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Lot 613
European School 19/20th century- Still life of flowers in urns; oil on canvas laid on board, in matching oval gilt frames, 30x48cm., ea: G Lodi, Italian School early 20th century- Street urchins having a cigarette; oil on board, signed: E Broke, British Provincial School early 20th century- Riders at sunset, oil on board, signed: British School early 20th century- Boating on a village river; oil on board, (5)
Lot 652
Mid-Late 20th Century School- Portrait of a young girl; gouache on card, 40x29cm: Blanche Seward, mid 20th century- Still-life of flowers; oil on canvas, signed and dated 60: Fion Gunn, Irish late 20th/early 21st century- Dancing figures; mixed media, signed: together with other 20th century studies by and after various hands, (a lot)
Lot 663
Zabarieva Svetiana, Russian b.1964- Russian horses; ink on silk, signed with a monogram, 60x40cm: together with three other ink on silk studies by the same hand depicting Horses in pasture and a still life each signed with a monogram. Note: The Artist has exhibited in Germany in 2002 and Moscow in 2004. (may be subject to Droit de Suite)
Lot 697
Laura V Hardy late 20th/early 21st century- Floral still life with chess pieces; oil on canvas, signed, 60x49.5cm. Note: The artist, based in North London and subsequently in Bath, Somerset, has exhibited widely, included at The Royal Academy in 1964, 1964, 1965 and 1966; The New English Art Club in 1992 and 1994. (may be subject to Droit de Suite)
Lot 832
Lorena Purdy, Canadian mid-late 20th century- "October Still Life"; pen and black ink and watercolour, signed, bears submission label for The Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolour, 42nd Annual Open Exhibition, Dec 2nd to Dec 31st 1967, The Art Gallery of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, attached to the reverse, 31.5x49.5cm (may be subject to Droit de Suite)
Lot 949
Gerald Norden- "Bread and a Small Green Bottle"; oil on board, signed, 19x24.2cm: together with one other oil study by the same hand titled "Cherries in a Paper Bag", oil on board, signed, 13.5x16.2cm: Provenance: with The Catto Gallery, London, according to labels attached to the reverse of each: European School early 20th century- Flowers in a vase; oil on panel, in a parcel gilt and ebonised reverse profile frame, 13.3x9.5cm: Wright, early 20th century- Floral Still life; oil on board, signed indistinctly, 29.3cm: together with four other decorative pictures and prints, (8) (may be subject to Droit de Suite)
Lot 15
A pair of Rockingham flared spill vases, maroon ground with gilded borders, printed puce mark to base, 11 cm high, (a/f), a pair of 19th century porcelain twin handled urn vases on square bases, the central panels painted with still life of flowers within a white and gilt ground, 20 cm high, (a/f), a Royal Worcester blush ivory vase painted with flowers, 7 cm high and one other similar, a pair of 19th century blue and white lozenge shaped transfer printed dishes, 27 cm wide, (a/f) and an early 20th century porcelain blue and gilt part tea set, (a lot).
Lot 41
A English cabinet plate, 19th century, gilded with elaborate rococo style border on a yellow ground, the named central cartouche landscape depicting figures by road side over a bay, "Le golfe de Naples", 23 cm wide, together with a 19th century Paris porcelain vase, decorated with still life of flowers, the verso panel decorated with birds at sunrise, gilt borders and handles, tapering stem to a square base, 25 cm high, (2).
Lot 552
Lady Patricia Ramsay (formerly Princess Patricia of Connaught) 1886-1974 - pencil and aquarelle pastel in frame - Still life - entitled 'Peaches', inscribed on reverse 'For Dearest Elizabeth ..... Christmas 1956' - signed, 18cm x 22cm, and another - oil on card - 'Rapley Lake, Bagshot ' The Old Brick Bridge, 1940' - signed, inscribed on reverse, 27cm x 19.5cm (2). (Lady Patricia was the Duke of Connaught's youngest daughter who in turn was Queen Victoria's youngest son and used to live at Clarence House)
Lot 354
