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Douglas (Lord Alfred) Perkin Warbeck and some other poems, first edition, signed presentation inscription from the author to Fletcher Littledale dated "Venice March 1898" on half-title, title printed in red and black, browning to endpapers, bookplate of Littledale with book labels of Herbert Boyce Satcher and J.O. Edwards to front pastedown, original vellum-backed cloth, spine browned, light wear to corner tips, t.e.g., others uncut, preserved in custom morocco-backed drop-back box, 8vo, Chiswick Press, 1897.*** Douglas' rare second book of poetry, we can trace no other copy at auction. The present copy was inscribed by Douglas in the period immediately after the months he spent living with Wilde in Naples.

THE KING ROW RING A rare gem-set Medieval Bishop’s ring, late 12th / early 13th century, the central hexagonal cabochon sapphire in closed back collet setting, between four similarly set small satellite cabochon gems - two emeralds and two garnets, to a narrow flat band, ring size M, weight 1.2gm. £15,000-£18,000 --- Provenance: This ring was discovered by a metal detectorist at Corner Farm, King Row, Shipdham, Norfolk, in October 2019. It is recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme database, ref: NMS-D5C69C and has been disclaimed as Treasure, ref: 2020-T190. This form of medieval ring, with a principal cabochon stone, usually a sapphire, surrounded by smaller collet set satellite stones (garnets or rubies, and emeralds), can be securely dated to the late 12th or early 13th century, and is associated with the bishopric. For similar examples see 1. Walter de Gray ring: This multiple gem ring, set with a cabochon sapphire, surrounded by satellite rubies and emeralds, was found within the coffin of Walter de Gray, the wealthy and powerful Archbishop of York, (Archbishop from 1215 - until his death in 1255). In 1967/8 his tomb in York Minster was restored and his coffin opened, revealing his ring and other items, now on display in the undercroft of York Cathedral. See: www.yorkminster.org 2. The Bishop of Chichester’s ring: Two bishops’ stone coffins at Chichester Cathedral were opened on 3 June and 16 July 1829, one enclosing an octagonal sapphire set ring, with four small emerald satellite stones, the design similar to the offered lot above. See: An engraving by Thomas King, circa 1830, (Ref: 46837i) depicts two Bishops’ opened coffins, both enclosing chalice and pastoral staff. According to the engraving, the tomb illustrated on the right is dated by the author as AD 1146. See: www.wellcomecollection.org 3. Whithorn Cathedral ring: A gold ring set with an oblong table-cut amethyst surrounded by eight smaller sapphires in individual settings, was found in the grave of a bishop in Whithorn Cathedral. Literature: Oman, C: British Rings, 800-1914, pub. B.T.Batsford Ltd, pages 20, 47, 94 and 96. Plate 16, D; plate 18, G (illustrates a similar ring, formerly in the Collection of Dame Joan Evans, now in the V & A Museum) and plate 19, A and E. Waterton, E.: Episcopal Rings, The Archaeological Journal, 1863, Vol 20, pages 235-6, fig. 8. --------------------------- The village of Shipdham, central Norfolk, was well established by the time of the Norman Conquest, extensively detailed in the Domesday Book of 1086, and at that time recorded as being within the largest 20% of settlements in England. During the reign of Henry III (1207-1272) the Bishop of Ely built a manor house at Shipdham, the moat in evidence on 19th century maps. Also of importance during the medieval period, this area contained a Royal deer park, owned by the See of Ely. The park, composed of Little Haw and West Haw, was in existence by 1277 but passed into the hands of the Wodehouse family between 1561 and 1584. All Saints church, Shipdham, dates from the 12th century. It is extremely rare to find a ring of this type in such fine condition, with all its original gemstones in situ. Condition Report The sapphire is an attractive bright blue colour; it has one chip to a corner and an internal fracture which is reflective and visible. Sapphire measures approximately 5 x 5mm. The garnets show a light wear and are pink in colour. The emeralds are fairly bright - one has fractures but is still whole, the other shows a surface chip and some fractures. Some wear to the collet settings and one garnet and both emeralds are just slightly sunk in their settings, all stones appear secure. The mount shows general surface wear commensurate with age.

Y A FINE GEORGE II MAHOGANY, BRASS AND MOTHER OF PEARL INLAID TRIPOD TABLE ATTRIBUTED TO FREDERICK HINTZ, CIRCA 1745 With a dished tilt top 71cm high, 58cm diameter Provenance: Property of a Private British Collector Acquired from Jeremy Ltd., November 1996 See Christopher Gilbert & Tessa Murdoch, John Channon and brass-inlaid furniture 1730-1760, Yale, p.118, pl. 153 and pl. 154 for tables with near identical inlay to the table top, and table base respectively. This exceptional brass and mother of pearl inlaid mahogany tripod tea table is attributed to the German cabinet maker, Frederick Hintz (d. 1772) who worked at the sign of 'The Porcupine' in Newport Street, Leicester Fields, London. The table is one of a rare though distinct group of similarly shaped and inlaid tables of very high quality, which have between 8 and 12 'lobes' and which are particularly associated with a community of émigré craftsmen resident in London. The table offered here is notable for the use of exotic mother of pearl, a scare and precious material at the time. A number of these tables featured in the 1993 exhibition, John Channon and brass inlaid furniture 1730-1760 at the Victoria & Albert Museum. The definitive work on this form is 'John Channon and Brass inlaid Furniture' by Christopher Gilbert and Tessa Murdoch, in which related examples are illustrated and it is noted that only thirty four such brass inlaid tables have ever been recorded. Hintz was born in 1711 in Settin, a town in former East Germany. By 1737 he was living in London and as a member of the Moravian Church, a protestant religious movement that grew in Germany and England during the mid 18th century comprising communities of craftsmen, he worked under the auspices of the church. He is known as a maker of stringed musical instruments and records show that in 1748 he made a harpsichord for the Moravian Chapel in Fetter Lane. He was also, as recorded in a 1738 advertisement discovered by the furniture historian, R.W. Symonds, a maker of 'Desks and Book-Cases of mahogany, Tea-Tables, Tea-Chests, and Tea-Boards etc. all curiously made and inlaid with fine figures of brass and mother of pearl. At the same time other German cabinet makers working in London included Abraham Roentgen, with whom Hintz appears to have had a close professional relationship (they travelled to Germany together in June 1738). Tables that can be attributed to Hintz are in the Victoria & Albert Museum, acquisition no. W.3-1965, and another formerly in the collection of the Duchess of Roxburghe, illustrated in Ralph Edwards, Dictionary of English Furniture, vol. III, p. 207, fig.15.' A closely related table attributed to Hintz was sold at Christies London, 22nd September 2022, property of a Lady, lot 33 ( £100,800 including premium). Another was sold Phillips, London, 10 February 1998, Lot 78 (£85,000 hammer), and another with an unusual base of anthropomorphic legs with brass-inlaid shoe feet sold Sotheby's, New York, 26 May 2000, Lot 196 ($280,750 including premium). Another smaller table, was sold in these rooms from the collection of Sir Michael Smurfit, 1st Dec 2021, lot 192 ( £24,375 including premium). Condition Report: Overall there are some scratches, marks, chips, knocks and abrasions consistent with age and use.Wear to the staining of the base, small repair to the underside of one leg, the dark staining makes it difficult to assess other repairs, some use of filler. Some splicing to the pad feet, evident largely to the underside.Striking use of engraved brass and mother of pearl inlay.Please see all the additional condition report photographs through the link on the condition report email as a visual reference of condition - they are a vital part of this report. Condition Report Disclaimer

A RARE AFRICANO MARBLE TOP ITALIAN, 17TH OR 18TH CENTURY Of attractive book-matched well figured form 58 x 117cm Condition Report: With wear, marks, knocks and scratches as per age, handling, use, and cleaning. Surface scratches and marks from handling and use. Underside with 4 slightly projecting areas One corner with old damage and repairs- visible mastic to edge Please see additional images for visual references to condition which form part of this condition report. All lots are available for inspection and Condition Reports are available on request. However, all lots are of an age and type which means that they may not be in perfect condition and should be viewed by prospective bidders; please refer to Condition 6 of the Conditions of Business for Buyers. This is particularly true for garden related items. All lots are offered for sale "as viewed" and subject to the applicable Conditions of Business for Buyer's condition, which are set out in the sale catalogue and are available on request. Potential buyers should note that condition reports are matters of opinion only, they are non-exhaustive and based solely on what can be seen to the naked eye unless otherwise specified by the cataloguer. We must advise you that we are not professional restorers or conservators and we do not provide any guarantee or warranty as to a lot's condition. Accordingly, it is recommended that prospective buyers inspect lots or have their advisors do so and satisfy themselves as to condition and accuracy of description. If you have physically viewed an item for which you request a report, the condition report cannot be a reason for cancelling a sale. Buyers are reminded that liability for loss and damage transfers to the buyer from the fall of the hammer. Whilst the majority of lots will remain in their location until collected, we can accept no responsibility for any damage which may occur, even in the event of Dreweatts staff assisting carriers during collection.Condition Report Disclaimer

1917 German Imperial Air Service Pilot's Log Book. Rare example of the official Pilots log book, printed in Berlin 1916. Compiled by Karl Poggeusll, who qualified as Fokker DIII Pilot. To the front of the log is a photograph of Poggeusell wearing the Iron Cross 1st Class and Pilot's Badge. The log records flights at the Hamburg Flying School. GC Payment by Bank Transfer ONLY

Oswald Mosley "Union Movement Europe A Nation" Tin Button Badge. A rare example c. 1962, retaining pin. GC See: John Millican book 'Mosley's Men in Black'. From 1962 efforts to form a pan European fascist force grew in pace resulting in Mosley's Union Movement joining and assisting in forming the umbrella organisation. Payment by Bank Transfer ONLY

