The Ryedale Ritual Bronzes. A unique assemblage of Roman ritual artefacts from Yorkshire.In May 2020, approximately 20 miles north of York, the Roman city of Eboracum, two friends Mark Didlick and James Spark unearthed an amazing assemblage of Roman bronze-work. Consisting of a large bust, a horse and rider figurine, a zoomorphic knife handle and a pendulum, this assemblage almost certainly represents a set of ritual equipment, buried as one deposit in the closing decades of the second century AD either at, or very close to, a rural temple or shrine site.BustThe 130mm high bronze bust, with its flamboyant hair and curly, forked beard appears to represent Marcus Aurelius. Emperor AD 161-180, philosopher and author, his reign followed those of Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian and his adoptive father, Antoninus Pius. He earned his place in Roman hearts as the last of the ‘Five Good Emperors’ whose consecutive rules oversaw a period of relative peace and prosperity in Rome. The bust is hollow, cast using the lost wax method and very finely modelled. Although the portrait is somewhat stylised, with large almond-shaped eyes, close similarities can be seen with some other depictions of the Emperor, notably the bronze equestrian statue of Aurelius in the Piazza del Campidoglio, Rome, and the full-length figure in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Copenhagen. The back of the head has a hinged plate which opens like a trap door to reveal the interior, possibly designed as such to allow the placement of a flaming lamp inside to bring life to the eyes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equestrian_Statue_of_Marcus_Aureliushttps://www.worldhistory.org/image/2406/marcus-aurelius-statue-ny-carlsberg-glyptotek/A similar head was found at Brackley, Northamptonshire in the 1970’s and now features on the homepage of the Portable Antiquities Scheme website. The head is hollow-cast and has cobalt blue glass inlaid into the eyes. The PAS record BERK-E24C84 states: ‘The small number of heads or busts cast in bronze and found in Britain share characteristics such as slanting eyes and the textured patterning of the hair identifies them as the products of a provincial Romano-British workshop. The Brackley head can be dated to the mid-late second century AD by its resemblance to images of Antonine emperors, especially Marcus Aurelius. It may perhaps be inappropriate to suggest that the head from Brackley represents the local rendering of an imperial portrait, but a profile image on a coin portrait of Marcus Aurelius might have been its inspirations.’ https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/252426Around 20 bronze heads/busts are known from Roman Britain, depicting various gods and emperors and they are thought to be mounts from the tops of sceptres. These sceptres would have been carried by priests and used for divination and the performance of rituals.Mars statuette.A cast bronze figurine of a rider on horseback, probably representing the God Mars. The horse and rider are well modelled, the horse harness with attached phalerae and reins clearly visible, though the latter are broken. Mars, wearing a helmet, short-sleeved tunic and pleated skirt, belted at the waist, sits astride the horse with his right arm raised to hold a spear. The left arm is held in front, bent at the elbow and the simple form of the forearm indicates it would have been held behind a shield, hidden from view. No traces of a shield were found in the hoard and it is possible that this was made from organic material. The horse has its right foreleg raised and the other legs have small pegs on the base of the hooves, indicating that the figurine would have been fixed into a plinth. It is often the case with votive deposits that figurines are interred without their bases or sometimes a pedestal is included with no accompanying figurine. 86.8mm high. 222g.Knife handle. A solid bronze knife handle in the form of a horse protome (the foreparts of a horse). The horse is well modelled with its front legs outstretched and head forward, as though leaping. PAS suggest that ‘The presence of the horse protome... might also be explained through its secondary use as a substitute votive for animal sacrifice.’ The symbolism may not end there, this may have been a knife using in rituals of animal sacrifice or divination through the examination of animal entrails.Pendulum/plumb bob. A large bronze conical plumb bob or pendulum measuring 72mm long, 40mm diameter and weighing 282g. The top is decorated with concentric circles and at the centre is a mushroom-shaped projection, which is pierced both vertically and horizontally for attachment to a line. Such items were an important tool for surveyors and architects and it has been suggested that this could be a votive offering relating to a new building project or the surveying of the landscape, More likely, however, is that the pendulum was used for the purposes of divination and predicting the future.The find was taken to York museum where it was recorded with the Portable Antiquities Scheme, reference number: YORYM-870B0E. Under current legislation this find did not fulfil the criteria to qualify as ‘Treasure’ so the hoard was returned to the finders. https://finds.org.uk/database/artefacts/record/id/1013510Other examples of similar ritual deposits from Roman Britain include.The Felmingham Hall Hoard: This hoard from Norfolk was discovered in 1844 and consisted of a large ceramic cauldron containing 19 bronze items. The contents included a sceptre heads depicting Jupiter and Minerva along with other figures of gods and animals, along with a ritual rattle used for divination purpose. This hoard has been interpreted as a symbolic ‘end of life’ votive deposit possibly signifying the closure of the shrine to which they belonged. A coin of Valerian inside the cauldron dates the hoard to the mid third century AD.https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/H_1925-0610-1Willingham Fen Hoard: At Willingham Fen in 1857, another hoard of priestly regalia was found. This included horse and rider figurines, five broken sceptres, including handles and terminals, and a large bronze sceptre head depicting the emperor Antoninus Pius. These items were contained within a wooden box. It was suggested that the head of Antoninus was crafted after the Emperor was deified, justifying his presence atop a sceptre in a position usually reserved for the gods. https://www.jstor.org/stable/297703?seq=1The Ryedale bronzes offer a tantalising insight into the religious practices of Roman Britain in the 2nd century. The items themselves were obviously held in high esteem and from other examples of ritual hoards we can see that such deposits were not infrequent occurrences. We can theorise that these objects were the property of one priest, his tools of communication with the Gods, and were no longer needed in the mortal realm once the priest passed on. In his book Meditations Marcus Aurelius wrote ‘What we do now echoes in eternity.’ Famously paraphrased by General Maximus in the opening scenes of Gladiator, this still holds true today as the events around a rural shrine in Ryedale echo forward into the 21st century.(Text reproduced with from The Searcher magazine June 2021 issue pp.20-23).For further information see Esposito (2019) Performing the Sacra: Priestly Roles and Their Organisation in Roman Britain.
