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Cherilea - Three unboxed Cherilea #016 Motorcycle and Sidecar suitable for 'Action Man'. All items have German Army labels and appear in Playworn condition.

Cherilea - Three unboxed Cherilea #016 Motorcycle and Sidecar suitable for 'Action Man'. One is painted in desert colours. Models have German Army labels and appear in Playworn condition.

Palitoy - Four unboxed vintage 'Action Man' figures by Palitoy including 'Action Man Atomic Man'. All four have flock hair and are clothed in various vintage outfits including; a Soldier missing one hand; an Army Commander with .45 pistol holster, belt and 17th/21st Lancers Officers hat; a Helicopter Pilot; and 'Atomic Man' in Jumpsuit. Please note the uniforms may not be complete and the accessories are unchecked for completeness. All items are in Playworn condition.

Palitoy - Four unboxed vintage 'Action Man' figures by Palitoy. All four have flock hair and gripping hands and are clothed in various vintage outfits, including a Jungle Explorer, Parachute Regiment soldier with detached head, beret, .45 pistol and holster; an Army Officer with missing hand; and a Soldier also with missing hand. Please note the uniforms may not be complete and the accessories are unchecked for completeness. All items are in Playworn condition.

Three Dinky Toys, No. 673 - Scout Car, No. 641 Army One Ton cargo Truck, No. 674 - Austin Champ. All good plus, all boxed, boxes poor, damaged, flaps missing.

Dinky Toys No. 622 - Ten Ton Army Truck, overall good plus/very good.

Dinky Toys No. 622 - Ten Ton Army Truck, overall good plus, some chipping, boxed, rubbing/minor staining to box.

SPECIALIST SWISS ARMY PEN KNIFE FOR A WATCH MAKER or jewellery trade, having several foldout tools

THREE AMERICAN FIRE BRIGADE HELMETS including US Army helmet (3)

V. PINCHUCK (RUSSIAN SCHOOL) 'Leading to capture', a Soviet army officer interviewing a peasant with soldiers and armoured vehicles beyond, watercolour, inscribed in cyrillic verso, 26.5cm x 38cm, framed and glazed.

A QEII Long Service and Good Conduct medal with regular Army bar to 22790784 W.O.CL.2. J.E.J.Seales. R.E.

British Army Interest - Royal Engineers, a diamond chip set sweet heart brooch, of cap badge form, set in yellow and white metal, 3.8 grms, 2 cm approx max

British Army Interest, Royal Army Medical Corps - a marcasite set sweetheart brooch, sert in white metal with enamel detailing, 5.2grms, 3.3cm max; together with a Ronson cigarette lighter also applied with Royal Engineers Regimental badge (2)

1914-18 WW I Scroll to Pte John Hargreaves, Royal Army Medical Corps, served with honour and was disabled in The Great War; Honourably Discharged, April 1919, Geo.R

Swiss Army Designer Watch, on original black leather strap, with paperwork and in original box. Please confirm with photograph.

6 MODERN MINATURES GSM MEDALS INCLUDES TERRITORIAL, 1977 JUBILEE, 2002 JUBILEE, REGULAR ARMY LSGC, AFGHANISTAN AND SIERRA LEONE

Manner of Sir John Gilbert (1817-1897). An Army of Crusaders Resting in a wooded clearing. Watercolour. 28 x 45cm. Framed and glazed in painted carved frame. 27 x 67cm

Vietnam made US army type wristwatch. P&P Group 1 (£14+VAT for the first lot and £1+VAT for subsequent lots)

10 US army first aid/compass pouches. P&P Group 1 (£14+VAT for the first lot and £1+VAT for subsequent lots)

German WWII style Volkssturm German People's Army armband. P&P Group 1 (£14+VAT for the first lot and £1+VAT for subsequent lots)

British WWII style Womens Land Army (WLA) Timber Corps armband. P&P Group 1 (£14+VAT for the first lot and £1+VAT for subsequent lots)

British army paratroopers oversmock. P&P Group 2 (£18+VAT for the first lot and £2+VAT for subsequent lots)Condition Report: Interior label states Jackets Parachutists 1942 pattern, and has a broad arrow stamp.

WWII type Popski's Private Army theatre made cap badge. P&P Group 1 (£14+VAT for the first lot and £1+VAT for subsequent lots)

Czech WWII type Czech Army in England lapel badge. P&P Group 1 (£14+VAT for the first lot and £1+VAT for subsequent lots)

British WWI type Army Film and Photographic Unit cloth titles. P&P Group 1 (£14+VAT for the first lot and £1+VAT for subsequent lots)

New Zealand WWII style Womens Land Army badge. P&P Group 1 (£14+VAT for the first lot and £1+VAT for subsequent lots)

BOOTH WILLIAM: (1829-1912) British Methodist Preacher, founder and General of The Salvation Army. An excellent vintage signed postcard photograph of Booth in a semi-profile head and shoulders pose wearing his Salvation Army uniform. Signed ('William Booth') in bold black fountain pen ink with his name alone to the lower white border. Together with an attractive partially printed oblong 8vo invitation card, unsigned, issued by the International Headquarters Staff of the Salvation Army to attend General Booth's 60th birthday celebrations at the Clapton Congress Hall on 10th April 1889. Also including William Bramwell Booth (1856-1929) British General of the Salvation Army 1912-29, son of William Booth. A.Q.S., W: Bramwell Booth, on a large 8vo page removed from an autograph album, n.p., 13th June 1926. In bold blue fountain pen ink Booth has penned a three line quotation, in full, 'Salvation for every man from every sin! Hallelujah!'. With blank integral leaf. Some minor traces of former mounting to the verso of Booth's signed photograph, otherwise VG, 3