Registration No: J463 AUM Frame No: 1WT 017030 MOT: NoneAmazingly original YPVS RD350F2 Power ValveCredible low mileage, still with standard exhaustSupplied with its original invoice and a current V5CThe Yamaha Motor Co was formed in 1955 as the powered vehicle division of the massive Yamaha Corporation more famous for making musical instruments. The first bike produced in 1954 was the YA-1, like the BSA Bantam a copy of the German-made DKW RT125, but in typical Japanese fashion this was soon improved upon with the launch of the YA-2 in 1957. This proved to be an immediate success in sporting events starting a long tradition of achievement that goes on to this day in Moto GP. The arrival of the RD range in the 1970s cemented Yamaha's reputation for high-performance two strokes and the launch of the LC 250 and 350 models in 1980 revolutionised medium capacity motorcycling and production racing. The famous Pro-Am televised race series made for exciting and sometimes frightening Saturday afternoon viewing and kickstarted the careers of many a famous racer such as Niall Mackenzie and even Formula 1 world champion Damon Hill. The later models were fitted with Yamahas race developed YPVS, Yamaha Power Valve System that helped to spread out the powerband to improve performance. This matching numbers 1991 F2 model with full fairing and the all-important YPVS Power Valve System is presented in amazingly original and unrestored condition, showing a credible 7,005 miles on its speedo backed up by an MOT trail up to August 2014. Since then it has been stored in a vacuum bag and turned over every so often, not run for a while, it will need recommissioning before use. Most RDs were used and abused in the day, so it is rare to find one with original bodywork, mirrors, 1UA 14711/21 stamped silencers and even still showing its 'Green' finish on the kickstart and gear levers and Satin Black finish to the exhaust. It is offered with its service book, original bill of sale and a current V5C. The vendor fitted a new battery last week and the bike fired up on its original 10 year old fuel and ran briefly. For more information, please contact: Ian Cunningham ian.cunningham@handh.co.uk 07415871189

Registration No: PGS 132W Frame No: LAV12002845 MOT: ExemptSupplied by Laverda agents Morphy Motors in Hertfordshire in August 1980One previous ownerIn current ownership for over 12 years with maintenance carried outVery good and originalThe three-cylinder 1200 TS Mirage had one of the largest engines to be fitted to a production machine from Laverda. Originally sold in August 1980 by Laverda agents Morphy Motors in Hertfordshire, this example has had only one previous owner and has been in current ownership for over 12 years. The overall condition is believed to be very good and original, as is the seat; rare for a 45 year old Laverda. Work completed and parts replaced in the last few years include: full carbs rebuild - ultrasonically cleaned with new needles and jets, seals, filters, choke rubbers, fuel lines & taps etc., brake hoses, valve clearances, cam chain and tensioner blade, primary chain, spark plugs, rev counter & speedo cables, air filter, oil filter mesh and a 'Jota Joe' side-stand. The original fairing, engine and side panels (including mounts and brackets) are included. The displayed mileage (shown in km) appears genuine and is supported by its MOT history. There's also documentation in the form of parts invoices, old MOTs (including the first one from 1983), a Slater’s authenticity letter, original rider’s handbook, a workshop manual printout and a copy of the Laverda Twin and Triple Repair & Tune-Up Guide ('The Green Book'). The bike has been heard to run smoothly and it is reported that it started easily from cold and without hesitation. For more information, please contact: Mike Davis mike.davis@handh.co.uk 07718 584217

Registration No: 3191 PE Frame No: 527255 MOT: ExemptRegistered new on November 8th 1963 in Carshalton, SurreyFull documented ownership historyBuff logbook and large history fileTransferable registration numberVery high quality restoration and arguably the best standard restored GT200 you will findV5C for use on UK roadsThe Lambretta TV175 series 3 was launched in March 1962 and it was the first scooter supplied with an internal disc brake. It was a remarkable change from the previous TV175 series 2 with new sleek slim styling. The front shock absorbers were enhanced with extra dampers as in the previous TV series 2 models. The TV series 3 also had larger silent blocks than the previous engines and it had a very good reputation as a smooth and well-balanced scooter with great handling attributes. The larger engined TV200 quickly followed the TV175 slim style in early 1963 at the specific request of the British importer Lambretta Concessionaires who wanted an even more powerful model than the TV175 to satisfy their customer base. Genuine TV200 Lambrettas were instantly recognised as the GT200 to differentiate them from the TV175 models.This beautifully restored example of a genuine GT200 was sold new by Surrey Scooters and has always been in Surrey ownership. Sold new to a Thomas Dawson on November 8th 1963 it was then sold to a David Stagg in 1968 before being sold to legendary Lambretta guru Chuck Swonnell whose name appears on the original buff log book. Chuck owned the scooter for approximately 40 years before leaving it in his will to his friend Vic Dickens who in turn sold the scooter to our vendor just over a year ago.The striking aspect of this GT200 is the sheer quality of the restoration and the fastidious attention to detail. The vendor is a collector of Rimini Lambretta restorations and that is the bar that this scooter has been matched to with an eye for detail to the standard of his other scooters. On close inspection there is beautiful detailed attention to every component and nut and bolt. The panels all fit and line up perfectly and the 2 pack paint standard is astonishing. The chromed parts were electroplated by S&T Bristol. All over the scooter the original parts were reused. NOS Carello headlight and NOS CEV rear light fitted. Wherever the original could not be reused only high quality Casa or Scootopia parts were used, save the Pegasus seat which is the very high quality Scooter Centre version. All keys fit and work perfectly. The side panels used are the later version with flashes as that was the preference of the vendor however the original earlier style panels are supplied with the scooter. The engine has been fully rebuilt and tuned as a standard TV200 by John Balcome of JB tuning to be as perfect as it could be. Our consultant was able to ride this GT and it rode as a brand new scooter, smooth and powerful.A GT200 with the first buff logbook is a rare find in itself. To have the whole history from new is even rarer and a restoration of this magnitude and quality costs many many thousands of pounds. This wonderful scooter represents an extremely good investment and is one of the best GT200s we have ever seen. This scooter was sold to the vendor at the H and H Vintage Scooter auction in December 2022 for the price of £20,930 including fees. However, a change in circumstances means the vendor has decided to sell all of his scooters. This opens up an opportunity for a new custodian of this special scooter as the reserve has been set to sell.There is a V5C present for use on UK roads. For more information, please contact: Paul Diamond info@vintagescooters.co.uk 07768 313001

A rare Dean's Rag Book Co. wooden Mickey Mouse toy, turned and painted wood, yellow felt hands, black felt ears, missing tail and label from foot, 21cm. high. * Same version sold at Christie's 3rd December, 2001

A collection of seven vintage jazz and music-related books and magazines, featuring Armed Services Editions and Capitol Publications. Includes Esquire’s 1945 Jazz Book edited by Paul Eduard Miller, Jazz by Robert Goffin, and Jazzmen edited by Frederic Ramsey Jr. and Charles Edward Smith. Also includes multiple issues of Music Views magazine, showcasing notable musicians and industry insights. These editions offer a historical perspective on jazz and popular music of the time, featuring rare photographs, articles, and interviews. The dimensions of the collection measures: 7"H.Issued: c. 1950Dimensions: See DescriptionCondition: Age related wear.

This is a rare, limited edition collector’s guide commemorating Frank Sinatra's 50th anniversary in the music industry, spanning his illustrious career from 1935 to 1985. Authored by Peter Barbato with original artwork by Jerry Valentine, this guide provides an invaluable resource for serious Sinatra fans and collectors, featuring nearly 1,500 listings of EPs, 10-inch and 12-inch records, and a directory of LPs that chronicle Sinatra's extensive discography. The book serves as both a celebration of Sinatra’s contributions to music and a practical tool for record collectors. Inside, readers will find comprehensive information about the various pressings, including rare releases, limited editions, and essential discography details.Author Peter Barbato, a dedicated Frank Sinatra historian and collector, meticulously compiled this guide, drawing on his vast knowledge and expertise. Barbato released this limited-edition guide in 1985, in honor of Sinatra’s 50-year anniversary. In the forward, Barbato writes, “[w]hat I have tried to accomplish with this guide, is to give the collector an easy reference to past, forgotten, mostly unissued and alternate recordings, and a source in which they can be located.” The author further elaborates that, “[e]very recording, aircheck, concert, etc. listed in this guide was chosen through my own personal knowledge, gained from many years of collecting, dealing, reading, and conversing with collectors all over the world.” Sinatra’s impact on music and pop culture is immeasurable, and this rare collector’s guide stands as a tribute to his enduring influence, perfect for those who wish to deepen their appreciation of the legendary entertainer's musical journey.Issued: c. 1985Dimensions: 8.5"HEdition: 112 of 500Country of Origin: United StatesCondition: Age related wear.

A FINE AND RARE GEORGE III SMALL SATINWOOD BANDED MAHOGANY LONGCASE REGULATOR OF ONE-MONTH DURATIONTHOMAS WRIGHT, LONDON, CIRCA 1785-90The substantial six knopped pillar movement with thick plates incorporating rounded upper angles measuring 7.75 by 5.5 inches, enclosing a five-wheel train with Harrison's maintaining power, five-spoke wheel crossings and terminating with a Graham-type deadbeat escapement, regulated by large lenticular bob seconds pendulum with T-bar suspension, Hindley-type cranked crutch arrangement and Wright's patent stirrup-frame type compensation to the bob, incorporating a pair of horizontal bimetallic bars, calibrated rating nut and a secondary small spherical fine-adjustment bob beneath, the 10 inch heavy-gauge silvered brass break-arch dial with subsidiary seconds and signature over conforming Roman numeral hour dial to centre, within outer minute ring incorporating Arabic five minute annotations, with blued steel hands beneath a shallow semi-elliptical arch signed WRIGHT, the heavy satinwood crossbanded case constructed in the manner of Gillows with shaped panel upstand to the moulded swan-neck pediment, over break-arch architrave and glazed hinged dial aperture with crossbanded border to the frame and flanked by crisply executed free-standing fluted Roman Doric columns, the sides with rectangular glazed apertures and half columns applied adjacent to the rear edge, the trunk with concave throat moulding and plain frieze over ogee-break-arch door fronted with flame-figured veneer within a satinwood border and astragal edge moulding, flanked by tall fluted full Roman Doric columns set on banded plinths, the plinth base with stepped ogee top moulding over conforming shaped crossbanded astragal-bordered panel to fascia and ogee bracket feet. 216cm (85ins) high, 46cm (18ins) wide, 26cm (10.25ins) deep. Literature:Illustrated in Symonds, R.W. A Book of English Clocks page 79 (Plates 68B and 70). The inside of the door applied with a manuscript table (to assist with the regulation the timepiece from astronomical observations) further inscribed in ink;The stars make 36 revolutions from any point in the universe to the same point again in 365 days & one minute and therefore they gain a 365th of a revolution in every 24 hours of mean solar time, near enough for regulating any clock or watch. This acceleration is at the rate of three minute and fifty-five seconds, fifty three thirds, fifty nine fourths, in twenty four hours or in the nearest round number three minutes fifty six seconds, by which quantity of time every star comes round sooner than it did on the day before.With further note beneath:This timepiece was purchased from Miss Wright, daughter of the maker Mr. Wright Watchmaker to the King George the third. G. Hurt bought this clock in September 1795 for twenty guineas. Thomas Wright was born in London in 1736 and gained his Freedom of the Clockmakers' Company in 1770. He was a gifted watch and clockmaker who was appointed 'watchmaker to the King'; with a fine Matthew Boulton blue john and ormolu-cased quarter chiming table clock being one of his Royal Commissions - which resides at Buckingham Palace (see Jagger, Cedric ROYAL CLOCKS page 98, Plate 134). In 1781 Thomas Earnshaw sought Wright's opinion with regards to his design of detached watch escapement. Wright subsequently commissioned a watch incorporating the design from Earnshaw, which he then put on test for a year. The results were clearly impressive as Wright then assisted Earnshaw by overseeing the patenting of the design with his payment agreed in the form a royalty of one guinea per watch made with the escapement. The Patent (No. 1354) was granted on 1st February 1783 and interestingly also included the ingenious design of compensated pendulum bob employed in the present timepiece. Thomas Wright died in 1792 it is highly likely that the present regulator was in his possession at that time and was passed down to his daughter. In addition to the quality of the movement, dial and the innovative pendulum, the case is also notable in its quality - particularly in the crispness of the carving to the columns and mouldings. Indeed, the general design would appear to have more in common with the northern school of case makers (certainly with regards to the treatment of the pediment) hence it there is a possibility be that Wright may have ordered it from one of the leading north country case makers. The obvious candidate that springs to mind would be Gillows of Lancaster, and indeed the quality of the cabinet work would certainly add weight to this thought. One interesting feature the case has which further points towards an attribution to Gillows is the planting of half columns towards the rear edges of the hood, as it is known that Gillows preferred to use half columns rather than quarters to dress the rear edge.

