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Lot 1035
A well documented set of 8, beautifully made, miniature planes by ROBERT BAKER all made to 3/8 scale from Spiers planes owned by Ken Roberts in 1985 including jointer, panel, early and improved mitres, parallel smoother, steel soled brass smooth, shoulder and rebate, all dovetailed, in lined and fitted lockable mahogany presentation box. This is set No 2 of only 3 made to order, this set was originally owned by Alan Sellers until 1994, includes signed paperwork, wonderful quality F(3000-5000)
Lot 378
A 19th century giltwood and gesso framed over mantel mirror, the oval plate with scrolling foliate and shell decorated surmount within a lotus leaf and dragon scale decorated frame, the base with two shaped plates within a scrolling acanthus decorated framework, 159 cm wide x 165 cm high (ILLUSTRATED)
Lot 2672
Medallion, c. 280, laureate and cuirassed bust left, holding spear forward and shield decorated with scene of profectio, IMP PROBVS P F AVG, rev. moneta avg, three Monet 3/4 standing facing, heads left, each holding a scale in their right hands above a stack of coins at their feet and cornucopi 3/4 in their left hands, 21.14g/5h (Gnecchi II, p.118, 24 and pl. 120, 5; C 376). Good very fine with good dark sage-green patina, rare
Lot 830
The nationally important Order of Merit group of sixteen awarded to Sir Basil Spence (1907-76), the distinguished post-war architect, and architect of Coventry Cathedral The Order of Merit, E.II.R., Civil Division neck badge, gold and enamel, with neck cravat, minor enamel damage; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Civil) Officers 2nd type breast badge, silver-gilt; 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals; Efficiency Decoration, E.II.R., Territorial, rev. dated, 1957, these unnamed as issued; Royal Institute of British Architects Silver Medal (1931), obv. a pair of stylized lions either side of a column, rev. inscribed, Board of Architectural Education awarded to Basil Spence, Edinburgh College of Art, School of Architecture, 88mm., silver; Incorporation of Architects in Scotland Medal (1931), obv. bust of Sir R. Rowand Anderson left, by Hazel Armour, rev. Edinburgh Castle, inscribed, Basil Spence, 1931, 58mm., silver; Royal Institute of British Architects Pugin Medal (1933), obv. a pair of stylized lions either side of an ornate column, mural crown above, rev. heraldic shield (Basil Spence Pugin Student, 1933), 57mm., silver, American Institute of Architects Honorary Fellows Badge (1959), by M.A.C., New York, obv. stylized eagle with an olive branch in its talons, superimposed upon a column, rev. inscribed, Basil Spence 1959, oval, 39 x 32.5mm., silver, with suspension mount, with neck cravat; Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Fellows Medal (1960), obv. seated architect in classical garments, a winged cherub presents a sprig of foliage, a temple in the background, rev. inscription (name and date engraved), Basil Spence, Honourary Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada 1960, 46mm., bronze-gilt, ring suspension, with neck cravat; Royal Institute of British Architects Bronze Medal (1963), obv. a pair of stylized lions either side of a column, rev. two builders at work, St. Pauls Cathedral in the background (Sir Basil Spence, O.M., O.B.E., T.D., R.A., A.R.S.A., R.D.I., P.P.R.I.B.A. Falmer House, The University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton), 63mm., bronze; City of Coventry Award of Merit (1970), obv. stylized phoenix rising from the flames, three crosses in the background, rev. plain, rectangular, 45 x 26mm., gold, 30.7g., hallmarks for Birmingham, unnamed, complete with gold and enamel brooch bar, inscribed, Coventry Award of Merit; Medal of the Academia Nazionale di San Luca, Rome (1972), obv. man in classical garments, knelt, writting upon a scroll, a winged bull in the background, rev. inscribed, Basil Spence, MCMLXXII, 55mm., bronze, ring suspension, with neck cravat; with associated lapel badge, gilt and enamel; French Academie dArchitecture, Grande Medaille dOr (1974), obv. stylized ornamented column by H. Navarre, inscribed in exergue, Grande Medaille dOr 1974 Sir Basil Spence Architecte, rev. seated figure in classical garments enclosed by wreath, 68mm., gold, 212g., edge stamped, 1974 and 3or, some with minor (pin?) marks to edge, in general nearly extremely fine (17) £6000-8000 O.M. London Gazette 23.11.1962 O.B.E. (Civil Division) London Gazette 1.1.1948 Basil Urwin Spence was born in Bombay on 13 Aug. 