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Lot 1528
A late Victorian glass decanter with silver mounts, the mounts bear import marks for Muller & Son, London 1897, the decanter with slender neck, bombé body etched with floral swags, scrolls and trellis work, the silver base with pierced rococo style decoration, the stopper with putto finial, 10 1/4in. (26cms).
Lot 608
AN EXCEPTIONAL ICON OF THE GREAT MARTYR GEORGE "THE VICTORIOUS" MOSCOW, WORKSHOP OF MSTERA MASTER O.S.CHIRIKOV (?), END OF THE 19TH TO BEGINNING OF THE 20TH CENTURY WITH A METAL HALO 35 by 26.5 cm. "The icon is a shining example of the professional icon painting of Mstera. The inscription that appears in the upper border is: "THE HOLY GREAT MARTYR AND BRINGER OF VICTORY GEORGE". The great martyr George is depicted standing against a detailed landscape background; the fingers of his right hand forms the sign of the cross and he holds an eight-armed cross, in the crook of his left arm is a thin spear with a white pennant inscribed with the monogram of Christ; with the same arm he holds a shield. These attributes point to a direct connection between the icon and the milieu of the Old Belief, not only when one pursues the line of the artist (the majority of icon painters from Mstera, including such well known names as M.I. Dikarev and O.S. Chirikov, were Old Believers), but also on the patron’s side. Such depictions of saints — making the sign of benediction and with an eight- armed cross — were banned by the Great Synod of Moscow in 1667 and preserved only amongst the Old Believers. The edge of the upper border of the icon is three-lobed, with the top of the middle lobe ending in the shape of an up- turned keel. The figure of the holy warrior is skilfully painted into this complex shape, implying that the composition was thought through at the outset. The icon has refined colouring: it is executed in bluish and ochre tones and the repeated use of these colours and tints over the entire surface of the icon unifies the figure and the landscape into a single entity. The gold chamfer surrounding the picture itself is perceived as a narrow gilded frame and the painting is distinguished by the fine miniaturism so characteristic of the Mstera school, whose well-known masters possessed astonishing skill. St. George’s rich armour is finely painted: the chased rendering of the corselet, the gorget, wristbands and skirt of the tunic, the little icon of a Guardian Angel on the breast and the clasp fastening the cloak — are all decorated with precious stones and strings of pearls. The rock ledges, the turbulent torrent and the clumps of trees that make up the background are all skilfully painted and the emphasis on the landscape is a brilliant distinguishing feature and an important conceptual and decorative part of the icon. The features we have noted of "St. George the Victorious" mean that it must bear comparison with the work of the greatest masters of this school, Mikhail Ivanovich Dikarev and Osip Semyonovich Chirikov. From 1884-1903, Dikarev and Chirikov worked together on an extensive menological series of icons for the Chapel of the Presentation of the Virgin at the Grand-Ducal Marble Palace in St Petersburg (376 icons). The landscape painting in the menological series was unusually fine and constructed using the rules of perspective. The low horizon emphasised the grandeur of the saint’s figure; the beauty of the landscape (often incorporating churches, monasteries, and panoramas of cities) would be called upon to show the beauty and harmony of God’s creation. All these special characteristics apply fully to our "St. George the Victorious" icon, which means it can be legitimately linked with the aforementioned masters or their workshops. Art historians have drawn attention to the fact that the works of Dikarev and Chirikov are marked by a common style. It seems therefore, there are good grounds why this icon should be attributed if not to Chirikov himself (the icon does not have the artist’s signature on it), then to his workshop. The historic artefacts from the menological series now kept in the State Hermitage, the State Russian Museum and the State Museum of the History of Religion, allow a difference to be discerned in the way landscape is depicted in the icons of Dikarev as opposed to those of Chirikov. The influence of academic painting and the rules of perspective are more noticeable in the works of the former of these two masters. The manner of Chirikov is dominated by traditional methods of icon painting: the horizon on his icons is, as a rule, higher and the landscape is more conventional and fragmented, always incorporating rock ledges and hillocks, and clumps of trees. It is precisely these special features that predominate in the landscape of our "St. George the Victorious" icon. Thus, the particular features of the design, composition and artistic style of the "St. George the Victorious" icon indicate that it was commissioned under a special individual order and represents a unique example of late 19th to early 20th century icon painting of Mstera. It is likely that this image, full of deep inner meaning and expression, and distinguished by the refinement of the colours and restrained ornamentation, was made in the Moscow workshop of the famous icon painter from Mstera, Osip Semyonovich Chirikov."
