RARE HISTORICAL MILITARIA PRINTS

[Stuart Bates]

Benny,

beautiful caricatures, especially the 2nd Dragoons but I pity that poor Scots Grey.

You neglected to say that the other was an Argyll & Sutherland Highlander but I guess I flagged that in an earlier post.

Stuart

[Mervyn Mitton]

Two more great prints Benny - thankyou for adding. The question now - is who is the 2nd Dragoon Officer who is being caricatured. These were never without a purpose - who was their Colonel-in - chief at that time ?

You don't give a date - I would think Crimea War or, later.

[jocktamson]

Thats a hard one, I have no idea of who he could be Mervyn or the date...I would have thought the caricature is of someone Pre-1877 as they still depict him as the 2nd Dragoons not the Royal Scots Greys, not many clues in the drawing who he might be, and not much to identify him, or from what era, the only colonel of the greys i know is George Calvert Clarke in the 1890s, but i doubt its him.

[QSAMIKE]

Good Afternoon Gentelmen, Mervyn, Stewart and Jock.....

The prints that are shown above and attached are from a book called ARMY and NAVY DROLLERIES.....

I have a few of the prints myself, there is a set of 26.....

Take a look at this:

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&tn=ARMY+AND+NAVY+DROLLERIES&x=66&y=22

Mike

[GRA]

Thats a hard one, I have no idea of who he could be Mervyn or the date...I would have thought the caricature is of someone Pre-1877 as they still depict him as the 2nd Dragoons not the Royal Scots Greys, not many clues in the drawing who he might be, and not much to identify him, or from what era, the only colonel of the greys i know is George Calvert Clarke in the 1890s, but i doubt its him.

Here's some suggestions as to possible colonels, but does it have to be a colonel? Couldn't it be another at the time well-known regimental character? A medal is visible, which one?

1839.08.24 Gen. Sir William Keir Grant, KCB, GCH

1852.05.25 Lt-Gen. Archibald Money, CB

1858.08.26 Lt-Gen. Arthur Moyses William (Hill), 2nd Baron Sandys

1860.07.17 Lt-Gen. Sir Alexander Kennedy Clark-Kennedy, KCB, KH

1864.01.31 Gen. Sir John Bloomfield Gough, GCB

1891.09.23 Gen. George Calvert Clarke, CB

/Jonas

[Stuart Bates]

Thomas Strong Seccombe, the illustrator of Benny's caricatures, was an officer in the Royal Artillery -

1. commissioned as Lieutenant 21st June 1856
   
2. promoted Captain 3rd April 1867
   
3. promoted Major 21st August 1875
   

Not a very distinguished career apparently so just as well he had his drawing ability to fall back on. I have just followed Mikes' link and there are several copies of the book available, as indeed, are individual prints but the latter at £85 are a tad pricey. The individual prints are all dated 1873.

As Mike says there are 26 prints in the series and I doubt that any/many were directed at a given individual and I say this just by looking at them.

Stuart

Edited September 24, 2011 by Stuart Bates

[jocktamson]

Thankyou Mike & Jonas, I think i might have found the answer to mervyn's question....it seems it may not be any individual in particular...just a play on words....between light and heavy dragoons..

http://www.sotherans.co.uk/Search.php?stk=2052948&sText=%20&type[]=prints

Thought I would share one more i have with everyone.

Edited September 22, 2011 by jocktamson

[Stuart Bates]

The 1964 film Zulu was probably what got me started on military history and subsequently militaria. This is a contemporary illustration of Lieutenants Chard and Bromhead immediately after the "battle."

It is very evocative but like the film has several innacuracies e.g. the helmets seem to have puggarees which were not authorised for South Africa at this time and assuming Chard on the left he has a spike to his helmet and, perhaps, a helmet plate? Chard had a large handlebar moustache whilst Bromhead, pronounced "Brumhead", sported a good deal of facial hair.

The dispute between Chard and Bromhead was pure fiction as Chard's Lieutenancy pre-dated Bromhead's by more than three years -

• Chard was commissioned Lieutenant on 15th July 1868
  
• Bromhead was promoted Lieutenant on 28th October 1871
  

and the unfortunate Major Spalding had already left Chard in command when he departed for Helpmakaar.

Nevertheless a fine military print.

Stuart

[Mervyn Mitton]

Benny - thanks to Mike you have a date period. I checked a book on British Regt. and the only Hon.Colonel I could find for the Royal Scots was the Czar of Russia in 1894. He was appointed their Commander in Chief. This is obviously too late and with the title of the book I think it was just a flight of imagination.

Nice print Stuart - they haven't made it over the top. Yours has only one dead Zulu - usually they have them in heaps !

[Stuart Bates]

I think this one just makes it into this thread. It is the Commission Certificate for Frank Ibbetson as 2nd Lieutenant. He was commissioned into the 2nd Volunteer Battalion, The Prince Of Wales's Own (The West Yorkshire Regiment) on the 23rd November 1898. The certificate has Queen Victoria's signature and her seal.

He was promoted to Lieutenant on 29th November 1899. I also have his promotion certificate signed by George V for his captaincy which took effect from the 30th September 1914. Quite a long wait for promotion!

These certificates came, framed, with his Blue Cloth helmet and tin.