1907, the elder son of a chemist in the Indian Civil Service. When he was twelve, Spence, whose family were from Orkney, was sent home to Scotland to be educated at George Watson's College, Edinburgh. Having shown a particular ability in drawing he enrolled in 1925 at the Edinburgh College of Art to study sculpture, but then switched to architecture. Spence excelled as a student, and during 1929-30 he completed his practical assignment in London, attending evening classes at the Bartlett School of Architecture at University College, and by day working as an assistant in the London office of Sir Edwin Lutyens where he helped prepare designs for Lutyens' Viceroy House in New Delhi. Spence imbibed Lutyens' masterly combination of classical and modern architectural idioms, and thereafter always acknowledged him as his 'patron and master'. Spence completed his professional training in Edinburgh and gained his architectural diploma in September 1931, having added to his earlier prizes the Rowand Anderson Medal and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Silver Medal; in 1933 came the prestigious RIBA Pugin Medal. He was invited to join the leading Edinburgh architects, Rowand Anderson, Balfour Paul & Partners. Within the practice he designed small houses and departmental stores in and around Edinburgh, but his private commissions gave him the opportunity to venture designs that were more modernist and daring. He became a junior partner in 1935 and undertook work for some of the practice's most wealthy and important clients, designing grand country houses that catered to individual tastes, but which at the same time were eye-catching in the way they blended traditional elements with modern and made use of the natural, textured materials of the local landscape. Notable among these structures was Quothquhan, Lanarkshire (1936) for Alexander Erskine-Hill MP, Gribloch (1937-9), near Loch Lomond, for the steel magnate John Colville, and Broughton Place (1937-9), near Peebles. In 1938 he was commissioned to design the Scottish pavilion for the Empire Exhibition in Glasgow. Spence's highly abstract construction owed much to the ideas of Le Corbusier, the influential pioneer of modern design, and was widely praised as one of the chief attractions of the exhibition. There soon followed other exhibition work in Edinburgh and Johannesburg. However, with the onset of war Spence set aside his thriving practice and joined the Royal Artillery, having enrolled with the Territorial Army 1934. He rose to the rank of Major in the camouflage unit where his talent for design was usefully employed. In Normandy, he was shocked by the destruction of ancient religious buildings and in his diary confided his ambition to build a church of his own time if he survived the war. The shortage of new work in the years immediately after the war confined Spence to small-scale architectural commissions and exhibition design, and through the latter area his practice began to pick up. He was awarded major commissions for exhibitions in Edinburgh (1946) and Glasgow (1947) to help foster post-war enterprise, and he was chief architect for the 1949 Britain Can Make It Exhibition in London, having been appointed O.B.E. in the New Year Honours the previous year. He was then commissioned to design the Sea and Ships Pavilion for the Festival of Britain which opened on the South Bank in May 1951. Spence had also been working on designs in the competition for a new cathedral at Coventry to replace that which had been gutted during the enemy bombardment of the city on the night of 14 November 1940-the 'Night of Infamy'. There had been some indecision over how the new cathedral should look. Initially, a new neo-gothic edifice was envisaged with Sir Giles Gilbert Scott as its architect, but Scott's 'ponderous' design was vetoed in 1946, and in setting up the subsequent competition for a fresh design in 1950 it was decided that entrants should be encouraged to think in terms of an adventurous modern church building that would embody the spirit of the new post-war order. In August 1951 it was announced that Spence had won first prize out of 219 entries. It was to be the turning-point of Spence's career. Coventry had a special significance, being the first British city to have had its centre destroyed by enemy bombing. The project to rebuild the cathedral caught the public imagination as symbolising the nation's rise from the ashes of war. On the eve of its consecration in 1962 Spence wrote in The Times: 'When I first visited Coventry with the competition conditions in October 1950, the old cathedral burnt open by fire-bombs seemed to say in a gentle voice, "I