Arman, bronze with gold patina, sculptured dissected Violin in perspex box Signed edition 134/ 150 ( Edition number partly obscured by mount) foundry mark A .Valsuani perdue, Armand Pierre Fernandez, (born in France1928 died 2005), is one of the most important international object artists and a co-founder and member of the Nouveau Réalisme. He studied at the Ecole Nationale des Arts Décoratifs in Nice from 1946 to 1949 and then continued his studies for two years at the Ecole du Louvre in Paris. An acquaintance with Yves Klein led to the idea of organising joint happenings and events, which the two artists realised in 1953. Armand's neo-dadaist 'Cachets' (stamp prints) of 1955, and later the 'Allures' (prints made with objects dipped into paint) and the 'Coupés' (cut-up objects) followed by the 'Colères' (objects which were smashed and then mounted) were still influenced by Kurt Schwitters. When the last letter of his name was accidentally forgotten on a catalogue cover in 1958, he decided to adopt this spelling of his name. In 1957, Arman became interested in common objects as works of art. First he did what came to be called his "allures d"objet" (object impressions) where he w uld dip an object into paint and press it on canvas; thereby leaving the object's shadow or impression. Then he figured the object itself was worth paying attention to and he started to "treat" them in his own way. Arman's way of treating objects is very special: his intention is to remove the material function of an object so that as a work of art its only possible function is to "feed the mind" and not serve a material purpose anymore. What better way could he find to achieve that result than by breaking, slicing or even burning objects such as a violin, telephone, typewriter or even a whole car. He also makes objects useless by accumulating them (2,000 wrist watches in a plexiglass box are fun to watch but not very functional unless you like to "pick your time") The artist discovered his famous 'Poubelles', Plexiglas cases with rubbish cast in resin, at the beginning of the 1960s. From the 'Poubelles' Arman developed the so-called 'Accumulations', a number of the same objects assembled in show cases. These arrangements consist mainly of objects of every-day life, with which the artist ironically questions the one-sided waste character of mass products. He taught at the University of California until 1968. From 1975 onwards Arman spent seven years working on a monumental sculpture made of 60 cars which he called 'Long Term Parking'. From the mid-1960s Arman made numerous visits to New York, and he soon came to regard the USA as his second home, taking American citizenship in 1972. The stocks of new objects that he discovered there directed him towards new and more abstract accumulations. These culminated in 1967–8 in the Renault Accumulations (e.g. Renault Accumulation No. 106, 1967; see 1986 exh. cat., p. 221), highly sculptural works made from separate pieces suppl ed by the Renault car factory, and in large-scale commissioned monuments such as Long Term Parking (h. 18 m, 1982–3; Jouy-en-Josas, Fond. Cartier Mus.), a gigantic tower consisting of 60 cars embedded in concrete. In his later work he also recast some of his earlier Rages and Combustions in bronze, and in another series, Armed Objects, he used concrete as a base in which to fix the object, somewhat in the way he had previously used transparent plastic. He broadened his imagery to include tools while remaining faithful above all to objects symbolizing the excesses of the consumer society. Arman was also an avid collector of objects, artefacts and works of art, including watches, radios, cars, European pistols, African carved sculpture (especially Kota guardian figures) and Japanese armour Awards: Officier de la Légion d'Honneur, Grand Prix Marzotto, Commandeur des Arts et Lettres, Officier de l'Ordre National du Merite, Member of the Academia Brera. Provenance; Purchased from Windsor and Eton Fine Arts Co. Ltd. 12/12/1979 and now consigned by the purchaser h: 28.50 x w: 17.50 x d: 6 in.
Lot 490
John Houston (b.1930) Still life featuring poppies in a vase, signed lower left, oil on canvas Saleroom notice; Artist's Resale Rights Regulations 2006 may apply to this lot. Please note that by bidding in this sale you agree that if you are the successful bidder for a lot covered by these regulations you will pay an amount equal to the resale royalty, and this amount will be added to your invoice (in addition to Buyers Premium) at a maximum rate of 4% of the hammer price for lots sold for a price in excess of the equivalent of 1,000 Euros. We undertake to the buyer to pay such amount to the artist's collection agent. h: 23.50 x w: 23.50 in.
Lot 491
Eric Rimmington, "Wild flowers 1992" Still life flowers in vases on a white tablecloth, signed verso, oil on canvas Purchased Mercury Gallery 1994 Saleroom notice; Artist's Resale Rights Regulations 2006 may apply to this lot. Please note that by bidding in this sale you agree that if you are the successful bidder for a lot covered by these regulations you will pay an amount equal to the resale royalty, and this amount will be added to your invoice (in addition to Buyers Premium) at a maximum rate of 4% of the hammer price for lots sold for a price in excess of the equivalent of 1,000 Euros. We undertake to the buyer to pay such amount to the artist's collection agent. h: 16 x w: 27 in.