Stuart

[Mervyn Mitton]

Here are a couple more prints from the Victorian magazine 'Vanity Fair'. They were famous for commissioning drawings

of famous people - connected to events of the time. Stuart has already shown a couple.

In the 1880's the Khedive of Egypt started to give problems over the ownership and running of the Suez Canal. With the importance this Canal had become to Britain by allowing much quicker links with overseas territories, there was no way we would part with control. The French had a lot to do with the problems - they resented us taking it over - since it was a Frenchman Ferdinand DeLessepes who had made the original design. (Doesn't sound French - but, they were in there somewhere ! )

The Khedive was actually quite pro-British - but his Prime Minister really held the power and was violently anti-British - he was Ahmed Arabir - shown on his print as " The Egyptian"

Things detiorated and in 1882 we sent an expeditionary force - it took a number of years to bring peace and the problems in the Sudan were opportunistic once they saw we were having problems.

We really should consider the Egyptian Campaign - Battles and Medals - as a full post. Meanwhile here are prints from July 1882.

[Mervyn Mitton]

This picture show The Khedive of Egypt in 1882. He is holding one of his awards - the medal with blue and white ribbon is the Colonial Service Medal for the Campaign - there were a number of Bars for different Battles.

[Mervyn Mitton]

This is Ahmed Arabir - The Egyptian. An evil piece of work.

[Mervyn Mitton]

I think old prints can give a lot of research material and are invaluable for seeing how people lived

their lives in these earlier times. Please feel free to add to this post - there is no limitation on subject or, period.

This first picture dates from 1829 and shows 'John Bull' dealing with the new police who had just been introduced.

The papers and magazines had been very hostile to the idea of a regular Police Force and when the Metropolitan

Police came into being in 1829 they were not well received. The French Revolution had only been some 36 years

earlier and it was thought the Police could become an oppressive arm of the Government.

Shows the uniforms well and note the decorated truncheons in the waistcoat pocket.

[Mervyn Mitton]

The breed standard for Dachshunds in 1882.

This is a good example of how old prints are still useful. A firm called Cassell's used to send artists to all of the

Agricultural Shows and draw the winning animals. These were then printed and copies sold to the owners' of the animals.

This was sufficient for them to make money.

[Mervyn Mitton]

This is neither a print or, of great age. The little Dachsund was mine when I lived in Thailand in 1960

so, 52 years old. The reason I am showing it is that it uses a technique which has become rare in today's World.

Known as scraperboard the card is specially printed black. The artist uses a scalpel to 'scrape ' away the detail leaving the

subject in white outline. One mistake and you start again - probably why it is not used a lot now. I have always found it to be a very attractive medium.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Sporting prints were always popular with our ancestors - particularly hunting and boxing.

This is by the famous artist H.Alken and was printed in 1820 - the beginning of King George 4th. Reign.

Foxhunting uses larger hounds and the followers ride horses. However, all over Britain - at that time were

packs of Beagles. You can see from this print that they had been bred down from foxhounds - today,

there is very little similarity to these dogs of 192 years ago.

The followers of hunting with beagles followed on foot. They mainly hunted otters, badgers and foxes.

The print shows the hunt master in the dress of the day - and holding a long stick to control the hounds.

This is a print with age and a lot of interest. Remember that the outline was printed in black and then

hand coloured.

CLICK TO ENLARGE PICTURE

[Mervyn Mitton]

[Mervyn Mitton]

Quite a while since we added to this Post. Two subjects which may be of interest to Members.

Firstly Brigadier Lord Chesham - Imperial Yeomanry - Boer War.

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_12_2012/post-6209-0-50031500-1355662995.jpgclick

[Mervyn Mitton]

This is probably a graduating class of Royal Artillery Officer Cadets - and this is probably at Woolwich . Their

College and HQ on the South Bank of the Thames in London. From their dress and headgear I would say 1880's -

all comments will be welcome. The piedmont of the Arch shows it to commemorate the Crimea in 1854,55 and 56.

However, the two units were closely associated in those days.

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_12_2012/post-6209-0-10314300-1355663280.jpgclick

[Mervyn Mitton]

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_12_2012/post-6209-0-67308700-1355663697.jpgclick

[Mervyn Mitton]

The details on the reverse of the photo seem to be the photographer noting print sizes - however, there

is a name - could it be for one of the Cadets in the photo ?

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_12_2012/post-6209-0-51464800-1355663941.jpgclick

[Noor]

Hi,

Because here is already few items shown from another countries then UK, I post up that old oil painting as well. This one is made by German painter (name below) using WW1 period Navy patriotic postcard motives. Actually it is slightly larger, I used my scanner and it didn't fit all in.

Anyway, it is surelly period made onto proper canvas, thick layer of paint and wooden frame. If there is interest, I can make better picture in daylight.

[Mervyn Mitton]

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_07_2013/post-6209-0-21972700-1372858265.jpgclick

This quality print shows a Spitfire attacking Dornier Bombers in WW2. The artist is

Mark Potchaway and it was painted in 2002 for the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund.

1250 were sold.

[Mervyn Mitton]

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_07_2013/post-6209-0-08342800-1372859069.jpgclick

This shows the South African Air Force HQ Directorate in 1942. I am surprised at the number of personnel. I will show the names section in the next post in case anyone's relative were serving.