Two leaves from a portable Antiphonal [Iberian peninsula (probably Spain), second half 12th Century]one with the Annunciation to the Virgin in a large historiated initial, in Latin, illustrated manuscript on vellumTwo single leaves, each recovered from reuse on the binding of an account book, with a near-half-page initial ‘D’ (opening Psalm 39: “Dixi custodiam uias ...”) in bands of penwork and penels coloured with yellow wash, enclosing a penwork winged angel who appears to the Virgin holding a banderole with “Ave Marie” on it, both with rosy red-dotted cheeks and in pale green robes, all on red and dark blue grounds, the terminals of the initial twisting into penwork foliage sprays in the border, initials in red or dark blue with foliate coloured infill, some capitals infilled with yellow wash, others infilled in red, red rubrics, text in single column of 20 lines of a fine Iberian Romanesque hand, with music in neumes arranged around a clef-line, one leaf with an added line at head most probably of the seventeenth century (this much faded), each leaf 320 by 216mm.; with another leaf from a fourteenth-century Italian Missal, also recovered from reuse on a binding and much torn at edges Examples of Spanish book arts of this great age are rare to the market. For comparable leaves see P. Kidd, The McCarthy Collection, Volume II: Spanish, English, Flemish and Central European Miniatures, 2019, nos. 1-3.We would like to thank Dr. Timothy Bolton for assistance with the cataloguing of this lot. Recovered from reuse on the binding of an account book, and hence with some scrawled inscriptions, staining, scuffing, a few small holes (one in the middle of the historiated initial at the angel’s hip) and once folded, overall fair condition.

1996 Jaguar XK8 4.0 Automatic Convertible. Registration number: P100 BSA. Mileage: 23,513. Selling on behalf of a deceased estate. Dry stored since new this incredible low mileage XK8 is finished in Carnival metallic red with full cream leather interior. Contrasting brown electric convertible roof. 18inch Jaguar sports alloy wheels. Wood dashboard. Half leather wood steering wheel. Air conditioning with climate control and heated front electric seats. Electric windows and mirrors. Trip computer system. Remote central locking with Jaguar alarm and immobiliser system. Well looked after being Jaguar enthusiast owned from new. Supplied by Barretts Jaguar Kent with full Barretts service history including original correspondence letters between Jaguar and the owner when ordering the XK8. Supplied with original Jaguar book pack and operating manuals with 2 x remote central locking keys and an indoor Jaguar car cover with fitting instructions. Private registration number 'P100 BSA' included in the sale. MOT until 22nd of June 2025.A rare opportunity to acquire a genuine low mileage XK8 convertible. Please note that buyers premium is 10% plus VAT (total 12% inc VAT) on all cars and motorbikes, subject to a minimum of £150 plus VAT. Please be aware that all lots are sold as seen and without any warranty implied or given. You must satisfy your knowledge as to a vehicles description and condition before you decide to bid. We recommend that you inspect the lot in person during the general viewing days held prior to the auction day on the 10th of December. If you are unable to attend one of the viewing days, Ewbanks can arrange for an individual telephone/walk round video call appointment with a car expert. Please refer to the terms and conditions. Viewing days: Monday 17th of March: 9am - 5pm, Tuesday 18th of March: 9am - 5pm, Wednesday 19th of March: 9am - 5pm, Thursday 20th of March: 9am - 5pm, Friday 21st of March, Saturday 22nd of March: 10am - 2pm, Monday 24th of March and Morning of the Auction on Tuesday 25th of March.

1991 Ford Fiesta Popular Bonus II. Registration number: H983 JTM.Mileage displaying: 49,410. Highly original example finished in Wedgewood blue with grey cloth interior. The interior is in time warp condition. Fitted with the reliable 999cc engine mated to a 4 speed manual transmission. Back to basic motoring fitted with a manual choke and no power steering. Extensive history portfolio with 11 service stamps in the service booklet up to 47,857 miles along with plenty of supplying paperwork and old mots. Comes with original book pack and manuals. Since the end of the production of the Ford Fiesta brand in 2023 previous models have now instantly become a future classic. Especially a low mileage early example like this one which makes it a rare acquisition to find. Please note that buyers premium is 10% plus VAT (total 12% inc VAT) on all cars and motorbikes, subject to a minimum of £150 plus VAT. Please be aware that all lots are sold as seen and without any warranty implied or given. You must satisfy your knowledge as to a vehicles description and condition before you decide to bid. We recommend that you inspect the lot in person during the general viewing days held prior to the auction day on the 10th of December. If you are unable to attend one of the viewing days, Ewbanks can arrange for an individual telephone/walk round video call appointment with a car expert. Please refer to the terms and conditions. Viewing days: Monday 17th of March: 9am - 5pm, Tuesday 18th of March: 9am - 5pm, Wednesday 19th of March: 9am - 5pm, Thursday 20th of March: 9am - 5pm, Friday 21st of March, Saturday 22nd of March: 10am - 2pm, Monday 24th of March and Morning of the Auction on Tuesday 25th of March.

2001 Mercedes 200 SLK Kompressor 6 Speed Manual. Registration number: S44 NDX.Mileage: 89,950.Rare 6 speed manual model. Finished in Metallic Linarite blue with full black leather interior. Fitted with 18inch 5 spoke alloy wheels. Electric folding roof. Air conditioning with climate control. Electric windows and mirrors. Remote central locking. Upgraded Sony Aux/Bluetooth stereo system. Large history folder of early Mercedes service history receipts and old MOT certificates. Mercedes service booklet stamped up to 52,050 including book pack and manuals. Desirable private registration number plate included in the sale. Long MOT until 12th of September 2025.Benefitting from being ULEZ compliant. Mercedes SLK R170 models are now becoming increasingly popular as a usable classic Mercedes convertible. Quinten Wilson recently published an article saying what a good buy they are and only going to increase in value. Please note that buyers premium is 10% plus VAT (total 12% inc VAT) on all cars and motorbikes, subject to a minimum of £150 plus VAT. Please be aware that all lots are sold as seen and without any warranty implied or given. You must satisfy your knowledge as to a vehicles description and condition before you decide to bid. We recommend that you inspect the lot in person during the general viewing days held prior to the auction day on the 10th of December. If you are unable to attend one of the viewing days, Ewbanks can arrange for an individual telephone/walk round video call appointment with a car expert. Please refer to the terms and conditions. Viewing days: Monday 17th of March: 9am - 5pm, Tuesday 18th of March: 9am - 5pm, Wednesday 19th of March: 9am - 5pm, Thursday 20th of March: 9am - 5pm, Friday 21st of March, Saturday 22nd of March: 10am - 2pm, Monday 24th of March and Morning of the Auction on Tuesday 25th of March.

Antique pressed botanical book titled Flowers of the Holy Land, crafted in Jerusalem. The book contains a collection of dried flowers and plants, carefully arranged and preserved, with captions in multiple languages, including German, English, and French. The cover is made of intricately grained olive wood with an inlaid border and bears the inscription Jerusalem. This type of book was a popular souvenir from the Holy Land in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The interior features delicate tissue overlays protecting the botanical specimens. Shows signs of age-related wear, particularly along the spine, with some separation and repairs. A rare and historically significant piece reflecting the craftsmanship and devotional culture of the region.Issued: 20th centuryDimensions: 6.5"L x 4.25"HCondition: Age related wear.