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The Lowe Family 17th Century Gold Signet Ring. Circa, 1600-1650 AD. Gold, 17.8 grams. 29 mm. A very impressive finger ring formed of a large flat oval bezel set with a beautiful purple-blue Chalcedony intaglio. The face of the intaglio is engraved with the image of three candlesticks and the letters G L (reversed). Each candlestick is well formed with a flat base, two large collars between five smaller collars and a socket at the top that holds a lit candle. The central candlestick is larger and divides the initials. The three candlesticks are a symbol of mourning with many meanings across various religions but in most cases they represent, the life, death and rebirth of the persons soul. The ring shank is D-shaped in section with wide shoulders that flank the bezel. Each shoulder is engraved with floral strap-work that terminates beneath a beaded band around the side of the bezel. The lower section of the shank has a deliberate bend in the centre that pushes an arch inwards, possibly to reduce the ring size to fit a smaller finger. This could also support the theory that the ring was passed down from Geoffrey Lowe to his niece Elizabeth. For similar ring see. Ref: C.C.Oman, Catalogue of Rings 1930. p.95. Plate XXIV, no. 563. PAS: DENO-B87439. 2018T311.The fascinating story of the Casterne Hall Ring:In February 2018 an amazing discovery took place in the grounds of Casterne Hall, close to the Derbyshire/Staffordshire border. The finder was digging a strong signal when he came upon a large round, flat stone. Lifting the stone from the hole, his eyes fell upon a mammoth gem-set finger ring which appeared to have been deliberately concealed beneath. This high carat gold ring weighs a whopping 17.8g and is 29mm diameter, the British Museum has dated it to the period 1600-1650. The purple-blue Chalcedony intaglio appears to glow in sunlight with the gold backing shining through the carving.Casterne Hall has been home of the Hurt family since the 16th century and current owner Charles Hurt tells us. ‘'In 1670 my direct ancestors Nicholas Hurt and Elizabeth Lowe married, linking the estates of Casterne and Alderwasley in Derbyshire. The Lowes and their ancestors had been given Alderwasley by the King in the 13th Century. So one obvious candidate for the 'L' on the ring is Lowe.’ Through the family tree I tracked down a few potential Lowes from the right period, the most likely being Geoffrey Lowe who died in 1637. According to records, he was buried in the village of Denby, Derbyshire. The church was built in the 12th century, incorporating parts of the earlier saxon church which stood on the site. The Lowe family have been squires of this church since the 15th century, covering the cost of renovations, and inside is a very impressive alabaster memorial commemorating Patrick Lowe (d. 1616) and his wife Jane. I was not able to find any gravestone for Geoffrey but nevertheless this had been a fascinating journey through local history. One theory is that the ring was passed down to Elizabeth by her uncle John Lowe and hidden during the dispute over John’s will following his death in 1690. Family legend has long carried tales of buried treasure at Casterne, was this it or is there more still out there?
* JOHN BULLOCH SOUTER (SCOTTISH 1890 - 1972), LONDON NIGHT OUT - MR & MRS J.B SOUTER oil on board, attributed label verso 35cm x 25cm Mounted, framed and under glass. Provenance: Rendezvous Gallery, Aberdeen where exhibited in "John Bulloch Souter, A Retrospective Studio - Archive Exhibition" 23rd September - 22nd October 2016. Note: John Bulloch Souter, was born in Aberdeen and studied at Gray`s School of Art. After serving in the Royal Medical Corps during World War I, JBS became a highly successful and celebrated portrait painter. Sitters included Gladys Cooper, Ivor Novello, Fay Compton, entertainers and celebrities of the era, academics, military officers and society figures. He exhibited at The Redfern Gallery, the Fine Art Society, Royal Scottish Academy and the Royal Academy. During World War II he worked in the Censorship Department as a translator. He also restored paintings from The Royal Collection at Windsor Castle. In 1926 his painting "The Breakdown" caused an international media storm and it was eventually withdrawn from the Royal Academy. The original painting was destroyed by Souter but he repainted a copy from the original sketches in 1962 which he amusingly dated 1926 - 62 and which was sold in Edinburgh in 2018 for £60.000. Souter married Christian Grace Reid in February 1926 at St Paul's Parish Church, Hammersmith. The couple were Jazz enthusiasts and were also regular visitors to the Opera. London was, and is, one of the most vibrant cities in the world and the diversity of entertainment appealed to the young Aberdonian and his beautiful wife. After 26 years of married life in London, Jack (as he was known to his friends and family) and Christian moved back to Aberdeen (1952) when JBS inherited "Kinnoull" 19, Anderson Drive in the city, from his sister Anne. Souter was a remarkably talented artist who painted an extraordinarily diverse range of subject matter in a variety of styles and mediums. He painted one of the most controversial British pictures of the 20th century and in so doing, possibly inadvertently, highlighted prejudices virulent in the 1920s and still resonant and acutely "current" almost a century later.
