UK Silver Antiques
British Military
Collectables, Royal Memorabilia
Silver
Antiques & Collectables
17th
Century ~ to the present Day
Preserving the past for
the future
Item: Incredible Historic WWI Collection to Private William Hamilton RFC.
For Sale is a historic WWI Collection
of 45 items, to Private William Hamilton Royal Flying Corps and the Staffordshire Regiment. The Collection comprises of a an incredibly
rare Mappin & Webb 15ct Gold, diamond and enamel locket, the enamel work is
stunning and has been commissioned especially for his wife, made especially by this
prolific and highly collectable Royal Gold and Silversmiths of London England. The locket comes with photograph inside along
with a simple inscription to the reverse ?From Billy Flanders 1916-17-18, along
original receipts from Mappin and Webb 1917. Solid Silver Cigarette Case, Vesta
and Cigar Cutter along with personal letters, birth/death certificates. A story of one mans love, war and death. Please read below for full description and
incredible story, Private Hamilton was gassed during WWI and was admitted to an
Asylum in 1918 due to the atrocities that he had witnessed during the war and
died the following year due to Paralysis of the Insane and gangrene of the left
lung (from the gas attack in the trenches).
This is an incredibly sad story should be preserved. This collection I
believe should be in a museum. For the
collector or investor of historic artefacts preserving the past for the
future. Please note I will not be
accepting offers on this collection sale price only.
Private
Collection of Gold Locket, medals, documentation, photographs belonging to
Private William Hamilton of the Royal Flying Corps. This very large group of 45
individual items belonged to Private William Hamilton serving with the Royal
Flying Corps during WW1, after surviving the war unfortunately he succumbed to
his wounds and died in hospital in 1919. The set comprises of a superb gold, Diamonds and enamel RFC
locket was purchased by Private Hamilton from Mappin and Webb goldsmiths
of Oxford Street London on the 6th of December 1917 the day after his
wedding, comes with the original purchase receipt, along with a second receipt
from the same company dated the following day for the inscription to the
locket. The gold locket features a miniature of the RFC badge in enamel and
gold with diamonds inset below the Royal crown, the quality is exceptional.
Engraved on the reverse side of the gold case is a four line presentation inscription,
From Billy, Flanders 1916-17-18.The locket opens to reveal a small photograph
of William Hamilton, complete with brown leatherette presentation box. The collection also has a Silver hallmarked
cigarette case with William Reeve Hamilton's initials to the lid, silver marks
for Birmingham 1912. Silver vesta case, silver marks for Birmingham 1906.
Silver cigar cutter, silver marks for Sheffield 1909. Pair of WW1 trench art
letter openers, one formed from bullet case and marked Somme / Ypres, the other
one with carved wooden handle and brass blade marked Ypres Cathedral 1916 /
1917. Extending brass bullet pencil engraved. Set of thee Enfield 303 bullet cases,
one with head, reading glasses with case. Six printed tin bomb labels and one
for flares, seven in total.WW1 silver service badge, FOR KING AND EMPIRE
SERVICE RENDERED, membership number to the reverse side. The War and Victory medals in mint condition and
both engraved, 27767 Pte W. R .Hamilton RFC together with their box of issue and
certificate .The documents comprise, birth certificate, marriage certificate,
death notification from Worcestershire Asylum where he resided for just over a
year, burial letter along with photographs of his gravestone ,membership card
British Red cross. various letters dated 1916 concerning Mr Hamilton's service
with Volunteer Ambulance service in London regarding his attempt to be exempt
from military service because of his important war work, unfortunately these attempts were not
successful. Initially he served with the Staffordshire Regiment, then
transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, photograph of Hamilton in full RFC
uniform, along with an additional photograph of British WWI Colleagues, two
polytechnic magazines, on mentions Williams death. Personal letter to his newly married wife
Olive, where he expresses his love and jealousy asking her not to go out with
other men in his absence and stating how he loves her soul rather than her earthly
looks. There is also a lovely pressed
twig with flowers from Flanders dated
1917 which he sent to Olive before she became his wife in December 2017.
Sadly you will see that Olive and William married on 5th December 2017,
William was then admitted to the Asylum just nine months later on 13th
September 2018 and died the following year on 26th September 2019.
Condition: the silver has bumps here and there fully
hallmarked to all items that was pre WWI.
This is not about the silver or the weight it is about a Personal
Historic Collection. Documents have age
marks here and there; in great condition please see photos to judge for
yourself.
Please take time to
view our antiquities here on eBay, where you will find
many silver items as well as, medals, coins and antiques with the options for
bidding and buy now. Maybe a gift for
someone special, birthdays , christenings , all occasions, for your own
collection maybe or pieces of
historic interest.