AUTOGRAPHS: A large accumulation of closely clipped signed pieces by a wide variety of Victorian individuals, mainly British and most associated with Scotland, the vast majority removed from the conclusion of letters, featuring political leaders, nobility, scientists & explorers, jurists, industrialists, military and naval leaders (many of whom served in the Crimean War), artists, writers, musicians and other famous men, and some women, including Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr., William Muir, Henry James Sumner Maine, Richard Vary Campbell, John Marshall Lang, Henry Drummond, William Edward Forster, William McOnie, Rawson W. Rawson, Walter Bentley, Patrick Colquhoun (founder of the first regular preventive police force in England, the Thames River Police), Lyon Playfair, Thomas Sutherland (founder of the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation - HSBC), Edward William Watkin (made a failed attempt to dig a channel tunnel under the English Channel to connect his railway empire with France), Henry Edward Landor Thuillier (responsible for the first printing of postage stamps to be valid throughout India, 1854), Thomas Somerville, William Fife, Andrew Dalgleish(government agent during the Great Game; murdered), James Grant Wilson(served as a Colonel in the Union Army during the American Civil War), James Heywood, Richard Paul Amphlett, Kuno Meyer, Donald Currie, Bennet Burleigh (Scottish-born pirate & Confederate spy), Henry Calderwood, James John Cooper Wyld (map publisher), Charles Eyre (Archbishop of Glasgow), John Tulloch, Henry Fawcett, Charles Pearson(promoted London's Metropolitan Railway, the first underground railway in the world which led to the development of the London Underground network), Robert Murdoch Smith, Andrew Kennedy Hutchison Boyd, Leon Say, Henry Alleyne Nicholson, William Henry Flower, Douglas Galton, Thomas McCall Anderson, John Kirk (Scottish physician & companion to David Livingstone), George Birdwood, Morell Mackenzie, Arthur Mitchell (Scottish physician & specialist in mental illness), Ralph Copeland (Astronomer Royal for Scotland), Archibald Geikie, Hector Cameron, Joseph Thomson (explorer; rare), John Bennet Lawes (agricultural scientist, a pioneer of chemical fertilizer), George Husband Baird MacLeod (surgeon to Queen Victoria when in Scotland), William Macewen (pioneer in modern brain surgery), Allen Young, Joseph Whitworth, Andrew Douglas Maclagan (toxicologist), James Risdon Bennett, George Buchanan, Howard Craufurd Elphinstone (Victoria Cross winner for his actions at the Siege of Sebastopol in 1855 during the Crimean War), James Edward Alexander (driving force behind the placement of Cleopatra's Needle on the Thames Embankment), George Henry Richards, William Houston Stewart, Claude Buckle, General Mark Kerr, Charles Shadwell (Commander-in-Chief, China Station 1871-74), Thomas Montagu Steele, William Codrington, Edward Selby Smyth, John Dalrymple-Hay (commanded HMS Victory from 1854), Charles Beresford, Garnet Wolseley, Edward Bruce Hamley, Alexander Armstrong (naval surgeon & explorer), George Willis, Lintorn Simmons, Walter Besant, Friedrich Max Muller, William T. Stead (died in the sinking of the RMS Titanic), Thomas Hughes, Jerome K. Jerome, John Everett Millais, Lawrence Alma-Tadema, David Murray, Frank Dicksee, John MacWhirter, James Hedderwick, Samuel Ferguson, Grant Allen, Charles Reade, Algernon Borthwick, Herbert Oakeley, Douglas Sladen, William Black, William Howard Russell, Richard Claverhouse Jebb, John Strang, George Alexander Macfarren, Samuel Smiles, Andrew Lang, Samuel Neil, Colin Hunter, James Gowans, Gerard Baldwin Brown, Thomas Mayne Reid, R. M. Ballantyne, Charles Rogers, Edward Russell, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, Arthur James Balfour, Henry Campbell-Bannerman, Herbert Gladstone, Charles Dilke, John Bright, Joseph Chamberlain, George Curzon, Earl of Shaftesbury, Robert Cochran-Patrick, William Jacks, James Caird, Rutherford Alcock (the first British diplomatic representative to live in Japan), Edward Colebrooke, Francis Sandford, Frank Lockwood, Arthur Hayter, George Trevelyan, Alexander Asher, Madge Kendal, J. L. Toole, Charles Wyndham, Richard D'Oyly Carte, Justin McCarthy, G. A. Henty, Alexander Mackenzie, Francis Galton, Thomas Henry Huxley, Henry Thompson, Joseph Dalton Hooker and many, many others. The majority of the pieces bear small numbers in an unidentified hand to the corners. A few of the signatures are slightly faded and with some other minor faults, generally G, 469

WELLINGTON DUKE OF: (1769-1852) Anglo-Irish Field Marshal, the Victor of Waterloo, 1815. British Prime Minister 1828-30, 1834. A fine, lengthy A.L.S., Wellington, six pages, 4to, Viseu, 1st March 1810, to Charles Stuart ('My dear Sir'). Wellington informs his correspondent that he sent his dispatches to England the previous evening and now encloses a letter (no longer present) for Lord Liverpool which he asks to be sent at the first opportunity, and continues to refer to the accounts up until the beginning of March, 'In respect to the Portuguese deficiency, I made it in Novr. from official documents sent to me by the Regency 6,070,000 Dollars for the year 1809. The Revenue received & expected to be received by the end of the year was 8,607,337 Dollars & the estimated expenditure was 14,679,250 Dollars. From that deficiency was to be subtracted the sum of 500,000£ then paid by Great Britain for the Troops; and calculating the Dollar at 5 Shillings it left a deficiency of about 900,000£, which was the sum that I stated to Government. Supposing those numbers to be tolerably correct, and to represent the existing state of the Portuguese finance, there would now to be subtracted from the deficiency the additional 250,000£ subsidy; & the deficiency would remain at 650,000£ Sterling. I believe this to be a tolerably exact amount of the deficiency; and I know that I extracted it from the official account with great pains', continuing to refer to Stuart's proposal regarding the import of British manufactures and other measures proposed by Redondo and remarking 'I am not sufficiently aware of the mode of collecting the Revenue, to be certain that they have sufficient checks to make the principle of the measure operate to produce a larger sum into the Treasury. Of this, however, we may be certain, that the sum produced will not be smaller than it is; & therefore it might be tried'. Wellington then turns to matters of a military nature, writing 'Since I wrote to you respecting the use to be made of the Portuguese Fleet eventually, I have turned over in my mind the expediency of encouraging a general emigration from this country, and I acknowledge that, upon the whole, I am disposed to doubt it. I think that we ought, & I propose to endeavour, to carry off all the Regular Army, because we may be very certain that all that we leave behind will very soon be made French soldiers. But I think that we ought to have in Portugal, & encourage to remain here, all the gentlemen of the country, as a germ of insurrection, whenever circumstances will afford them an opportunity to throw off the French yoke, which may be afforded by thousands of events in the Peninsula, in France & in Europe. If we should encourage the party in general to withdraw, no advantage can be taken of these events hereafter; & we gain no advantage at present by withdrawing them, as they will only be a burden to us, or the Govt. of the Brazils. At the same time I think we are bound to provide for the removal of all who have been concerned in carrying on the Govt., or who have now or hereafter been conspicuously active against the French' before concluding that he believes the news in Forjaz's letter is almost correct, adding 'I have not heard of the movement of the heavy artillery towards Badajoz from Seville; nor do I believe it'. With blank integral leaf. An unusually long letter, and with good content. VG Charles Stuart (1779-1845) British Diplomat, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Portugal and Brazil 1810-14. British Ambassador to France 1815-24, 1828-30 and British Ambassador to Russia 1841-44.

