A medal awarded to Horatio Nelson after the Battle of Cape St Vincent is to fetch £500,000 at auction.
The 1797 battle, fought during the French Revolutionary Wars, was fought in the Caribbean and saw British hero Nelson defy orders by bravely allowing his ship, HMS Captain, leave the Royal Navy fleet and attack the Spanish on her own. His actions led to the surrender of four Spanish ships.
Despite disobeying orders his good work in helping defeat the Spanish - despite the British ships being outnumbered - saw him awarded the Breast Star of the Order of the Bath, his first medal.
When Nelson was shot dead on the deck of his ship HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 the medal was passed to his brother, the Reverend William Nelson who sent it to the hero’s confidant Admiral Sir Richard Goodwin Keats.
The French Revolutionary Wars started when the newly created French Republic looked in suspicion at the monarchies surrounding it, including Britain's - and, in turn, the monarchies surrounding it looked in suspicion at the French Republic - and so tried to invade its neighbours to wipe out their monarchies and impose the ideas of the French Revolution (that everyone should be peasants living off turnips in mudhuts and anyone earning above the modern equivalent of £200 a month is an evil aristo) on those countries. France managed to do this to some extent but failed to do so with Britain which, of course, is still a monarchy. During the wars, Spain was originally one of Britain's allies until it joined forces with France in 1796.
Nelson was only 12 when he joined the Royal Navy on 1st January 1771. He joined the HMS Raisonnable as an Ordinary Seaman and coxswain under his uncle, Captain Maurice Suckling, who commanded the vessel.
The medal will be auctioned at Sotheby’s in London on October 22, the day after the day celebrated in Britain as Trafalgar Day.
A rare poster celebrating Nelson's victory over the French at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 during the Napoleonic Wars is up for sale at Lyon & Turnbull auctioneers.
The poster, printed at a time when Great Britain was top dog, proudly proclaims: "Britannia Triumphant. THE MOST DECISIVE AND TRIUMPHANT NAVAL VICTORY THAT EVER WAS OBTAINED SINCE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD!! THE VICTORIOUS BRITISH FLEET Was commanded by the most renowned, most gallant, and ever-to-be-lamented Hero, Admiral Lord Viscount NELSON; AND THE VANQUISHED FLEETS OF FRANCE AND SPAIN By the Admiral VILLENEUVE and GRAVINA."
Lord Nelson's first ever medal set to fetch £500,000
By Arthur Martin
3rd September 2010
Daily Mail
Bling: Nelson was intensely proud of all of his medals and even ordered cloth and wire versions to be sewn on to his uniforms so he could wear them even during battle
He famously disobeyed orders by leaving the British fleet to attack and capture two Spanish ships.
More than 200 years after Admiral Lord Nelson's derring-do, the medal he was awarded for his part in the famous victory is expected to fetch up to £500,000 at an auction next month.
The Breast Star of the Order of the Bath is considered by experts to be the most important piece of Nelson memorabilia to go under the hammer for 100 years.
The silver, gold and enamel star was presented to Nelson in 1797 following his victory at the Battle of Cape St Vincent in the Caribbean.
Nelson was in command of the HMS Captain at the rear of the British fleet when he decided to break from the line of ships and attack the Spanish.
Although he disobeyed a direct order, his decisive actions led to the surrender of four enemy ships, two of which were Nelson's personal captures.
When Nelson was shot dead on the deck of his ship HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 the medal was passed to his brother, the Reverend William Nelson who sent it to the hero’s confidant Admiral Sir Richard Goodwin Keats.
The medal remained the property of the Keats family until an anonymous descendant of Sir Richard decided to get it valued earlier this year.
It will be auctioned at Sotheby’s in London on October 22, the day after Trafalgar Day.
James Morton, auctioneer and medals specialist, said: 'This is an exceptionally important piece of Nelson memorabilia which is even more remarkable having been rediscovered more than 200 years after the Admiral’s death at the Battle of Trafalgar.
The silver, gold and enamel star is considered by experts to be the most important piece of Nelson memorabilia to go under the hammer for 100 years.
'It was his first honour and his most prized medal. Until now it has never been seen before in public. It has never been on display in any museum or even examined by experts.
'It has remained in the Keats family for generations and has been incredibly well preserved. The Keats family were always aware of what it was, but didn’t realise just how important it was until now. It is easily the most important Nelson find for 100 years.'
The 1797 Battle of Cape St Vincent, during which the British defeated the Spanish
He added: 'We estimate the medal to fetch between £300,000 and £500,000. It is more than a Victoria Cross has made at auction but compared to what paintings fetch it is a drop in the ocean.'
The star is particularly valuable because many of Nelson’s personal belongings and medals were stolen from an exhibition in Greenwich in 1900.
They have never been seen since and are rumoured to have been melted down.
Provenance: The medal with an 1814 letter from Lord Nelson's brother written to the Admiral's friend and confidant Admiral Sir Richard Keats asking if he would accept the Star as a gift after Nelson's death.
Mr Morton added: 'I prefer to take a more optimistic view. I believe they were stolen to order at the time and they are still around and about and may one day turn up.
'The only item of Nelson memorabilia ever recovered following the raid was his personal watch.'
Nelson joined the Royal Navy at the age of 12 through the influence of his uncle Maurice Suckling. He was given command of his first ship more than 20 years later.
He lost his right eye and right arm on active service but continued to inspire his men in subsequent battles.
A rare poster celebrating Nelson's victory at Trafalgar dating from 1805, on display at Lyon & Turnbull auctioneers.