A very rare UK example of Fiat's class-leading, mid-1980s 'hot hatch', fully restored although retaining its original interior. The Strada 130TC Abarth was a fascinating left-field entry into the 'hot-hatch' wars of the 1980s, posting better performance figures than the omnipresent Golf GTiPerformance-focused with a 128bhp, 2-litre Twin-Cam mated to a 5-speed, close-ratio ZF box offering 0-60 in 7.6 secondsUK-supplied car from 16 years ownership before moving into a private Collection in 2022, with less than 59,000 miles from new Subject to a bare-shell restoration in 2006 with replacement panels fitted as necessary, new suspension and fully prepared and refinished in Rosso Medio, however the original Recaro interior was in excellent condition and was retained. Fully WaxoyledVery little use since the restoration and fully commissioned since joining the current Collection in 2022Photographic history of restoration, all original books, service book, original Fiat workshop manual, recommissioning invoices and more. Although on 27th March this will be an historic vehicle, our vendor has put a Fiat main dealer MOT on the carAlmost certainly the best UK-supplied Strada Abarth available today - will you ever get another chance to own one?Specification Make: FIAT Model: STRADA ABARTH 130 TC Year: 1985 Chassis Number: ZFA138A0003150154 Registration Number: B61 ORK Transmission: Manual Engine Number: 1528840 Drive Side: Right-hand Drive Odometer Reading: 58903 Miles Make: RHDClick here for more details and images

Well kept, low-mileage, low-owner, post-facelift 3.2-litre Boxster S in a striking colour and at a very inviting guide. A late production example of the post-facelift, first generation, 3.2-litre Boxster S with the 6-speed manual gearboxPowered by the M96 water-cooled flat-six displacing 3,179cc and offering 254bhp, 0-60 in 5.7 seconds and 164mphFinished in the comparatively rare Orient Red Metallic with a mid-grey leather interior and grey convertible hood in good working orderBOSE sound system upgrade, Porsche crests in the headrests and factory carpet matsIt's lived in the Channel Islands for much of its life with its two lady owners, hence the low mileageRecent major service including discs and pads and refurbished genuine Porsche BBS 18'' Sport Classic split-rim alloys in the correct Porsche Titan Grey with four new tyresSupplied with two keys, the original book pack, manuals and the service records showing 12 service stamps (main agents/German performance specialists)   Specification Make: PORSCHE Model: BOXSTER Year: 2004 Chassis Number: WP0ZZZ98Z4U641516 Registration Number: NT53 OZB Transmission: Manual Engine Number: 67403407 Drive Side: Right-hand Drive Odometer Reading: 40226 Miles Make: RHDClick here for more details and images

Fresh to market having recently been discovered in a barn, this first-generation MR2 is offered without Reserve. A UK-supplied, right-hand drive, first generation, manual MR2 that was first registered on the 23/10/1987 (five former keepers)Showing just over 81,000 miles at the time of cataloguing, the car has recently come out of long term barn storageThe car starts and runs but naturally needs work following years off the roadAccompanied by a folder of invoices, handful of MOT Certificates and the service book showing over 20 service stampsExcitingly offered without Reserve, this is a rare opportunity to return this topical car back to the roadWe encourage all interested parties to come and inspect the car for themselves at the NECSpecification Make: TOYOTA Model: MR2 Year: 1987 Chassis Number: JT1C0AW1100118505 Registration Number: E150 VKW Transmission: Manual Engine Number: 4A0930459 Drive Side: Right-hand Drive Odometer Reading: 81240 Miles Make: RHDClick here for more details and images

One of only 10 UK-supplied, built by ABT Sportsline in Kempton with the full ABT Wide-Body Kit, superbly refinished in a bespoke Ferrari Green, correctly retrimmed, and offering nearly 300bhp. A rare limited-edition in celebration of Audi's success with the ABT-run TTs in the German Touring Car Championship in the late 1990sKnown as the 'TT-Limited' they were available through Audi UK, built by ABT-Sportsline and finished in Kempton10 were sold in the UK all finished in Imola YellowThis example was subsequently fully stripped, engine out, and professionally fitted with the ABT 'Wide-Body Kit' which included the front bumper, extended arches, rear diffuser, side-skirts and blended rear wingThere are numerous other upgrades including big brakes, bespoke coil-overs, single wiper, quad exhaust, OZ split-rim wheels, and much more (further details in the car's history file at our Documents Desk)Refinished in what they call 'Ferrari Green' which is a colour-to-sample from, we believe, a Ferrari Enzo painted in this fabulous colourFully retrimmed in new leather with green stitching and highlights at a cost of £5,000Replacement 225 engine (43K recorded) fitted by the TT Shop in MK in 2013 around 7,000 miles ago and further modified to generate 280-300bhpAudi Driver Magazine featured June 2016 MOT until August 2025 issued with no advisories. History file, lots of bills, service book with stampsWe understand that around £22,000, on top of the car's purchase price, has been invested over the last 12 years which makes the current guide price seem very sensibleWith only seven believed to be left in the UK, all but this one in yellow, this unique 300bhp, Ferrari Green, TT-Limited is sure to attract serious interest. Specification Make: AUDI Model: ABT SPORTSLINE LIMITED TT WIDEBODY Year: 2002 Chassis Number: TRUZZZ8NZ11014248 Registration Number: VA02 OHC Transmission: Manual Drive Side: Right-hand Drive Odometer Reading: 175500 Miles Make: RHD Interior Colour: Green/Black AlcantaraClick here for more details and images

Extensive collection of 43 volumes of the 1st edition of Brassey's Naval Annual and Brassey's Naval & Shipping Annual, covering the years 1886-1923 and 1926-1941. Volumes 1890 to 1900 and 1902 include Brassey's autographs, dedications, and nameplates from the Nautical Books Books, Prints, and Pictures, Harold T. Storey, London. These books provide an invaluable historical record of naval power, shipbuilding, maritime strategy, and global naval affairs during a crucial period spanning pre-World War I, the interwar years, and early World War II. Edited by notable figures such as Lord Brassey, T.A. Brassey, and later maritime experts, these volumes contain technical analyses, fleet comparisons, and political insights relevant to naval history enthusiasts, researchers, and collectors. The bindings range from dark blue to tan, reflecting various publication eras, with publishers including J. Griffin & Co. and Wm. Clowes & Sons. This nearly complete run presents a rare opportunity to acquire a foundational naval reference set.Issued: 1886-1941Dimensions: Each book average: 6.25"L x 1.25"W x 9.75"HCondition: Fair to good.

This is a rare antique typewriter manufactured by the Chicago Writing Machine Company, a historically significant brand known for its contributions to early typewriting technology. Measuring 13 inches in length, this model features a distinctive gothic-style "The Chicago" logo emblazoned on its body, ivory-toned keys, and a compact design reflecting early 20th-century craftsmanship. The black enamel finish with gold detailing enhances its timeless appeal. Original instruction book included.Issued: c. 1898Dimensions: 13"LCountry of Origin: United StatesCondition: Age related wear. As is. Functionality not guaranteed.

A collection of six aviation-themed books covering military aircraft, aviation history, and aircraft manufacturers. Titles include The Encyclopedia of Air Warfare, Airplanes: From the Dawn of Flight to the Present Day by Enzo Angelucci, World Encyclopedia of Aircraft Manufacturers: From the Pioneers to the Present Day by Bill Gunston, In the Teeth of the Wind: Memoirs of the Royal Naval Air Service in the First World War by Squadron Leader C. P. O. Bartlett DSC, The Guinness Book of Aircraft: Records, Facts and Feats (New Edition), and Fairey Aircraft Since 1915 by H. A. Taylor. These books provide detailed insights into the evolution of aircraft, wartime aviation, and notable aircraft manufacturers. Some editions may feature rare historical photographs, technical specifications, and first-hand accounts from pilots. A valuable set for aviation enthusiasts, historians, and collectors of military and aeronautical literatureDimensions: Largest book: 9"L x 1.25"W x 12"HCondition: Good.

This collection of five books explores the history of naval warfare and World War II, covering key events, military strategies, and maritime technology. Included are Seapower: 2007 Almanac, a comprehensive guide to modern naval forces; D-Day Ships: The Allied Invasion Fleet, June 1944 by Yves Buffetaut, which details the vessels crucial to the Normandy landings; The History of the World's Warships by Christopher Chant, an illustrated chronicle of naval engineering and battles; The Second World War in Color by Stewart Binns and Adrian Wood, presenting rare wartime images with historical context; and Sea Power: A Global Journey by Luc Cuyvers, a companion volume to a public television series exploring the evolution of naval dominance. This set offers a valuable resource for historians, military enthusiasts, and collectors of maritime literature.Dimensions: Largest book: 12"L x 2"W x 9.50"HCondition: Age related wear.

This collection of three hardcover books offers compelling narratives and in-depth analysis of the Korean War from 1950 to 1953. Ship of Miracles: 14,000 Lives and One Miraculous Voyage by Bill Gilbert tells the incredible true story of the Hungnam evacuation, where thousands of Korean refugees were saved aboard a single merchant ship, with a foreword by General Alexander M. Haig Jr. War in Korea: from 1950 to 1953 by D.M. Giangreco provides a comprehensive visual history of the war, featuring rare photographs, strategic maps, and detailed battle analysis, making it an excellent resource for military history enthusiasts. The Secrets of Inchon: The Untold Story of the Most Daring Covert Mission of the Korean War by Commander Eugene Franklin Clark, USN, recounts a gripping firsthand account of covert intelligence operations that played a crucial role in the success of the Inchon landing, with an introduction and epilogue by historian Thomas Fleming. These books together provide a rich historical perspective on the war, covering both military strategy and the human experiences behind the conflict. The largest book dimensions: 8.75"L x 1.25"W x 11.25"H.Dimensions: See DescriptionCondition: Age related wear.

This collection of six books provides an in-depth look at the history of passenger liners, ocean liners, and classic ships, featuring rare photographs, historical insights, and detailed accounts of some of the world's most famous vessels. Included in this set are Great Passenger Ships of the World, Volume 1: 1858-1912 by Arnold Kludas, Classic Ships: Romance and Reality by Nicholas Faith, Pictorial Encyclopedia of Ocean Liners, 1860-1994 by William H. Miller Jr., Fifty Famous Liners by Frank O. Braynard & William H. Miller, Passenger Liners of the World Since 1893 by Nicholas T. Cairis, and The Great Luxury Liners 1927-1954: A Photographic Record by William H. Miller Jr. Covering legendary ships such as the Titanic, Queen Mary, and other notable vessels, these books offer a comprehensive look into maritime history with overviews of ship designs, voyages, and their lasting impact. Ideal for collectors, historians, or maritime enthusiasts, this set provides a wealth of information and visual documentation on some of the most iconic liners in history. Largest book measures 12"H.Dimensions: See DescriptionCondition: Age related wear.

A rare 16th century German tambour cased stackfreed striking pocket watch, circa 1550-70. The silver dial with vari-coloured translucent enamel depicting stylised foliage springing from an urn and bird, with roman numeral markers, touch-pins and inner chapter ring, replacement blued steel single hand, verge escapement with dumb-bell balance and hog's bristle regulator, stackfreed spring, roller and cam, maker's marks MS, encased within a brass gilt pierced case with hinged covers and hook fitting, loose fitting ring, finial to base and pierced foliate border, case diameter 67mm. With key. Maker MS housed in British Museum, see item 1958,1201.2203. For dial similarities see The Camerer Cuss Book of Antique Watches, T. A. Camerer Cuss, 1976. pg. 51-53, plates 5-7.British Museum - item no. 1958,1201.2203.British Old Clocks and Watches and their Makers, Cecil Clutton. pg. 40-1 plates 23, 24https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2019/masterworks-time-adolf-lange-golden-era-glashutte-ge1924/lot.2.htmlhttps://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-4795920 Overall condition good to fair Watch winds and runs, Wilson 55 does not guarantee the working accuracy of any timepiece offered - see video for movement Replacement hand, not securely attached Scratches, discolouration and abrasion in keeping with age and use Lid closes to and securely Outer case- discolouration in keeping with age, one crack - see images Dial - scratches - localised between 12 and 3, losses to enamel in places (birds wings, urn, flower petals) touch pin to 9 deficient Maker's mark legible

A RARE HENRY VIII TUDOR OAK FOLDING BOOKREST, ENGLISH. CIRCA 1530-1540. The bookrest made from two knuckle jointed Oak boards with a scroll and undercut carved pediment, descending to the S shaped and knuckle jointed book support. Having three end boards all silhouette shaped with incised and punch decorated Rose and Fleur De Lys emblems. Of fine untouched colour and surface patination., when open 28cm high 30cm wide 24cm deep when flat 39cm high 30cm wide 2.5cm deep Note - Bookrests of such an early date would have been used by either scholar’s, clergy or persons of high status. The usage of Tudor Royal symbols indicates an original owner of importance. *CR nice early tudor example.