MONTGOMERY B. L.: (1887-1976) British Field Marshal of World War II. A good D.S., Montgomery of AlameinF.M., one page, 4to, Tunisia, 28th April 1943. The printed document is an original Personal Message from the Army Commander issued by Monty in his capacity as General of the Eighth Army and intended to be read to all troops to boost morale among his soldiers. The message is outlined in eight points and states, in part, '1. On 20th March, before we began the Battle of Mareth, I told you that the Eighth Army would do three things. 2. On 8th April I told you that all these things had been done except the final one of securing Tunis - or whatever area the enemy chooses for his last stand. We are now getting on with this last task. 3. We have joined up with the Allied Forces in Northern Tunisia and we no longer operate as an independent Army…..and it is very necessary that the Allied thrusts all along the front be kept up; the enemy has not sufficient resources to meet all our thrusts, and that will be his undoing. 4. I call on every commander and every soldier to give of his best and to keep up the pressure. No one must relax for a moment. Keep the tempo of the operation at a high level. The enemy is caught in a trap and will resist desperately. But bit by bit, and part by part, we will fight him to a standstill and will "eat the guts" out of him. It may be difficult, but we will do it. 5. When we have done our duty, and the task is finished, then we can relax. And you will all well deserve it. 6. And to every officer and man I say: FORWARD TO BATTLE! DO NOT RELAX! KEEP UP THE PRESSURE!.......8. Good luck to each one of you. You can rest assured that I am watching over the battle carefully and together we will finish the job.'  Signed by Montgomery in fountain pen ink to a clear area at the head of the page with a post-war signature. A fine signed souvenir of World War II. One very small area of paper loss to the lower edge, not affecting the text or signature, otherwise VG

PATTON GEORGE S.: (1885-1945) General of the United States Army, Commander of the U.S. Third Army following the Allied invasion of Normandy during WWII. An early and rare A.L.S., `G.S Patton Jr.´, two pages, 4to, 13th May 1918, [Langres, France], to his mother Ruth Wilson Patton. The present letter is sent from France when Patton was leading a tank training school. Patton, in his usual difficult writing, states in part `Things are looking better in the way of getting material as at last they are helping us a little. I am feeling very well except that I have a sort of itch on my chest which bothers me a lot. There´s no hope of my getting into the flight for a while yet but I trust it will last long enough to give us all a chance.´, further adding `Aunt Nannie is worried for fear that she should not say I am in the tanks. It is all right to say it as it is out in orders. With much love to all. Your devoted son.´ Only a month earlier Patton had been appointed Lieutenant Colonel. With full transcription. Folded, with very small age toning, otherwise in very fine condition. VG

CHADWICK JAMES: (1891-1974) English Physicist, Nobel Prize winner for Physics, 1935, in recognition of his discovery of the neutron. Chadwick was head of the British team who worked on the Manhattan Project during World War II. A good and lengthy A.L.S., James Chadwick, four pages, 4to, Cambridge, 13th November 1969, on is printed stationery, to Leslie R. Groves Jr. Chadwick informs Groves on Mrs Gowing visit, stating in part `We had a visit from Mrs Gowing a few days ago. She came to collect a draft of her account of the first few years after the war - an enormous volume of material…It depressed me to read about it. Mrs Gowing hopes to have a draft of her second volume completed by Easter. This will then have to be submitted to some high authorities who may, and probably will, demand that some references to political discussions should be cut out…Provided that she has sufficient time and energy to digest all the material she has collected, I believe that the second volume will be quite interesting.´ Chadwick further refers to a Canadian nuclear work, saying `I read about half of “Canada´s Nuclear Story” and then gave up. I found two quotations from notes by John Cockcroft, one is quite untrue, the second gives a false implication. And now recently, in reading Mrs. Gowing´s draft…I found references to at least two complaints of the Canadian team about which I never heard. If these complaints were valid they should have been made to me and to you.´ And referring to the Canadian nuclear team, Chadwick concludes `They do not seem to have realized how fortunate they were.´ Folded, with very small, minor creasing, otherwise VG Leslie Groves (1896-1970) United States Army Corps of Engineers Lieutenant General. Groves oversaw the construction of the Pentagon and directed the Manhattan Project to develop the atomic bomb during WWII.Margaret Gowing (1921-1998) English Historian who helped to produce several volumes of the officially sponsored history of WWII. Known for her books commissioned by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, about the early history of Britain´s atomic weapons program. When she asked Chadwick what he intended to do with the wooden filing cabinets in his attic, and he replied “Burn them”, she helped to establish the Centre for Scientific archives in 1972 to house such resources.Wilfrid Eggleston published in 1965 “Canada´s Nuclear Story”.John Cockcroft (1897-1967) British Physicist. Director of the first Canadian nuclear laboratory in 1944. Cockcroft won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1951 for splitting the atomic nucleus in 1932 at Cambridge.

[GROVES LESLIE]:(1896-1970) United States Army Corps of Engineers Lieutenant General. Groves oversaw the construction of the Pentagon and directed the Manhattan Project to develop the atomic bomb during WWII. A very interesting content T.L.S., `Sherfield´, one page, 4to, London, 26th November 1968, sent to Groves by Roger Mellor Makins, 1st Baron Sherfield (1904-1996) British Diplomat who served as British Ambassador to the United States 1953-56. Baron Sherfield reassures Leslie Groves on qualifications of new British Ambassador to the United States, stating in part `It is perfectly true that he made his name as a television interviewer, that he was a left-wing socialist, and that he edited the left-wing periodical "The New Statesman". But he was also a competent and successful Junior Minister in the Atlee Government. Since 1964, he has occupied the very demanding post of High Commissioner in India with ability and distinction.´, further adding `I consider that he has the qualities to make a good British Ambassador in Washington. There are very few people whose past sayings or writings will stand up to really close scrutiny, and this applies particularly to a journalist or editor. I am sure that the new president is a big enough man to understand this..´ Folded. EX Major John Freeman (1915-2014) British Politician, Diplomat and Broadcaster. High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to India 1965-68. He was appointed British Ambassador to the United States 1969-71 under British Prime Minister Harold Wilson tenure. Freeman had refer to Nixon as "A discredited and outmoded purveyor of the irrational and inactive" whose defeat for the Republican nomination would be a "victory for decency".

BRAUN FRITZ: (1879-1964) German School Teacher & Army officer, father of Eva Braun, Adolf Hitler's mistress and short-term wife. Brief T.L.S., F Braun, one page, 8vo, Ruhpolding, 23rd April 1963, to Julius Weder, a bank administrator, in German. Braun sends his best regards and thanks to Weder for his latest shipment. Accompanied by the original envelope. Very slightly irregularly trimmed to the right edge, otherwise VG

