Mervyn Mitton

The police officer is an earlier period - 1914 - London and is by Ken Kearsley. The MG is by Lesney.

Liverpool Police MG - until I saw this model I had no idea any Police Force had used sports cars. I think this is the MG - TD model, so would date from the 1950's ? There is a Society for collectors with interest in old police vehicles.

I have a number of sets of items in the collection which will be better shown, some at a time. This is the first of some good Police models and shows the first Metropolitan Police Officer in 1829. I think these are Stadden's - the famous model makers and are in pewter. He is accurately modelled and shows the top hat of the period , a lantern, his rattle and on his left hip is his truncheon - they were carried in a leather case at that time. I will add another piece to start and, it would be good if anyone else can add as we go along.

Continuing this post of old items from Helen. These are examples of the famous Knobkerry - known in Zulu as an IWISA (e wee sa) - they are actually quite rare as they are in regular use and just haven't survived. The top one is an Iwisa - the one with a smaller head ia an IQUBANGA. This is more ceremonial and would be carried by a chief - or, Induna - when he was at home in his Kraal - and 'off duty' ! Many different woods could be used - Ironwood was always popular - very heavy. Very often they will have copper and brass at intervals along the shaft and some of the 'Kraal' ones have snuff boxes in the knob. I think we have one in the shop, ifso I will post.

Brian - a lovely collection and your research is impressive. They do not come-up for sale that often. Congratulations on a most interesting post. Mervyn

Welcome back - Will. A rare badge - it's funny that the brass is always worn from over polishing. They used to use fine sand - I don't suppose that helps...

'Washed' - I always work on the basis that every old spear, has probably been 'washed' about ten times. Zulus are warriors - the women do the work - they do the fighting !! Because , in Victorian times the men would not do manual labour, we brough indentured Indian labourers into Natal to do the menial work - being the fine workers they are - they now own most of Natal !! Les - I can only agree with your acute observations. When Shaka started his 'expansion' policy, the first thing that happened was that the clans and tribes near him moved away - and set-up what is now Swaziland. The further South the Impis went , the more they came into contact with the Xhosa's. Also a warlike tribe, they are traditional enemies of the Zulus. However, they could not match them in those early days and just merged in and became 'Zulus'. The ruling party in S.A. is the African National Congress (A.N.C.) and their leaders, including Nelson Mandela, are Xhosas. The result has been in recent years that the original central/Northern Natal districts where the King came from are Inkatha Freedom Party (I.F.P.) and the Southern areas are strongly A.N.C. - this has led to a lot of problems. Our new President - Jacob Zuma - is the first Zulu President and we are hopeful that will settle things down. Just an historical observation - the word, INKATHA , is actually the throne that the king traditionally sits on to make judgements. When a new King comes to the throne - every clan and village will cut reeds and send them to the King - this shows their acceptance and respect. The reeds are then woven into a giant rope - as thick as a man - and then this is coiled to about five feet high (150cm) .

When did the Sovereign first start to be used ? I suppose in some ways, it must be descended from the Roman gold denarius??

You have good eyes - I hadn't noticed the little blob at the top. You are probably right that it was turned into a brooch. They had a nasty habit of taking suspenders off medals and doing the same. I suppose if they earned it, they have the right to do what they want !

A few years ago we used to see them all the time - now they seem to have become rare - perhaps more in UK. I think that all good militaria seems to be scarce - is it more collectors or, people hanging on as good inflation investments ??

Yes - an old Zulu Isiphapha - with cow tail binding. Use a little furniture polish on the shaft - when handled regularly, they get a nice sheen.

Pity,Mike - a good axe at least ?1000 !

Helen - nice to have the extra photos. What does surprise me is that the barrel is rifled - wouldn't have thought it necessary on a wall gun ? Marks do look Turkish and that looks like an Arabic numeral - shot size - armoury number ?? The plot thickens !!!!

TS - great. Would be nice to see some of the uniform pictures - they were very elaborate with their gold braid.

Mike,if it has the three bead fasteners, then yes, probably for arm or ankles. Zulus like adornment, but on the ankle it would be very liable to being caught on things. Those dates tie in very well - didn't she leave anything good - like an axe ???

Hi - Tom. I agree with Helen - without looking at her reply, I had decided Congo region - just has that look. I think it is ceremonial - or, show and could also have been pole mounted. Look at the short handgrip and the finial stud at the top, which could easily fit into a collar. The spear is Zulu - or, I will confirm when you post a picture of the head, where it becomes the neck. When I posted an earlier neck collar, I also showed an early drawing of Zulu smiths and they used tongs to hold the head whilst they beat out the shape. There are sixteen patterns of Zulu spears - some people hold to 25 - but, I think that starts to get a bit 'picky'. Only two are military - the others are in different shapes and weights to deal with different animals and birds. I will be posting - another time , different types of spears. When a Zulu warrior went into battle , he carried a shield - either an Umbumbulu - as I illustrated some postings ago, two throwing spears - an Iklwa, or short stabbing spear and, very often a knobkerry or an axe - if he was a chief (Induna). The spear you have - and an assegai is a generic name for a spear - is called an Isiphapha (isi papa) and is the second of the military ones. Both of these names ar onamatopaeic (Helen, did I get the spelling right ?) - which means the name is as the sound. An Iklwa is named after the sound it makes as it is pulled from the body - the Isiphapha is a throwing spear and is given a twist as it's thrown. The sound is ' pha pha pha' There are three possible bindings - copper and brass (obtained from the Portuguese in Delgoa Bay), woven strips from the Ilala Palm and, the end of a cow's tail - pulled straight on like a condom. Over time the leather sets as if it is metal - tap yours and you will see what I mean. Value wise - yours has the shaft a little distorted from being left in one position - however, probably around 100-120 years old and the end of the shaft still has the carved knob to pull it from bodies - so, I would say Rands 3000 to R3500 (?240 $360)

In years to come this will be useful ident. material. Although these are miniatures, they are the same as those issued.

Top row: Air Force Sgts.. Army Officer - cap badge.. Airforce Officers cap badge Middle row : Symbol Brasilian Army.. Air Force Under Officers Cap badge.. Army cap badge - O/R/'s Bottom row: Cap Badge - Military Police - State of Paraiba.. Cap badge - Military Police - State of Parana

Have had this board of Brasilian badges for a number of years - I have general identification for each badge, but that is all. What dates are they from - what sort of value - these I will leave to the experts. I have been four times to Brasil, and if I were younger would go to live there.

Hi - Thomas. Your shell is the shrapnel 12lb. or, 15 lb. Cases fitted both guns. To find a complets shell - even in this condition is quite rare. However, I must caution you - has the firing pin been discharged ? The explosive was Lyddite - extremely unstable and volatile - and great care has to be taken with it. In WW1 we lost several warships from self destruction. Later, it became cordite which was much safer. The man who 'tamed' Lyddite was NOBEL who found a way to infuse it into clay - Dynamight - or, is it Dynamite (sounds like an Australian spread !!) I wouldn't think a great value in this condition. About five years ago a Zulu Kraal in Pietermaritzburg had an explosion which killed over 50 peeople. Turned out a 50lb. shell had been buried many years ago - they had lit over it - not knowing it was there - and as they say, the rest is history. Someone else will have to advise you on the rifle bullets - not my interest - they all look the same. (Pages from 'The Hall Handbook of the Anglo Boer War - by Darrell Hall )