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Surgeon Reynolds VC Miniatures and Personal Effects
peterw


Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 865
Location: UK
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THE HIGHLY IMPORTANT GROUP OF PERSONAL EFFECTS OF SURGEON J H REYNOLDS, VC OF RORKE`S DRIFT FAME comprising
(a) Contemporary miniature Victoria Cross and South Africa 1877-79 Medal with 1877-9 bar, very fine with well worn ribands and double silver riband buckle, in Vaughton & Sons, Birmingham fitted case
(b) Beaumont-Adams patent 54 bore five shot percussion revolver, the frame engraved ADAMS` PATENT 21,080 36,879 and on the top flat TRULOCK & HARRIS 9 DAWSON ST DUBLIN, retaining much original bluing, chequered walnut rounded butt, in the original baize lined and fitted oak case, the lid with brass roundel engraved J.H.R., the underside with printed trade label of R. ADAMS... 76 KING WILLIAM STREET London EC, with several accessories including copper SYKES PATENT powder flask, brass bullet mould, C & J W Hawkesley oil can and double helix extractor [see also (f)]
(c) Victorian brass mounted mahogany domestic medicine chest with fitted interior and drawer containing various contemporary glass bottles and stoppers, steel beam scales with brass pans and weights, engraved brass plaque mounted on the underside of the lid inscribed MEDICAL CHEST AND TIMEPIECE FORMALLY [sic] BELONGING TO MY GRANDFATHER, EMPLOYED BY MY FATHER DURING THE DEFENCE ROURKE`S [sic] DRIFT, 30cm w [see also (d) below]
(d) Irish giltmetal hunting cased verge watch, signed on the backplate Gower DUBLIN 6755, with finely pierced and engraved balance cock and foot, enamel dial with arabic chapters and gold hands, casemaker TG, early 19th c
(e) Silver presentation medal, obverse two standing soldiers and ROYAL WELCH FUS; reverse engraved PRESENTED TO LT COL J H REYNOLDS, VC BY A FEW OLD COMRADES JAN 1929 between laurels, 40mm, hallmarked Birmingham 1929
(f) Black tooled leather pocket case of surgical instruments, mounted with engraved brass tablet inscribed SURGEON MAJOR J H REYNOLDS, containing curved needle and gum lancet with tortoiseshell guard, two lancets with tortoiseshell guards, curved bistoury, blunt pointed dissecting forceps, fenestrated dissecting forceps, ivory trochar and cannula and ligature silk, case by Fannin & Co Dublin [This case of instruments was subsequently exhibited by the RAMC andcard in the case reads SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS AND PISTOL EMPLOYED DURING THE DEFENCE OF RORKE`S DRIFT 22nd JAN 1879 BY LIEUT COL J H REYNOLDS, VC, PRESENTED BY HIS DAUGHTER MRS LLOYD]
(g) Black leather pocket case of surgical instruments, containing artery forceps, director, spatula, aneurysm needle and probe, case by S Maw, Son & Sons
(h) Victorian brass mounted mahogany case of post mortem instruments, including saw, two knives, chisel, hammer, silver cannula, chain hooks and two universal handles, one for the knives and saw, the other for the hammer and chisel, several by S Maw, Son & Thompson
(i) French small tooled black leather Gladstone bag, tooled in blind with the gothic initials JHR, engraved brass catch inscribed BREVET� S.G.D.G., c 37cm w
(j) Silver mounted ivory paper knife, hallmarked Birmingham 1896, (understood to have been presented to Reynolds on his retirement)
(k) Gentleman`s leather travelling bag, lacking almost all standard contents, the lid tooled with the initials JHR
(l) Photograph of Reynolds, seated full length in uniform with his dog on his lap, albumen print, 18 x 12cm, laid down and on the reverse a similar photograph of his daughter Elizabeth Anne
with contemporary glazed mahogany display case with sloping lid, 92cm w
Provenance: Elizabeth Anne Lloyd (Reynolds` daughter) by whom given to a close friend, thence by descent until sold at auction by Spink & Son Ltd, 11 May 2001, lot 707 (�42,345 to the present vendor)
VC: London Gazette, 17.6.1879 `For the conspicuous bravery during the attack at Rorke`s Drift on the 22 and 23 January 1879, which he exhibited in his constant attention to the wounded under fire and in his voluntary conveying ammunition from the store to the defenders of the hospital whereby he exposed himself to cross fire from the enemy both in going and returning`.
Brigade Surgeon Lieutenant-Colonel James Henry Reynolds, VC, was born at Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire), County Dublin on 3 February 1844, the son of Laurence Reynolds, JP of Dalyston House Granard, County Longford. He was educated at Castle Knock and later at Trinity College, Dublin from where he graduated BA, MB, ChB in 1867.
The defence of the Field Hospital at the Mission Station at Rorke`s Drift, on a crossing of the Buffalo River, Natal, by about 150 British and Colonial troops against 3000-4000 Zulu warriors followed the disastrous loss of the Battle of Isandlwana the previous day. The Battle of Rorke`s Drift immediately attained legendary status for the supreme gallantry displayed, resulting in the award of eleven Victoria Crosses.
Many accounts have been written of the events on 22 and 23 January 1879, and the Battle has been the subject of depictions and dramatisations, most memorably in the 1960s film Zulu. The 2001 sale catalogue gives a very detailed account of the Battle and Reynolds` gallantry, over nearly 4 pages.
In the same state of completeness and condition as at the time of the 2001 sale
Estimate:
�18,000 - �22,000

http://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/auction-catalogues/mellors-and-kirk/catalogue-I'd-2871812/lot-19186370
filters[user]=136414042&filters[recent]=1&sort=1&o=0
http://lot-images.atgmedia.com/SR/10086/2871812/1375-201396112416_468x382.jpg

The estimate is interesting in that the lower figure is less than half it fetched at auction in 2001. Reynolds' full size VC group is at the Army Medical Services Museum.

Peter
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AMB


Joined: 07 Oct 2005
Posts: 921
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Peter,

Te estimate seems very low; too low. It will be interesting to see how much the vendor makes over and above his 2001 outlay.

AMB
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peterw


Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 865
Location: UK
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The estimate will most likely have been set by the auctioneer with the consent of the vendor. I suspect that the reserve price will be some way north of the estimate. In the dim and distant past I thought Lee Stevenson contributed to a thread that referred to him being present at the Spink auction but I couldn't locate the link. Whether the under-bidder in 2001 is as keen to acquire them now.........who knows. But it's a wonderful collection.

Peter
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AMB


Joined: 07 Oct 2005
Posts: 921
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It would be nice if the whole lot could be placed in the AMS Museum, but I suspect [sadly] that they do not have the funds.

AMB
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peterw


Joined: 30 Aug 2005
Posts: 865
Location: UK
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The Reynolds collection hammered at �16,000 (say �19,000 with commission and VAT). I don't know about the individual values but that looks like a very good deal to me. These things are of course relative, assuming that anyone has that amount of money to spend.

Peter
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Surgeon Reynolds VC Miniatures and Personal Effects
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