Latest news with #historicalartifacts
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Rare royal pistols owned by first Duke of Sussex to be sold
A pair of rare pistols from the private collection of an 18th Century prince are to be sold at auction guns were owned by Prince Augustus Frederick, the first Duke of Sussex, the sixth son of King George were made in the 1790s by the esteemed Spanish gunsmith Francisco Targarona and are believed to have been given to the prince as a diplomatic pair are estimated to fetch between £20,000 and £30,000 at a special sale of medals and coins, arms and armour at Woolley & Wallis, in Salisbury. The duke was well liked and noted for championing societal freedom and was also known for his large weapons collection, which was put up for auction on his death in 1843, including the pistols. The guns are Spanish 22 bore convertible 'Madrid' lock pistols, which date from about are highly decorative, with geometric and floral accents, and can be fitted together to create a short, single are housed in a fitted mahogany case with velvet lining. On the outside, the case has an oval silver plate on its lid engraved "Purchased at the sale of His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, 1845".Ned Cowell, head of arms and armour at Woolley & Wallis, said the selling the guns was a privilege."We are honoured to be offering such an outstanding pair of pistols by such a distinguished gunmaker and with such a historic background," he items in the sale include a selection of military medals, rare coins, swords, cannons and a coronation robe worn in 1937 and in 1953.
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
‘You don't build a medieval manor house with a great hall to sit on your own'
Charlie Courtenay, 19th Earl of Devon, has been having a clear-out. At his home, Powderham Castle near Exeter, 'up in the attics and roofs there's what we refer to as the 'wild archives',' he says, 'just a bunch of stuff that we never really get to'. Now the wild archives are no more. Next week Dreweatts auctioneers will sell 209 pieces from the Powderham attics, as well as 172 lots from the Earl of Yarborough's Brocklesby Park in Lincolnshire. It isn't a downsizing sale; more of a consolidation. 'Powderham spends a lot of its time being used for public events, and every time you do that you're lifting and shifting, so it's not nearly as fully furnished as it once was,' says Lord Devon. The castle is open six days a week, nine months of the year, with a vibrant events calendar. This summer it will host Duran Duran as well as comedian Frank Skinner, food festivals and Shakespearean productions. This is exactly what it ought to be doing, says Lord Devon. 'You don't build a medieval manor house with a great hall to sit on your own and not see people. You build it for the purpose of entertaining and bringing people together. I'm strongly of the view that Powderham does today what Sir Philip Courtenay intended to do when he built it in the 1390s.' The auction is an eclectic mix. Lots range from a pocket telescope (est. £80-120) to a George VI coronation chair (est. £300-500), a pair of three-metre tall mahogany and parcel-gilt cabinets (est. £5,000-10,000), and a pair of rare Chinese imperial Qiangjin and Cloisonné sedan chair poles (est. £8,000-12,000). Lord Devon has long had 'a bit of heartburn around sales'. In August, it will be a decade since he succeeded his father to both the earldom and Powderham, and the same week he will turn 50. With this has come a realisation. 'It's very easy to sit there and do nothing, and hold on to everything like the dragon in Lord of the Rings,' he says. 'But that's not creative. I've done a lot of work retaining stuff and it's time to get my arms around the collection and responsibly manage it. That requires letting some stuff go to make room – and hopefully raise some funds to assist in our programme of works.' Lord Devon's father Hugh was born in the state bed at Powderham in May 1942, on the night the Luftwaffe bombed Exeter. Since it was wartime, no beacons were lit nor cannons fired in recognition of his arrival, and his mother Venetia was heard to remark: 'poor little heir. No church bells. No fireworks.' Post-war, Venetia and her husband Christopher Courtenay, 17th Earl of Devon, poured all of their efforts into Powderham. First, they established a finishing school, before in 1960 the house opened to the public, with Powderham's 116-year-old tortoise Timothy in tow with a label attached that read: 'My name is Timothy. I am very old. Please do not pick me up.' 'They were very enterprising,' says Lord Devon of his grandparents. 