Yiannis Tsarouchis (Greek, 1910-1989)Fleurs et tasse signé et daté en grec '75' (en bas à gauche)huile sur toile50.6 x 40.8cm (19 15/16 x 16 1/16in).signed and dated in Greek (lower left)oil on canvasFootnotes:ProvenancePrivate collection, Palermo. (refer to Y. Kolokotronis)Private collection, Paris. LittératureThe Greek Painters, vol. II, 20th Century, Melissa editions, Athens 1975, p. 325 (illustrated).E. Florou, Tsarouchis – Painting, doctoral dissertation, vol. I, Athens 1989, no. 931, p. 270 (catalogued).E. Florou, Yannis Tsarouchis, his Painting and his Era, Nea Synora - A.A. Livanis editions, Athens 1989, no. 1110, p. 288 (catalogued).Yannis Tsarouchis (1910-1989) Painting, Yannis Tsarouchis Foundation, Athens 1990, no. 472 (illustrated).Y. Kolokotronis, Still Life in Modern Greek Art from the 19th Century to the Present, Pierides Foundation, Thessaloniki 1992, p. 112 (illustrated).Yannis Tsarouchis (1910-1989), Eleftherotypia editions, Athens 2009, p. 130 (illustrated).This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ARAR Goods subject to Artists Resale Right Additional Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Georgios Jakobides (Greek, 1852-1932)Cent pétales roses signé en grec et daté '1916' (en bas a gauche)huile sur toile66 x 51cm (26 x 20 1/16in).signed in Greek and dated (lower left) oil on canvasFootnotes:ProvenancePrivate collection, Athens.ExposéAthens, Greek Artists Association, Art Exhibition, 1916, no. 121, listed in the exhibition catalogue (possibly).Athens, Greek Artists Association, Fourth Art Exhibition, 1917, no. 55, listed in the exhibition catalogue (possibly).LittératureThe artist's notebook, 1916 (possibly).Pinakothiki magazine, no. 194-195, April-May 1917, p. 28, discussed (possibly).O. Mentzafou-Polyzou, Jakobides, Adam editions, Athens 1999, no. 39, p. 359, catalogued (possibly).Among Greek flower painters, Jakobides stands with the greatest. As noted by O. Mentzafou-Polyzou who prepared the artist's monograph, 'clearly a master of the rules of composition regarding object arrangement, Jakobides employed classic models in his approach to still life, as these were preserved by tradition. Yet, he also assigned a leading role to the light falling on them and sought through stark contrast and glowing colour the greater possible fidelity in their description. His main preoccupation was to highlight the material, tactile quality of objects, whereas in his floral compositions—a genre which he fondly explored after his return from Munich to Athens—to capture freshness, delicacy, and liveliness, in tune with his search for a painting true to reality.'1 We are first aware only of beautiful flowers but as the eye follows the delicate contours of the myriad rose petals we are captured by the artist's deft brush and sensitive colour.1 O. Mentzafou-Polyzou., 'Still Life and Flower Paintings, a Constant Occupation', in Iakovidis, a Retrospective, exhibition catalogue, National Gallery - Alexandros Soutzos Museum, Athens 2005, p. 263.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
Nikos Engonopoulos (Greek, 1907-1985)Sur la guerre d' Indépendance (Paysage orphique) huile sur toile120 x 100cm (47 1/4 x 39 3/8in).Peint en 1939oil on canvasFootnotes:ProvenanceThe artist's collection.Private collection, Athens. ExposéAthens, Nicolas Calas residence, Exhibition of Paintings by Nikos Engonopoulos, 1939 (possibly).Venice, XXVII Biennale, June 19 - October 17, 1954, no. 12, under the title Paesaggio Orfico con Eroi (listed in the exhibition catalogue, p. 295).Athens, Institut Francais d'Athènes, Nikos Engonopoulos, Peintre et Poète, Huiles, Tempera et Livres, November 13-28, 1987, no. 7 (illustrated in the exhibition catalogue).Athens, Astrolavos Gallery, N. Engonopoulos, Mythology, Byzantium, Revolution, March 16 - April 3, 1999, no. 3 (illustrated in the exhibition catalogue, fig. 1).Thessaloniki, Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art, Place: Engonopoulos, May 18 - July 29, 2007 (illustrated in the exhibition catalogue, p. 13).Andros, Museum of Contemporary Art - Basil & Elise Goulandris Foundation, Nikos Engonopoulos, June 25 - October 1, 2017 (illustrated in the exhibition catalogue, p. 62).LittératureChartis magazine, no. 25-26, November 1988, p. 162 (illustrated).Ta Nea tis Technis, no. 34, 1995, p. 20 (discussed and illustrated).R. Zamarou, The Poet Nikos Engonopoulos, a Visit of Places and Figures, Kardamitsa editions, Athens 1996, p. 139 (mentioned).Nikos Engonopoulos, The Angels in Heaven Speak Greek, Interviews, Comments and Opinions, Ypsilon editions, Athens 1999, p. 64a (illustrated).Athens News, March 25, 1999 (illustrated).The National Herald (New York), March 27-28, 1999 (illustrated).Eleftherotypia newspaper, December 19, 1999 (illustrated).M. Ioannidou, The Theoretical Conditions and the First Phase of Surrealism in Greek Painting, Doctoral dissertation, Thessaloniki 2000, pp. 145-147 (discussed), no. 34 (illustrated).N. Andrikopoulou, Tracing Nikos Engonopoulos, Potamos editions, Athens 2003, p. 59 (mentioned). K. Perpinioti-Agazir, Nikos Engonopoulos, Son Univers Pictural, exhibition catalogue and catalogue raisonée, Benaki Museum, Athens 2007, no. 258, p. 128 (illustrated), p. 249 (illustrated), 418 (illustrated).N. Engonopoulos, Love is the Only Way, National Book Centre of Greece, Athens 2007, p. 38 (illustrated).N. Chaini, The Painting of Nikos Engonopoulos, doctoral dissertation, National Technical University of Athens, 2007, no. 186, pp. 471-472 (discussed), p. 473 (illustrated).Culture magazine, no. 11, March 22-23, 2008 (illustrated on the front cover).O. Tachopoulou, Modernist Primitivism, Surrealist Versions in the Poetic Work of Nikos Engonopoulos, Nefeli editions, Athens 2009, p. 323-324 (discussed), no. 4 (illustrated).Nikos Engonopoulos, Painter and Poet, conference minutes, November 23-24, 2007, Benaki Museum, Athens 2010, pp. 94, 96, 98 (discussed), no. 28 (illustrated).K. Voulgaris, Kolokotronis has the Beauty of a Greek, Vivliorama editions, Athens 2020, pp. 50-54 (discussed), p. 53 (illustrated). 