STALIN JOSEPH: (1878-1953) Soviet Dictator. Leader of the Soviet Union as General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party 1922-52. Rare World War II time letter, being a T.L.S., `I. St[alin]´, in green pencil, to the head of a T.L., three pages typed only to front, folio, Moscow, 6th December 1944, in Cyrillic. The letter bears at the heading “Copy nº 2 - TOP Secret”, and is entitled `To the Supreme Commander-in-Chief Marshal of the Soviet Union - Tovarish Stalin I. V.´ The secret military document is sent to Stalin by Chief Marshal of Artillery N. Voronov, and refers to artillery Corps ready to join the military front in December 1944, with the German troops retreating and Russian troops close to Budapest, and states in part `I return from a duty journey to Minsk Artillery Camp, where I have checked the combat readiness of the 6th Breakthrough Artillery Corps. The Corps is ready to be sent, according to your decision, to tovarish Zhukov.´ further reporting in detail `First - The headquarters of the 6th artillery corps, 14th and 29th breakthrough artillery divisions have been formed. Second - Preparatory combat activities and artillery live fire exercises were conducted in my presence by divisions of the Corps. Officers starting from the battery commander and above had served in the Patriotic War. Battery and division commanders joined the Corps after graduating from the Higher Officer Artillery School. Most of the platoon commanders came from military schools… There is up to 30% of the Red Army personnel called into the Army from Western Ukraine and Western Belarus. Much attention has been paid to the training of the headquarters, reconnaissance and communications equipment. Third - Most of the military equipment received is new, and only one part comes from base repairs. Everything has been tested and prepared for battle…. Fifth - Such a powerful artillery Corps was created in a very short period. It is imperative to commit corps to the first battle in an organized way, giving them enough time to be prepared for the battle upon arrival at the battlefront…´ Accompanied by a second Top Secret report attached, three pages, folio, also issued by Vorontsov and addressed to Supreme Commander-in-Chief Marshal of the Soviet Union Tovarish Stalin I. V, dated 22nd November 1944. This one unsigned by Stalin. The report relates to reinforcement of the Bielorussian front divisions, and stating in part `In order to fulfil your task, it will be necessary to allocate - 1) 2,026 officers,  33,910 non-commissioned officers and Red Army men. - 2) 704  units of 76-mm cannons, 1,408 units of 122-mm howitzers. - 3) 1,700 truck tractors and 7,186 motor vehicles….Fourth - I suggest that the task should be fulfilled by 5th May in the following order..´.  It is curious to read that Vorontsov´s deadline to achieve the task was the 5th of May 1945, and couldn´t expect that three days before Berlin would fall and Russian troops would raise the Soviet flag on the Reichstag. Both sets of three pages bear to the front page a red pencil annotation, “Ad Acta” and are countersigned at the conclusion by Chief of affairs Pavlov. The second bears to the verso the signatures of Major Yermolaev and Lieutenant Pavlov, certifying that a third copie of the secret report was destroyed on 22nd December 1944. G, 2 Georgy Zhukov (1896-1974) Marshal of the Soviet Union. Zhukov served in World War One and WWII. The most decorated General officer in the history of the Soviet Union and Russia.

WORLD WAR II: Selection of T.Ls.S., A.L.S. (1) etc., by various British military, naval and air force personnel associated with World War II comprising Alexander of Tunis (referring to 'the so-called “mutiny” at the Curragh in 1914' which he remembers being quite intrigued in, although 'had no particular interest in the matter', 1954), Earl Wavell (sending his correspondent a pamphlet issued by the Eastern Army, 1943), John Cunningham (thanking Lieutenant Commander Beechey-Newman for their congratulations and adding 'I look back with considerable pleasure to the Empire Day Parade of the Sea Cadet Corps in Hyde Park last year', 1948), Airey Neave (thanking his correspondent for sending a copy of a letter to the Prime Minister and remarking that he read his comments with great interest, 1973) and Douglas Bader (signed order of ceremony for the official opening of Meadowcroft County Junior School in Aylesbury, 1969). Some very light age wear, generally VG, 5

WORLD WAR II: Selection of T.Ls.S. (6), A.L.S. (1), a few signed cards and photographs of various sizes etc., by various military and aviation personnel etc. associated with World War II, most of them British or American, including Oliver Leese (War date T.L.S. from the Army Commander's Office, Headquarters Eighth Army, 21st March 1944), Leonard Cheshire (briefly referring to his correspondent's wartime service and remarking 'It is indeed true that everyone was called on to do his little bit in his own way'), Douglas Bader, Odette Hallowes, Lyman Lemnitzer, Mark W. Clark, William Slim, James Doolittle etc. G to generally VG, 12

HENRY IV OF FRANCE: (1553-1610) King of France 1589-1610 and King of Navarre 1572-1610. First French Monarch of the House of Bourbon. Assassinated. L.S., Henry, with holograph `Votre Byen bon amy´, (`Your very good friend´) in his hand, one page, Coutras, 4to, 22nd August 1582, as King of Navarre, to Sieur de Varillant, in old French. The document refers to the possibility of obtaining a freehand for Sieur de Manques, whose father was foreigner, in case he would be persecuted because of the Francs-fiefs land taxation. With small traces of a former seal. Overall age wear, folded, with small repair to the verso and few very small holes to the folds. F    The present letter is signed at Coutras, where five years later, on 20th October 1587, took place the Battle of Coutras, a decisive engagement during the French Religious Wars between a Huguenot army under Henry of Navarre, future Henry IV of France, and a Royalist army led by Anne de Joyeuse who was killed while attempting to surrender to a victorious Henry of Navarre.