'I often think that I run their business, which my dad did a great job developing.' The Devons were totally wedded to their titular county. Christopher never once spoke in the House of Lords in his 63 years as a member, nor did he partake in much of aristocratic society – possibly since his 1939 marriage to Venetia had been preceded by scandal. The pair had met when Christopher was still at prep school, and Venetia was the young bride of his second cousin, Mark Pepys, 6th Earl of Cottenham. After Venetia attended Christopher's coming-of-age in July 1937, the pair fell in love, and when Mark Cottenham sought a divorce from Venetia, he cited Christopher as a co-respondent. Following both this, and his experiences in North Africa – where he was shot through his helmet on Christmas Day – Christopher retreated to Devon with what would likely be diagnosed now as PTSD. He pursued a policy of never opening any of his post and, as his stepdaughter Lady Rose Pepys remembered, 'set about becoming an old man,' in his 30s. Finances were tight. By the time Christopher succeeded his father the Reverend Frederick Courtenay, 16th Earl of Devon, in June 1935, there had been a succession of deaths meaning that Powderham came with triple death duties. The Devons' estate, which had been over 53,000 acres in the 1880s, was severely reduced. Today, it is just 3,500 acres. The Courtenays' legacy is ancient: they were founding members of the Order of the Garter; fought at Poitiers, Agincourt and Bosworth; and had William of Orange to dinner on the first night of the Glorious Revolution. Lord Devon is the 19th earl dating from the fifth creation in 1553, but his ancestors have been earls of Devon, one way or another, since the 1140s. When both his father and aunt Lady Kate Watney died within two months of one another in 2015, Lord Devon became not only head of the family but also 'the authority,' he says. 'I was always the one asking the history questions and I thought, 'there's no one I can go to to tell me whether that's right or wrong'. That was a big loss.' He is also almost the last of the line, only his 15-year-old son Jack, Lord Courtenay, is in line to succeed him. 'Despite being a very long-established title, the earldom of Devon is a very weedy one.' He feels strongly about his role, and was elected to the House of Lords as a cross-bencher in 2018, becoming the most visible Lord Devon for several generations. 'I had a real interest in what the earldom meant and it wasn't until I got into the Lords and started offering some of the stories in the context of providing perspective to our legislative process that I realised there aren't many of us who are feudal earls with that sort of continuity,' he says. He believes that part of being a hereditary peer is to have a role in the Lords, though when the remaining hereditaries exit the upper chamber, he will remain a 'flag-waver' for Devon. 'I am fortunate to live in and run a business in the county of which I am the earl,' he says. 'We call Powderham 'the home of Devon'. Just because I'm not able to contribute to the legislative process, there's still that ability to provide a sense of perspective for the country – and a sense of identity for the region.'
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Napoleon's iconic hat leads stunning auction of French emperor's prized possessions worth more than £5million
Napoleon Bonaparte was, according to everyone who matters, utterly compelling. The 'Little Corporal' conquered Europe, made himself emperor and wore his hat the wrong way around just to stand out. Now, that iconic bicorn headpiece is leading a stunning auction of the emperor's prized possessions. Expected to sell for nearly £700,000, the hat is one of around 100 objects being sold in Paris via leading auction house Sotheby's with an overall estimate of more than £5million (€6million). Also on offer are relics of Napoleon's romance with his beloved first wife, Josephine, whom he divorced after she failed to give birth to his desired heir. The couple's handwritten marriage contract is tipped to sell for up to £42,000 (€50,000), whilst a folio that is believed to have held their divorce papers could fetch £67,000 (€80,000). A set of Napoleon's linen clothes, complete with faded monograms, are on offer with the same upper estimate. And one of Napoleon's portable campaign beds, which he came to love so much that he even used them when in residence in France, is believed to be worth up to £50,000 (€60,000). Sotheby's expert Marine De Cenival, who is leading the sale, told MailOnline: 'This is the first time that we are offering such an important group of lots about Napoleon. 'He is probably the most famous French person in the world.' She added: 'It is really the first time you will have items from every important moment from his life.' The trove was compiled by France 's most famous antiques collector, Pierre-Jean Chalencon, who has described himself as 'Napoleon's press officer'. He is selling his collection - and his Parisian mansion separately - after getting into debt. According to The Times, he is said to be trying to pay off a €10 million loan that he took out from Swiss Life Banque Privée to fund his collection. But Chalençon told Le Parisien: 'I am not riddled with debts. I am doing well.' Napoleon's hats quickly became an inseparable part of his identity. Depicted in dozens of portraits and engravings, it ensured he stood out. The one being sold was crafted by Poupard, Napoleon's official hat maker. The emperor used it and then gifted it to General Mouton, one of his most trusted commanders. Napoleon ordered several hats in the same style each year and would change them frequently. Napoleon's signature portable campaign bed that was invented especially for him could sell for up to £50,000 (€60,000). He loved the design so much that he used it everywhere, including when at home. He bequeathed these camp beds to his son. He wrote from exile on St Helena that they were a 'modest legacy' which would preserve