February 2005 Medal Newsletter

AUCTION NEWS
As promised in the January newsletter, listed below are details of some of the more interesting groups to be offered in the April auction:

Group of Fourteen to Col. Harry L. Pritchard

Group of Fourteen to Colonel Harry L. Pritchard, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., Royal Engineers.

D.S.O. London Gazette 15.11.1898 ‘In recognition of services during the recent operations in Egypt and the Sudan, including the Battle of Khartum.’

The Historically Interesting Group of Twelve to Rt. Hon. Sir Philip Sassoon

The Historically Interesting Group of Twelve to Rt. Hon. Sir Philip Sassoon (1888-1939), P.C., G.B.E., C.M.G., M.P., Private Secretary to Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig 1915-1918 and Under Secretary of State for Air 1924-29 and 1931-37, Hon. Air Commodore No. 601 (County of London) Squadron, Auxiliary Air Force.

Order of The British Empire, Grand Cross (G.B.E.) set of insignia by Garrard, in case of issue; Order of St Michael and St George, Companion’s (C.M.G.) neck Badge, by Garrard, in case of issue; 1914-15 Star (Lieut. Sir P.A.D.G.Sassoon. R.E.Kent Yeo.); British War and Victory Medals (Major); 1935 Jubilee and 1937 Coronation Medals (both engraved A/Cdre Sir Philip Sassoon 601 Squ. A.A.F.); France, Legion d’Honneur, French Colonial Order of the Black Star; Belgium, Order of the Crown; French Croix de Guerre and Belgian Croix de Guerre; the group mounted as worn.

Bronze plaque commemorating the historic meeting at the Chateau Demont at Merville 1.12.1914

The group comes with a bronze plaque commemorating the historic meeting at the Chateau Demont at Merville 1.12.1914, when George V and Edward Prince of Wales met with Mr Poincare, President of France, and Generals Joffre, Foch and Rawlinson. Because of his numerous social and political connections Sassoon, a humble Second Lieutenant in the Royal East Kent Yeomanry, was in attendance.

Philip Albert Gustave David Sassoon was a glamorous and well-known figure in British society, and has been described as ‘the most eligible bachelor and greatest host of his time’. While Secretary of State for Air, Sassoon was Honourary C.O. of 601 (County of London) Squadron. The Squadron was nicknamed ‘The Millionaires’ Squadron' because it was reported to have six millionaire members (Sassoon presumably being one of them). He took a shine to the Percival ‘Gull’ monoplane that appeared in 1932, and ordered his own model. Fitted with a Napier Javelin 111 six cylinder engine, and with the redesigned interior finished in red leather, Sassoon’s Gull G-ACGR competed in the King’s Cup and the Folkestone Aero Trophy Race.

Included in the collection of Royal Signals and Royal Engineers consigned to the April auction are the following gallantry groups:

M.C. and M.M.: 444453 Corporal E. Roscoe, 42/E. Lan. D.S. Coy. R.E.

D.C.M., M.M., and bar: 107435 Sapper G.W. Stockdale, 20 D.S. Coy. R.E.

M.M. and bar: 206939 Sapper E.E.. Tucker, ‘F’ Cps; Sig: Coy. R.E.

M.M. and bar: 1910 Corporal R.E. Russell, 48/S. Mid. Co: R.E.-T.F.

Rare submariner’s D.S.C. group to Lieutenant A.N. Brookes, Royal Navy, later Royal Signals

Also in the same collection is a rare submariner’s D.S.C. group to Lieutenant A.N. Brookes, Royal Navy, later Royal Signals. Lieutenant Brookes was First Lieutenant of H.M.Submarine Sahib during eight patrols in the Mediterranean. On her last patrol the submarine was subjected to attack by torpedo boats and JU88s and received a total of 51 depth charges in the space of seven minutes. The submarine was sunk and all but one of the crew survived and were captured. The group also includes the G.S.M. for Cyprus (22562532 Sgt. A.N. Brookes. R.Sigs.), and L.S.G.C. Regular Army (W.O.Cl.2. A.N. Brookes D.S.C.).

Colonial Police Medal for Gallantry with Second Award Bar Group of Five
awarded to Sergeant, later Inspector, P.R. Adams, Palestine Police Force

Among the miscellaneous groups is the extremely rare Colonial Police Medal for Gallantry with Second Award Bar Group of Five awarded to Sergeant, later Inspector, P. R. Adams, Palestine Police Force. The bar was the first to be awarded, and is the only one for Palestine. Among the foreign items is an extremely rare Indian award, the Rajyaratna, or Jewel of the State, of Pratap Singh Rao of Baroda. This is a gold medal, complete with ornate gold suspension, gold riband bar, and gold sword and motto decoration sewn onto the gold coloured riband. It is the first example of this gold medal we have seen.

Rajyaratna or Jewel of the State medal

In passing...

...we have recently been shown yet another good copy of an Air Crew Europe Star.
We picture here a genuine Star (left) and the copy (right).

Prices Realised
Click here to view the prices realised for the 30 November auction.

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

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

Selling Medals at Spink
Although sale at auction of orders, medals and decorations is very successful, some clients still lean towards sale by private treaty. We at Spink are most interested in the straight purchase of both collections and individual items and will be pleased to discuss such arrangements. 

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