[MOROCCO]: MATRA JAMES: (1746-1806) American Sailor and Diplomat who had accompanied James Cook on his voyage to Botany Bay in 1770. Matra served as His Majesty's Consul General at Tangier from 1786-1806. Small archive of nine contemporary manuscript drafts of letters from Matra, unsigned, thirty five pages (total), folio, n.p. (Tangier), June - December 1804, to Earl Camden. Matra writes a series of diplomatic letters in which he makes references to Napoleon, French espionage and other matters, stating, in part, 'I believe it will appear Sir that the restless ambition of Buonaparte is not content with disturbing of Europe, but that he seriously means in his leisure moments to attempt something in this country. Towards the close of last summer a Passenger landed here from…..Spain; about 30 years of age, he was in the Turkish dress & called himself Ali Bey, a Syrian, but he spoke not a word of Arabick. His story was that when he was an infant his Father & Family took refuge in England…..since he grew up his time has been employed in travelling through England, France & Spain. I have always observed here that the more absurd the Tale the more readily it was believed by Moors……yet this man had not been twenty four hours in the Country before he was suspected to be a Brother of the Corsicans, & still all over the Country he goes by no other name than Bonaparte…….he was asked if he wanted anything from the Emperor; he answered no, he was very rich & only desired to return to, and spend his days, in the religion of his ancestors…..About the middle of September he received from Cadiz forty cases, two of which were filled with mathematical instruments, the others contained such articles as are usually given at this Court as Presents…..The whole was consigned to the Spanish Arsenal. About this time he solicited my acquaintance considering him as an adventurer……The Emperor arrived shortly after with whom he went to Mequinez & we never met, which at that time I did not much regret, as we had here…..a man decorated with the Order of the White Eagle…..by the late Ali Bey of Egypt, who had been sent young as a Hostage to St. Petersburgh, & by an Empress of the Greek Church, brought up in the Catholick Religion. I believed him to be a Polish Jew…..who had taken up a trade he was no means qualified for & I concluded that this second Ali Bey was one of the same cast……On his arrival Mr. Goblot the Spanish Vice Consul & Secretary visited him & generally was with him every evening at what time all the Servants & Interpreters were put out & the Room shut……Goblot is a French man, but he has been near thirty years in the Spanish Service……In his [the Syrian's] journey to Mequinez under the very eye of the Emperor, he sounded all the Rivers, measured their breadth & examined the roads & mountains with the accuracy of a Quarter Master General…..The Moors are petrified…..The Emperor seems blinded by his piety & charities…..& by the very valuable Present he made him……yet I believe that H.I.M. is not altogether without his suspicions…..I conclude…..he can surely be no common traveller……that he is immediately an Agent for Spain I cannot readily believe because there is scarce any temporal advantage which……would induce the Court of Madrid to send a Christian here……Much is not easily to be done against a man who has such a command of money, & parts with it so readily as he does, but I will lose something on him. His principal Servants & Interpreters are Jews & I know that I can command the Services of the Jewish Priesthood in Morocco…..& I hope in the course of the summer to have him completely surrounded' (6th June 1804), 'Until about a week past there was every reason to expect a civil war of the most serious consequences. H.I.M., who was in Mequinez, for reasons not distinctly understood here had a dispute with the Udaya, a most powerful tribe who cover a great extent of Territory' (18th July 1804), 'I have the honour to inform Your Lordship that for a month past an attack by this country on the commerce of America was considered as certain. The Emperor had loaded one of his Frigates…..in the Pass given by the American Consul there was a prohibition for the ships entering any Port blockaded by the United States…….I believe My Lord there has been for a long time past very considerable intrigues here on the part of Spain to procure a revolution, as under the present Emperor there is no probability that they will obtain any corn from this country….' (25th August 1804), 'I have this morning received official notice from the Emperor that it is his intention to send a Person to London with a considerable sum of Money to purchase certain articles and I am requested to assist him…..to procure good Bills of Exchange……the sum I believe will be nearly two hundred thousand Mexicos' (18th September 1804), 'The danger I most apprehend arises from the disposition of the Emperor, which is a secret to none of the Parties. It is impossible to detest anything more than Mulay Suleiman does the Jewish Butchers of Gibraltar, whom he has described to myself as a set of Rascals enriched at his expense. He certainly has not much more love for us……we are the only nation who get anything from him, & he would be glad……to be rid of us…..The state of Health in Gibraltar and the main parts of Spain has caused a most rigorous Quarantine to be established here; but I have after a little struggle obtained a continuance of the supply for the Garrison…..all subject to the usual laws of Quarantine' (29th September 1804), 'I had a long conversation……I then learnt for the first time that the Emperor expected we would make him a Present of two Ships. I did not lose one moment to employ the strongest, but most decent language I could, utterly to destroy every hope of that nature……A very long experience has taught me the full value of such promises, yet when the state of Gibraltar became so deplorable….I wrote directly & solely to himself…..I told him plainly that if our Army was reduced the Spaniards who were in force at the lines were not such blockheads as to let the Peace stand in the way of such an acquisition as Gibraltar…..The opposition I meet with in this business is astonishing. Of course nothing is…..openly…..said, but every street & alley in the place is filled with whispers of the danger I am leading the country into' (20th October 1804), 'Of Bin Tab I know nothing personally……but I have a sufficient knowledge of his character from many who have associated with him in Portugal, Spain & Italy; he is a merchant & man of pleasure, and having lived much with the Christians, his manners are more polished than those of any other man of this country, As to other points I suppose he is a complete Moor as I have never known a change of life make any real change in the national character of these People……he generally keeps an open table where ever he is, & is reckoned a good judge of wine, of which he is very fond……of the English he knows much more than he is willing people should suppose' (21st October 1804), 'I have had the honour to mention to your Lordship the demand formerly made by this country on the American Consul for a Passport for a Moorish Vessel to convey a Present of Corn to Tripoly, then blockaded by the Americans, and its refusal……The Governor sent a message to the Consul which he insisted should be delivered before witnesses. It was composed of every term of the lowest abuse which the most vulgar DUE TO RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BY THE SALEROOM THE COMPLETE DESCRIPTION FOR THIS LOT CAN NOT BE DISPLAYED HERE.FOR FURTHER DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT IAA EUROPE DIRECTLY

WELLINGTON DUKE OF: (1769-1852) Anglo-Irish Field Marshal, the Victor of Waterloo, 1815. British Prime Minister 1828-30, 1834. A.L.S., Wellington, two pages, 8vo, Walmer Castle, 10th November 1832, to Admiral [Benjamin William] Page ('My dear Admiral'). Wellington writes 'I have been earnestly urged to recommend to your protection the efforts of Mr. Goldburne and of Mr. FitzRoy Kelly to recommend to the town of Ipswich to be its representatives in Parlt. I think that the whole question of the future Government of this country depends upon the choice made of Members to serve in the Parlt. which it is expected will shortly be elected. These gentlemen are well spoken of. They stand on the Conservative interest; and I earnestly recommend them to your protection. I have here in sight of my windows the Combined Fleet under the command of our old friend Admiral Malcolm. I entertain no doubt that he will perform his duty as a Man of Honour ought. But I should like to see him in any other command' and in a postscript asks to be remembered most kindly to the Admiral's wife. With integral leaf docketed and signed by Page. Some very light, extremely minor age wear, VG  Benjamin William Page (1765-1845) British Rear Admiral of the Blue.  Pulteney Malcolm (1768-1838) British Admiral who, during The Hundred Days' War, commanded a squadron in the North Sea, in co-operation with the army under the Duke of Wellington.  Wellington's letter is written whilst he was Leader of the Conservative Party (1828-34) and shortly before the 1832 General Election in the United Kingdom, held from 8th December 1832. The first election following the Reform Act, the Whigs won a large majority (including the Ipswich constituency) with the Duke of Wellington's Tories winning less than 30% of the vote.

HUSSEIN SADDAM: (1937-2006) President of Iraq 1979-2003. D.S., Saddam Hussein, in Arabic, one page, 4to, Republic of Irak, 23rd October 1995, also in Arabic, 1416. The partially printed document, bearing at the heading a printed eagle seal, is a Presidential decree stating that Sabri Younes Mohamed Ali, who passed away, is from now on considered a martyr, and therefore his children will get all their rights and privileges as established in favour of the martyrs of the Popular Army of Irak. Signed in dark ink by Saddam Hussein in his capacity as President of the Republic. Four small pinholes to the right border, otherwise VG

