

Available from: Captain J.E. Borer, Assistant Secretary (Pubs), The Institution of Royal Engineers, Chatham, Kent ME4 4UG

These excellent volumes are being produced gradually by a team of compilers for the Institution of Royal Engineers. The planned run is of 22 volumes, but at the moment just Volumes 4 and 5 are available. The others will be completed in no particular order. Volume 4 deals with campaign medals from 1857-1889, that is for theIndian Mutiny 1857-59, China War 1856-60, New Zealand War 1845-48 and 1860-66, Abyssinia War 1867-68, Canada 1866-70 and 1885, Ashantee 1873-74, South Africa 1877-79, Afghanistan 1878-80. Volume 5 deals with the medals of the Boer War 1899-1902.

These text is excellently presented and a great deal of care as been taken with the layout of the rolls, the most useful and interesting introduction and notes to each medal and the colour plates of medals and maps.

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. A breakdown of charges is provided here.

Buying Medals on the Spink Website
We continue to offer more items for sale via our Website sales list. 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, usually every two to three weeks. 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.

Please note that items cannot be reserved and will remain on the site available for purchase until a firm sale has been completed.

•Click here to browse a selection of medals online