TOPIC:

Now that is what I call a Jump!!

As the Auctioneer worked through today's Boer War lots he often referred to the medals on offer coming from a collector from South Africa and had not been in the market place for a couple of decades.
Could anybody please tell me the name of the collector? I like to list this provenance in my research for my own collection.
Many thanks in anticipation.
Cheers,
Steve

I bid on 15 lots and was successful with 6. Some surprising hammer prices, or a surprise for me. Someone has done their homework. I urged along lot 931, the QSA to the Natal Carbineers, but the Talana clasp added some interest and it went for more than I was prepared to pay. But looking back, how many are seen on the market? The 550 UK pounds hammer may be a bargain.
I hope other forum members were successful. There is, I believe, a reprieve from the hectic round of auctions until January. Spink are definitely on the ball, invoice received this morning, account paid, now to wait. Still waiting on a package posted on 19 Nov. I don’t know about you fellows but I need a break.
Keep well,
Jim

Jim,

You did well and that has made for a good last few weeks for you?

Hectic is a good description of the last few weeks with a strong mixture of anticipation and excitement followed by either disappointment or relief/joy.

There are few Talana claps to the Natal Carbineers, certainly less than 1% of all Talana clasps. The medal to Jim Greig is scarce and provides a re-unit challenge for the buyer.

Best wishes
David

I put in a speculative bid of 440 and was then called away from my computer and promptly forgot about it!

With the benefit of hindsight, I was rather glad that I wasn't on hand to increase my bid. There are just too many medals missing PLUS, the potted history I have of each NC man places him as being wounded in the Relief as opposed to the defence?

Regards

Rory

Rory,

That was a bad-timed interruption. Spink were going through the lots quite quickly with single medals being sold in sub 30 seconds from start to finish.

He is definitely on the roll for the DoL (WO100/260p85).

The NFF Casualty Roll has him wounded at Cheiveley, 18 December 1899. The date is correct but the location incorrect. Stirling notes on that day how 'Umbulwana "Long Tom" dropped a 100lb shell in the horse lines, when the men were at stables, killing Tprs. Buxton, Milne-Miller, Craighead Smith, and Elliott, and wounding seven, besides killing 11 horses.'

The other men named by Stirling as being wounded on that day are listed in the NFF roll with Chieveley as the location too so I think this is a systematic error in the NFF roll.

I'm pretty certain he was one of those 7 men but I will seek confirmation.

Best wishes
David