DANTON GEORGES: (1759-1794) Leading figure of the French Revolution and first President of the Committee of Public Safety. Danton voted for the death of Louis XVI in 1793. Guillotined by the advocates of revolutionary terror. An exceptional and rare multiple D.S., Danton, three pages, large folio, Paris, 15th September 1792, in French. The hand written decree states to the heading “Au Nom de la Nation - Le Comité Exécutif Provisoire” (“In the name of the Nation - the Provisional Executive Committee”) and is signed by Danton in his capacity as President of the recently created committee, stating in part `Considering that some locations have been given after treason to the enemies of the homeland, who distress and devastate our boundary and with numerous armies threaten the inside of the Kingdom. Considering that in a time when the danger to our Homeland is imminent, no extraordinary decision has to be avoided..´ Danton further appoints citizen François Joseph Westermann as commissar and assistant to the head-quarters of the Ardennes army under Commandant Dumouriez, expecting a daily report and the execution of the decrees issued by the Executive Committee.Also signed by several members of the Provisional Executive Committee, including GASPARD MONGE (1746-1818) Count de Péluse. French Mathematician, credited as the inventor of the descriptive geometry. Monge served as Minister of the Marine from August 1792 to April 1793. The present letter is signed during this short period of eight months; ETIENNE CLAVIERE (1735-1793) Genevan-French Financier and Politician. Minister of Finance in 1792. In August 1792 he was given charge of the finances in the provisional Executive Committee. Arrested in June 1793 for unknown reasons, he remained in Prison until December, when he committed suicide the day before appearing before the Revolutionary Tribunal; PIERRE-HENRI LEBRUN-TONDU (1754-1793) French Foreign Minister in 1792, and same year and temporarily of the Minister of war. A strong advocate of the immediate peace with Prussia and of the annexation of Belgium and the Netherlands. Lebrun-Tondu signed the execution of King Louis XVI. Arrested and executed in 1793; JOSEPH MARIE SERVAN DE GERBEY (1741-1808) French General. He served twice as Minister of War. The letter bears an attractive Pro Patria watermark. Folded. Small repair to the verso to the union of the two pages, otherwise G On 10th August 1792, only a month before the present letter was signed, the popular forces marched on the Tuileries ending with the French monarchy the day after. With the fall of the King, the six existing ministers created the 12th August 1792 the Provisional Executive Committee in charge of converting into law the decrees approved by the citizens representatives.Danton was also appointed Minister of Justice on 10th August 1792, holding the post only until 9th October same year. The present document was signed by Danton during that very short period of two months. .

CHOUANNERIE - BOURBOTTE & PRIEUR DE LA MARNE: Pierre Bourbotte (1763-1795) French Revolutionary, Deputy and member of the National Convention. Bourbotte voted in favour of the King´s Louis XVI execution. He died guillotined at the early age of 32; & Pierre-Louis Prieur (1756-1827) Known as Prieur de la Marne. French Lawyer, member of the Committee of Public Safety. A good L.S., `Bourbotte´, and `Prieur de la Marne´, one page, folio, Rennes, 2nd December 1793, in French. The letter bears a very attractive and large printed vignette to the heading, showing three cherubs and the republican motto "Liberty or Death". The document reports on the confrontations against the Chouans, stating in part `..since too long now we have been defeated by the brigands who always appear in large number, we must attack them vigorously and with enough forces to destroy them..´, further saying `We are waiting for the arrival of fifteen thousand men of the North Army with great impatience..´. Before concluding Bourbotte and Prieur, as representatives of the People,  request support to the Committee of Public Safety, asking for guns, ammunition and cannons. Folded. With small age wear to the edges. G to VG     The Chouannerie was a Royalist uprising in the western France. The first confrontations broke out in 1792 and developed in stages into a peasant revolt, then guerrilla warfare, and eventually to full-scale battles, ending only with their defeat by forces of the Republic in 1800

HOCHE LAZARE: (1768-1797) French General of the Revolutionary army. Best known for his victory over Royalist forces in Brittany. Minister of war. Lazare died of tuberculosis at the early age of 29. An excellent L.S., with three autograph lines in is hand, `L. Hoche´, one page, 4to, n.p., [Vendée],  21st November 1796, to General Dugua, in French. The document states in part `Patriots are threatened and often slain by Royalists. Everything makes us fear a rekindle of the war in the Vendée if we do not hasten to stop the evil.´, further requesting troops to join them and the appointment of a commissar who would grant order and `..avoid contagious overflows..´. The document being the copy of a letter sent by the inhabitants of Lisieux to the Directory which Hoche forwards to General Dugua annotating alongside his signature `..to G[ener]al Dugua, who will be the General requested.´ Bearing a red ink Directory stamp to the upper left corner. A very good content and association letter. With edges slightly trimmed and overall small creasing. G   Charles François Dugua (1744-1802) French General. Present during Napoleon´s campaign in Egypt, commender of Cairo, further General of the West army and furthermore General Head of Staff under Lecrec at Saint Domingue. Killed during the attack to Fort Pierrot.

COCHON DE LAPPARENT CHARLES: (1750-1825) French Politician and Minister of Police. Member of the National Convention and of the Committee of Public Health. Cochon de Lapparent was one of the Commissars in charge of the King´s indictment, voting in favour of the King´s execution. An excellent and rare A.L.S., `Cochon´, four pages, 4to, Paris, 22nd October 1796, to General Hoche, in French. The document bears the printed heading, and an ink stamp, of the Minister of Police of the Republic. A very cleanly written lengthy letter, Cochon stating in part `I watch, my dear General, with same sadness as you, the direction that since a while the sense of Public spirit is taking, and am ready to prove with all my correspondence that I have done all I could with the power I hold to prevent the malicious trying to take advantage of the recent events…The government only wishes, and can´t do anything else but wishing, the consolidation of the Republic, and I support this as much as my poor capabilities allow me to do so. I am indignant reading about the horrors and the lies against the Republic that all these Royalist journals, paid with foreign gold, are vomiting. Several have been arrested and denounced to the Public Prosecutor…but they are released by the tribunals, and this will keep on happening until we have a repressive law for press abuses.´ further again saying `..I am fully aware of the dangers that the Republic is facing, with enemies under different masks ready to attack from the inside of the country. In Lyon, in the department of the Calvados, the Royalists are showing up audaciously.. What else can I do? Tribunals are not under my competence, and the police has so short capacities that it is even astonishing that they can achieve what they do.´ Cochon de Lapparent also responds to Hoche´s questions regarding the last executions and the Colonnes Mobiles, stating `You talk to me about the way the last conspirators have been judged. We have material evidences and also written ones of their conspiracy…and regarding the formation of the Colonnes Mobiles I have issued a circular, sent to all departments, according to the Directory orders…The Colonnes Mobiles could be very useful…and I am going to send orders to the Chouanne departments..´ Paper with watermark. A letter of very interesting content. Very small overall minor age wear, otherwise VG  Lazare Hoche (1768-1797) French General of the Revolutionary army. Best known for his victory over Royalist forces in Brittany. Minister of war. The Colonnes Mobiles, also called Colonnes Infernales (Infernal Columns) were operations led by the French revolutionary in the War in the Vendée. The National Convention approved laws allowing the extermination of anti-Republican terrorists in the Vendée. Army columns were formed and sent through the Vendée to exterminate the anti-republican population. The actions of these "Infernal Columns" continue to be a subject of heated debate in France.