'For Engonopoulos, the 1821 uprising was a celebration, a feast, an outburst, like nature's explosion in early spring.'1A tour de force inspired by the Greek Revolution and War of Independence, this emblematic Engonopoulos is a leading example of the artist's fervently sought after pre-war period. Using an avant-garde surrealist vocabulary and at the same time deeply rooted in Greekness, Sur la Guerre d'Indépendance (Paysage Orphique) was exhibited in the 1954 Venice Biennale, where, for the first time, Greece was represented by one artist alone. There, Engonopoulos showed alongside such towering figures of modern art as Arp, Ernst, Miro, Klee, Bacon and Magritte, since the exhibition had requested participating countries to adhere to the central theme of Surrealism. Using cross-temporal iconographic leaps that were common during the Byzantine and Post-Byzantine eras in both miniature manuscripts and narthex decoration, Engonopoulos transports the viewer from ancient to modern times, staging a dream-like scene from the treasure trove of Greek history. The coexistence of ancient past (exemplified mainly by the lyre-holding Orpheus2 with the Minotaur head), recent history (illustrated by the hero of the Greek War of Independence in his traditional fustanella kilt) and modern reality (captured in such apt details as the round coffee shop table on the left, the still life with fruit in the foreground and the striped beach cabin in the distance) sets forth the main aesthetic and ideological preoccupations of the 1930s generation and faithfully reflects the artist's attitude towards painting, both as a long and rich tradition to draw from, as well as an ideal vehicle to probe into the inner world of Greekness. Discussing Composition (Sur la Guerre d' Indépendance), art historian O. Tachopoulou notes: 'The picture shows a Minotaur/warrior, who is also a musician, holding with one hand a lyre while with the other seems to exhort a Greek warrior to make a triumphant gesture by waving a horse head. The modelling of the minotaur-like face with two geometric volumes—a recurrent convention in Engonopoulos's pictorial output—alludes to the artistic symbolism of the Minotaur motif that has nothing to do with feelings of fear or animosity. Instead, the artist uses the image of the Minotaur as a symbol of the subconscious, much the same way the surrealists used it before transforming it into a scary figure following the devastating experience of World War II.'3This persistence on indigenous cultural experiences combined with a deep sense for the historical past clearly indicates that 'while European surrealists used an irrational vocabulary to break free from the shackles of traditional conventions, Engonopoulos perceived tradition as a 'connecting link' that would restore cultural continuity.'4 As noted by Athens National Gallery Director M. Lambraki-Plaka, 'his figures may draw their origin from Giorgio de Chirico but they are unmistakably Greek, reminiscent of the Minoans immortalized on the Knossos frescoes and the early kouroi, while alluding to the tall and slender formula of the Byzantine saints also evident in El Greco's work.'51 Professor S. Rozanis as quoted in 'This is how Engonopoulos Saw 1821' [in Greek], O Kosmos tou Ependyti newspaper, March 21, 1999.2 Orpheus, the archetype of the poet as liberator and creator, held a particular fascination for Engonopoulos, who depicted him many times over a period of more than thirty years, often adopting him as his own persona. 3 O. Tachopoulou, Modernist Primitivism, Surrealist Versions in the Poetic Work of Nikos Engonopoulos, [in Greek], Nefeli editions, Athens 2009, pp. 323-324.4 N. Loizidi, 'The Indigenous Surrealism of Nikos Engonopoulos' [in Greek], To Vima daily - Nees Epoches, October 21, 2007, p. A57.5 M. Lambraki-Plaka 'The Timeless Pantheon of Nikos Engonopoulos' [in Greek], Filologiki quarterly, no. 101, October-November-December 2007, p. 9.«Pour Engonopoulos, la révolte de 1821 a été une célébration, une fête, une éruption, comme l'explosion de la nature au début du printemps.»Véritable tour de force inspiré par la Révolution grecque et la Guerre d'Indépendance, cette œuvre emblématique d'Engonopoulos est un exemple phare des œuvres les plus recherchées de l'artiste datant de l'avant-guerre, et est également profondément ancrée dans la « Grecité ». Sur la Guerre d'Indépendance (Paysage Orphique) a été exposé à la Biennale de Venise en 1954, ... This lot is subject to the following lot symbols: ARAR Goods subject to Artists Resale Right Additional Premium.For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com
![Greetings cards.- [Album of Trade Valentines Cards], 147 Valentine, 36 St. Patrick's Day, 4 still life and 2 winter scene ca](https://cdn.globalauctionplatform.com/b6d116f5-e7d3-438c-bdeb-ad2100a91de6/ea43b608-f855-4e0e-bde3-ad2100ae5cfa/468x382.jpg)
Greetings cards.- [Album of Trade Valentines Cards], 147 Valentine, 36 St. Patrick's Day, 4 still life and 2 winter scene cards and postcards, abrasion marks where 2 cards removed, reference numbers in ink to some cards, occasional very faint spotting, contemporary portfolio, paper label to upper cover with previous owner's name in manuscript, [Germany], c.1930.⁂ A scarce and interesting collection of early twentieth century cards and postcards produced in Germany between the wars.