Lot 506
A rare ‘Challenger Medal ‘awarded to Dr. George Busk, a noted scientist and contemporary of Charles Darwin, who successfully nominated the latter for the Royal Society’s coveted Copley Medal Medal for the Expedition of H.M.S. Challenger 1872-76 and the subsequent scientific reports 1886-95, Neptune, left hand holding a triangle and the right arm encircling a trident and resting on a wreath, below which, the helmeted bust of Britannia left, surrounded by dolphins and mermaids, with inscription on ribbon below, ‘Voyage of H.M.S. Challenger, 1872-76’, reverse, armoured medieval knight left with gauntlet at his feet, a ribbon in part entwined around a trident bears the inscription, ‘Report on the Scientific Results of the Challenger Expedition 1886-95’ (George Busk), 75mm., bronze, good very fine £400-500 Medallic References: B.H.M. 3487 and Eimer 1797; a total of 120 such awards were issued, The Challenger Medal Roll (1895), by Glenn M. Stein, F.R.G.S., recording only eight known examples, some of which are still in family hands, while others reside in institutions - Busk's example was issued posthumously on 23 December 1895. George Busk was born in St. Petersburg in August 1807, the second son of Robert Busk, a merchant in that city. After receiving his initial education at Dr. Hartley's School, Bingley, Yorkshire, Busk studied medicine at St. Thomas's Hospital, London. Thereafter, he spent six years as an articled student with George Beaman, under the aegis of the Royal College of Surgeons of England. Appointed to the Seamen's Hospital Society (S.H.S.) in 1831, having served briefly as Apothecary on the Society's first hospital ship, the Grampus, Busk joined the 104-gun ship Dreadnought as an Assistant Surgeon in the following year, aboard which ship he ‘worked out the pathology of cholera, and made important observations on scurvy’: he was to remain a Surgeon with the S.H.S. for nearly 25 years, until retiring from surgical practice in 1855, though he held the post of Consulting Surgeon from 1866 until his death 20 years later. In December 1843, Busk became one of the original 300 Fellows of the Royal College of Surgeons. Besides his eventual Presidency of the same body in 1871, he subsequently occupied many influential positions in several learned scientific institutions, among them the Microscopial Society, Linnean Society, Zoological Society, and the Anthropological Institute, while in 1850 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. The Darwin connection Early in life he had established himself as a leading authority on Polyzoa, and as with all things he studied, was a patient and cautious investigator. The author of several works on varied scientific subjects, and a solid artist, he also wrote and drew about Polyzoa specimens brought back by Charles Darwin on the Beagle, the 1875-76 Arctic Expedition, and of course, Challenger. Indeed Busk was deeply involved in the debate on the theory of evolution and some sources state that he read the joint Darwin-Wallace paper at a meeting of the Linnean Society on 1 July 1858 - the paper was an important prelude to Darwin's On the Origin of Species by Natural Selection (1859) - but more recent research suggests it was the Society’s Secretary who read out the paper. Be that as it may, Busk did translate into English Professor Schaaffhausen's detailed description of a cranium discovered in the Neander Valley in 1857, two years before publication of Darwin's Origin, a translation that duly appeared in The Natural History Review for April 1861. In his related publication, The Neander Valley, Robert Silverberg states: ‘[Busk] addressed a group of English scientists that same month, displaying a plaster cast of the Neanderthal skull and a skull of a chimpanzee. He said he had "no doubt of the enormous antiquity" of the Neanderthal bones, and called attention to the way the shape of the skull approached "that of some of the higher apes." Neither Darwin nor his chief popularizer, Huxley, attended Busk's lecture, but the geologist David Lyell did, and he saw to it that the Neanderthal skull cast got to Huxley. Huxley reported, in 1863, that the skull was that of a primitive variety of man, ‘different from Homo Sapiens but not wholly distinct anatomically’, though he admitted it was the most apelike human skull yet found - Huxley added cautiously that ‘in no sense can the Neanderthal bones be regarded as the remains of a human being intermediate between men and apes’. ‘In addition, in 1863, Busk came forward with a fossilized skull found in Gibraltar in 1848, and since preserved at the Natural History Museum, London. He realized it had Neanderthal characteristics, and on the basis of the two skulls, an assistant of Lyell's christened a new species of man in 1864, Homo neanderthalensis. As a result, along with Darwin's Origin, "Neanderthal man" rapidly became the centrepiece in the contemporary evolution controversy. In fact, Darwin and Busk had a close medical, as well as scientific, relationship. Darwin was plagued nearly all his adult life with stomach problems, and on his way to Malvern Wells in 1863, he stopped in London overnight to consult Busk, whom Hooker had recommended as having ‘the most fertile brain of any man I know in regard of all such matters as your stomach’ (letter from J. D. Hooker, dated 27 August 1863, refers). Moreover, following Darwin’s failure to gain the Royal Society’s coveted Copley Medal in 1862-63, as a result of the contentious nature of his Origin, it was Busk who nominated him again in 1864, this time for his researches in geology, zoology and botanical physiology, and the ploy worked, the membership present at a meeting held that November resolving by ballot that Darwin receive said Medal. Darwin did not attend the meeting at which the award was announced, fearing the excitement would make him seriously ill, and in his absence the Medal was received on his behalf by Busk, who handed it over to Darwin's brother - a few days later the great man wrote to Busk, thanking him for proposing him for the award (Darwin’s letter, dated 4 December 1864, refers). It was around this same time that a social club was formed by eminent scientists and called the ‘X Club ‘, in order to prevent the members from drifting apart due to their various duties, and to further the cause of science. Much of the discussion at X Club meetings revolved around the affairs of the Royal Society, and in the year of the Club's founding, all except one member were Fellows, Thomas Huxley and Busk among them. Both of them were also involved in the Philosophical Club, a "think tank" within the Royal Society. Busk was awarded the Royal Medal of the Royal Society in 1871 ‘for his researches in Zoology, Physiology and Comparative Anatomy’, followed by the Lyell Medal in 1878 and the Geological Society’s Wollaston Medal in 1885. As stated above, the award of his Challenger Medal was made posthumously in December 1895 - prior to the voyage of the Challenger in 1872, a Royal Society scientific party went aboard the "floating laboratory" anchored at Sheerness, and on deck had their photograph taken, among them Busk. His ‘last labours’ were devoted to the preparation of a report on the Polyzoa collected during the expedition, the first part of the work being completed in 1884, and he was in the process of finishing the second part at the time of his death in London in August 1886 - the proofs were later corrected by his elder daughter. During his lifetime, Busk donated mainly Bryozoan material to the Natural History Museum, London, and after his death, his daughters bequeathed the rest of his collection to the Museum - which amounted to several thousand specimens - as well as some books and drawings. The Museum also holds a proof copy of Busk's Challenger work, with his corrections and annotations, and his original drawings. Dr. G. C. Cook's words perhaps
Lot 743
East and West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, Benin 1897 (W. Lumsden, A.B., H.M.S. Alecto) nearly extremely fine £250-300 William Lumsden was born in South Leith, Edinburgh on 11 November 1870. A Labourer by occupation, he entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in January 1886. He served aboard the Alecto as an Able Seaman, January 1896-March 1897, during which time he qualified for the ‘Benin 1897’ clasp - one of 58 clasps to ship. He attained the rank of Petty Officer 1st Class in October 1898 but when time expired in November 1900 his rank had reverted to Able Seaman. He transferred to the R.F.A. in March 1901 but was recalled to active service in August 1914. As an Able Seaman aboard the cruiser Hawke, he was killed in action on 15 October 1914, aged 44 years, when the ship was sunk by a torpedo from the German submarine U.9. The protected cruisers Hawke and Endymion, part of the 10th Cruiser Squadron, were on patrol in the North Sea off the N.E. coast. They both stopped so that a boat from the Hawke could collect mail from the Endymion. Having made the delivery, the Endymion steamed off oblivious to the fact that the still stationary Hawke had become prey to a German submarine. Listing and sinking within a few minutes, the ship was only able to put out two boats, only one of which was recovered. The total loss of life in the disaster numbered nearly 500 officer and men. The survivors numbered 4 officers and 66 men. William Lumsden, one of those killed in the disaster, was the son of David and Henrietta Lumsden of Leith and the husband of Margaret Lumsden of 7 Richmond Terrace, Edinburgh. His name is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. Sold with copied service papers and other research.
Lot 782
Seven: Petty Officer 1st Class S. G. Reed, Royal Navy, killed in action aboard H.M.S. Defence at the battle of Jutland, 31 May 1916 Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 1 clasp, Cape Colony (Ord., H.M.S. Monarch) small impressed naming; 1914-15 Star (193627 P.O.1, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (193627 P.O.1, R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (193627 P.O., H.M.S. Vivid); Royal Humane Society Medal, small, bronze, successful (Sydney G. Reed. R.N. Nov. 10 1900); Royal Life Saving Society Medal, bronze (P.O.1 S. G. Reed, Oct. 1906) slight edge bruising and contact marks, R.H.S. Medal fine; others very fine and better (7) £450-550 Sydney George Reed was born in Devon on 22 June 1881. An Errand Boy by occupation, he entered into the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in May 1897, being advanced to Boy 1st Class in March 1898. He was promoted to Ordinary Seaman and Gym Instructor 2nd Class on the Benbow in June 1899. As Ordinary Seaman and Gym Instructor 1st Class he served on the battleship Monarch, November-December 1899, during which time he qualified for the Q.S.A. Medal with clasp for Cape Colony (41 single clasp ‘Cape Colony’ to ship). He then transferred to the cruiser Tartar, January 1900-September 1901, which was also on duty off the coast of Africa. On the ship he was ranked as Staff Gym Instructor and was advanced to Able Seaman in July 1900. On 10 November 1900 he performed a rescue for which he was awarded the Royal Humane Society Medal in bronze. The citation (R.H.S. Case No. 31153) reads, ‘On the 10th November, 1900, a man belonging to the Royal Marine Light Infantry fell overboard from H.M.S. Tartar at the entrance to the Bonny River, West Africa. There was a strong tide, and the locality abounds with sharks. At great risk, Reed jumped in and supported him till they were picked up by a boat’. Further advancement followed,being promoted to Leading Seaman (Physical Training Instructor 1st Class) in October 1901 when at Vivid, Petty Officer 2nd Class in September 1904 when on Russell and Petty Officer 1st Class when on the same ship in January 1905. Based at Vivid I at the start of the Great War, he was transferred to the armoured cruiser Defence in July 1915. Still with the ship, he was killed in action at the battle of Jutland, 31 May 1916, when the ship, coming under fire from German battlecruisers, blew up with the loss of all on board - 54 officers, 845 ratings and four civilians. Petty Officer Reed was the son of Harry and Emily Reed of Plymouth and the husband of Eliza Jane Reed of 92 Hotham Place, Millbridge, Stoke, Devonport. His name is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.Sold with copied service paper.