Lot 871
A particulary fine, well-documented and poignant Battle of Britain Spitfire aces D.F.C. group of four awarded to Flight Lieutenant D. G. Gribble, Royal Air Force, who, having been compelled as a result of combat damage to make a forced-landing on a beach near Dunkirk in May 1940, went on to claim six confirmed victories, besides several probables and damaged, the vast majority of them at the height of the Battle in August 1940, a gallant operational career that is well recorded in the memoirs of his fellow 54 Squadron pilots, Al Deere and Colin Gray - he was killed in action in a Channel sweep in June 1941, having been heard to call "Engine cut, baling out" Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated 1940 and privately inscribed, Flight Lieut. D. G. Gribble; 1939-45 Star, clasp, Battle of Britain; Air Crew Europe Star; War Medal 1939-45, contained in an old leather case, extremely fine (4) £14000-18000 D.F.C. London Gazette 13 August 1940. The original recommendation states: Since the outbreak of war, this happy young Fighter Pilot has taken part in almost every offensive patrol carried out by his squadron during the invasion of the Low Countries, throughout the Dunkirk operations and, in more recent times, the intensive air fighting over the Channel. A survivor of Dunkirk, he was, himself, shot down there, but made his way back again to this country, salving some valuable wireless equipment from his aeroplane. Throughout innumerable offensive patrols to date, Pilot Officer Gribble has led his section, and recently his Flight, with great courage, gallantry and determination. On one occasion, having fired all his ammunition, he was bringing back two other pilots of his section who had not fired any of theirs, when he sighted a Vic of 6 Do. 17s. Without hesitation, he led the two other pilots - although subjected to severe cross-fire against which he had no means of replying - into the attack with such determination that the effective bombing of an important convoy was prevented. Pilot Officer Gribble has so far, himself, destroyed 3 Me. 109s and damaged a great many more. Both in the air and off duty on the ground, this officers cheerful manner and example have done much to keep up the high morale of his squadron during the hard times it has recently passed through. Dorian George Gribble was born in Hendon, London in June 1919, but was brought up on the Isle of Wight, where he was educated at Ryde School. Joining the Royal Air Force on a short service commission in March 1938, he attended No. 11 F.T.S. at Shawbury before being posted to No. 54 Squadron, a Gladiator unit based at Hornchurch, in December 1938. Shortly thereafter the Squadron was re-equipped with Spitfires. With the onset of the German invasion of the Low Countries, No. 54 went into action, Gribble flying his first offensive patrol to Ostend on 16 May 1940. The previous evening, in an operational briefing delivered to the pilots in the Officers Mess billiard room, Al Deere had scanned the audience: The central figure was, as always, Pilot Officer George Gribble. Very English, very good looking and bubbling over with the enthusiasm of his twenty years, he epitomized the product of the public school; young yet mature, carefree yet serious when the situation required and above all possessing a courageous gaiety which he was later to display in abundance. A little over a week later, on the 24th, in 54s second patrol of the day - a large scale dogfight over the Dunkirk-Calais sector in which Colin Gray later recalled seeing nothing but black crosses hurtling around in all directions - Gribble destroyed a Me. 109 after firing 1700 rounds from 250 yards range (I saw my tracer crossing into his aircraft while he was on his back. He just fell into the ground ... ). The following day his Spitfire was badly damaged when 54 was jumped by about a dozen 109s, and he carried out a forced-landing on a beach near Dunkirk - but removed his radio equipment from the cockpit before finding passage home in a tramp steamer bound for Dover. Al Deere later recalled his arrival back in the U.K.: A pleasant surprise awaited me when I walked into the Mess on the way to supper. In the hall stood George Gribble with, of all things, the radio set from his aircraft under his arm. "Do you mean to say that you carted that thing all the way back with you?" I asked, clasping him warmly by the hand. "Seemed the sensible thing to do, old