Enlarge
The poster is valued at £10,000 and is to be sold at auction on September 8th in Edinburgh.
dailymail.co.uk
The 1797 battle, fought during the French Revolutionary Wars, was fought in the Caribbean and saw British hero Nelson defy orders by bravely allowing his ship, HMS Captain, leave the Royal Navy fleet and attack the Spanish on her own. His actions led to the surrender of four Spanish ships.
Despite disobeying orders his good work in helping defeat the Spanish - despite the British ships being outnumbered - saw him awarded the Breast Star of the Order of the Bath, his first medal.
When Nelson was shot dead on the deck of his ship HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 the medal was passed to his brother, the Reverend William Nelson who sent it to the hero’s confidant Admiral Sir Richard Goodwin Keats.
The French Revolutionary Wars started when the newly created French Republic looked in suspicion at the monarchies surrounding it, including Britain's - and, in turn, the monarchies surrounding it looked in suspicion at the French Republic - and so tried to invade its neighbours to wipe out their monarchies and impose the ideas of the French Revolution (that everyone should be peasants living off turnips in mudhuts and anyone earning above the modern equivalent of £200 a month is an evil aristo) on those countries. France managed to do this to some extent but failed to do so with Britain which, of course, is still a monarchy. During the wars, Spain was originally one of Britain's allies until it joined forces with France in 1796.
Nelson was only 12 when he joined the Royal Navy on 1st January 1771. He joined the HMS Raisonnable as an Ordinary Seaman and coxswain under his uncle, Captain Maurice Suckling, who commanded the vessel.
The medal will be auctioned at Sotheby’s in London on October 22, the day after the day celebrated in Britain as Trafalgar Day.
A rare poster celebrating Nelson's victory over the French at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 during the Napoleonic Wars is up for sale at Lyon & Turnbull auctioneers.
The poster, printed at a time when Great Britain was top dog, proudly proclaims: "Britannia Triumphant. THE MOST DECISIVE AND TRIUMPHANT NAVAL VICTORY THAT EVER WAS OBTAINED SINCE THE CREATION OF THE WORLD!! THE VICTORIOUS BRITISH FLEET Was commanded by the most renowned, most gallant, and ever-to-be-lamented Hero, Admiral Lord Viscount NELSON; AND THE VANQUISHED FLEETS OF FRANCE AND SPAIN By the Admiral VILLENEUVE and GRAVINA."
Lord Nelson's first ever medal set to fetch £500,000
By Arthur Martin
3rd September 2010
Daily Mail
Bling: Nelson was intensely proud of all of his medals and even ordered cloth and wire versions to be sewn on to his uniforms so he could wear them even during battle
He famously disobeyed orders by leaving the British fleet to attack and capture two Spanish ships.
More than 200 years after Admiral Lord Nelson's derring-do, the medal he was awarded for his part in the famous victory is expected to fetch up to £500,000 at an auction next month.
The Breast Star of the Order of the Bath is considered by experts to be the most important piece of Nelson memorabilia to go under the hammer for 100 years.
The silver, gold and enamel star was presented to Nelson in 1797 following his victory at the Battle of Cape St Vincent in the Caribbean.
Nelson was in command of the HMS Captain at the rear of the British fleet when he decided to break from the line of ships and attack the Spanish.
Although he disobeyed a direct order, his decisive actions led to the surrender of four enemy ships, two of which were Nelson's personal captures.
When Nelson was shot dead on the deck of his ship HMS Victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 the medal was passed to his brother, the Reverend William Nelson who sent it to the hero’s confidant Admiral Sir Richard Goodwin Keats.
The medal remained the property of the Keats family until an anonymous descendant of Sir Richard decided to get it valued earlier this year.
It will be auctioned at Sotheby’s in London on October 22, the day after Trafalgar Day.
James Morton, auctioneer and medals specialist, said: 'This is an exceptionally important piece of Nelson memorabilia which is even more remarkable having been rediscovered more than 200 years after the Admiral’s death at the Battle of Trafalgar.
The silver, gold and enamel star is considered by experts to be the most important piece of Nelson memorabilia to go under the hammer for 100 years.
'It was his first honour and his most prized medal. Until now it has never been seen before in public. It has never been on display in any museum or even examined by experts.
'It has remained in the Keats family for generations and has been incredibly well preserved. The Keats family were always aware of what it was, but didn’t realise just how important it was until now. It is easily the most important Nelson find for 100 years.'
The 1797 Battle of Cape St Vincent, during which the British defeated the Spanish
He added: 'We estimate the medal to fetch between £300,000 and £500,000. It is more than a Victoria Cross has made at auction but compared to what paintings fetch it is a drop in the ocean.'
The star is particularly valuable because many of Nelson’s personal belongings and medals were stolen from an exhibition in Greenwich in 1900.
They have never been seen since and are rumoured to have been melted down.
Provenance: The medal with an 1814 letter from Lord Nelson's brother written to the Admiral's friend and confidant Admiral Sir Richard Keats asking if he would accept the Star as a gift after Nelson's death.
Mr Morton added: 'I prefer to take a more optimistic view. I believe they were stolen to order at the time and they are still around and about and may one day turn up.
'The only item of Nelson memorabilia ever recovered following the raid was his personal watch.'
Nelson joined the Royal Navy at the age of 12 through the influence of his uncle Maurice Suckling. He was given command of his first ship more than 20 years later.
He lost his right eye and right arm on active service but continued to inspire his men in subsequent battles.
A rare poster celebrating Nelson's victory at Trafalgar dating from 1805, on display at Lyon & Turnbull auctioneers.
Enlarge
The poster is valued at £10,000 and is to be sold at auction on September 8th in Edinburgh.
dailymail.co.uk
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