* Poll (Willem van de, 1895-1970). A group of 14 gelatin silver print photographs, circa 1950s, including 10 portrait studies of the heads of two young women including two duplicates, together with two photographs of a family picnic and two still life studies, all with ink credit stamps to versos, 20 x 25 cm (the last two 28 x 23 cm), together with two studio portraits of women by the Belgian photographer Edmond Moulu (1894-1962), including one Gevalux print, 29 x 23 cm & 21.5 x 16 cm, both with signature in red to lower marginsQty: (16)
‘The surge of adrenalin, the half dozen or so pilots, that were all we could normally muster, sprinting to their aircraft, the tiredness and the hangovers disappearing as though they had never been, the flat-out climb to 20,000ft, the mud on our flying boots freezing fast to our rudder bars in our unheated and unpressurised cockpits, the long shallow tension-building dive south to meet the enemy, sometimes seeing the sun lift over the horizon from 20,000ft and again, after landing, on the still darkened earth. The day only just begun and already behind us the savage, lethal action, death for some, and for those safely back on the ground the memory of two sunrises in one morning and thoughts quickly suppressed of friends not yet accounted for. And life, at least until the next telephone call. Adrenaline-filled life. One sustained electrifying high.’ The recipient’s own memories of his time at Biggin Hill during the Battle of Britain. The important Second War 1942 ‘fighter operations’ D.S.O., 1940 Immediate ‘Battle of Britain’ D.F.C. and 1941 Second Award Bar group of seven awarded to Spitfire ace, Group Captain C. B. F. Kingcome, Royal Air Force, one of the outstanding characters of the Battle of Britain, who, during its height, led 92 Squadron with great success from Biggin Hill. Shot down and hospitalised in October 1940, he returned to fly with the squadron until appointed to the command of 72 Squadron, February 1942, leading them as the fighter escort of Esmonde V.C.’s Swordfish detachment for their ill-fated ‘Channel Dash’ action. One of the youngest Group Captains in the R.A.F., aged 25, he commanded 244 (Spitfire) Wing, Desert Air Force, providing fighter support For the Eighth Army from Africa into Sicily and then through the campaign in Italy. His D.S.O. citation stating ‘He has destroyed a total of 11 enemy aircraft, probably destroyed 5 and damaged 13. His claims are traditionally modest...’ Distinguished Service Order, G.VI.R., silver-gilt and enamel, reverse officially dated ‘1942’, with integral top riband bar; Distinguished Flying Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1940’, with Second Award Bar, reverse of Bar officially dated ‘1941’; 1939-45 Star, 1 clasp, Battle of Britain; Air Crew Europe Star, 1 clasp, Atlantic; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf; together with the recipient’s related miniature awards, these mounted for wear; and riband bar for first three awards, generally very fine or better (7) £30,000-£40,000 --- Provenance: Bentley Priory Auction, Spink, September 2012, when sold by the recipient’s widow. D.S.O. London Gazette 15 December 1942. The original recommendation states: ‘Wing Commander Kingcome has lead the Kenley Wing on 22 offensive sweeps; including the Battle of Dieppe. He has made a total of 357 operational sorties, 207 of which were offensive sweeps, and has flown 535 operational hours. He has destroyed a total of 11 enemy aircraft, probably destroyed 5 and damaged 13. His claims are traditionally modest. Throughout the period of his command of this Wing, his coolness and ability in action - coupled with his natural powers of leadership has proved a great inspiration to the Squadrons. He is practically the last operational pilot of his ‘vintage’ and has displayed tremendous resolution and athleticism to remain on operations so long.’ D.F.C. London Gazette 25 December 1940. The original recommendation states: ‘This officer has led his flight and during the last week, the squadron, with judgement and a really good offensive spirit. He has personally destroyed 6 enemy aircraft and probably 4 more, and by his leading has been responsible for the destruction of many others. He has infected the pilots he has led with his own determination and confidence and proved himself a most able Flight Commander.’ D.F.C. Second Award Bar London Gazette 29 July 1941. The original recommendation states: ‘This officer who received his D.F.C. last October at the time had 5 enemy a/c destroyed and probably 4 more. He has now increased his score to 10 destroyed 4 probably destroyed and 10 damaged, and during the past 9 months has on many occasions led the squadron with distinction. At all times he has shown real determination, judgement and courage and has set a very high standard to the other pilots which has reflected itself in the achievements of his squadron.’ Charles Brian Fabris Kingcome was born in Calcutta, India in 1917 and educated at Bedford School. He entered the R.A.F. College, Cranwell in January 1936 but soon after beginning his pilot training he was seriously injured in a car accident and told he would never fly again due to permanent double-vision. Despite this setback, after six months of operations and recuperation, he managed to return to Cranwell and at the end of his final term was delighted to learn of his posting to No. 65 Fighter Squadron at R.A.F. Hornchurch, part of 11 Group, responsible for the air defence of southern England, including London. 65 Squadron, Hornchurch - Battle of France, Dunkirk Having been selected for one of the five vacancies with Fighter Command that year, he enjoyed ‘a most marvellous life...if I wanted to take off and fly up to a friend of mine who had an airfield or station somewhere a hundred mile away for lunch, I would just go. It went down as flying training. I didn’t have to get permission or flight paths. I just went. If you wanted to do aerobatics, you just went.’ (A Willingness to Die, B. Kingcome refers) As a newly appointed Pilot Officer, he flew Gloster Gladiators from the late summer of 1938 but within a few months the squadron’s dated biplanes were replaced, ‘The most significant event at pre-war Hornchurch came about when we re-equipped from Gladiators to Spitfires, somewhere between six and nine months before the war began. As one of the first squadrons to be re-equipped, we gained the huge advantage that we were already experienced Spitfire pilots by the time we came to the outbreak of war, and most importantly by the time of the Dunkirk evacuation. Dunkirk was, indeed, the first occasion on which the home-based fighters saw any sustained action.’ (Ibid) Although not sent to France with the B.E.F., he took part in the battle of France, sharing a Dornier 17 on May 25, and was tasked with providing cover for Operation Dynamo, the withdrawal from the beaches of Dunkirk, ‘At Hornchurch the taste of war at last began to tingle our palates as we anxiously followed the desperate retreat of the Allied troops as they were slowly driven into a coastal trap around Dunkirk... My vantage point for the unfolding epic was in the air above the beaches... As I sat in the relative safety of my Spitfire cockpit, it was the clouds that were my main problem. Our orders had sent us in at 30,000ft, too high for the best of the action, whereas the Hurricanes were patrolling at 15,000 feet. Needless to say we cheated and kept slipping down to see what was happening... the task of providing air cover was hampered not only by the extent of the cloud cover but also by its nature. It stood in patchy layers from about 1,000ft upwards - ideal for marauding bombers but not for our purposes... allowing little time for interception... Nevertheless I managed to fire my guns in anger for the first time, and had the basic fact brought home which I tried to forget: namely, that while the aircraft in your sites was an inanimate object, the human beings it contained were frail flesh and blood. In those early days the German bombers carried little or no armour, and one of the first indications that you were regis...