boy. So far as I know these particular sets are still on the secret-list and we dont want the Huns to get a free copyright," he answered. This was typical of George. He must have gone to no end of trouble to carry such an awkward and fairly heavy piece of equipment back with him. Apparently the captain of the ship that brought him home had tried to dissuade him for, as he pointed out, space was at a premium, and it must be men before material. Once having made up his mind, nothing would deter Geroge. The Squadron moved to Catterick on 28 May, and thence back to Hornchurch on 4 June, but it would not be until July that it returned to frontline duties. Battle of Britain With the advent of the Battle proper, 54 started to operate out of Rochford and Manston, and on 24 July, over North Foreland, in what Colin Gray described as a terrific dogfight ... in no time at all it became a crazy mixture of Spitfires and Me. 109s chasing one another round in circles, Gribble claimed a brace of Me. 109s destroyed (unconfirmed). The following day, when just five of 54s Spitfires joined in combat with two waves of Ju. 87s, escorted by about 80 109s, Gribble led Green section, but with two of their number shot down, 54s survivors were compelled to beat a hasty retreat back to Manston, but not before we had to take violent evasive action. On 26 July, the Squadron moved to Catterick, the very same day on which Gribble was appointed Flight Commander of B Flight, and in fact the date on which he was recommended for the D.F.C., the covering remarks of Air Vice-Marshal Keith Park stating: This cheerful young pilot has shot down 3 enemy aircraft and damaged many more. He was particularly gallant in leading his Flight on a recent occasion. He had fired all his ammunition - however, he led his section against a Vic-formation of 6 Do. 17s and so prevented the effective bombing of an important convoy. As a leader he is outstanding - his morale and cheerful bearing are an example to the Squadron. For his outstanding qualities as a leader, I strongly recommend him for the immediate award of the Distinguished Flying Cross. Air Chief Marshal Dowding concurred, his signature of approval being dated 31 July 1940. Early August witnessed the Squadron moving to Hornchurch, and on the 15th, Gribble damaged a Ju. 87 in a dogfight over Dover-Hawkinge sector, one of 30 87s with a 40-strong Me. 109 escort - I dived into the attack, using 12 boost, and fired a long burst at one from astern. It seemed to "shudder" in mid-air and then dived steeply with black smoke coming from it. I saw my ammunition entering the machine. Later that day, he also destroyed a Me. 109 and damaged a Do.17 over the Maidstone. Of the fate of the 109, his combat report stated: On breaking again I came up and engaged a Me. 109, chasing it out towards the sea. The cloud was about 10/10 at 13,000 feet, so I had not very much idea of where I was. I gave the enemy aircraft a longish burst from 350 closing to 250 yards. The enemy aircraft dived and then burst into flames ... The very next day, the 16th, he damaged a Me. 109 east of Hornchurch - I managed to get in a long burst (10 seconds), opening at 300 yards and closing to 200 yards range. Smoke began to pour out of the machine and it went into a dive - while on the 18th, when the Squadron was sent down to Manston for the third day running, Gribble acted as "Blue Leader" in B Flight, and destroyed another Me. 109, in additio
Lot 874
A very rare E.II.R. Malaya operations D.F.C. group of six awarded to Squadron Leader B. H. Walker, Royal Air Force, who completed numerous bombing sorties in No. 148 Squadrons Lincolns 1954-55 Distinguished Flying Cross, E.II.R., reverse officially dated 1955; 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Malaya, E.II.R. (Flt. Lt. B. H. Walker, R.A.F.), good very fine and better (6) £3000-3500 D.F.C. London Gazette 11 October 1955: In recognition of gallant and distinguished service in Malaya. Brian Hibbs Walker, who was born in December 1921, was commissioned as a Pilot Officer, from Corporal, in February 1943 and is believed to have flown operationally in Lancasters before the Wars end. A Flight Lieutenant by the time he joined No. 148 Squadron in early 1954, he was ordered to Tengah, Singapore in April of the same year, the units Lincolns having been selected for operations over Malaya. Some hasty training in bombing and strafing missions ensued - as would attendance at a jungle training course care of the Somerset Light Infantry - and on 6 May Walker flew his first sortie, a strike