NAPOLEON I: (1769-1821) Emperor of France 1804-14, 1815. A good L.S., `Bonaparte´, a good example signature, one page, large folio, Head Quarters at Passariano, Udine, 6th October 1797, to citizen Faipoult, Plenipotentiary Minister, envoy of the R.F from Geneva, in French. The letter bears an impressive and large revolutionary vignette to the heading, created by Appiani, showing the French Republic symbols, including Marianne, France´s national symbol of liberty and the Phrygian cap, and the printed text “Republic of France - Liberty - Equality”. Beneath this magnificent vignette, the printed text states ''Bonaparte General in chief of the Army of Italy''. Napoleon explains to his correspondent that he has made come back his troops which were in Geneva, further stating `I have ordered General Sauret to call back this troops positioned in Genova. I have also ordered the 9th half-brigade to leave, as I could not have enough number of men to be respected, and I have no intention to leave there eighty or a hundred men…´ further saying `.. the first Ligurian battalion with one thousand well-equipped men will march to Mantua..´, and concludes stating `Make all the necessary diplomatic efforts in order to avoid any difficulty.´ With blank integral leaf. Overall age wear and creasing, mostly to edges with extremely small tears, but not affecting the text or signature. G The present letter is written in the hand of Louis Antoine Fauvelet de Bourrienne (1769-1834) French Diplomat. Best known for his Memoirs of Napoleon Bonaparte. A close youth friend of Napoleon since they met at the Military Academy at the age of 8 years old. In 1797, General Bonaparte urgently summoned Bourrienne to Italy for the negotiations with Austria, where his knowledge of law and diplomacy was useful in drafting the terms of the Treaty of Campo Formio on 7th October 1797, the day after the present letter was written. Bourrienne would also accompany Bonaparte to Egypt as his private secretary. Andrea Appiani (1754-1817) Italian neoclassical Painter. Appiani was created pensioned artist to the Kingdom of Italy by Napoleon. He rendered multiple portraits of Napoleon, his Marshals and personages of his regime. He lost his allowance after the fall of the Kingdom in 1814 and fell into poverty. Villa Passariano, where Bonaparte was residing and where the terms of the Treaty between France and Austria were negotiated, was the countryside residence of the last Doge of Venice Ludovico Manin (1725-1802) who abdicated few months earlier when French troops occupied Venice.

PERIGNON CATHERINE-DOMINIQUE DE: (1754-1818) 1st Marquis of Grenade. Marshal of France. A very good D.S., `Perignon´, one page, folio, Figueres headquarters, 27th March 1795, in French. The partially printed document bears an attractive revolutionary vignette with the printed French motto “Liberté - Égalité - Guerre a Mort aux Tyrans”, (“Liberty, Equality - War to Death against Tyrants”). Perignon, in his capacity as provisional General in Chief of the Commission of organization and infantry army, states `I have received, Citizen, the letter on which you report the changes you have decided to make related to the command of the Carcassonne position.´ Folded. About VG 

BERTHIER LOUIS-ALEXANDRE: (1753-1815) Marshal of France, Prince of Neuchatel. Chief of Staff under Napoleon. Very rare L.S., `Ale[xand]r Berthier´, one page, 4to, Cairo, 7th November 1798, to M. Poussielgue, General Administrator of the Finances in Egypt, in French. A rare letter signed by Berthier from Cairo, referring to few objects given to Napoleon Bonaparte. The letter bears to the heading a stamp of the French Republic and the printed heading of “Citizen Alexandre Berthier, General of Division. Chief General-Staff of the Army”. Berthier refers to Napoleon stating `I send to you my dear Poussielgue the receipt for the several objects which have been given to me. I forward to you those that the General in Chief has not taken which are….object in silver, a teapot, horse chest protection..´ One light stain to the lower left border not affecting the text or signature. VG

BRUNE GUILLAUME MARIE ANNE: (1763-1815) Marshal of France. A good L.S., `Brune´, two pages, 4to, Terapia, close to Constantinople, 15th September 1804, to Monsieur Luce, Commissar appointed at Bucarest, by H.M. the Emperor of the French, in French. The letter bears an attractive coat of arms to the heading, and the printed text "General Brune, State Councilor, Ambassador of the French Republic to the Sublime Porte", Turkey, Brune stating in part `I have forwarded to you, Monsieur, a copy of the letter received from the Foreign Affairs Minister, who allows me to choose between yourself and Monsieur Drovetti to take in charge the Commissariat of Cairo during the absence of Monsieur Lesseps..´ Brune further expresses his understanding of the situation and that his correspondent do not wishes a provisional post, although wanted to forward to him all the duties and financial advantages of such post, saying `Although my opinion, as explained to you, matches with the one you expressed in your recent letter to me, and although I could predict your decision, I do not want to decide and wish to give you the option of deciding. You judge and decide, and I expect a definitive response on this matter, with your letter to be sent via the Tartar who accompanies courier Bourdel.´ With blank integral leaf. Very small overall minor age wear. VG     Brune refers to the absence at Cairo of Lesseps, most probably referring to Mathieu de Lesseps (1771-1832), father of Ferdinand de Lesseps (1805-1894) French Diplomat and developer of the Suez Canal. Mathieu de Lesseps was posted in 1800 as liaison to the Egyptian Army and as superintendent of trade relations. He was made a Count by Napoleon I.

BERNADOTTE JEAN BAPTISTE: (1763-1844) Marshal of France, Prince de Pontecorvo and King Charles XIV John of Sweden and Norway 1818-44. An excellent content L.S., `J.B. Bernadotte´, one page, folio, Wolfpassing, 10th November 1805, to General Rivaud, in French. The letter is a marching order to be started the day after, 11th November 1805 at 07h in the morning, towards Vienna. Bernadotte requests his Generals Drouet and Rivaud, stating in part `General Drouet will leave his position tomorrow twenty first Brumaire at seven in the morning and will march with all his troops towards Vienna following the main road, once reaching Sankt Polten he will receive new orders. General Rivaud will also march from seven in the morning with all his men and will continue towards Vienna. Once reaching Sankt Polten he will receive new orders. The whole artillery forces and head Quarters administration will stay tomorrow at Melk.´ Only two days after French troops occupy Vienna and Napoleon I establishes his headquarters at the Schoenbrunn Palace. With blank address leaf bearing small remnants of a former red wax seal. Folded, with edges trimmed, and overall age wear, mostly to edges, otherwise about G Jean-Baptiste Drouet (1765-1844) Count d´Erlon. Marshal of France. Drouet commanded troops at the Battle of Austerlitz in December 1805 and the I Corps of the North Army at the Battle of Waterloo. Olivier Macoux Rivaud de la Raffiniere (1766-1839) French Infantry commander during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Rivaud commanded troops at the Battle of Marengo in 1800, and at the Battle of Austerlitz in December 1805, three weeks after the present letter date.

NEY MICHEL: (1769-1815) Marshal of France, Duc d´Elchingen and Prince de la Moskowa. Executed. A good L.S., `Ney´, with flourish, one page, folio, Gunzburg, 20th June 1800, to Lieutenant General Grenier, in French. The present letter is written the day after the Battle of Hochstadt, Ney refers to various important military decisions, stating in part `As I have not received any response from you to the different matters I have addressed to you…I inform, you my dear General, that I have ordered to look for the necessary materials for the prompt repair of the Reisenburg bridge. I think that under these circumstances... I would be unwise if I rebuild the Leipheim or the Gunzburg ones… the enemy will very likely march tonight trying to reach the Brenz..´ further indicating the military plan for the day after `..I will not dare attacking such position frontally tomorrow morning before having developed your right wing…my presence will allow you to support the right wing and delay for long the enemy attempts while we wait for the arrival of General Moreau army..´ A letter of very interesting military content. Folded, with overall creasing and edges trimmed, otherwise G        Paul Grenier (1768-1827) French General during the French revolution and Napoleonic wars. A skilled tactician. The day before the present letter was written, Grenier, serving under General Jean Moreau (1763-1813), fought at the Battle of Hochstadt on the 18th & 19th June 1800. On December 1800, Grenier supervised the divisions of Marshal Ney in the Battle of Ampfing and commanded the three divisions of Ney in Moreau's decisive victory at the Battle of Hohenlinden.