Lot 801
Six: Acting Chief Petty Officer F. Stephens, Royal Navy, who was among those lost on the occasion of H.M.S. Formidable being torpedoed in the Channel on 1 January 1915 Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (P.O. 2 Cl., H.M.S. Terpsichore) large impressed naming; Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Jubaland (P.O. 2 Cl., H.M.S. Terpsichore); 1914-15 Star (179143 Act. C.P.O., R.N.); British War Medal 1914-20, unnamed; Victory Medal 1914-19 (179143 Act. C.P.O., R.N.); Naval Good Shooting Medal, E.VII.R. (179143 P.O. 1 Cl., H.M.S. Formidable, 1910, 12 in. B.L.) contact marks and edge bruising, thus nearly very fine or better, the second rare (6) £600-700 Ex Captain K. J. Dougas-Morris, R.N. Collection and Barrett J Carr Collection. Frederick Stephens was born at Cocking, Sussex on 8 December 1878 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in April 1894. Advanced to Petty Officer 2nd Class in January 1901, he served on the 2nd class cruiser Terpsichore from February 1901 to February 1903, which period encompassed both of that ship’s active commissions in the Boer War, in addition to her part in the Jubaland operations of November 1900 to April 1901. He was advanced to Petty Officer 1st Class in October 1902. A total of 273 Queen’s South Africa Medals were awarded to the ship’s company of the Terpsichore, 136 of them without clasp. Just 225 Africa General Service Medals were issued to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines for ‘Jubaland ‘, 45 of them to the ship’s company of the Terpsichore. Joining the battleship Formidable in the same rate in April 1909, Stephens was awarded the Naval Good Shooting Medal in the following year and the L.S. & G.C. Medal in January 1913, but, having been appointed an Acting Chief Petty Officer, was among those lost when that ship was torpedoed by the German submarine U.24 off Portland Bill in the English Channel on 1 January 1915: ‘.. At 2.20 a.m., as the squadron was passing through a number of fishing smacks, Formidable was struck by a torpedo on the starboard side abreast her foremost funnel. She swung out of the line and began to lower her boats at the same time beginning to list to starboard. The weather had been growing steadily worse and the ship was soon listing so badly that her engines stopped and she lay helpless with her head to the sea. The night was now very dark and the launching of the boats, without the assistance of steam, was a difficult operation. In all, four were got out, but of these one barge capsized, but the other, containing 43 men, was picked up by the Topaz. The pinnace, with 60 men, managed to reach Lyme Regis, and the cutter, with 71 men, was later picked up by the Brixham smack Provident, skipper William Pillar, who by splendid seamanship gybed his small craft, despite the danger, and came alongside the cutter. This boat was overloaded and in a bad way, but all the men were safely transferred before she sank, though the Provident only carried a crew of three men and a boy. Diamond also picked up 37 officers and men. Meanwhile. the bulk of the ship’s company were still on board the battleship when, about 3.05 a.m., she was struck by another torpedo, this time on the port side, abreast the after funnel. All hope of saving her had now vanished and the men were sent to break up woodwork for saving life. During this time a large liner with lights burning passed close to the scene, but although Topaz made a signal to her to stand by, which she acknowledged, she did not comply and steamed out of sight. Topaz was then ordered by Captain Loxley to steam away as the submarine was still in the vicinity. With great reluctance Commander W. J. B. Law obeyed, endeavouring to stop another steamship on his way. At 4.45 a.m., about two and a half hours after she was first struck, Formidable turned over to starboard and sank. Of the 780 persons on board, 35 officers, including Captain Loxley, and 512 men were drowned.’ Stephens, who was the son of John and Sarah Stephens of Newhaven, Sussex, has no known grave and is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. Sold with copied service paper.
Lot 905
Four: Engineer Captain W. Dawson, Royal Navy Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (Ast. Engr., R.N., H.M.S. Sybille) engraved naming; 1914-15 Star (Eng. Commr., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Eng. Commr, R.N.) the first with a few edge nicks, generally very fine and better (4) £500-600 A total of 272 Queen’s South Africa Medals were awarded to the ship’s company of H.M.S. Sybille, 187 of them without clasp. William Dawson was born at New Brompton, Kent in January 1876 and was appointed a probationary Engineer in the Royal Navy in July 1896. Advanced to Assistant Engineer in July 1897, he served in H.M.S. Sybille from October 1900 until she was wrecked in Lambert’s Bay on 16 January 1901, thereby becoming the only Royal Navy ship to be lost during the Boer War. However, unlike four of his fellow officers who were severely reprimanded at the subsequent Court Martial held aboard the Monarch at Simonstown, Dawson was actually commended by his captain for removing and saving the Sybille’s gun-bedplates - he had, in fact, been asleep when the ship struck the reef, but immediately went below and ordered the watertight doors to be shut in the port and starboard engine rooms. Commendably prompt as these actions were, he still considered it dangerous for the engine room staff to remain because of the ship’s severe list to starboard and the resultant risk of the engines being lifted off their beds, in addition to which, there was a growing risk of steam escaping from fractured pipes. The subsequent order for the engine room staff to make for the upper deck was most likely, therefore, prompted by his swift and accurate report of such dangers to his senior - and may well have been responsible for avoiding loss of life. By the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he was serving in the rank of Engineer Commander as 1st Assistant to the Chief Engineer at Hong Kong Dockyard, where he had been employed since August 1911. In August 1915, however, he returned to sea with an appointment in the cruiser H.M.S. Blonde, in which ship he was commended for his services when she had to be refloated in August 1916. Then in January 1918, he removed to the Thunderer, in which battleship he remained employed until July 1919, when he returned to Hong Kong to resume his pre-war duties as 1st Assistant at the Dockyard. Placed on the Retired List in the rank of Engineer Captain at his own request in January 1923, Dawson settled in Budleigh Salterton, Devon, where he died in July 1948. Sold with a fine quality portrait photograph, copied service papers, roll extract and other research.
