March 2007 Medal Newsletter

Auction News

Our much awaited first auction of Orders, Decorations, and Medals in 2007 takes place on 19th April- the catalogue is now available on our website, and printed copies will be sent out to reach you in time for Easter. With 1,128 Lots, this is Spink’s biggest Medal sale for many years, and the catalogue weighs in at a healthy 356 pages.

Among the highlights in the sale is 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, whilst he and his companion were armed only with a single flint pistol between them! This was the second ever Victoria Cross to be awarded, Commander Bythesea’s act of supreme valour occurring on the 12th August 1854, and he was also the second ever person to receive the cross from Queen Victoria. Due to it being one of the very earliest castings, the cross is extremely fine. It is offered for sale together with a fine quality contemporary related miniature award, also named to the recipient.

Continuing the Victoria Cross theme, we have the Crimea Medal with Alma clasp to Lieutenant J.St.C. Hobson, 7th Foot, the subject of a V.C. Award, who was involved in the first attack on the Redan, 8th June 1855. Whilst he lay mortally wounded, lying outside the trenches, Lieutenant William Hope, of the same Regiment, gallantly tried to rescue him, under intense enemy fire, and for this act of heroism was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Also offered for sale is the Great War Bronze Memorial Plaque to Captain E.K. Bradbury, ‘L’ Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, who was killed in action performing the deed which won him the Victoria Cross, manning the Battery’s last remaining gun whilst under intense enemy fire at the gallant stand at Nery, near Compeigne, France, 1st September 1914.

The pick of the single campaign medals is the unique Three Clasp Combination Naval General Service Medal to Commander E. Johnston, who was present in the Boat Action 17th March 1794; served in Nelson’s flagship H.M.S. Elephant at the Battle of Copenhagen, 2nd April 1801; and in H.M.S. London at the capture of the Marengo 13th March 1806. He was also later made prisoner of war- the lot includes a miniature portrait of the recipient, and his tie-pin.

Arguably the most extraordinary Campaign pair offered for sale is the unique South Africa 1879 and Egypt Abu Klea Combination awarded to the celebrated Gentleman-Adventurer and Big Game Hunter Lieutenant W.H. Ingram, Naval Brigade, late Dunn’s Scouts, who packed so many adventures, close-calls, and exploits into his tragically short life he could have stepped straight from the pages of a ‘boy’s own’ annual.

We are also pleased to offer no fewer than three specialist collections in this sale:

213 Lots of Campaign and Long Service Awards to the 2nd Foot, The Queen’s, the Royal West Surrey Regiment, from the Collection of N.E.C. Molyneux, Esq., which includes among many rarities the unique and only ten clasp Military General Service 1793-1814 Medal to the Regiment.

55 Lots of Medals to the Welsh Guards, from the Collection of Ronald Sherratt, Esq., which is particularly strong in Great War gallantry awards

45 Lots of Medals to the 19th Hussars, the majority of which relate to the campaign in Egypt 1882-89.

Forthcoming Events

Orders and Medals Research Society, London Branch

Now in its third year, and well and truly established, the London branch of OMRS will continue to meet on the second Tuesday of odd numbered months here at Spink. Membership continued to rise last year, with most meetings attended by over 20 members; it is hoped that attendance will continue to grow this year. The full itinerary for 2007 is now finalised

The next meeting will take place in the Auction Room at Spink on Tuesday 8th May 2007, where John Jordan will be giving the talk.

Members and their guests are asked to arrive before 6:15pm, as after this time the doors are closed. Newcomers are always welcome. For more information please contact Stan Bates on 01226 79072.

Book Reviews

British Battles and Medals, Seventh Edition

by John Hayward, Diana Birch, and Richard Bishop
London: Spink Ltd., 2006. Hardback, 798 pages, b&w illustrations with colour riband chart
Available from Spink and Son Ltd, London, WC1B 4ET priced at £85. Tel 020 7563 4000.

The long awaited and fully revised edition of Major Gordon’s classic reference work was released at the end of November. Since the last edition not only have a number of new medals, from the Gulf Medal 1990-91 to the new Operational Service Medals for minor conflicts, been instituted, but further research has greatly increased the accuracy and content of the earlier sections. Of particular interest is the fact that not only every single medal, but also every single clasp (with the exception of some of the rarer Naval General Service 1793-1840 clasps) has been illustrated. A vast quantity of numismatic information has also been included, particularly on the various naming styles adopted, together with illustrations where possible. Lists and number of Ships, Regiments, and Units present has been revised where necessary, including the addition of more so-called ‘odd men’. The 18 appendices have, for the first time, gathered together in the most accessible form a wealth of reference material, including nominal rolls for such actions as the Charge of the Light Brigade, the Defence of Rorke’s Drift, the Charge of the 21st Lancers at Omdurman, the Defence of Legations, and the Yangtze incident. There is also a complete list of recipients of Naval and Army Gold Medals, and Army Gold Crosses, believed to be the first such table of this kind to be published.

Auction and Private Treaty Services

Prices Realised

Click here to view the prices realised for the 23 November auction.

Catalogues

To 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.

Auction Bidding 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 by Private Treaty

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.

Buying Medals on the Spink Website

2006 saw increased activity on the Spink Website, and we are committed to adding, throughout 2007, more Orders, Decorations, and Medals on the website at an increased frequency, with items from £10 to £10,000. We hope 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.
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