PONIATOWSKI JOZEF: (1763-1813) Polish General, Minister of War and Army Chief. Marshal of the Empire. An excellent L.S., `Joseph Prince Poniatowski´, one page, folio, Paris, 7th July 1811, to the Minister of War Duke de Feltre, in French. Poniatowski, in his capacity as General of division and Chief Commander of the Polish army, tries to help some compatriots during his stay in Paris, stating in part `Monsieur Hussarzewski, Lieutenant serving in the Vistula Corps, having obtained last 2nd of February the retreat as a result of his wounds in the war of Spain and after decision of His Majesty the Emperor, is waiting here for your Excellency decision about the quality of the retreat; but this officer, belonging to a very important family from the Duchy of Warsaw, has spent all his money and is out of any income…´ further saying `Knowing that Your Excellency has always shown testimony of his kindness towards Polish military officers…´. A cleanly written letter in very fine condition. Folded. VG   At the time of the present letter, Poniatowski was in Paris invited to attend the festivities on the occasion of the birth of Bonaparte´s son, Prince Imperial and King of Rome Napoleon II, born on 20th March 1811. During his stay Poniatowski had a love affair with Pauline Bonaparte, younger sister of Napoleon, an affair which became the gossip in Paris. Poniatowski tried to leave Paris immediately after the celebrations but Napoleon kept him in Paris until the 15th of August for his birthday.Curiously the letter sheet bears an English watermark “Skeats - 1808”, considering that Napoleon had ordered a Continental Blockade since 21st November 1806.

[BERNADOTTE JEAN BAPTISTE]: (1763-1844) Marshal of France, Prince de Pontecorvo and King Charles XIV John of Sweden and Norway 1818-44. Unusual and very attractive 10 x 16.5 printed public notice, one page, Cologne, 12th February 1814, in French. The “Affiche” announcement, issued during the War of the Sixth Coalition, bears the heading `The Royal Prince of Sweden to French people”, and states in part `I have taken up arms by order of my King, to defend the Swedish people´s rights… I have crossed the Rhin. Seeing again the river shores, where so often and so fortunately I fought for you, I feel the necessity of letting you know my thoughts.´ Bernadotte then refers to Napoleon´s policies, saying `Your Government has permanently tried to degrade everything in order to have the right of despising everything. It is now time that the system changes. All enlightened persons wish the preservation of France; they only wish that it stops being the bane on earth´ Bernadotte further concludes stating `As adoptive son of Charles XIII, crowned by election of a free nation… I can only work for the prosperity of Scandinavia. May I fulfil this sacred duty to my new Homeland at the same time that I contribute to the happiness of my former compatriots. Charles Jean´ Small overall age wear and creasing, mostly to edges, otherwise G The initially amicable relationship which Charles John Bernadotte had with Napoleon soon changed because of the sudden unprovoked French invasion of Swedish Pomerania. The invasion was a clear violation of international law as well as an act of war. Crown Prince Charles John Bernadotte aligned Sweden with Napoleon's enemies in the Sixth Coalition, including Great Britain, Russia and Prussia, and became the Commander-in-chief of the Allied Army of the North that made the decisive attack on the last day of the French defeat at the Battle of Leipzig in October 1813. During this battle and at a critical moment an entire Saxon division went over to his army in response to a proclamation released a week prior in which Bernadotte invited the Saxons to join their old commander in defeating Napoleon. A few months after, with this proclamation public notice, Bernadotte tries again and in the same way to reach and provoke the French people, tired and exhausted after so many years of wars.

BLUCHER GEBHARD VON: (1742-1819) Prince von Wahlstatt. Prussian field Marshal. Von Blucher leaded the Prussian army against Napoleon At the battles of Leipzig and Waterloo playing a decisive role in the allied victory. He is the highest-decorated Prussian soldier in history. Rare L.S., `Blucher´, a bold good signature example, one page, 4to, Rambouillet, 27th July 1815, to General von Bulow, in German. The letter bears to the upper left corner the printed heading of the Nieder-Rhein General Commando Army. The letter with military content refers to Konigsberg where his correspondent Friedrich von Bulow was established as Commander in Chief. Folded, with small overall age wear. G to VG   Friedrich Wilhelm von Bulow (1755-1816) Graf von Dennewitz. Prussian General of the Napoleonic Wars. Von Bulow commanded the 4th Corps of Blucher´s army in the Waterloo Campaign where his Corps headed the flank attack upon Napoleon.

NAPOLEON I: (1769-1821) Emperor of France 1804-14, 1815. L.S. `Nap´, one page (all edges gilt), 4to, Paris, 24th November 1810, to the Duke de Feltre, in French. Napoleon refers to General Garreau´s defeat in Catalogne and complaints about the lack of precise information received, stating `..you have not sent to me any report about the army in Catalogne. I do not even know what General Garreau has lost in his Puycerda affair..´ further explaining what he intends to do saying `It is necessary to make an apportionment of what is remaining in this army in order to designate which Corps can take out of there Marshal MacDonald, which troops must remain at Puycerda to control our borders and what can General Baraguey d´Hilliers keep at the Haute Catalogne.´ A letter of very interesting content. The present letter is in the hand of Napoleon´s secretary Meneval. Accompanied by the original small 12mo holograph receipt. VG Louis Gareau (1769-1813) French General during the French Revolution and first Empire. He was in charge of the French border with Spanish Catalogne in 1810-11.Etienne Jacques Macdonald (1765-1840) Marshal of France. Duc de Tarante.Louis Baraguey d'Hilliers (1764-1813) French General of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.Claude François de Méneval (1778-1850) Baron of the Empire. Memoirist of the 19th century. Napoleon´s private secretary and his closest collaborator.

A Royal Crown Derby coffee set for six settings in fitted case, the cylinder cups decorated in the Delft style with sailing boats, the cups with floral and scroll pierced silver mounts, London, 1905 by Army and Navy Co-operative Society Ltd., the lid with a set of six silver coffee spoons, three saucers with rim chips, box 35 x 28 x 11cm.

Militaria - a pair of World War One British Army issue field binoculars, by A. Kershaw & Son Ltd., Leeds, dated 1918; a brass plumb bob (2)

Textiles - a Japanese silk kimono and scarf, embroidered with fanciful birds, leafy cherry blossom and ripe fruit; a pair of Argentinian Gaucho style wide brimmed hats; a beaded evening purse; a Royal Army Service Corps tea cosy; WWI silk postcards; etc

Enamel Badges - Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Sherwood Foresters Womens Land Army, For Empire, Royal Engineers, RAF, etc (8)

A Royal Army Ordinance Corps sweetheart compact and two cap badges.