Militaristic theme to top lots

IT’S been over 1,500 years since the centurions marched out of Cirencester for the final time, but judging by the sale of primitive weapons at a Cotswold auction house last week, you’d think Boudicca herself was plotting a belated insurrection, when swords, shields and spears – along with the head of the first Roman emperor – went under the hammer.

Two English cutlasses with painted knuckle guards and handles achieved the best price of all the weapons, and some surprise too when the hammer fell at £480 against an estimate of £30 to £50 at Moore Allen & Innocent’s general sale on Friday, May 15.

Meanwhile, a German military helmet with original leather liner, together with a sword housed in a metal scabbard, sold for £140; a 19th century Indian circular shield with foliate engraved decoration made £95; two Indian pikes with bamboo handles were bought for £90; a 19th century pike with wavy blade made £65 and two reproduction poleaxes were sold for £45.

Elsewhere, a white marble and Siena marble bust of emperor Caesar Augustus, wearing his war armour, achieved £600 – a sum at the top of the £400 to £600 estimate.

And continuing the militaristic theme, Beswick pottery figures of warriors on horseback proved popular, none more so than an Indian chief on a skewbold horse, which sold for £500 against an estimate of £200 to £300, while a Canadian Mountie on black horse made £360.

But the top price of the day prompted the biggest shock. An oak drop leaf occasional table, made from a 17th century stool with an 18th century top, and estimated at £50 to £80, made a whopping £680.

A collection of Beswick pottery figures, including an Indian chief and a Canadian Mountie	A collection of swords, shields, spears and other weapons