Militaria in our February Sale
Moorabool’s February Auction offers militaria collectors a remarkable breadth of material — from a Scottish Great Sword to the dog tags of a Vietnam veteran, from Napoleonic miniatures to Boer War medals and a remarkable collection of Field Marshal Lord Roberts memorabilia.
Napoleonic Miniatures & Dioramas
From a local ex-soldier’s estate comes his collection of military miniatures. He had a fascination with the Napoleonic period, and collected a large army of beautifully detailed soldiers — some cast metal, most very fine plastics. They have been divided into several large groups, with the centrepiece being a diorama illustrating the headquarters of the Duke of Wellington on the morning of the Battle of Waterloo, complete with maps and weapons, all portrayed at realistic miniature scale. Another group represents the flamboyant costumes of the Cavalry of the time.
A Curiosity: The Berloque Pistol
Measuring just 5cm from suspension ring to muzzle, this ‘Behner’ pinfire pistol is a masterpiece of miniaturisation — a fully functional single-shot pistol, chased and scrolled across its nickel body with the same decorative ambition as a full-sized dress weapon, yet small enough to balance on a fingertip. Made in Austria or Germany around 1890–1910 for the novelty and watch-chain trade, these berloque-style fob pistols were fashionable curiosities worn by gentlemen on their pocket watch chains — a conversation piece that also happened to actually fire. This rarity retains its original accessories.
The Boer War Collection
Field Marshal Lord Roberts of Kandahar
Field Marshal Lord Roberts of Kandahar is remarkably well represented in this sale. The centrepiece is lot 485 — a very large original Edwardian official photographic portrait (53×70cm). There are many more representations of Roberts in the collection, from a double-sided pendant with Queen Victoria on one side and Lord Roberts on the other.
One remarkable piece is the treat-box of Christmas Cake Queen Victoria provided for the troops in 1900. The recipient wasn’t hungry: it has the cake still inside, a little dried up after 125 years.
An autograph letter from Roberts forms part of the Elgin Commission evidence he gave in 1902–03. Written at the height of the Royal Commission on the War in South Africa’s proceedings, Lord Roberts asks ‘please forgive me’ as he returns to Major General Sir John Holland — his former headquarters staff officer — the proof of Holland’s personal narrative of the campaign.
