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A pair of 12 bore Irish silver mounted pistols by William and John Rigby, Dublin will come up at Thomas Del Mar’s auction of antique arms and armour in London on July 10. The DB Percussion carriage pistols are Numbers 10959 and 10960 for August 1859 and estimated at £12,000-15,000. They are in very good condition throughout.
THE SWORD CANE
The sword cane of Sir Henry Paget (1768-1854), who became Lord Lieutenant of Ireland in 1827, comes up at Thomas Del Mar’s auction of arms and armour in London on June 28. He was a comparatively popular Lord Lieutenant because of his evident sympathy for the cause of Catholic emancipation this was a role in which he was in constant personal danger. Initially he served in Ireland for one year and was re-appointed in 1830-33.
It is possible the sword cane was purchased in Anglesea prior to his passage to Ireland. As Earl of Uxbridge he enjoyed the confidence of Wellington and commanded the Allied Cavalry at the Battle of Waterloo.
He lost his leg towards the end of that battle and walked thereafter with the aid of a bespoke prosthetic right leg. Immediately after the battle he was created Marquess of Anglesea. The sword cane is estimated at £3,000-5,000.
The Sebastopol saucepan. UPDATE: IT SOLD FOR £300
One of the more unusual items at Thomas del Mar’s auction of arms and militaria in London on December 2 is a copper saucepan. Not just any copper saucepan. This one has strong historic connections and is from the Crimea. It is inscribed: “taken from the ruins of Sebastopol, the day after the fall, Septr 9, 1855” by A Farquharson, cook of the S.S. Imperatrix. It is estimated at £150-200.
The siege of Sebastopol had lasted a year, from September 1854 to September 1855 and is regarded as one of the classic sieges of all time. It was the final episode of the Crimean War.