Lot 782
Pair: Stoker 1st Class G. E. Greetham, Royal Navy, killed in action at the Battle of Jutland, 1 June 1916, whilst serving on H.M.S. Ardent British War and Victory Medals (K.21785 Sto. 1, R.N.) extremely fine (2) £160-200 George Edward Greetham was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, on 11 May 1894. A Machinist by occupation, he enlisted into the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class on 28 January 1914. On the outbreak of war he was serving on the destroyer Racehorse, April 1914-January 1915, being advanced to Stoker 1st Class in December 1914. He was posted to the destroyer Ardent and the depot ship Hecla in January 1915. The Ardent formed part of the 4th Destroyer Flotilla of the Grand Fleet at the battle of Jutland, 31 May/1 June 1916. In the early hours of the 1 June, the lone destroyer ran foul of the German fleet as it steamed through the ‘soft tail’ of Grand Fleet. Caught in a blaze of searchlights she became the target of every German gun that could bear upon her and was swiftly destroyed. Four officers and 74 ratings, including Stoker Greetham were killed; only one officer and one rating survived the sinking. With copied service paper.
Lot 22
A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. group of seven awarded to Second Lieutenant (formerly Squadron Sergeant Major) Bertram Bear, 18th (Queen Mary’s Own) Hussars, later East Yorkshire Regiment Military Medal, G.V.R. (4855 Sjt., 18/Hrs.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (4855 /L. Corpl., 18th Hussars) suspension claw re-pinned; 1914 Star, with clasp (4855 Sjt., 18/Hrs.); British War and Victory Medals (2. Lieut.); Defence Medal 1939-45; Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., type 1 (4855 Sq. S. Mjr., 18/Hrs.) some contact wear and edge bruising, therefore generally nearly very fine (7) £500-600 M.M. London Gazette 11 October 1916 (Sjt. (now Sqdn. Sergt. Mjr.), Hussars). Bertram Bear served in France and Flanders with the 18th Hussars from 15 August 1914, before receiving his commission into the 1st Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment in June 1916 and was subsequently employed with the Machine Gun Corps from 24 February 1918. The Army List for 1920 confirms that he served in France and Belgium from August 1914 to 25 March 1918 and that he was wounded.
Lot 112
Captain (formerly Colour Sergeant) E. A. Pauly, 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade, who was wounded, losing the sight of both eyes at the the Battle of Festubert on the night of 15/16 May 1915, whilst serving with the 1st Battalion, King’s Royal Rifle Corps - In the following year King George V personally intervened to insure that he was able retain the rank of Captain: ‘This is a case worthy of every possible consideration and of exceptional treatment. The man has lost almost everything but life and if any little thing can be done to make the terrible affliction which he has to bear lighter, and to cheer his future days it ought to be carried out.” Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (4491 A. Cpl., 2/R. Bde.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Defence of Ladysmith, Laing’s Nek, Belfast (4491 Sgt., Rifle Brigade); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps (4491 Serjt., Rifle Brigade) surname spelt ‘Pauley’ on Q.S.A. and K.S.A.; 1914 Star, with clasp (4491 C. Sjt., 2/Rif. Brig.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (4491 C. Sjt., Rif. Bde.); Khedive’s Sudan 1898-1910, no clasp, unnamed as issued, very fine and better (8) £500-600 The proceedings of the Medical Board found that Captain Pauly was ‘completely blinded by the explosion of a shell near him’ at Festubert on 15 May 1915. An extraordinary series of letters contained in his correspondence file at the National Archives shows how the C.O. of the Rifle Brigade made a plea that Pauly be allowed to retain permanently the rank of Captain even though he had held it only as a Temporary rank for less than the required three months. This request initially met strong opposition, however, on being informed of Captain Pauly’s plight the King intervened on his behalf with the following letter, dated 17 August 1916, with which there could be no argument: ‘The King has heard that Captain E. A. Pauly, late King’s Royal Rifles was commanding his company on the night of the 15th May 1915 in the attack upon the enemy’s position at Festubert, and whose wounds received on that occasion resulted in permanent blindness, has been informed that he must revert to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant because he had not held that of Temporary Captain for three months before the above incident took place. His Majesty feels that this is a case worthy of every possible consideration and of exceptional treatment. The man has lost almost everything but life, and if any little thing can be done to make the terrible affliction which he has to bear lighter, and to cheer his future days it ought to be carried out. The King understands that this slight concession will involve no expense to the country, and therefore he asks that Pauly may be allowed to retain the rank of Captain, which position he was considered worthy to hold and to exercise in leading his company into battle.’ The following obituary notice is extracted from The Rifle Brigade Chronicle 1944: ‘Captain Ernest Arthur Pauly was born 21 December 1875, at Horsham, Sussex. He enlisted as a H.Q. recruit into the 2nd Battalion at Aldershot in 1895, and it was with that battalion that he served throughout while with the regiment. He soon proved himself a useful footballer and played in the battalion team in 1896 and 1897. He was present with the battalion at Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee procession in London, and afterwards embarked for Malta. From there he went to Egypt and took part in the Nile Expedition of 1898, being present at the Battle of Omdurman. From Egypt he went to Crete and served there during the disturbances of 1899. In October of that year he embarked for South Africa and took part in the defence of Ladysmith. He lasted out this siege without sustaining wounds or sickness and on the conclusion of hostilities went to Cairo, having then the rank of Sergeant. Three years later he went to India. He was promoted Colour Sergeant in 1910 and posted to ‘H’ Company. In 1914 he left India for France with the battalion and early in November 1914 was selected for a commission and gazetted to the 60th Rifles. At the Battle of Festubert [15/16 May 1915] he was wounded, losing the sight of both eyes. He died of pneumonia on 15 April 1944, having been totally blind for 29 years. He was indeed a loveable character and his cheerfulness, ability and independence in spite of his terrible affliction made him a grand example of patience and courage to all who had the good fortune to know him. He maintained the greatest interest in his old regiment to the last. He was buried with Military Honours at Wallington.’
