Militaria

HMAS Sydney cedar smokers stand

Australian cedar smokers stand reclaimed from the HMAS Sydney. In 1914 the Sydney was attacked by the German cruiser SMS Emden and eventually arrived at the New South Wales (Sydney) Cockatoo Island Dockyard where she was broken up. Many pieces of the Sydney were made into souvenirs, such as this stand. See the image below, which is attached to the base of the stand. The stand has been fairly heavily weighted (original manufacture) to add stability, so quite weighty and no postage/shipping on this one. Store collection only. Height (including the brass fixture at top) 82.5 cm. $445 Shop 27

WWI Sight by Raphaels, England

1915 WWI sight by Raphaels, England. (See close-up image below). Amazing condition. Length 40 cm. Includes original leather case. $145 Shop 7

WWII P60-1 Rheem ammunition box

WWII P60-1 Rheem ammunition box. Steel container with hinged top with "P60-1 1942" in raised lettering. For 25 pdr armour piercing shells. Width 46 cm, Depth 30 cm, Height 13 cm. $75 Shop 27

Victorian engraving 25-Ton Gun At Middle Head

One of two drawings by Julian Rossi Ashton (1851-1942) commissioned for "The Picturesque Atlas of Australasia" (Volume II, p71) to illustrate the fortifications at South Head and the 25-ton gun at Middle Head, Sydney, respectively. The writer described them as "....the greatest fortification of Sydney. The gun carriages are placed in shallow, circular wells, the rock is caverned with magazines, and the powerful guns sweep all the water's face in front! To this point come artillery, professional and volunteer, to practice marksmanship, and to learn with accuracy the distance of any part that could be occupied by invading foe...". Ashton was among the leading colonial artists to be employed by the Picturesque Atlas Publishing Company to work on sketches, in several colonies, of landscapes, figures and buildings for the  "Picturesque Atlas of Australasia". Other Australian artists included W. Macleod; A.H. Fullwood; G.R. Ashton; W.C. Piguenit; A. Collingridge ; L. Buvelot and T. Roberts.

"The Picturesque Atlas of Australasia" of 1886 was an attempt to describe Australia as it was at that time using words and pictures. It was edited by Andrew Garran (1825-1901) and included writing by leading politicians, academics and writers illustrated with over 700 images. It was the enterprise of an American art publishing company Picturesque Atlas Publishing Co. Ltd who had been responsible for the successful production of "Picturesque Canada" in 1882. The company had premises in Wynyard Square, Sydney and employed a team of American and colonial artisans. It was lauded for providing much needed impetus in the Australian art publishing scene of the time. The Picturesque Atlas of Australasia was reprinted in 1887 and 1888 over 50,000 copies were sold.

Frame measures 46 cm x 39 cm. (Additional close-up image below). Some glass glare in both images. $195 Shop 27 SOLD

Vietnam War era silver presentation case Ochiltree (OBE) Thailand

1968 Thai sterling silver and niello presentation cigarettes case to Colonel J. G. Ochiltree (OBE), Australian Armed Services Attache to Thailand. From Thai Air Chief Marshal Dawee Chullasapye (was later Thailand Deputy Prime Minister, 1979/1980). Engraved (see two additional images below). 17 cm x 8.5 cm. 210 grams. $350 Shop 27

c1920 North Sydney Anzac Memorial Club jug

c1920 small commemorative pottery jug by Newport Pottery, England. Made for North Sydney Anzac Memorial Club, featuring lithographed Emu and Kiwi coat of arms. Height 8.7 cm. Shop 27 SOLD

UK issue British WW1 War Medal and Victory Medal group

Full size UK issue British WW1 War Medal and Victory Medal group for Sapper G. Price, Royal Engineers. Spr Price, an iron and steel moulder from Sheffield, enlisted on 12 October 1916 at age the age of 20. He was discharged from G Depot Company, Royal Engineers at Chatham on 8 October 1919 as a result of wounds and was a awarded Silver War Badge. (The Silver War Badge was awarded to those who were honourably discharged as a result of injury or illness.) The medals are in good condition but the original ribbons are faded and have pin holes, probably from being mounted and worn. $148 Shop 61

Set of six WWI Bairnsfather postcards

WWI era collection of six postcards by prominent British humourist and cartoonist Bruce Bairnsfather (1887–1959). His best-known cartoon character is Old Bill. Bill and his pals Bert and Alf featured in Bairnsfather's weekly "Fragments from France" cartoons published weekly in The Bystander magazine during the First World War. Black and white, the cards have not been written on. There is some wear, a few small losses and some marking. But no folds and given the age, pretty good. $75 the six. Shop 27

Bone china military plate Boer War Our Boys at the Front

c1900 Boer war bone china plate (unmarked, but probably English made, possibly German) "Our Boys at the Front For Queen and Country". Scalloped gilded rim with lithographed depiction of hand to hand combat with cannon, artillery, swords etc. Diameter 22 cm. Shop 27 SOLD

WWII era Duke Cornwall Light Infantry Band Banner

c. WWII era Duke of Cornwalls Light Infantry Banner Band banner with silver bullion thread (see close-up image below). Width 59 cm, Height 52.5 cm. $150 Shop 7

WWI Australian leather bound album of original photographs

c1919 WWI Moroccan leather bound album gold embossed "SNAPSHOTS - Egypt, Palestine, Sinai. 1915-1919". Original photographs by Australian digger Sergeant W. E. Penfold (Turramurra, NSW) B Squadron, 1st Light Horse Australian Imperial Forces. The album contains 428 black and white images of a wide range of subjects, almost all hand annotated. Images include Suez Canal, Port Said, Jerusalem and notably, Beersheba. Also lots of random pics of diggers with their walers and kits, plus camels, cavalry, tanks, aircraft, ships, pyramids, General Chauvel, war graves etc etc etc. There is an issue with the spine, one page leaf has detached and a few of the images are somewhat faded. But this album is in relatively good condition and is a significant historical find. (A further six random images below...) 36.5 cm x 25.7 cm. Depth 9.5 cm. $995 Shop 7 SOLD

Presentation plaque for Sergeant Penfold

General Chauvel

WWI tank in Gaza

WW I Turkish troops

Beersheba

Random page of nine WW I images

WWI UK Medal and Victory Medal

1914-1918 War Medal and the 1914-1920 Victory Medal pair awarded to Corporal G.G. Kent, Army Service Corps. $145 Shop 61

Queen's South Africa Medal 1899-1902

Queen's South Africa Medal with the Transvaal, Cape Colony and the rare Wittebergen Battle Clasp awarded to 1556 Private R. Baldwin, 2 Battalion Scots Guards.  The Wittebergen Clasp was awarded to all troops who, between 1st and 29th July 1900 only, were inside a line drawn from Harrismith to Bethlehem, thence to Senekal and Clocolan in the Orange Free State along the Basutoland border and back to Harrismith. $675 Shop 61