From Brown Bess To Brown Bear 499 Lots under the Hammer

Bosleys recent sale was held on the 7th June at the Stafford Ravon Court saleroom, containing 499 lots the sale attracted UK and international online bidding 
A strong badge section contained more lots from the Bob Betts Colonial Collection which continues to create great international interest with many rare examples covering the military and civilian forces of Africa through to the Far East, a board of badges representing the Forces of Oman And United Arab Emirates after battle between a UK and an overseas bidder fell to a  hammer price of £700.
This section also contained lots from a large International military and merchant naval cap tally collection with British naval cap tallies of Great War and Second World War hammering £420 while a selection of scarce WW1 RNVR talliers sold for £380.
Medals included a scarce Great War group including the MBE and Military Cross awarded to First Class Staff Sergeant Major A Hewett ASC, a veteran of Mons August 1914, sold for £820.
An interesting selection of Curios included an good quality oil painting portrait of an Officer of the Royal Artillery, depicted in detail wearing a steel helmet and gas mask, worn at the ready, this sold for £680. A unusual lot amongst this section was a Taxidermy small brown bear, consigned as part of the contents of a private military museum, which sold for £1,700
Headdress and uniforms saw an Interwar Durham Light Infantry Other Rank's Pith Helmet sell for £320 and a rare 1943 Dated Airborne Paratrooper's Dennison Smock, which could have seen fighting during the battle of Arnhem, sell for £940 and an Indian Kurta sold, well above estimate, at £840.

Weapons once again had a strong and varied representation with a superb Ex Warwick Castle Militia Brown Bess 42 Inch musket by the renowned gunmaker Nock sell for £3,000 and representing the enemy, a scarce Napoleonic period French Charleville 1777 Pattern Musket which sold for £1,500. Deactivated guns, included a Colt 1911 Automatic Pistol, earmarked by the vendor for surrender to the police as the certificate was out of date after a quick call to Marlows, they were able to take advantage of our deact upgrade service and pleased they were when the hammer fell at £800. An unusual feature of this example was the clear perspex grips with photographs of the owner's wife and daughter, this was a popular practice by the US servicemen during the Vietnam War.
Swords should have a quick mention with a good WW2 military mounted Japanese Officer's Katana sword with signed tang selling for £1,100 and a fine quality ornately decorated Burmese Dha Sword with silver and gilt decoration, selling for £2,200. 
All in all a very successful day for the vendors with only 10 lots unsold and the remaining 489 finding new homes.