Auction Catalogue

25 September 2008

Starting at 10:00 AM

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Orders, Decorations and Medals

Washington Mayfair Hotel  London  W1J 5HE

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Lot

№ 912

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25 September 2008

Hammer Price:
£310

A Victorian officer’s presentation sword of the Beccles Artillery Volunteers, the straight 84cm blade by Hobson & Sons, Lexington Street, Golden Square, London, finely etched with crowned VR cypher, regimental device and cannon, Beccles Artillery Volunteers, flaming Grenade, rose and thistle etc, and within a panel at the forte the legend ‘Be just and fear not’, all within intricate scrolls and strapwork and within a zig-zag ribbon a presentation inscription ‘Presented to Major Thomson Wilson by the non-commissioned officers and gunners of the Beccles Artillery Volunteers’, steel silver plated guard and backstrap, fish-skin covered grip bound with copper wire, complete with its silver plated scabbard, several small areas of rust pitting to blade otherwise good condition overall £350-450

Thomson Wilson VD, joined the volunteers in 1862 at the age of 15, commissioned in 1875 he rose to the rank of Colonel, was Mayor of Beccles in Suffolk from 1889-1891 and again in 1910, in all he served for 41 years with the volunteers, he died in March 1915.

Sold with further research including a copy photograph of Wilson.