Arthur Ord-Hume's signed British Commercial Aircraft 1920-1940 boxed leather bound copy book very rare 1 of only 2 in existence this copy and the authors . 1st prize in competition in 2003. Good condition. All autographs come with a Certificate of Authenticity. We combine postage on multiple winning lots and can ship worldwide. UK postage from £5.99, EU from £7.99, Rest of World from £9.99

Australia (217) coins comprised of: (15) silver Threepences; scarce noted: 1910 VF light scratches, 1911 GF, 1914 nVF hairlines, 1916M VG/F, 1917M nVF light scratches, 1918M GF, 1919M Fine, tone spots, 1921M F/GF, 1922 GF/nVF light scratches, 1923 GF (rare date), 1925 Fine, 1926 VF, 1927 nF, 1928 nVF scratch, and 1934 tone spot; also (19) silver Sixpences 1912 to 1963, some latter dates in high grade; (8) silver Shillings 1944 to 1960 various mixed grade, including 1944 Melbourne (no mm) EF; (15) silver Florins 1911 to 1959 various, mixed grade, noted: 1911 Fair-VG, 1914 VG/F, 1917M VG/F, 1927 Parliament nVF, 1943S GVF, 1944 nVF, 1956 VF, etc; (22) Pennies 1911 to 1936, mixed grade, noted: 1915H aF, 1916I VF, 1918I nF, 1920 dot below nVF, 1921 GF/nVF, 1924 VF, 1926 nVF, 1928 VF, 1929 VF, 1935 GVF, etc; (22) Halfpennies 1911 to 1938 various, mixed grade, noted: 1911 nVF, 1912H GF, 1914 GF, 1916I VF, 1917I VF, 1921 VF, 1924 F (scarce), 1925 F-GF, 1926 VF, 1931 VF touch of verdigris, etc; and (116) other predecimal and decimal base metal including kangaroo pennies and halfpennies. (Total book over AU$1155 Renniks 2023).

Published in 1901 by Buffalo Dental Manufacturing Company, this first edition hardcover Illustrated Catalogue of Dental Furniture, Instruments, and Materials offers a historical glimpse into early 20th-century dental supplies. Bound in decorative blue cloth with black Art Nouveau-style illustrations, the book features an illustrated catalog and price list for dentists’ supplies. Measuring 9.5"H x 6.75"L, this rare collectible is an important reference for dental history enthusiasts and antique medical collectors.Issued: 20th century Dimensions: See DescriptionCondition: Age related wear.

This lot features a rare Armed Services Edition of The Cruise of the Snark by Jack London. Published for distribution to U.S. military personnel during World War II, these compact paperbacks were designed for easy portability. This edition recounts Jack London’s adventurous 1907-1909 voyage across the South Pacific with vivid storytelling. Marked as government property and not originally intended for sale, these editions are highly collectible. The book measures 5.5"L x 4"H.Issued: 20th century Dimensions: See DescriptionCondition: Age related wear.

Hanhart: A Rare Second World War German Luftwaffe Pilots Single Push Chronograph Wristwatch, circa 1938, (Hanhart calibre 40) manual wound lever movement, original black dial with radium finished Arabic numerals and outer fifth of seconds minute track, two sub dials for seconds and 30 minute register, cathedral luminous hands, nickel plated case with a single button in the band to operate the chronograph, large crown, rare original rotating bezel with aligning arrow marker, fixed bars between the lugs, the typical form Hanhart screw back with three notches and stamped to the centre Wassergeschutzt Stossfest and numbered 10474640mm wideThis present example is a rare German military Luftwaffe pilots wristwatch made by the Hanhart company and housing the high quality calibre 40 movement which was produced by the factory in 1938. This example has the rare pilots feature of having a rotating bezel and early original feature of the aligning arrow. The bezel was aligned with the minute hand to record a given flying distance and also gave a second precise time intervals of up to 30 minutes on the dial register. Another calibre 40 example very close to the present examples serial number is recorded in the book "Military Timepieces" page 361 by Konrad Knirim. This is one of the rarest Luftwaffe pilots wristwatches on the watch market and a great opportunity to add this original watch to your collection.Case with surface scratches and small dents in parts, back cover with the nickel plated surface rubbed and discoloured, bezel and aligning arrow marker rubbed in parts, possibly a later chronograph button cap, winding crown with surface rubbed, strap is worn, plexi glass with scratches, original bezel is turning correctly, original dial finish in good condition and the markers are nice and clear, hands with lume discoloured, hand setting correctly and winding smoothly, chronograph buttons are working correctly, chronograph hand and 30 minute register hand returns back to zero when pressing the flyback button, movement is working.

Worksplate BEYER PEACOCK & CO LTD VR 1912 MANCHESTER ex Victorian Railways class DD 4-6-0 in the number range 531-569. Oval cast brass face restored measures 11.5in x 6.75in. A rare plate that is featured on page 16 number 16 in the book British Locomotive Builders Plates by Buckle & Love.

Worksplate WILLIAM BEARDMORE AND COMPANY LIMITED No 434 DALMUIR WORKS GLASGOW 1930. Ex Eastern Railway India XE Class 2-8-2 numbered 22502. Diamond shaped cast brass face restored, measures 7.75in x 4.75in. A rare plate that is featured on page 15 in the book British Locomotive Builders Plates by Buckle & Love.

Worksplate MARKHAM & CO LTD MAKERS CHESTERFIELD 1912. ex 0-4-0ST Delivered new to Geo Slater Beighton. Oval cast brass face restored measures 13.625in x 9in. A rare plate that is featured on page 41 in the book British Locomotive Builders Plates by Buckle & Love.

Worksplate SIR.W.G.ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH & Co LTD NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE ENGINE No 603 1924 ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT BY BRITISH THOMPSON HOUSTON Co LTD RUGBY. Ex 0-4-4-0 Electric supplied new to Modederfontein Gold Mine South Africa. Oval cast brass in lightly face cleaned condition, measures 12in x 7in. A rare plate that is featured on page 10 in the book British Locomotive Builders Plates by Buckle & Love.

Worksplate HUDSWELL. CLARKE & RODGERS, ENGINEERS, LEEDS , 1874. Probably from works number 150 0-4-0ST, named Swillington as this is the only loco that lasted from ones built this year past the early parts of the 20th century. Works number 150 was delivered new to Allerton Coal, Swillington, then to Tyne - Tees shipping, Middlesbrough, then Stockton, scrapped on site 1964. Rectangular engraved brass face original lettering repainted and edges with plenty of original green paint, measures 14.5in x 5.75in. A rare plate that is featured on page 32 in the book British Locomotive Builders Plates by Buckle & Love.

A Collection of Mauchline ware; Floral and black lacquered wear. card boxes, pin dishes, book, Rare tot glass holder with gold finish and various others.

World.- Purchas (Samuel) His Pilgrimage. Or, Relations of the World and the Religions Observed in all ages and places discovered ..., first edition, tears and loss to title, neatly laid down on paper, wood engraved initials, head- and tail-pieces, occasional marginal ink signatures and notes in different hands, one or two marginal ink number-stamps, scattered faint spotting and staining, 3V4 trimmed (?from another copy), lacking final blank, twentieth-century calf, sunned spine, fractional bumping to corners, [Sabin 66678], folio, William Stansby for Henrie Fetherstone, 1613. *** First edition of the first comprehensive study of the diversity of world religions, the eighth and ninth book of which focus on the America. Rare with text complete. 

A rare Irish book. What The Irish Regiments Have Done. By S Parnell Kerr. 2nd edition 1916.

HERGE: (1907-1983) Georges Prosper Remi. Belgian cartoonist, creator of The Adventures of Tintin. An excellent and rare signed and inscribed 10 x 13.5 photograph (25cm x 34 cm), the image depicting Hergé in a close-up head and shoulders pose. Signed and inscribed in bold black ink to the lower photographer´s mount, `A France et Roger Ferrari, en très cordial souvenir - Hergé´, also dated in his hand in December 1979. Signed photographs of Hergé are of the utmost rarity and the present example is highly desirable owing to its interesting association. VGFrance Ferrari and her husband Roger were close friends of Hergé. France worked as a colorist at the Hergé Studio from 1955, and Roger later became involved in writing scripts for Quick & Flupke comic book publications following a revival of interest in the ´urchins of Brussels´, two characters created by Hergé in the 1930s.