the memory of 'a father the universe will forever speak of' The ceremonial sword and stick used during Napoleon's coronation ceremony in 1804. They were crafted for the person in who lead the ceremony, Michel Duverdier, the chief herald of the empire. They feature imperial bees, thunderbolt engravings. Together they are expected to sell for up to £336,000 (€400,000) Born on the island of Corsica in 1769, Napoleon rose from a minor noble family to lead France after the French Revolution. He made his name at the Siege of Toulon in 1793, where he was credited with overseeing a victory over English and Spanish forces. The military leader went on to win a series of crushing victories over the Austrians, which further boosted his profile. He later went to Egypt, where his forces were roundly beaten by those of British naval hero Horatio Nelson at the Battle of the Nile in 1798. Returning to France, he launched a military coup in 1799 and was crowned Emperor of France five years later, at Notre Dame on December 2, 1804. He famously wore two crowns for the ceremony. One was modelled on the one worn by medieval Emperor Charlemagne, while the other was a gold laurel wreath befitting of a Roman emperor. His wife Josephine, whom he married in 1796, was crowned by her husband. The couple's volcanic romance - depicted in Ridley Scott's controversial 2023 film - was tempestuous. Napoleon penned frequent, graphic love letters to his wife, which she responded to tersely, driving him wild with frustration. Also in the Sotheby's sale is a portrait of Napoleon in his coronation robes, by François Gérard. It is tipped to sell for up to £252,000 (€300,000). And the ceremonial sword and stick used during the coronation ceremony by chief herald Michel Duverdier, are expected to sell for up to £336,000 (€400,000). Napoleon's dream of invading Britain and securing naval supremacy were crushed at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, at which Nelson was killed. But that defeat did not stop Napoleon from securing successive victories in Europe, over the Russians, Austrians and Prussians. Overreach followed with campaigns in Portugal and Spain and then French forces suffered catastrophic losses in the Peninsular War. Further defeats followed with the failed invasion of Russia and at the Battle of Leipzig. He did sensationally break out of exile on the island of Elba, but suffered his final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo. It was after that disaster that he spent his final days under British watch on the island of St Helena. An exhibition featuring the objects is being held in Hong Kong from today until May 27 and then in New York from June 5 until June 11.
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Blood-stained gloves from one of the most infamous moments in US history sell for $1.52 MILLION
Abraham Lincoln's blood-stained leather gloves - carried in his pocket the night he was assassinated - fetched a staggering $1.52 million at auction Wednesday, as a trove of historical artifacts was sold off to pay down an $8 million debt. The gloves were the star attraction among 144 rare Lincoln-related items that hit the block at Freeman's/Hindman Auction House in Chicago. A total of 136 pieces were sold, raising a whopping $7.9 million - though that figure includes steep buyers' premiums of around 28 percent, tacked on to cover auction house fees. The sale was the dramatic result of a two-decade-old financial mess involving the Lincoln Presidential Foundation. Back in 2007, the foundation borrowed big to buy a 1,540-piece collection from California collector Louise Taper. The items were meant to boost the appeal of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois, which had opened just two years earlier. Intended to remain in public hands forever, the collection instead became a casualty of slow fundraising, financial strain and an interagency feud, the Associated Press reported. President Abraham Lincoln Over the years, the foundation sold off non-Lincoln pieces and even threatened to part with more prized items in order to keep the museum afloat. In addition to Lincoln's infamous blood-stained leather gloves, other big-ticket sales Wednesday included one of two handkerchiefs Lincoln had on him the night he was shot, April 14, 1865. The prized handkerchief sold for an unbelievable sum of $826,000. A 'Wanted' poster featuring assassination conspirators, including John Wilkes Booth, was also put up for sale, pulling in $762,500 - a figure which shocked auctioneers as it sold far above its top estimate of $120,000. Another item auctioned off included the earliest known example of Lincoln's handwriting, scribbled in an 1824 notebook and sold for $521,200. However, one controversial item was notably absent from the auction: Lincoln's stovepipe hat which was once appraised at $6 million and touted as the crown jewel of the Taper collection. In 2012, a Chicago Sun-Times investigation cast doubt on the iconic historical piece's authenticity, which was said to have been gifted to the 16th President by a southern Illinois supporter. Years later, a 2019 study confirmed the Sun-Time hypothesis suggesting that no proof exists that the hat ever belonged to Lincoln. The Lincoln Presidential Foundation did not immediately respond to email messages seeking comment.