Lot 996
An unusual and interesting group of nineteen awarded to Alexander Gault MacGowan, an accredited War Correspondent in the 1939-45 War, whose extraordinary career commenced with service as a subaltern in the Manchester Regiment and as an R.A.F. Observer in the Great War: having been wounded in North Africa in 1943, he was captured by the Germans in France in 1944, but escaped ‘through a series of adventures that would make a Hollywood scenarist bite his nails with envy’ - and briefly fought alongside the Maquis 1914-15 Star (2 Lieut., Manch. R.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut., R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; France and Germany Star; War Medal 1939-45; France, Third Republic, Legion of Honour, Chevalier’s breast badge, silver, silver-gilt and enamel; France, Croix de Guerre 1939-1940, with bronze star on ribbon; Academic Palms, Officer’s breast badge, gilt metal and enamel, with rosette on riband; War Commemorative Medal 1914-18; Somme Commemorative Medal; Colonial Medal, 2 clasps, Algerie, Maroc; War Commemorative Medal 1939-45, 1 clasp, Liberation; Medal of Liberated France 1947; Morocco, Order of Ouissam Alaouite Cherifien, Officer’s breast badge, gilt metal and enamel, with rosette on riband; Portugal, Republic, Military Order of Christ, Officer’s breast badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with rosette on riband; U.S.A., Purple Heart, gilt metal and enamel, the Legion of Honour severely chipped in places and the Portuguese piece less so, otherwise generally good very fine (19) £3000-3500 Ex Sotheby’s 6 March 1986. Alexander Gault MacGowan, who ‘crammed more dangerous adventures into his lifetime than most men would care to experience’, was born February 1894 and was educated at Manchester Grammar School. Mobilised as a pre-war member of the Cheshire Yeomanry on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he was commissioned into the 24th (Oldham) Battalion, Manchester Regiment in October 1915 and is believed to have been wounded by rifle-grenade fragments in the head and legs on the Somme in July 1916. Declared as ‘unfit for anything other than mounted duty’, he transferred to the Royal Air Force and went on to serve as an Observer on the Italian front in 1918. Commencing his career as a journalist in 1922, when he worked as a correspondent for the Associated Press out in India (where MacGowan also held a commission on the Indian Army Reserve of Officers), he moved to a new appointment in Mesopotamia in the following year. Indeed for much of the 1920s and 1930s he travelled extensively, working variously for The Times and Daily Express, and others newspapers, and was credited with discovering a new pass into Little Tibet, for which he received the thanks of the Survey of India, in addition to participating in the first flight over the Orinoco Delta and the Venezuelan Ilanos, between Trinidad and Maracay, and the first flight between Trinidad and British Guiana. Added to which he had further adventures during an epic motor car trip across the desert from Kurdistan and Mosul to Syria, the first of its kind. He later reported, ‘Hold ups were frequent, and an officer who tried it after me was stripped of everything and had to walk naked into the Lebanons! ‘In 1934 MacGowan joined the New York Sun, for whom he reported on the Spanish Civil War and produced two controversial features entitled ‘The Scarlet Pimpernel of Spain ‘and ‘The Red Vultures of the Pyrenees ‘, for he had no time for the Spanish loyalists and their left-wing sympathisers. He also had an assignment with the French Foreign Legion out in Algeria and Morocco in 1937, in addition to covering the coronation of George VI in the same year. In fact, MacGowan was still working in London on the renewal of hostilities, and accordingly he was assigned to cover the events of the Battle of Britain, in addition to acting as ‘Press Observer with the Commandos in the raid on Dieppe’. As an accredited War Correspondent with the American forces, he next travelled to North Africa and was with the French when they attacked Jabel Mansour in April 1943, when he was ‘wounded in the leg .. and was awarded the Purple Heart by special order of President Roosevelt. For the same incident he was cited for bravery and awarded the Croix de Guerre by General Henri Giraud.’ Both awards were announced in the New York Times. In the following year he reported on the Allied landings in Normandy and was attached to General Omar Bradley’s forces, riding in the jeep of the first American to reach the historic island of Mont Saint Michel. But, as subsequently confirmed by German radio, such scoops were shortly thereafter curtailed, for he was captured at Chatres on 15 August 1944: ‘MacGowan’s experience, following his capture, was unusual. Upon arrival at Chalons-sur-Marne with Makin [another correspondent who had been mortally wounded when their jeep was originally fired upon by two German armoured cars], he was placed in the temporary custody of a group of German war correspondents of the Presse-kompanie. They treated him well, but eventually delivered him to a prisoner of war camp on the line of the German retreat. From there he was started on a journey eastward aboard a train, en route to Germany. At 2 a.m., after six hours in the slow-moving