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20 Jul 2010: Only known example of the Drums and Bugles of the Middlesex Regiment

Military, Civilian Figure and Equipment Auction 16 September 2010

 

The next Vectis Military Civilian Figures, Equipment and Accessories sale will be held on Thursday 16^th September and the 600+ lot sale will be packed with rare and desirable items to suite all collecting tastes and pockets.

The Britains Military section of the sale will include the only known example of The Drums and Bugles of the Middlesex Regiment. Contained in a 41 piece [the other contents comprise: Middlesex Regiment Marching at the Slope with Officer on Foot, Mounted Officer and Colour Bearer with 'flat' type Union Jack Colour, Officers of the General Staff, 21st Lancers in Review Order and Small Gun of the Royal Artillery] Gamages set 1461 [English Cavalry and Infantry] two tier display box. This is complimented by another rare [Britains for] Gamages set  '1458'  English Infantry ? Band of the Middlesex Regiment, an 18 piece band with yellow facings [the first original boxed example to be offered by Vectis]. Both sets were purchased as a special order from Gamages for Christmas 1938 by a serving Officer of the Middlesex Regiment for his Son, they have remained within the extended family for the intervening 72 years spending the last 50 years in loft storage.

In the Civilian figures section of the sale we offer our first example of Britains Set 1658 - John Cobb's Railton Wonder Car with Chromium Plated Body. This car, only available during 1938/39 was priced at 1/- more than the standard [set 1656] model, consequently very few were sold. It is now extremely rare, this boxed example is in near Mint condition. Excellent examples of Britains Sets 1573 / 1506 H.M. King George VI / H.M. Queen Elizabeth in Coronation Robes, circa 1937 contained in generally excellent boxes with original inserts will also be offered. For the collector of Britains Farm Ranges we have three examples of scarce to find models: a Nestle World Cow with its original printed paper bag as issued, 2 x Suffolk Mares with a Foal and an Ayreshire Bull. Again all are in near Mint condition.

In the Other Makers section of the sale we have offerings from Astra, Mignot, Lucotte, Heyde, Heinrichsen, MIM, Ping and HR amongst others. Some fine Foot Knights [100 Years War period] signed by Frederic Ping, are accompanied by Roman and Viking sets from HR Reynolds, Napoleonics [Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery] from Lucotte and MIM, British Dragoons from Heinrichsen and German Hussars, Sikh Infantry and Beefeaters from Heyde.

The Catalogues and Books Section offers various titles by James Opie, catalogues from Britains and Timpo and the now [very scarce] guide to Britains 'Racing Colours of Famous Owners, 1925-1960' compiled by the late Peter Kirk.

As 2010 marks the 70^th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain it seems appropriate to offer a selection of related ephemera. This section will include framed representations/autographs of Battle of Britain Aces, a signed ?Ginger? Lacy Autobiography and the only known complete [photographic] record of Douglas Bader's Battle of Britain Autograph Book [compiled from the original by the RAF in the 1970's], the original has since disappeared following Bader's death in 1982. To accompany the Battle of Britain items we will also be offering a section of Victoria Cross memorabilia, this includes: the Cap Badges/Autographs of three WW1 VC's [including Driver Frederick Luke, RHA, Le Cateau, 26^th August, 1914] Photographs/Autographs of VC holders and a small box containing personal items [Pips, Small Compass, RFC Badge and French Bank Note] formerly the belongings of Captain Lanoe George Hawker, V.C. D.S.O. shot down and killed by the Red Baron in 1916.

The Plastics section again offers some truly desirable and unique items: a trio of Marx Sample Sets supplied by their Hong Kong sub contractors for manufacturing approval, Herald Swoppet Foot Knights tagged Paint [for the unreleased Paris Office Range] samples and a superb boxed sample set of ?Greek? Warriors. This set dating from 1961 was conceived by Britains as a cheap alternative [similar to the ?Enemy? Infantry idea in the modern army range] to commissioning new opponents for the Trojans, the entire project was dropped following the deletion of the Trojans in 1962. Herald Paris Office Cowboys and Indians make a rare appearance and a selection of original [boxed/unboxed] Timpo solids from the mid to late 1950's will also be on offer these latter include Battle of Waterloo Cavalry, Medieval Knights and Wild West types. A collection of 1/35^th scale professionally made/painted WW2 AFV's which include: Tanks, Siege Mortars, Rail Guns Landing Craft and Softskins round off the plastics.

The Composition/Tinplate sections will contain early [circa, 1890] representations of US Cavalry and Infantry in 10cm scale, Hausser Field Artillery and some early 1940's Timpo Khaki Infantry in 54mm scale.

The sale will be complimented as ever with a comprehensive selection of Modern Issues, for the September sale these will comprise a Boer War themed collection with examples from the likes of Britains, AQM, Dorset, Tradition, Trophy and Boys of the Old Brigade, Limited Editions from Britains and Napoleonic Cavalry and Foot figure collections from Del Prado.

email simon.clarke@vectis.co.uk