CTV News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Lincoln's blood-stained gloves from the night of his assassination among 144 artifacts on auction
A pair of blood-stained gloves that Abraham Lincoln had when he was assassinated at Freeman's | Hindman in West Loop, Chicago, May 15, 2025. (Pat Nabong/Chicago Sun-Times via AP) SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Treasured artifacts associated with U.S. President Abraham Lincoln were on the auction block Wednesday, separated from a collection that was intended to be available for public display forever but wound up in the middle of an interagency feud amid a lingering US$8 million debt. The blood-stained leather gloves that were in Lincoln's pocket the night he was assassinated were among the 144 items up for bid, 136 of which sold. They were auctioned to pay off the remainder of a two-decade-old loan that the Lincoln Presidential Foundation used to buy a one-of-a-kind cluster of Lincoln artifacts from a California collector. The auction at Freeman's/Hindman in Chicago raised $7.9 million, but that includes buyers' premiums of roughly 28% tacked onto each sale to cover the auction house's administrative costs. Lincoln Artifacts A piece of Abraham Lincoln's coat, which he wore when he was assassinated at Ford's Theatre on April 14, 1865, is framed at Freeman's | Hindman in West Loop, Chicago, May 15, 2025. (Pat Nabong/Chicago Sun-Times via AP) (Pat Nabong/AP) The gloves were the top-selling items, bringing in $1.52 million including the premium. One of two handkerchiefs Lincoln had with him April 14, 1865, the night he was shot, went for $826,000. A 'Wanted' poster featuring photos of three suspects in the assassination conspiracy, led by John Wilkes Booth, sold for $762,500, far higher than the top estimated price of $120,000. And the earliest known sample of the 16th president's handwriting, from a notebook in 1824, fetched $521,200. Phone and email messages seeking comment were left for the foundation. Its website said proceeds from the auction would be put toward retiring the debt and 'any excess funds will go toward our continued care and display of our extensive collection.' The foundation purchased a 1,540-item assemblage in 2007 from Louise Taper for the fledgling Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, which opened in 2005 in the city where he established a law practice and lived while serving in the Illinois Legislature and briefly in Congress. Lincoln Artifacts The "Bass-Ackwards" Manuscript, Lincoln's Frontier Ribaldry, is on display at Freeman's | Hindman in West Loop, Chicago, May 15, 2025. (Pat Nabong/Chicago Sun-Times via AP) (Pat Nabong/AP) The artifacts were supposed to give the library and museum, which was rich in Lincoln-related manuscripts, a boost in what it lacked — the meaty kind of curios that draw tourists. But fundraising was slow, forcing the sale of non-Lincoln portions of the collection and threats by the foundation to sell more before it finally extended the loan. In 2012 a controversy arose over what had been the crown jewel of the group — a stovepipe hat, appraised at $6 million, that Lincoln was said to have given as a gift to a southern Illinois supporter. That story came under intense scrutiny, as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, resulting in a 2019 study that found there was no evidence the hat belonged to Lincoln. It was not part of Wednesday's auction. John O'connor, The Associated Press