Lot 308
‡ Germany, Anhalt, Order of Albert the Bear, Second Class, Knight’s breast badge, in silver, good very fine; Bavaria, Military Merit Cross, Second Class, with crown and sword, in silver, with enamelled centre, in Third Class case, extremely fine; West Germany, Order of Merit of the Republic, Commander’s neck badge, in silver-gilt and enamels, in case of issue, extremely fine (3)
Lot 239
DARWIN, Charles (1809-1882). On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection ... Fifth Thousand. London: John Murray, 1860. 8°-in-12s (198 x 123mm). Folding lithographic plate, 32pp. of publisher's advertisements at end. (Occasional light scattered spotting.) Original green cloth, gilt spine (corners a little bumped, inner hinges just starting to split). Provenance: Ralph Carr (contemporary ink signature to half-title with place of Hedgeley) -- marginal light pencil annotation in a near contemporary hand to p.217. Second edition, second issue. Three thousand copies were printed - the largest printing of any edition or issue in Darwin's lifetime - and is the last English edition to contain the whale-bear story. Freeman 376. View on Christie's.com
![LEBEDEV, Vladimir (1891-1967). Medved. [The Bear]. Moscow and Petrograd: Mysl [1923.] Small 2° (270 x 190mm). Illustrated thr](http://lot-images.atgmedia.com/SR/10058/2803817/d5387341e_468x382.jpg)
Lot 317
LEBEDEV, Vladimir (1891-1967). Medved. [The Bear]. Moscow and Petrograd: Mysl [1923.] Small 2° (270 x 190mm). Illustrated throughout. Original illustrated wrappers (extremities rubbed). Provenance: Russian bookseller (small stamp on back cover). FIRST EDITION. One copy is located at New York's MoMA, and WorldCat adds another in the Cotsen Children's Library at Princeton. Copac locates no copy in the UK. MoMA, The Russian Avant-Garde Book 473. View on Christie's.com
![[Mordaunt (Elinor)] “A. Riposte”. Gin and Bitters first edition heavily marked up in pencil by the author with ti](http://lot-images.atgmedia.com/SR/1574/2803914/145-2010111614217_468x382.jpg)
Lot 145
[Mordaunt (Elinor)] “A. Riposte”. Gin and Bitters first edition heavily marked up in pencil by the author with tipped-in sheet of autograph amendments original cloth New York Farrar & Rinehart 1931; and a copy of the withdrawn UK edition with inscription from the publisher Martin Secker on front free endpaper [Stott F30] housed together in custom morocco-backed cloth drop-back box 8vo (2) *** A fascinating work and even more intriguing publishing history. Gin and Bitters was published in America in 1931 a thinly veiled attack on Somerset Maugham via its central character Leverson Hurle a famous novelist who had travelled extensively in the Far East the title of the book itself an overt pastiche of Cakes and Ale. The book was published pseudonymously not long after Cakes and Ale and many initially assumed that it was written by Hugh Walpole in retaliation to Somerset Maugham`s caricaturing of him in that work. Walpole immediately wrote Somerset Maugham denying this and it seems the latter was relatively untroubled by the publication. However when it was announced that the work was to be published in the UK initially by Somerset Maugham`s own publishers Heinemann then Martin Secker he took the advice of his brother Frederic and issued a writ which was brought to bear upon the publishers and the book was withdrawn despite considerable alteration by Mordaunt. This lot comprises a copy of the original US edition with Mordaunt`s revisions and notes for the UK edition including a new working title (firstly apparently Traveller`s Tale) and a copy of the UK edition which has a manuscript note at the front by Martin Secker detailing the history of the work its withdrawal and the destruction of the remaining stock. Stott refers directly to this copy of Gin and Bitters and explains that most likely the author was motivated by her friendship with Thomas Hardy`s second wife who along with her husband was referred to unfavourably in Cakes and Ale as evidenced by some of the marginalia in this marked-up copy.(2)
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93488 item(s)/page