against a target in Kampong Punngai. Five days later he was back in action over Kajang, followed by a pinpoint strike in the Ipoh area on the 19th, and a brace of visits to the Kulim region on the 26th and 30th. June witnessed him flying another five sorties, against targets in Kulim, Flagwag Bahau, Flagwag Gurun, Kuala Selangor and Kadah peak, the last named involving a six-hour flight, while in July he participated in "Operation Termite", a large scale initiative in collaboration with our ground forces in the Ipoh area, and one entailing the use of 1000lb. bombs prior to parachute drops to clear up any remaining opposition. "Termite" over, No. 148 returned to the U.K., where it participated in "Operation Sea Mist", a large scale exercise to test the defences of Denmark and Norway, Walker being advanced to Squadron Leader in October. Then in the following month, he returned to Tengah, this time as C.O. of the Squadrons operational detachment and, between December 1954 and March 1955, flew a succession of sorties in support of "Latimer", "Nassau" and other initiatives - thus a four-hour daylight trip against Ipoh, and three-hour night and day sorties against Triang in December 1954. But it was in January 1955 that he was at his busiest, dropping 14 x 500lb. bombs on Termerloh on the 1st, and the same load on targets in Triang and Kampong Puggai on the 2nd, and again on the latter place on the 4th. Then he delivered a bomb load of 12,000lb. to Taiping on the 6th, another 10,000lb. to Kuala Langat on the 11th and 12th, followed by a 14,000lb. load to the same target for good measure on the following night; and finally, in the latter part of the month, 7,000lb. loads were dropped on targets at Mount Ophir on the 19th, Gemas on the 25th and Port Dickson on the 27th. As a result of rain damage to 148s runway, operations were reduced in the February-March period, but Walker did deliver four further bomb loads in the former month. The Squadron was ordered home in April 1955 and he was gazetted for a well-deserved D.F.C. that October. He was placed on the Retired List in October 1973.
Lot 908
A Second World War Burma operations M.M. group of six awarded to Bombardier W. Woods, Royal Artillery Military Medal, G.VI.R. (902849 Bmbr. R.A.); 1939-45 Star Burma Star; Defence and War Medals; Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue, Territorial (902849 Gnr., M.M., R.A.) generally extremely fine (6) £900-1000 M.M. London Gazette 20 September 1945. Recommendation states: At Singu on the East bank of the Irrawaddy, on 15 April 1945 Bdr. Woods of 348 Bty, 136 Fd Regt R.A. was one of an Arty O.P. party which accompanied "B" Coy on their infiltration into Singu North on night 14/15 April 45. The coy and attached troops had been attacked at dawn in the area of some Pagodas on the North East of the village and had been forced to seek cover within the perimeter provided by a small wall which encircled one of the Pagodas. In seeking immediate cover from the sudden attack the Arty party were obliged to leave some heavy equipment, including their "22" wireless set, outside the wall. The Japanese were sniping continually and using grenade dischargers from the edge of the village some 50 yeards away. The sniping which was exceedingly accurate killed and wounded several of the men who had been replying to the Jap fire. During a lull in the firing Bdr. Woods aked for permission to scale the wall in full view of the Jap position, in order to recover the equipment which was lying on the other side. Bdr. Woods leaped over the wall and in full view of the enemy position in the village succeeded in bringing in all the signal equipment belonging to the O.P. party, thus enabling fire to be brought down on the enemy. By volunteering for and carrying out this act of gallantry Bdr Woods displayed the very highest courage and devotion to duty. William James Woods enlisted into the R.A. (T.A.) in April 1939 and was posted to 87 Field Regiment R.A. In June 1939 he posted to 136 Regiment R.A. With his unit he served in India and Burma, January 1943-March 1946 and in December 1945 was appointed an Acting Sergeant. Released to the Army Reserve in June 1946, in 1953 he re-enlisted into the R.A. (T.A.) and was posted to the 359 Medium Regiment. He was discharged at his own request on 11 October 1961. The Military Medal and forwading slip in glass-fronted wooden frame, with the copied recommendation in a matching frame. Sold with several photographs, an American Legion membership card, cloth R.A. blazer badge and copied research.