Pair: Major William Turner, 13th Light Dragoons, who has his horse shot from under him and afterwards wrote a fine account of the battle and march on Paris Military General Service 1793-1814, 1 clasp, Toulouse (W. Turner, Lieut. 13th Lt. Dgns.); Waterloo 1815 (Lieut. W. Turner, 13th Reg. Light Dragoons.) fitted with original steel clip and silver bar suspension, the second with light contact marks, otherwise good very fine, the first extremely fine (2) £5,000-£7,000 --- William Turner was appointed a Cornet in the 13th Light Dragoons on 23 May 1811, and promoted to Lieutenant on 6 February 1812. He served in the Peninsula from June to October 1812, in April 1814, being present at the battle of Toulouse, and in 1815 at the battle of Waterloo. He was promoted to Captain in the 78th Foot on 3 November 1819, and was placed on half-pay on 27 June 1822. He was made Brevet Major in the 78th Foot on 10 January 1837, and died on 7th December 1849, aged 59 years. He is buried in St Peter’s Churchyard, Norbury, Staffordshire, where a Cross was erected in his memory. A long and detailed letter from Lieutenant William Turner, which gives a graphic account of the battle of Waterloo and the march to Paris was published in C. R. B. Barrett’s History of the XIII Hussars. It reads: ‘Villepeut, near Paris, 3rd July 1815. My dear Busby,—I assure you it is with the greatest pleasure I can find time to inform you I am perfectly sound and in good health and spirits. We marched into this village last night from near Louvres, and are only nine miles from Paris and can distinctly hear the firing, which takes place at Paris, between the Prussian advanced posts and the French. This war cannot possibly last long, for every town and village is completely ransacked, and pillaged by the Prussians and neither wine, spirits, or bread are to be found. The whole country from the frontier to Paris has been laid waste by the march of troops, and the crops nearly destroyed, we are waiting for the Prussians when that infernal City Paris will be attacked and no doubt pillaged, for it is a debt we owe to the whole of Europe, all the inhabitants for leagues round here have taken themselves and their effects into Paris, so that it will be worth taking if we loose 20,000 men. You have no idea of the enthusiasm of the troops and their determination to carry before them everything in their way, the Prussians are also determined soldiers and I expect in one week Paris will be completely sacked and perhaps burned. Our Rocket Brigade went to the front yesterday, and Blucher is much exasperated because they have detained the flags of truce. I will as shortly as possible give you some particulars of what I have seen since I wrote to you at Ghent, three days after I joined the Regiment at Castes near Grammont, where we were quartered for some days and had a review by Lord Uxbridge with the other Cavalry Regiments. On 15th June I rode to see the City of Brussels 16 miles distant, it is a handsome and pleasant place, returned in the evening home (very fortunately); at 7 next morning 16th instant was rousted out of my bed by a Sergeant to say we were to march immediately, soon turned out but owing to the Regiment being so distributed about the country we were not able to march before 11 A.M., we then marched by Eughien [Enghien], Brainale, Cante and Nivelle and arrived on the field of battle near Genappe about 10 P.M. just as the battle ended, (nothing to eat all day), bivouacked all night in corn, at 3 A.M. turned out, had . . . at 10 A.M. rode over the field of battle which was covered with dead, went to the front when I was near being shot by four Frenchmen, whom I took for Belgians, they all fired but luckily missed me . . . and the officer who was with me retired, and soon after began the retreat. The Cavalry in the rear went slowly, the French followed the Hussars and Life Guards on one road, we and the 15th on the other were about 300 yards distant when the 7th charged and the Life Guards charged in support. We then continued retiring and one of the heaviest showers I ever felt made us wet to the skin, we halted close to the village of Mont St Jean with the whole Army. It was a dreadful rainy night, every man in the Cavalry wet to the skin and nearly all the Infantry as bad; nothing to eat all day, being without rations and our baggage at Brussels. At 4 A.M. on the memorable 18th June turned out and formed on the field of battle in wet corn and a cold morning without anything to eat, nothing but some gin, which I purchased from a German woman, saved and enabled me and three other officers to stand the fatigues of the day. About 10 A.M. the French began to move large columns of troops in our front, and about half-past eleven the Battle began, we were put with the 15th and commanded by General Grant, we were on the right of the great road and nearly the right of our line, we covered the Artillery of Captain Macdonald’s troop who behaved well, before two o’clock we had three officers and several men killed by Cannon Balls and Shells, we were then put close to some Belgian Artillery, to keep them to their guns and there we suffered from musketry and roundshot; we then moved to the right of the line to charge the French Lancers but they retired. We then came back to our place close to the Artillery which the French Imperial Guard a Cheval and Cuirassiers had taken, we immediately formed up in line with the 15th, gave three cheers, and went at them full speed, they retired immediately and we charged after them all down their position up to their Infantry, when we were ordered to retire, which we did but in confusion, we formed and told off again having lost a good many men; I shot one Frenchman with my pistol but did not use my sword, (I had the misfortune to break the double barrelled one in marching up the country or else I should have shot two); at 4 P.M. the French Cavalry came up again but on our trotting to meet them they immediately retired, we then came back on our side of the hill beyond our guns; the Battle was now most dreadful and the field covered with dead and dying in all directions. Lord Wellington repeatedly passed us, when we Huzzared him; the French Cavalry advanced again to the muzzle of our guns, the Gunners were ordered to retire and we charged them again in the grandest style between our masses of Infantry; they retreated and we charged them close to their Infantry, who were formed in Squares the same as ours; in this charge I am sorry to say the black mare I purchased from Paddock. got two musket balls in her close to my knee just behind the shoulder joint, it was with difficulty I got her to the rear of the Artillery when I dismounted and sent her to the rear by a Dragoon, whose horse I mounted as he was. We still continued retiring on guns when the havoc amongst us was dreadful, one cannon-ball killed General Grant’s horse, Col. Dalrymple’s horse and took off his leg, it then passed between Wallace and me, we remained here still exposed, every minute some man or horse falling, Captain Goulburg (Goulburn) at whose side I was, had just mounted a trooper after having had his horse wounded, when he was knocked off by a spent ball but fortunately without injury, about half-past six we charged again down the hill and then retreated to our guns; again about 8 P.M. the great attack was made when the French were repulsed, we were immediately ordered to charge as our Infantry were . . . General Hill came in our front and called out “now 13th come on” he took of his hat with several other Generals we immediately Huzzared with the whole of the Infantry and charged, the French retired in the greatest confusion, our Infantry advancing kept us at a trot for...