train, and as the guards drowsed, MacGowan opened the compartment door and jumped from the car, fell and ran, with bullets flying about him. Still in France, he was fortunate in reaching a group of Maquis, or French resistance forces. Once he had established his identity, they hid him until the U.S. forces had advanced to the area in September. Interviewed for the World’s Press News after his return to England, the publication described British-born MacGowan as the only ‘British correspondent ‘ever known to have escaped after capture, with the exception of Winston Churchill in his escape from the Boers during the South African War in 1899’ (Europe Made Free: Invasion 1944 refers). Having ‘lived a life like Robin Hood’s’ with the Maquis, and accompanied them with the advancing Americans at the capture of a local town, MacGowan duly reported to the bar of the Paris hotel that served as a press H.Q. - the rest of his colleagues almost dropped their glasses, ‘for the usually immaculate MacGowan was dressed in borrowed French civilian clothes that fitted him like Europe fits Hitler - too big in some places, too tight in others’. In October he returned to the Sun’s offices in New York, for the first time in five years, where he was hailed as a conquering hero, ‘trim and fit in his war correspondent’s uniform, with a chest full of campaign ribbons and decorations from two World Wars.’ Returning to N.W.Europe in the Spring of 1945, MacGowan accompanied General Patton’s forces and visited the scene of Hitler’s ‘Eagle’s Nest ‘at Berchtesgaden at the War’s end. He subsequently reported on the ‘Big Three ‘Potsdam conference. MacGowan - a ‘tall, dark-haired man, with a ‘devil-may-care ‘look in his eyes ‘‘ - was European Manager of the New York Sun 1946-50, during which period he reported on U.N.O. and N.A.T.O. forces, and latterly editor and publisher of European Life. In so far as his foreign Honours and Awards are concerned, it would be impossible to ascertain the validity of his entitlement to the French War Comemmorative Medal 1914-18 and Colonial Medal, although given his Great War services were purely with the British, the former seems unlikely. However, relevant editions of Who’s Who do verify the following: ‘Officier de l’Instruction Publique, 1930 [a.k.a. Palms Academic]; Officer of Military Order of Christ, Portugal, 1933; Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur, 1934; Officer of the Order of Ouissam Alaouite, Morocco, 1938; Croix de Guerre, 1943; Medaille de la France Liberee, 1949’, together with mention of his Purple Heart. Sold with an extensive file of research, including correspondence with MacGo
Lot 1256
Sold by Order of the Recipient A rare and outstanding ‘Special Forces’ Northern Ireland Q.G.M., Falklands M.I.D. group of four awarded to Warrant Officer K. M. James, Royal Marines, a long-served and gallant member of the Special Boat Service, who was decorated for rescuing a wounded comrade in an undercover operation in October 1978 whilst serving with 14 Intelligence Company, and subsequently mentioned in despatches for his leadership of an S.B.S. team landed on enemy occupied East Falkland Island prior to the arrival of the British Task Force in May 1982 Queen’s Gallantry Medal, E.II.R. (Cpl. Kevin M. James, PO25432M, R.M.); General Service 1962, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland (PO25432M K. M. James, Cpl., R.M.); South Atlantic 1982, with M.I.D. oak leaf and rosette (Sgt. K. M. James, PO25432M, R.M.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.II.R. (Sgt. K. M. James, PO25432M, R.M.), mounted as worn, generally good very fine (4) £25,000-30,000 Q.G.M. London Gazette 27 March 1979: ‘In recognition of service in Northern Ireland during the period 1 August 1978 to 31 October 1978.’ Under the pseudonym ‘Luke ‘, the full story of James’s extraordinary deeds as an undercover operative in Dungannon one night in October 1978 appear in Duncan Falconer’s First into Action (first published by Little, Brown and Company, 1998): ‘When several shots rang out, interrupting the cold stillness that had shrouded Dungannon all that week, no one knew where they had come from. A couple of operators reported it, but they were quickly told to leave the net free in case there was an emergency. A radio then opened up and we could hear the sound of gurgling mixed in with a few inaudible words. The Det commander tried to contact each of the operatives to eliminate them as sources, but whoever was gurgling on the net was holding down the send button preventing all transmission. Luke [James] felt certain the shots had come from the Bear Cage area and decided not to wait until the comms cleared to inform ops. He leapt out of the car and tore up the hill, gun in hand, towards the car park. The rest of us could do nothing until we found out what was going on. Some operatives suspected it might be one of ours parked up by the lake and quickly drove there, but the operative was fine. We were all unaware of Luke tearing through the town alone and in great personal danger from a number of sources. If he had encountered an Army or police patrol they would shoot him without hesitation - a man in civvies running with a gun in his hand was a legitimate target, and they would never expect him to be a British undercover operative. Then there