HILLARY RICHARD: (1919-1943) Anglo-Australian Flight Lieutenant, a Royal Air Force fighter pilot during World War II who participated in the Battle of Britain. An extremely rare book signed, being a hardback edition of The Last Enemy, First Edition published by Macmillan & Co. Ltd., London, 1942. Signed ('Richard Hillary') by the pilot in blue fountain pen ink with his name alone to the front free endpaper. Bound in the publisher's blue cloth and with a gilt title to the spine (which is faded). Lacking the dust wrapper. Autographs of Hillary are extremely rare in any form as a result of his tragic death in an airplane crash at the age of 23, and authentically signed copies of The Last Enemy are particularly desirable (those that usually appear on the market bearing forged signatures). Some light age wear, about VGThe Last Enemy was Hillary's war memoir detailing his experiences during the Battle of Britain in 1940. Of the book and its author J. B. Priestley wrote 'The Last Enemy differs from all other books about the R.A.F. because its author, Richard Hillary, is by temperament and inclination, and to some extent training, a writer…….The value of this book lies in the fact that it is a statement of a fully articulate young man about life in a Service which is generally inarticulate. Richard Hillary happens to be a young man who doesn't often find his way into the R.A.F. He is in my view a born writer'

HERGE: (1907-1983) Georges Prosper Remi. Belgian cartoonist, best known as the creator of The Adventures of Tintin. An excellent original pencil drawing executed and signed by Herge, one page, small oblong 8vo (approximately 12 x 7.5 cm), n.p., n.d. (early 1960s). Herge's preparatory sketch depicts Tintin and Captain Haddock in three-quarter length poses together as they angrily watch a young girl, Miarka, running away from them (the girl having just bitten the Merchant Marine Captain's hand). Signed ('Hergé') in pencil to the left of the panel, the final version of which was published in the comic album Les Bijoux de la Castafiore (1963; The Castafiore Emerald) and had previously been serialised in the weekly Tintin magazine from July 1961 to September 1962. Rare and desirable in this form. Some very light, minor age wear, with remnants of former affixing to the verso, otherwise G In the published comic album version of Les Bijoux de la Castafiore the final version of the present drawing appears on page 2 (panel C1) with Captain Haddock declaring 'Mille milliards de mille sabords!' in an angry reaction to having just been bitten on the hand by Miarka, the young Romani girl. Les Bijoux de la Castafiore was the twenty-first volume in Herge's comic album series The Adventures of Tintin and is the only book in the series where the characters remain at Captain Haddock's family estate, Marlinspike Hall. The story has been described as 'the most surprising of Tintin's adventures'.

* Broggiotti (Andrea, active in Rome 1617-1646). Portrait of Cardinal Lelio Biscia, from Sanctissimi D.N. Urbani papae VIII ac illustrissimorum et reverendissimorum DD. S. R. E. cardinalium nunc viventium effigies, insignia, nomina, & cognomina, Rome: Typis Vaticanis, 1628, woodcut portrait, printed in red and black, from the series of 66 woodcut portraits all printed in red and black published by Broggiotti in 1628, with printed inscription at foot 'Lelius SS. Viti, & Modesti Card. Biscia, Romanus, 19. Januarii 1626', 175 x 116 mm, framed and glazedQTY: (1)NOTE:From the rare collection of colour-printed portraits of Pope Urban VIII and members of the Sacred College of Cardinals published by Andrea Brogiotti, director of the Stamperia Vaticana. Little is known about Brogiotti, who was also a bookseller and publisher and later civic treasurer of Rome. In 1628 he published the Indice de caratteri, the type specimen of the Vatican Press, the earliest type specimen book. Among his other published works are two volumes of verse, and an edition of the vulgate in pocket format. All his published works were dedicated to the Barberini family. Firmin-Didot 384 ("Livre rare").Lelio Biscia (1575-1638) became cardinal of the church of Santi Viti e Modesto, Rome in 1626. A great collector of books and manuscripts, he served on the committee charged with the completion of St. Peter's, Rome, through which he came into contact with many of the leading artists in Rome.

A rare Second War ‘Coastal Command - Film Production Unit’ Boston Pilot’s D.F.C., ‘Malta’ Blenheim Pilot’s D.F.M. group of seven awarded to Flying Officer R. E. Gillman, Royal Air Force, who served as Officer Commanding the R.A.F.’s Film Production Unit in 1944, and later, as Chief Training Captain, British European Airways Corporation, was awarded the Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated 1944; Distinguished Flying Medal, G.VI.R. (1260024 Sgt. R. E. Gillman. R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, 1 clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted for wear, good very fine (7) £6,000-£8,000 --- D.F.C. London Gazette 10 October 1944. The original Recommendation states: ‘During June, July and August 1944, F/O Gillman, of the Film Production Unit of the Directorate of Public Relations, while temporarily attached to Coastal Command, carried out a number of operations in company with Beaufighters of Nos. 16 and 19 Groups. On several of these sorties he flew a Boston I aircraft, armed only with two Vickers guns and with no self-sealing fuel tanks, against heavily defended enemy convoys and also carried out a number of reconnaissance sorties un-escorted in search of enemy U-Boats, which had previously been attacked by Coastal Command aircraft. F/O Gillman's crew consisted of one Wireless Operator/Air Gunner and two cameramen. Consequently, F/O Gillman had to do his own D.R. navigation although his aircraft was equipped with no modern navigational aids. The extreme endurance of the aircraft was less than four hours and on nearly every occasion he landed with only 15/20 minutes petrol left. On several sorties unique films were obtained by the cameramen thanks largely to the skill with which F/O Gillman presented them with targets in spite of the danger from flak. At all times, both on the ground and in the air, he showed himself outstandingly keen, capable and persevering. These films certainly would not have been obtained without his patience and persistence in waiting until the right opportunity presented itself and then pressing in despite opposition from the enemy.’ D.F.M. London Gazette 2 December 1941: ‘In November, 1941, this airman participated in a shipping sweep over the Ionian Sea. Two merchant vessels escorted by a destroyer were observed and, despite intense fire from all 3 vessels, 1 of them was attacked at mast height. Sergeant Gillman pressed home his attack and, although his aircraft was hit several times by shell-fire, he scored 2 direct hits on the ship which caught fire and became enveloped in thick black smoke. This airman displayed great courage and determination throughout the attack.’ The original Recommendation, for an Immediate award, gives some additional details: ‘On 17th November 1941 in company with six other Blenheims on a shipping sweep over the lonian Sea, the formation sighted two merchant vessels escorted by a destroyer. During the run-up at mast height to attack one of the merchant vessels, there was intense fire from the merchant vessels, also from the destroyer. In spite of the opposition, Sergeant Gillman pressed home his attack and though his aircraft was hit several times, he scored two direct hits. The ship shortly afterwards was enveloped in thick black smoke which rose to a great height. Last seen, the ship was on fire with a pall of smoke to 2,000 feet. As a result of this courageous action one ship is claimed as seriously damaged and probably sunk.’ Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air London Gazette 2 June 1962: Captain Ronald Edward Gillman, D.F.C., D.F.M., Senior Training Captain, British European Airways Corporation. Ronald Edward Gillman was born at Thornton Heath, Surrey, on 31 January 1921 and joined the Royal Air force in November 1940. Posted to 17 Operational Training Unit (Blenheims) at Upwood in May 1941, he received his first operational posting to 114 Squadron in July 1941, based at R.A.F. West Roynham. His first operational sortie, as Pilot of Blenheim Mk IV 2224, was attacking a convoy off the French coast on 8 September 1941; a week later he attacked a convoy off the Frisian Islands, scoring a direct hit on a 5,000 ton merchant vessel. Posted to 107 Squadron, based at R.A.F. Luqa, Malta, at the beginning of November 1941, Gillman took part in the attack on a convoy in the Mediterranean on 8 November, attacking and sinking a 3,000 ton merchant vessel, with his aircraft being hit by machine gun fire. On 17 November he attacked a convoy consisting of one Destroyer and two Merchant Vessels; he claimed three direct hits on one of the merchant vessels, which subsequently sunk, and for the leader of the attack he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal. Further operational sorties that year included an attack on Tripoli harbour on 19 December, during which he encountered fighter opposition and intense flak. Gillman subsequently chronicled his wartime experiences as a Blenheim pilot in Malta in his book ‘The Shiphunters’; reviewed by Group Captain Leonard Cheshire, V.C., Cheshire wrote: ‘It takes one almost into the aircradft itself and enables one to appreciate in remarkable detail what their crews must have experienced. An utterly convincing book, written in a vivid, gripping style.’ Posted to No. 13 Operational Training Unit, R.A.F. Bicester, as a Blenheim Instructor in April 1942, Gillman was commissioned Pilot Officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve on 3 February 1943, before being posted to the Royal Air Force’s No. 1. Film Production Unit, based at R.A.F. Benson, on 3 March 1944. The R.A.F’s Film Production Unit had been established in August 1941, No. 1 F.P.U. being the H.Q. unit based at Pinewood Studios, from whence emerged No. 2 F.P.U. to cover operations in the Middle East, No. 3 F.P.U. to cover the Far East and, finally, in April 1944, No. 4 F.P.U. to cover the Normandy landings and operations in North-West Europe. Given that part of their brief was to accompany aircraft on operations, the cameramen shared fully in the risks undertaken by regular aircrew, with 13 R.A.F. P.R.U. cameramen to losing their lives, in addition to others who were taken Prisoner of War. By the War’s end the R.A.F’s cameramen had shot over 1,640,000 feet of newsreels; much of that footage today survives in the collection of the Imperial War Museum. Temporarily attached to Coastal Command, Gillman’s first operational sortie with this unit, flying a Boston 1 aircraft armed only with two Vickers guns, was an attack on enemy destroyers off Ilse de Bas with 404 and 114 Squadrons on 9 June 1944; further operational sorties included ‘filming convoy attack off Frisian Islands’ on 6 July 1944, during which ‘2 Beaus shot down. Flak intense’; ‘Shipping in Les Sables d’Olonne’ on 8 August 1944, ‘Flak intense and accurate. 1 Beau lost’; ‘Operations Den Helder’ on 23 September 1944, ‘Gasometer set afire. Radio station beaten up’; and ‘Operations Den Helder’ on 25 September 1944, ‘Flak intense. 5 aircraft lost.’ For his services as with the Film Production Unit, Gillman was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Advanced Flying Officer on 23 December 1944, Gillman relinquished his commission in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve following the cessation of hostilities, and subsequently took up employment with British European Airways Corporation. Ultimately serving as B.E.A.’s Chief Training Captain, he was awarded a Queen’s Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air. He subsequently chronicled his ...

Weeks, Mary Elvira. The Discovery of the Elements I-XVII. [from] The Journal of Chemical Education, volume 9, number 1 - volume 9, number 12. Journal of Chemical Education, 1932-33.17 articles removed from The Journal of Chemical Education and bound together in a green cloth ready-made binder by Baschaga. Paper label to the upper board with manuscript title in an early twentieth-century hand. Black and white illustrations throughout the texts. Endpapers a little toned, binder lightly rubbed at the extremities. Excellent condition.A rare and unusual set of the first seventeen parts of the classic The Discovery of the Elements, published as twenty-one articles in The Journal of Chemical Education in 1932 and 1933 before being republished in book form. Here collected and bound together in a contemporary, ready-made cloth binder with a manuscript label.Mary Elvira Weeks (1892-1975) was a physical and analytical chemist at the University of Kansas. She "combined her dual interest in chemistry and languages to prepare a series of 21 articles in The Journal of Chemical Education in 1932-1933. The popularity of the series encouraged the Chemical Education Publishing Company of Easton, Pennsylvania, to collect the series and publish it as a paperbound book, Discovery of the Elements (1934). The articles and the resulting books were lavishly illustrated with pictures from [her colleague Frank B.] Dains' collection, subsequently supplemented by pictures collected by Weeks. The book ultimately went through seven editions; the last in 1968 with the co-authorship of Henry M. Leicester. The book was, in many respects, a history of chemistry developed around the theme of discovering elements" (American Chemical Society, Division of the History of Chemistry biography).