The Wellington College King’s Prize Medal for 1912 awarded to Colonel H. B. Stokes, C.B.E., M.B.E., Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, who was seriously wounded by shellfire on the Somme in 1916 and was fortunate to survive the sinking of the Lancastria off St. Nazaire in 1940 Wellington College King’s Prize Medal, G.V.R., 45mm, gold (22ct., 45.0g) (Herbert Bland Stokes 1912) in Royal Mint case of issue, extremely fine £1,800-£2,200 --- C.B.E. (Civil) London Gazette 1 January 1959: ‘Colonel Herbert Bland Stokes, M.B.E., Chairman, Board of Governors, Bristol United Hospitals. M.B.E. (Military) London Gazette 11 July 1940. The Queen’s / King’s Medal, Wellington College The first Speech Day [at Wellington College] took place in June 1859, just six months after the College opened, and may have been modelled on similar events at Rugby School. It included two Chapel services as well as the prize-giving ceremony. We don’t know what prizes were given, but by the next year Queen Victoria had consented to give the Queen’s Medal, awarded ever since [a King’s Medal awarded during a King’s reign]. The original statutes, now on display in College, state that this was to encourage students to emulate the virtues of the Great Duke in whose honour the College is founded. The list of good qualities required of the winner is considerable, and includes Cheerful submission to superiors, unselfish good fellowship with equals… a readiness to forgive offences towards himself… and above all, fearless devotion to duty and unflinching truthfulness. In the early years, the Master, teachers and prefects would consult with one another as to who was the most worthy winner of this prize. However, for many years now it has been awarded to the Head of School. (Wellington College Records refer) Herbert Bland Stokes was born at Salem, Madras, India, on 7 April 1894, the youngest son of Sir Gabriel Stokes, K.C.S.I., and May Florence (née Fuller) and was educated at Wellington College where he was the recipient of the prestigious King’s Prize Medal. Having obtained a commission in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers on 23 September 1914, he was advanced Captain in May 1915, subsequently appointed Staff Captain and Adjutant and embarked for France in January 1916 where he served as Brigade Bombing Officer. Stokes was very severely wounded by shellfire on the Somme on 10 April 1916 and, returning England, was put on light duties until the war’s end, demobilised, with permanent rank of Captain, on 9 January 1919, and awarded a Silver War Badge. However, on 3 September 1939, following the renewal of hostilities, he insisted on rejoining the Army, in his old rank of Captain, at the age of 45. On 16 September, Stokes left for France with the British Expeditionary Force. Officially his Regiment was the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, but the Army recognised his experience as the Chief Executive of Queen Charlotte's hospital in London, and based him in Dieppe organising medical supplies, which came under the general heading of the Quartermaster General. By mid-May as the German Blitzkrieg was sweeping through Belgium, Stokes’ letters indicate the evacuation of medical staff from Dieppe to points further west; the last letter he wrote from France, nearly a week after Dunkirk, describes ‘a wonderful old watering-place’ - probably Deauville. Now in the rear party, Stokes was charged with seeing all medical personnel and patients across the Channel. Around the 7 June, his camp moved to Nantes, a town some 30 miles inland from the port of St Nazaire. On Saturday 15 June the order came through that the camp was to be evacuated within seven hours. Stokes got everyone safely away, and, having waited behind for two officers to return from reconnoitring, he finally made the move from Nantes to St. Nazaire and scrambled aboard H.M.T. Lancastria at 10:00 a.m. on Monday 17 June. Operation Aerial - Last out of France Operation Aerial, the codename for the rescue of Allied troops left in France after Dunkirk, freed 163,000 people, on a scale comparable to Operation Dynamo, but it received little publicity. Over 150,000 troops were still in France two weeks after Dunkirk was all over, and while the Nazis were already strutting about in Paris, many of these troops left behind were sadly killed or taken prisoner, but a large number of Army units were ordered to evacuate from other ports further west. Unlike at Dunkirk they were not yet at immediate risk from land attack by the Germans, but they certainly were at risk from the air. One of those ports, St Nazaire, became the scene of the worst loss of life that Britain has ever suffered from one vessel. This was the sinking of one of the ships involved in the rescue, the Lancastria. For the sake of morale the whole episode was completely hushed up at the time. Sinking of the Lancastria - ‘A Definitely Unpleasant Show’ At 3:50 p.m. on 17 June, the Luftwaffe bombed the Lancastria, crammed with thousands people, off St. Nazaire, holing her below the waterline, causing her to list rapidly and discharge 1,400 tons of oil into the sea. Hundreds of men who had not eaten for days were making their way below decks to the restaurant areas. Moments later, a second bomb penetrated a forward hatch and exploded. Some men died in the water, burning in the oil-slick onto which the Germans had dropped incendiaries; others broke their necks jumping from the ship. Within 25 minutes the Lancastria, listing ever more steeply, turned completely upside down with men still clinging to her hull, and sunk with at least 5,000 casualties, possibly many more. The Luftwaffe continued attacking even after that, so that other vessels were unable to go to immediate aid. Stokes was picked up after one and a half hours in the water clinging to a lifebelt with four other men. With typical understatement, he wrote shortly afterwards from Devonport Hospital, ‘There is very little wrong with me except some twisting of the back and the effect of an hour and a half’s swim after the Boche had got our ship with a couple of eggs. Thank Heaven I saw all the hospitals and personnel in our charge away without being bombed on the 15th. I and the others, very few left, got on board on the 17th, but we did not have the luck, as ours was the only boat they got. A definitely unpleasant show.’ It is now known that by noon on the 17th June, the Lancastria had between 7,500 to 9,000 people on board, grossly overloading her. Of this number, exactly 2,447 survived. Simple subtraction shows that the dead therefore numbered between 5,000 and 6,500, but no one will ever know for sure as no one knows exactly how many were aboard. There were only 2,000 lifejackets. Despite the overall success of Operation Aerial, the losses caused Churchill to order the news to be suppressed, so the story is in danger of remaining a forgotten footnote. ‘The newspapers have got quite enough disaster for today,’ he wrote. Also he did not want to take the edge off the ‘Finest Hour’ broadcast speech which he was preparing. Stokes’ son, Adrian later wrote that his only memory of the episode is of his father showing him a gleaming pair of shoes, polished ready for his return to duty. ‘Not bad,’ he said, ‘considering they spent some time in the sea.’ Stokes was awarded the M.B.E. in July 1940 and remained in England for the rest of the war. He was rapidly promoted to Major and then Lieutenant Colonel and on 1 October 1943 he was appointed Colonel in charge of Administration in the South Midland District. He was granted the rank of Honorary Colonel on demobilisation on 24 August 1945 and was created a C.B....