were the gunmen themselves - they could still be around and waiting for such a reaction. Luke felt certain it was Noddy who had been hit, but he had no idea from what direction. He saw the car at the far end of the car park in the shadows and sprinted to it. When he got there he found Noddy lying slumped in his seat. The driver’s window had been shattered by bullets. Blood seeped from holes in Noddy’s face, torso and legs, but he was alive, just. Luke’s only option was to get Noddy to the hospital as soon as possible. He manhandled him over the handbrake and gear lever and into the passenger seat. There was no time to be gentle, he was oozing blood. The threat of gunmen was still at the forefront of Luke’s mind. As he sat in the driver’s seat to start the car, he could feel the pints of warm blood soaking into the arse of his trousers. He screeched out of the car park, passed the pub where O’Dilly had been standing and sped up the road. By now the RUC had sent patrol cars to investigate the shooting and the Scots Guards, the local Army unit, were also heading towards the area. As Luke made a sharp turn out of the car park an RUC patrol car appeared in his rear. They flicked on their flashing lights and pursued him. As if matters could not get any worse the RUC assumed Luke was escaping from the shooting and was, therefore, the gunman. Suddenly Luke heard shots. The RUC were trying to shoot out his tyres. A bullet hit the car. Luke was an excellent driver and although he was scared shitless, as he endlessly reminded us afterwards, he never lost control. He was driving for his friend’s life. He could not stop to surrender and explain the situation because by the time the RUC had got through their arrest procedure, Noddy would probably have been dead. Luke had no choice but to lose them. We all knew the town like the backs of our hands, and perhaps better than the police. The RUC could not compete with his driving skills, nor did they have the incentive, and in less than a minute he gave them the slip. Other police patrol cars were reacting, but they assumed he was trying to make his way out of town and so coordinated themselves on the outskirts to stop him. That was just fine by Luke because he was headed for the hospital in the centre of town. Noddy rolled around in the passenger seat while Luke continuously talked to reassure him. Suddenly, Luke’s car came under fire again, this time from the Scots Guards, and then, a few streets later, from the UDR. This was becoming ridiculous. Luke eventually screeched into the hospital car park and came to a halt outside the main entrance. He dived out of the car, gun in hand, and ran inside. He was literally covered in blood and the few people in the foyer stopped and stared with gaping mouths. A couple of civilian security guards saw him from the other side of the entrance and made their way towards him. He ignored them, grabbed a wheelchair and pushed it outside to the car. He dragged Noddy out of the passenger side and into the chair. Noddy was still alive but slipping in and out of consciousness. Luke charged up the ramp with the wheel chair and burst in through the entrance doors once again. He was just in time, because now the Scots Guards and UDR were surrounding the hospital and moving in, convinced he was a terrorist. He levelled his gun at the security guards in the foyer, who immediately backed off - they were unarmed. Luke was filled with adrenaline and shaking. The hospital was not safe ground. The majority of the staff and patients were catholics and not to be trusted. ‘Where’s a doctor? ‘Luke shouted. A couple of nurses stepped into the foyer, but froze in horror along with everyone else at the sight of these two men covered in blood, one pushing a wheelchair, wild-eyed and pointing a gun. Luke didn’t wait for an answer and charged on, pushing Noddy through swing doors and along the corridor as blood dripped from the wheelchair, leaving a trail. He paused outside every door to kick it open, gun levelled, in search of a doctor. He scared the hell out of patients and nurses as he made his way through the hospital. He finally burst into a room where two doctors were tending to a patient. Luke could not care less about anyone else. His buddy was dying. He pointed his shaking gun at them and yelled, ‘Fix him. Fix him or I’ll fucking kill you! ‘A security guard burst in and Luke aimed at him like lightning. ‘Move and I’lll fucking kill you too. ‘The guard froze in his tracks and threw his arms up. ‘I’ll kill all of you! ‘Luke left Noddy and grabbed one of the doctors and pulled him over to the chair. ‘If he dies, you die! I fucking swear it! ‘The doctors were initially frozen with fear themselves, but they pulled themselves together, their professionalism kicked in and they set to work on Noddy. The doors suddenly burst open once again and a tough-looking matron stepped in. Luke levelled the gun at her as she stood beside the security guard with his arms in the air. But this woman seemed fearless. She looked at Luke and said, ‘Put the gun down, please. ‘ ‘I’m a British soldier! ‘Luke shouted. ‘And this is a hospital. Put the gun down. ‘There was something about her calm, assertive manner that Luke latched on to. But he kept his gun aimed as she passed him
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