This elegant Lladro porcelain figurine, titled Poetry of Love (01015442), features a young couple seated on an intricately designed bench with a lamb at their feet. The boy is reading a book while the girl listens attentively, evoking a serene and romantic atmosphere. Crafted in a rare matte finish, this piece highlights Lladro's skill in capturing delicate expressions and fine details in soft pastel tones. The figurine bears the Lladro backstamp on the base.Dimensions: 8.5"HCountry of Origin: SpainCondition: Age related wear.

The rare Second War crossing of the Elbe M.M. awarded to Marine D. Towler, 45 Commando, Royal Marines. As a sniper at the crossing of the Rhine in March 1945, ‘he kept the Huns jittery near the factory area in Wesel’, where he ‘killed at least ten and wounded others in thirty-six hours fighting’; as his Troop’s Bren gunner at the Elbe crossing in April 1945, he faced off two enemy attacks: ‘two dead Germans were within 10 yards of his gun and eleven others dead or wounded in the immediate vicinity’ Military Medal, G.VI.R. (EX.4188 Mne. D. Towler. R. Marines.) in its named card box of issue, extremely fine £1,800-£2,200 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- M.M. London Gazette 7 August 1945: ‘For distinguished service whilst attached to the Allied Armies in the invasion operations in North-West Europe.’ The original recommendation states: ‘On the night of the Elbe crossing Mne. Towler was a Bren Gunner in D Troop 45 RM Commando. His Troop became involved in confused street fighting in the dark on its way to its objective. Mne. Towler was ordered to take up a position to cover a flank whilst his Troop pushed on. He selected a position in a house and engaged the enemy immediately. A section attack was put in against his house by the enemy. This was beaten off by steady and accurate shooting. As his ammunition was getting low, Mne. Towler sent his No. 2 of the gun to get more. During his absence another attempt was made by the enemy to dislodge Mne. Towler. Again this was beaten off. When his No. 2 returned together with a sub section to assist, there was only one magazine left containing a few rounds. Two dead Germans were within ten yards of the gun and eleven other dead or wounded in the immediate vicinity. Although Mne. Towler was not actually wounded he was considerably grazed by brick splinters and stones raised by the 2cm. flak guns which were used against his position. Mne. Towler's tenacity and determination was largely responsible for this troop being able to push on, without undue interference, to their objective.’ Douglas Towler was an employee of the Northern Co-operative Dairies in Aberdeen prior to joining the Royal Marines. Having then volunteered for special service, he joined 45 R.M. Commando on its formation in August 1943. As part of the 1st Special Service Brigade under Brigadier Lord Lovat, ‘45’ took heavy casualties on coming ashore on Gold Beach on D-Day, suffering a loss of three officers and 17 men killed or wounded, and one officer and 28 men missing. Those grim statistics were depressingly enlarged upon in the coming weeks of the Normandy campaign, up until ‘45’s’ withdrawal to the U.K. for a ‘refit’ in September 1944 Now part of First Commando Brigade, ‘45’ returned to an operational footing in Holland in January 1945, and was quickly in action at the battle of Montforterbeek, where Lance-Corporal Eric Harden of the R.A.M.C., attached to the Commando, gained a posthumous V.C. A costly attack on Belle Isle on the Mass having followed, among other actions, Towler and his comrades were next deployed to the crossing of the Rhine on the night of 23-24 March 1945. Their objective was Wesel, where Towler received a shrapnel wound but remained on duty. In fact, as evidenced by an accompanying local newspaper report, he took a heavy toll on the enemy: ‘Marine Dougles Towler of 12 Hayton Road, Aberdeen, a former employee of the Northern Co-operative Dairies, was the Commando man who kept the Huns jittery near a factory area in Wesel after the Rhine crossing. With the Jerries sometimes only twenty-five yards away, Towler, a sniper, kept picking them off and killed at least ten and wounded others in thirty-six hours’ fighting. “As the Huns were so near,” he said, “I kept changing my position in case they started mortaring me. Every time one showed himself, I let go at him. I was in the factory area on one side of the railway and the Germans on the other side of the railway lines. On one occasion I noticed they were forming up for a counter-attack, so I covered a little gap in the hedge. Sure enough, the Jerries kept passing by, and I just shot them down. The counter-attack never materialised. A German twelve-man patrol once approached my position, so I opened fire, and the patrol disappeared. As the enemy were so near the only answer was sniping to make them keep their heads down and keep them jittery. I saw many of them when I fired just cut their equipment off and make a bolt for it.” Towler is regarded among his Commando officers as a man who always keeps his finger on the trigger.’ Indeed, Towler certainly lived up to his reputation in Operation ‘Enterprise’, the Elbe crossing on the night of 28-29 April 1945, when ‘45’ were embarked in Buffaloes before advancing on the town of Lauenberg. Here, as cited above, he performed most gallant work in facing off two spirited German attacks with his Bren gun, thereby adding to his growing tally of enemy dead. In his book Commando Men, Bryan Samain relates the story of how Towler’s ‘B’ Troop carried out an attack on an enemy ack-ack battery the following day. In it he refers to ‘a young Scots Bren-gunner, Marine Norman Towler’. Given the latter’s fearless conduct on that occasion, it seems more likely it was in fact Douglas Towler: ‘Moving off under the command of John Day, the Troop closed to within one hundred yards of the battery. At this stage the Germans suddenly opened up, spraying the road and surrounding buildings with a vicious fusillade of 37-millimetre shells. Baker Troop immediately scattered for cover, and the whole street became alive with orange-coloured flashes as the shells smacked and roared into the already shattered fabric of blasted buildings. The men of Baker Troop crouched low behind what cover they could find, awaiting the order to move forward and assault the battery. Meanwhile, as John Day started to shout preliminary orders above the roar of gunfire, a young Scots Bren-gunner, Marine Norman Towler, got to his feet and coolly returned the enemy fire from an exposed position. For some unknown reason the Germans suddenly stopped firing. Perhaps they were too flabbergasted by Towler’s action to continue: but whatever the reason, it made them lose the day, for Baker Troop seized the initiative and rushed the battery. Within minutes the guns had all been overrun, and something like fifty prisoners rounded up, including some German W.A.A.F.s, who emerged coyly from a series of dugouts.’ Towler was discharged from the Commandos in November 1945, when he was described as ‘an exceptionally fine, upstanding type of soldier.’ Sold with a quantity of original documents, including the recipient’s Buckingham Palace forwarding letter for his M.M., his C.O.’s testimonial and character reference, and a letter to his wife regarding his shrapnel wounds in March 1945, together with some wartime newspaper cuttings and a copy of Bryan Samain’s book Commando Men.

The extremely rare Second War ‘V.C. action’ honorary D.S.M. group of eight awarded to Lieutenant E. Obelkevitch, United States Navy, who was decorated for his gallantry in the famous assault on Oran harbour in November 1942, when he saved numerous lives aboard the stricken ex-U.S. cutter H.M.S. Hartland Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (Mr. E. Obelkevitch. Gnr. U.S.N. H.M.S. Hartland.) impressed naming; U.S.A., Medal for Military Merit; U.S.A., Purple Heart; U.S.A., Navy Long Service; U.S.A., Defense; U.S.A., Campaign; U.S.A., European, African and Middle East Campaign,with three bronze stars; U.S.A., War Medal, these seven American awards added for display purposes and mounted for display in precedence to the D.S.M., extremely fine (8) £4,000-£5,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Just 17 honorary awards of the D.S.M. were made to the United States Navy in the Second World War. Such awards were not gazetted but the original recommendation signed by Admiral of the Fleet ‘ABC’ Cunningham at Algiers on 13 October 1943 states: ‘On 8 November 1942, H.M.S. Hartland, flying the British and United States Ensigns, entered Oran under heavy fire in an attempt to prevent the sabotage of the port. Gunner Obelkevitch was leader of a boarding party. When this unit was wiped out by the explosion of a shell, he attempted to organise a hopeless attempt to extinguish the fires. His courage and initiative were an outstanding example and inspiration. He was ultimately instrumental in saving many lives of wounded men and remained on board after the deck was red hot and the ship in danger of blowing up at any moment.’ Edward Obelkevitch was born in Dickson City, Pennsylvania on 13 August 1900, and joined the United States Navy in December 1918. A Gunner (T.) by the time of the Second World War, he was appointed to command a boarding party from the ex-U.S. cutter H.M.S. Hartland in the famous attack on the port of Oran on 8 November 1942, for which action Captain F. T. Peters, D.S.O., D.S.C., R.N., overall commander of the operation in H.M.S. Walney, was awarded the Victoria Cross. Described as a ‘miniature Zeebrugge’ the assault on Oran resulted in terrible casualties, both Hartland and Walney being sunk by a torrent of point-blank fire. In his book The Turn of the Road, ex-naval officer Sir Lewis Ritchie describes the unfolding scene of carnage as Hartland came under withering fire, and pays tribute to Obelkevitch’s gallant deeds: ‘In the meanwhile, Hartland had been picked up in the searchlight and came under a devastating fire from the shore battery. The entire guns’ crews were wiped out and a steam pipe was severed, drowning everything in the noise of escaping steam. The Captain was temporarily blinded by a splinter and wounded in the leg, and before he could recover, Hartland struck the breakwater. Regaining the sight of one eye, he put the engines astern and manoeuvred his ship through the entrance, heading her for the appointed objective; this brought Hartland under point-blank fire from a French destroyer. Shells burst in the motor-room and all power failed; they also burst in the spaces where troops were waiting assembled to land, transforming them into a shambles. With fires raging fore and aft, Hartland’s way carried her alongside the mole. Lieutenant-Commander Dickey, U.S.N., calling on his men to follow him, leaped ashore to attempt to seize a trawler alongside. Only one unwounded man was able to follow him. The dead lay heaped so thick on the upper deck that the wounded could not get at the hoses to fight the fires. The First Lieutenant, Lieutenant V. A. Hickson, R.N., made a gallant effort to pass a wire ashore, but there was no one left to man it effectively. The wind now caught the ship and she began to drift helplessly out into the harbour. Lieutenant Hickson blundered forward through a tempest of machine-gun bullets and let go the anchor. The flames, funnel-high, lit the White Ensign and “Old Glory” at peak and masthead above the careless sprawling dead, and tinged the smoke rolling away to leeward across the quiet waters of the harbour with a fierce and bloody glare. As if appalled at the sight of this blazing sacrifice, the French at last ceased fire. Then, and not until then, Lieutenant-Commander Billot gave the order to abandon ship. The deck was red hot: blinded with blood and twice more wounded, he clung to the rail, summoning strength to leave the ship. Lieutenant E. G. Lawrence, R.N.V.R., and Gunner Obelkevitch, U.S.N., who had fought the fires almost single-handed to the last, swam ashore, seized the French trawler’s dingy by force, paddled her with floorboards back to where their Captain clung to a scramble net. They hauled him into the boat and he urged them in a whisper to pull for the open sea and freedom. He was fainting from his wounds; they had only the floorboards with which to row and were covered in every direction by rifles and machine-guns … they were taken prisoner as they landed.’ Obelkevitch was held by the Vichy-French until the advancing Allies liberated him a few days later, following which he was promoted to Chief Gunner and awarded the British D.S.M. A qualified diver, he was subsequently commissioned Lieutenant and served out the war as a salvage officer. Obelkevitch retired from the U.S. Navy in April 1949, and died in California in March 1971. Sold with extensive copied research.