A German Second War Government Officials Dagger with Straps. An original Alcoso produced Government Officials dagger but with replaced cross guard. Excellent condition Alcoso marked blade. All of the finish to the upper hilt and scabbard match identically. The mother of pearl grips excellent, however the cross guard in our opinion has been replaced, it does not conform to the Alcoso pattern and is of a slightly different coloration than the remainder of the dagger. We would imagine that the dagger originally had been de-nazified and had this replacement fitted at some stage of its life. Complete with its rare original brocade hanging straps. Some minor oxidisation to the body of the brocade but still excellent with both attachment clips present and working correctly, very good condition £1,000-£1,400 --- This is an age restricted lot: the successful buyer will be required to either collect in person, or arrange specialist shipping.
Three: Private F. J. Watkiss, Royal Marine Light Infantry, who was killed in the explosion that destroyed H.M.S. Natal on 30 December 1915 1914-15 Star (Ch.19059, Pte. F. J. Watkiss, R.M.L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (Ch.19059 Pte. F. J. Watkiss. R.M.L.I.) nearly very fine (3) £120-£160 --- Frederick James Watkiss was born in Walthamstow, London, on 24 November 1896 and Joined the Royal Marine Light Infantry on 10 September 1914. He served during the Great War in H.M.S. Natal from 24 November 1915, and was killed when the Natal was sunk by an internal explosion that destroyed the armoured cruiser whilst at anchor in the Cromarty Firth on 30 December 1915. Out of her complement of over 700 men more than half (25 officers and 380 ratings) perished. The loss of life would have been even greater had not most of the off-duty watch been absent on shore leave at the time. Watkiss is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. During the Great War the Royal Navy lost 4 ships to internal explosions whilst lying in harbour, the other three being, H.M. Ships Bulwark, Princess Irene and Vanguard. At the time there was much speculation that these losses were due to sabotage by enemy agents. However, the more likely explanation is that they were the result of the deterioration of the stocks of high explosives carried on board. Natal’s upturned hull remained visible at low water for many years, and right up until the Second World War it was R.N. practice on entering and leaving Cromarty for every warship to sound “Still” and for officers and men to come to attention as they passed the wreck. Sold with copied research.
A pair of Coalport porcelain vases and covers, late 19th century, each of inverted baluster form with foliate scrolled handles, shaped foot and floral final to the cover, decorated to one side with a gilt-enclosed vignette of still life fruits signed 'F H Chivers' (Frederick Herbert Chivers 1881-1965), with a smaller unsigned gilt-enclosed vignette to the other, set against a turquoise ground with ivory neck and foot, gilt highlights throughout, green printed maker's mark and inscribed gilt ‘V7636’ and ‘5/5.270’ to bases, each 26cm high (2) (Restored)CONDITION REPORT:Both pieces show extensive fine surface crazing throughout, with some staining to the craze lines. The handles of both vases show evidence of restoration, and one handle shows hairline cracking (probably indicating a historic repair). Both pieces are dirty and would benefit from thorough cleaning. The surface dirt may be masking further evidence of restoration.
A Royal Worcester loving cup, early 20th century, of typical form and large proportions, decorated to one side with a gilt-enclosed vignette of still life fruits signed 'A Shuck' (Albert Shuck), with a gilt floral and foliate spray to the other, set against a cobalt ground with gilt highlights to the rim and foot, puce makers mark for 1901 or 1902 to base, 15cm high (at fault) along with a pair of English porcelain vases, mid 19th century, each of baluster form with shaped rim, palm tree shaped handles with foliate terminals and scalloped foot, the bodies painted with a landscape panel to one side and a floral panel to the other, set against a claret ground with gilt scroll and Greek key highlights, design registration lozenge for 1863 and inscribed '2 5285' to base, 25cm high and 24cm high (restored) (3)CONDITION: Loving cup - The piece shows areas of fine surface crazing throughout and rubbing to the gilt highlights. There is a hairline crack to the base of the interior extending in an arc running for approximately a third of the circumference. The interior also shows spots of staining. The piece (particularly the interior) is dirty, and it is possible the dirt is concealing further issues.Pair of claret ground vases - both have areas of restoration to the rims, handles and foot rims. Gilding and enamelling showing some surface scratching and wear throughout.
*Dennis Knowland (1918-1985)Still life with pear and cansigned 'D G KNOWLAND' l.l., signed and inscribed verso, oil on board26 x 20.5cm*Artist's Resale Right may apply to this lot.Condition report: Generally good order. Not examined under UV light, for a more detailed report please contact the department.
JAMES NOBLE - oil on board still life entitled 'The Last Roses of Summer 1981' - 38cm x 50cmCONDITION REPORTBy our judgement, condition of lot is very good.Our team of trusted experts are on hand to help and always endeavour to provide an accurate judgement. The ultimate responsibility lies with the buyer however, and we recommend that you make every effort to inspect the lot yourself.To that end, we have provided a number of additional images for your attention.
JAMES NOBLE - oil on board still life entitled 'Carnations and Freesias 1987' - 40cm x 30cmCONDITION REPORTBy our judgement, condition of lot is very good.Our team of trusted experts are on hand to help and always endeavour to provide an accurate judgement. The ultimate responsibility lies with the buyer however, and we recommend that you make every effort to inspect the lot yourself.
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