Zulu War Casualty Medal awarded to Pvt. John Jones, H Company, 1st/24th (Warwickshire) killed in action at Isandhlwana on Jan. 22, 1879. Estimate: £7,000-£8,000, $11,815-$13,502. Bladwin & Sons Ltd. image.
LONDON – In the year of the World War I centenary and the 70th anniversary of D-Day, the annual collaboration between Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions and A.H. Bladwin & Sons Ltd. offers medals, orders, decorations and militaria in the Military Sale on Thursday, May 29, at Dreweatts & Bloomsbury Auctions’ London saleroom in Mayfair.
LiveAuctioneers.com will provide Internet live bidding.
A unique collection of approximately 45 original signatures of Great War and late 19th century Victoria Cross recipients is a poignant piece in the sale. Likely to have been collected at a reunion of the recipients during the 1920s, the collection is presented in an autograph album with related newspaper cuttings. It is estimated at £1,000-1,200 [Lot 348].
Another fascinating group is a rare Suffragette WSPU “Hunger Strike” medal and World War I campaign group of four awarded to Gertrude Lowy (later Salaman). The eldest daughter of an influential Jewish family in North London that fervently supported the fight for equality and the WSPU cause, Gertrude Lowy was arrested for militancy and smashing windows in London’s West End on March 4, 1912, being sentenced to two-months of hard-labor as punishment. During World War I she enlisted with the Voluntary Aid Detachment and served as a radiographic assistant in Italy until 1919, being also awarded the Italian War Merit Cross. The group is estimated at £8,000-10,000 [Lot 134].
Additional highlights
– German wheel-lock sporting carbine, 17th century, with a 63cm (25.2 inches) swamped sighted barrel engraved with the maker’s name over the breech [Lot 243, est. £8,000-10,000].
– Zulu War Casualty Medal awarded to Pvt. John Jones, H Company, 1st/24th (Warwickshire) Foot, killed in action at Isandhlwana on Jan. 22, 1879 [Lot 43, est. £7,000-8,000].
– Boer War and World War I DSO and “1914” MC Group of six awarded to Lt. Col. Francis Lane Congreve, Home Guard, late 120th Battery, 27th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. A scion of the highly distinguished Congreve Family, he was the youngest brother of the Boer War “Colenso” VC winner Gen. Sir Walter Norris Congreve, and uncle of World War I “Longueval” VC winner William “Billy” La Touche Congreve. Francis was himself one of the very first recipients of the “new” award of the Military Cross in January 1915 [Lot 1, est. £4,000-6,000].
– World War II German Army BMW R35 motorcycle of standard production specification engine block no. 313017 in good restored running order, complete with original brown leather saddlebags [Lot 463, est. £5,000-7,000].
ADDITIONAL LOTS OF NOTE
Zulu War Casualty Medal awarded to Pvt. John Jones, H Company, 1st/24th (Warwickshire) killed in action at Isandhlwana on Jan. 22, 1879. Estimate: £7,000-£8,000, $11,815-$13,502. Bladwin & Sons Ltd. image. Approximately 45 signatures of World War I and late 19th century Victoria Cross recipients in an album with related newspaper clippings. Estimate: £1,000-£1,200, $1,688-$2,025. Bladwin & Sons Ltd. image. Rare Suffragette WSPU ‘Hunger Strike’ medal and World War I campaign group of four awarded to London resident Gertrude Lowy, who served as a radiographic assistant in Italy during the war. Estimate: £8,000-£10,000, $13,502-$16,878. Bladwin & Sons Ltd. image.
