An important and virtually unique collection of signatures of Victoria Cross Winners.
The tooled red leather album contains the signatures of 127 VC winners, plus another loose example.
The signatures were obtained in 1956 at The Hyde Park Hotel during a 100th anniversary Victoria Cross Association function, hosted by H.M. the Queen and Prince Phillip.
Every Victoria Cross holder’s signature that was alive (and well enough to attend) at the time of the function is contained within the book.
Many of the signatures relate to WW1 decorations, with 2 being of Boer War era, and another from the Pre-Boer War era.
Another official example exists within the Royal Collection, and those signatures were also collected at the same function.
It’s understood that special permission was granted from H.M. Queen Elizabeth II to obtain the signatures.
So far as we can ascertain, there hasn’t been as comprehensive a collection of VC winners signatures ever offered on the open market.
The album also comes with a type written sheet detailing who the signatures relate to, with their regimental details. 16 signatures are unknown, and are therefore not listed on the typewritten sheets.
It may be possible, with further research to identify the unknown signatures.
Among that list of names, there includes:
Richard Annand VC, the first winner of the VC during WW2.
Captain Ishar Singh, the first Sikh recipient of the VC (his VC award is unusual in itself as it was won in the interwar period).
Stanley Hollis VC DCM MM, the only winner of the VC during D-Day.
The loose signature is that of Alexander Murray, 8th Earl of Dunmore VC, the only journalist to win a VC - his decoration was earned while serving with the 16th Lancers in 1897 in Nawa Kili (now modern day Pakistan).
Charles Hazlitt Upham, one of only 3 men to win a VC with bar.
Sidney Frank Godley, the first Private to win a VC during WW1.
Frederick Luke and John Henry Charles Drain, 37th Battery RFA, the only survivors of of the last stand during the retreat from Mons August 26th 1914.
A truly extraordinary and rare archive of names.
Size: 23.2cm x 18.3cm.
Condition: generally very good, some wear to the leather on the outside of the cover.
Some ink blots or smudges to some of the pages.
15 of the pages have been written on, with the rest remaining blank.
The ‘Dunmore’ signature is loose.
Further information is provided on the Hansons website.
Viewing is highly recommended.
Realised Price: £4500
{CUST_LABEL_ARTIST_NAME}:
{CUST_FIELD_ARTIST_NAME}
{CUST_LABEL_SCULPTURE_DESCRIPTION}:
{CUST_FIELD_SCULPTURE_DESCRIPTION}
{CUST_LABEL_ARTIST_INTRODUCTION}:
{CUST_FIELD_ARTIST_INTRODUCTION}