The rare Arctic convoy PQ-17 B.E.M and Soviet Red Star group of five awarded to Chief Steward R. Quick, Merchant Navy, who survived the loss of the Empire Byron in PQ-17 in July 1942, and an inquisitive U-boat officer who suspected he was the ship’s Master British Empire Medal, (Civil), G.VI.R., 1st issue (Robert Quick); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939 -45; U.S.S.R., Order of the Red Star, the reverse officially numbered, ‘70811’, mounted for display, extremely fine (5) £1,200-£1,600 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Spink, November 2000. Approximately 20 Soviet Red Stars were awarded to Allied personnel for the 1939-45 War, six of them to members of the Merchant Navy. B.E.M. London Gazette 1 January 1943. The original recommendation states: ‘Chief Officer Prance and Steward Robert Quick were shipmates in a vessel which made three voyages to Russia in the Empire Byron. On her last voyage she was subjected to constant air and sea attack. Despite his previous experiences on the North Russian route, Steward Quick re-engaged in this vessel for a further voyage and faced unflinchingly all dangers and hazards.’ Soviet Red Star London Gazette 17 November 1942: ‘In recognition of gallantry in the convoying of ships to northern ports of the Soviet Union.’ Robert Quick was born in St. Ives, Cornwall on 4 May 1881, and was thus aged 61 when he signed on for his voyage in the S.S. Empire Byron on the Arctic run. Unfortunately for him, it was in the ill-fated Arctic convoy PQ-17. Carrying 3,500 tons of military stores, the Empire Byron sailed with the convoy from Reykjavik on 27 June 1942 and, following receipt of the notorious signal for the convoy to ‘scatter’ on 4 July, altered course by 20 degrees to veer away from the main body. At 0827 hours on the 5th, Kapitänleutnant Bielfeld of the U-703 put a torpedo into the Empire Byron’s main engine room, causing a between decks explosion which trapped a dozen Gunners below. The crew abandoned the sinking ship and under the orders of Captain Wharton concentrated in two boats, one of which had an engine. The officers discarded uniform insignia indicating their rank as the Germans would be sure to seek out the ship’s Master and no doubt take him prisoner aboard the U-Boat. Among those compelled to discard such insignia was John Rimington, a Captain in the R.E.M.E., who was to have advised the Russians on their new Churchill tanks. He remained, however, resplendent in a pure white duffel coat. Meanwhile, Empire Byron’s boiler exploded, tearing a gaping hole in the hull. Water then cascaded in and the ship sank with the loss of 18 gunners and ratings. Bielfeld now gave orders for U-703 to surface and closed on the two lifeboats. According to David Irving’s The Destruction of Convoy P.Q. 17, ‘A tall blond officer,’ accompanied by a German seaman in ‘polished leggings toting a machine-gun,’ then descended on to the U-boat’s deck, and began berating the British seamen who were struggling with unfamiliar oars. As they neared the submarine, the German Officer asked, “Why are you Fighting? You aren’t Communists are you? So why do you risk your lives to take tanks to the Bolsheviks? Who is your Captain?” Nobody stirred or answered, and, as related in the same book, the blond ‘German’s eyes fell on the rather distinguished-looking Chief Steward [Quick], but he hastily said he was not the Captain; finally, the officer saw Captain Rimington, and told him to step on to the submarine’s deck; the army captain’s protests went unheeded, and he was taken down below. At the same time, the lifeboats were handed tins of biscuits and apple-juice, and a piece of sausage. “How far is the nearest land?” asked Captain Wharton. “About 250 miles,” answered the blond officer. A klaxon sounded within the submarine, and she submerged, taking the captured Briton with them.’ Thus, cast adrift, 61-year-old Quick subsequently endured the following ordeal, as detailed by Captain Wharton in his official report: ‘We rowed to the S.E. throughout the afternoon of the 6th until the men became exhausted and then at about 1900 hours we took the other lifeboat in tow and started the motor, steered S.E. and making about four knots. A little before 1900 we saw a submarine on the surface astern signalling to a single aircraft which was circling overhead, but neither of them took any notice of us. Our compass was of little use to us, but we had the sun throughout the 24 hours and were able to steer by it and make a good course. We sighted one German plane on the 7th and also a steamer which was on fire and abandoned, but sighted nothing further until 10th when we sighted the corvette Dianella steaming towards us. Her crow’s nest look-out had sighted our red sails, and we were picked up about 1320 on 10th in position 73.48 N. 41.21 E., having been in the boats for five and a half days, and covering 250 miles towards the land. We remained on board the Daniella and landed at Archangel on 16 July.’ Sold with three original Soviet Red Star membership booklets, one of them with a portrait photograph, the other two with annual coupons dated 1942-46 [for annuity?], together with damaged card box of issue for B.E.M.

The rare Military and Naval General Service medal pair awarded to Major-General James Clarke, Royal Marines Military General Service 1793-1814, 1 clasp, Java (James Clarke, 2nd Lieut. R.M.); Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Algiers (James Clarke, 2nd Lieut. R.M.) together with a second Military General Service 1793-1814, 2 clasps, Guadaloupe, Java (Jas. Clarke, Captn. R.M.) the first two with original ribbons with contemporary suspensions attached, edge bruising and contact wear, otherwise nearly very fine, the last with re-affixed suspension, nearly very fine (3) £16,000-£20,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Bonhams, December 2003, pair from family; M.G.S. with 2 clasps acquired privately in September 2014. Approximately 38 Military General Service medals awarded to Royal Navy and Royal Marine recipients James Clarke was born on 4 August 1788, the oldest son of the late Commander R. W. Clarke, Royal Navy. He joined the Royal Navy in March 1798, aged ten, aboard the sloop Pluto. After serving in her as a Volunteer and Midshipman, he joined the Romney in 1799, on the East India station, where he was successively lent to the hired armed transport Sea Nymphe, employed in conveying artillery and stores to Cosire in the Red Sea, and to the H.E.I.C.'s schooner Lady Popham. In the latter vessel, he was engaged in carrying despatches from Sir Home Popham at Mokha to General Hutchinson at Suez, where he was wrecked on a coral reef off Yembo. Twenty one of the crew drowned, whilst thirteen survived, escaping in two boats and made their way to Jiddah. The Romney returned to England and was paid off in 1803. He entered the Royal Marines as Second Lieutenant on 19 September 1808, and in the early part of 1809 sailed with the troops in the Dolphin for the West Indies, where, joining the Neptune and Pompée, flagships of Sir A. Cochrane, he assisted at the capture of the French gunship D'Haupoult [clasp for this action not claimed] and served on shore in co-operation with the army at the reduction of Gaudeloupe. After the latter event, which took place in February 1810, he returned to England with prisoners on board the Alcmene frigate. His next appointments from December 1810-October 1814, were on Gibraltar, Clarence and President, being employed on the coast of France, the North Sea and River Clyde. In July 1816 for about 3 months he was with Superb with Captain C .Ekins and was present at the bombardment of Algiers. From March- October he was with the Tees and Conqueror. Then he was with Rear Admiral Plampin on the St. Helena station, whence he returned in April 1819. In October 1821 he went to the Impregnable which was flagship of Sir Alexander Cochrane at Plymouth; then on to Ariadne and Andromache at the Cape of Good Hope, from where he came home in September 1825. From May 1830 for three years he was with the Caledonia in the Channel. At the end of February 1837 he was with the Malabar, off Lisbon. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 14 November 1823 and to Captain on 10 July 1837. In December 1837 he left the Caledonia. He was employed in the Calcutta in the Mediterranean and on the coast of Portugal from September 1840 until November 1842; and then into the Impregnable at Devonport from 2 January 1849, until advanced to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, 12 November 1851, the day after his promotion to the brevet rank of Major. He acquired the rank of Colonel on 20 November 1854 and was awarded that of Major-General 20 February 1857. He married in 1817 and again in 1837, and had one son from the first marriage and one son and two daughters from the second. The book Naval Medals by K. J. Douglas-Morris mentions an M.G.S. to him but with clasp Guadaloupe (p. 156), as does British Battles and Medals, where there is also reference to a Naval Medal. There is no reference to the N.G.S. medal in the roll by Colin Message. His correct entitlement should be the clasp for Gualaloupe only on the M.G.S., together with the N.G.S. for Algiers, as confirmed in the Army List up to his death in 1873.

A rare 1920s pocket-sized book of explicit pornography, 24 images in total, board ends, total size 12 x 8cm

Sporting Pictures at Lavington Park 1927 signed by Lord Woolavington Cover and end papers darkened but book clean. 163 pages with many illustrations. Rare book. Parchment? cover.

The Habit and The Horse Rare side saddle book. Cover stained and some pages foxed.

Equestria collectibles reference Prahistorische Bronzefunde publihed by C.H.Beck'sche Munchen. Extensive reference of early horse bits and find places. Pub cica 1980 this is now a very rare book.

Catalogue of the Speed exhibition 1955 wonderful reference book for early saddlery, bits and stirrups. Very rare.. Paper back in very good condition.

Rare and wonderful book of McLean and other print copies, which looks like a collection of favourites of Mr G. C. Stratford Handcock. Great quality prints bound in handsome leather with marbled paper ends.