Lot 912
An extremely rare "crowned-head" D.F.M. group of six awarded to Squadron Leader R. Wright, Royal Air Force, for his part in the Chitral garrison relief operations of 1932 Distinguished Flying Medal, G.V.R., 2nd crowned bust issue (363282 Cpl. R. Wright, R.A.F.), officially impressed naming; India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1930-31 (363282 L.A.C., R.A.F.); Defence and War Medals, these two privately inscribed, Sqn. Ldr. R. Wright, D.F.M. and J.L.; Jubilee 1935; Royal Air Force L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (W./O., R.A.F.), generally good very fine (6) £3000-3500 Just 22 "crowned-head" D.F.Ms were issued between 1931-37, three of them for the Chitral garrison relief operations of 1932. D.F.M. London Gazette 8 September 1933: In recognition of gallant and distinguished service rendered during the operations in connection with the Chitral reliefs, September to October 1932. Roland Wright, who was born in October 1905, was decorated for his part in the operations that led to the successful biennial relief of the Chitral garrison in 1932. In previous years, the Nawab of Dir had been able to guarantee the garrisions safe passage, albeit with a small escort, but in September 1932, as a result of anti-British agitators raising small lashkars of hostile tribesmen, his forces were quickly occupied, and it was therefore decided to despatch a special mobile column of all arms to protect the garrison during its journey through Shamozair country. And in order to support that initiative, five R.A.F. squadrons (11, 20, 27, 39 and 60) were placed under the control of the G.O.C.-in-C., Northern Command, who in turn delegated control to the Commander, Peshawar District. Prior to the commencement of bombing operations, warning notices were issued, but these had little effect in demoralising the hostile tribesmen, who regularly greeted our aircraft with heavy rifle fire. Bombing operations actually commenced on 17 September and were continued on an intensive scale until the 23rd, as a result of which most of the lashkars were broken up and dispersed, but small parties of "diehards" held on in certain areas, as a result of which air operations were extended. When, at length, the relief column got safely home, the Commander, Peshawar District, relinquished control of the Royal Air Forces operational agenda, but independent sorties were flown right through until 16 October, when an agreement was struck between the hostile tribesmen and our local Political Agent. Wright added the Jubilee Medal to his accolades in 1935, while serving as a Corporal in No. 4 (Army Co-operation) Squadron (the official roll refers), and was commissioned as a probationary Flying Officer in November 1940. Granted the permanent rank of Flight Lieutenant in July 1946, he was placed on the Retired List as a Squadron Leader (Engineering Branch) in October 1954.
Lot 1051
A mid 19th Century lacquered brass combination Aneroid Barometer/Thermometer, the circular drum case with ring suspension at 12, to a 4" silver dial with scale of 28-31 over a half round mercurial thermometer with Fahrenheit scale of 20-120o, and blued steel pointer with adjustable brass pointer, end engraved to the back cover “Sold by C W Dixey, Opticians to the Queen, New Bond Street, London", 5"
Lot 1058
An early 19th Century Mahogany and Ebony line inlaid Wheel Barometer, Carley of Bungay, the swan neck pediment to a typical hygrometer over a detachable single scale and silvered alcohol thermometer to a spun brass bezel, enclosing a 10" silvered dial with scale of 28-31 and a signed level, height 43"
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