British Empire & Commonwealth (2001/051/234)

Boer War Yorkshire Regiment letter home. This letter is written on a fragment of khaki uniform and was sent home by Private J. Blocksidge, 6113 to his parents. The letter is decorated with the regimental title and device. Also a verse of dedication. The writing is overall clear, some age wear.'SOUTH AFRICA 1899. 1900. 1901. 1ST BATTN. REGIMENT YORKSHIRE/ MANY HAPPY RETURNS OF THE DAY! HE SENDS A soldier whose met with the best of friends. On a piece of KHAKI FROM AN OLD COAT he'd worn. DISCARDED Because it was tattered & torn. It's not a guilt-edged or highly priced card. But it carries his best & kindest regards. FROM 6113- J.BLOCKSIDGE YORKS . REGT/ SOUTH AFRICA/ TO MY DEAR PARENTS!'. Drawings of flags and a crown.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2001/178/007)

Bladed weapon - spear with wooden handle. The blade is bound on with leather but this has come away and is very deteriorated. Leaf shaped blade with a diamond pattern.Metal blade is rusty but etching still visible. Wooden handle is covered in leather which has been eaten by insects. Fragile. Nigeria.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2001/178/008)

Bladed weapon - spear with wooden handle and leather tassel. Leaf shaped blade with diamond pattern.The blade is bound on with leather but this has come away and is very deteriorated. Metal blade is rusty but can still see etching made on both sides. Nigeria, 1950s.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2001/178/015)

Bladed weapon, broad sword and decorated leather sheath with strap. Sudan.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2001/217/004)

Two wooden bamboo? cases with hide caps on the top and bottom. Wider one has a hide band cut to make a carrying hole. The two are tied together with string. 8 arrows without head, 2 with. Bamboo shaft. Fine fibre binding. Feather fletches in various states of decay.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2001/232/036)

Cotton canvas bag with French seam on bottom and on one side. Printed 'To be returned to colonial office London'.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2001/232/037)

Mailbag from Colonial Office from Secretariat Dar Es Salaam 1954. Cotton canvas with seam at bottom and up one side. Print on the bag reads 'Zanzibar Government Service to be returned to: British Residency, Zanzibar'.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2001/232/038)

Bronze coloured metal medal. The obverse has a man's head with an inscription around "UHURU 9th DECEMBER 1961". The reverse has a shield with a standing figure on either side above a motto (illegible).This is attached with two small rings to a ribbon of green, yellow and black. The medal is pinned to an orange card with the inscription,"PURCHASED FROM STREET VENDORS DAR ES SALAAM PRIOR TO INDEPENDENCE DAY DECEMBER 1961".

British Empire & Commonwealth (2001/272/059)

Textile bag with beaded decoration. Heavily beaded with geometric floral designs - whole is outlined in white beads. Strap made from black stroud cloth with beadwork on a clear glass ground with brown zigzag stripe down the middle. On one side, clear glass beads with brown zigzag stripe and yellow and green flowers, blue leaves either side. On the other half, white bead ground with pink and blue flowers, and green and pink leaves either side of the zigzag. Strap lined with black stroud cloth. Red stroud cloth flap. Small beaded tassels at bottom. Back is plain with red stroud cloth at botton and plain cotton at top. Ojibwe people, Great Lakes area.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2001/272/164)

Burmese (?) sword in wooden scabbard with rattan hoop attached. On hoop a section of jaw and tooth from tiger (?) attached by string. Sword blade has small hallmark (?) in Burmese. Scabbard is bound with fibre plaited cord to attach the carrying loop.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2002/001/043)

Beaver pelt on willow hoop.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2002/001/213)

Honourable Artillery Company Officer's special pattern sword. An example of the special regimental pattern sword. The diamond shape blade etched with a Crowned VR, winged HAC device and regimental initials. The hilt with gilt guard, incorporating a silvered flaming grenade.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2002/001/214)

Nineteenth century Chinese sword. with double edged blade. The hilt with brass cross guard and wooden grip. Complete with tortoise shell scabbard, with brass mounts.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2002/011/003)

Ceremonial dress sword with leather scabbard and brass hilt, from Army and Navy stores, 105 Victoria Street, London. Wilkinson Sword Ltd. Narrow blade with ‘EIIR’. Oil cotton case in poor condition. Belonged to the last district commissioner of Mombassa.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2002/048/002)

Medal miniature. Star with a crowned head at centre and a circle with ‘R A O BARADR’. Set within a star shape with a crown above and on a red and maroon ribbon, stitched to a small pin.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2002/048/003)

Shoulder insignia. One pair of white metal crown on a black wool background. One pair of brass coloured metal crowns with a gold background. Four metal crowns with red velvet backing. The label says: ‘Crowns from display beneath.’ All with a cotter pin for fixing.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2002/131/101)

'Kirpan'. Curved dagger / Sikh knife with chain. White metal blade with flared handle, probably on a wooden former, engraved with flowers, birds and Sikh symbol Khanda. Chain attached to the handle. Blade has a curved end and four channels in each side with some engraved lettering at the top. Scabbard is set on a wooden former. Both sides are engraved with bands of flowers, symbols, and the Khanda symbol. On back ‘MS Best Quality’. Scabbard curved at bottom to match the blade.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2002/131/144)

Twenty first century Hudson Bay Company blanket. Cream felted wool blanket with woven coloured stripes in blue, yellow, red and green. The number of points (black and blue lines) woven into the edge of the blanket showed how many beavers the blanket had cost to buy. Rectangular fabric label with gold embroidered writing which reads: 'Hudson's Bay Point Blanket Couverture a points de la Baie d'Hudson (circular Co logo) The Seal of Quality Le sceau de Qualite 100% WOOL. Made in England. Faite au Angleterre. CA 00234' Measurements 2170mm x 1890mm

British Empire & Commonwealth (2003/008/014)

Wooden dummy of a ceremonial sword.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2003/135/106)

Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF) Insignia badge WW2. Trumpeting elephant below a palm tree. Two loops for a pin. Firmin London (makers).

British Empire & Commonwealth (2004/001/101)

East India Company officer's 1822 pattern sword. Plain piped back slightly curved blade is fitted with an open gilt brass guard. Incorporating the device of the company a rampant lion holding a crown within its paws. To the base are the initials 'E.I.C.' Shagreen grip with brass twist wire binding. Housed in polished brass scabbard fitted with two loose rings. Minor age wear. Good condition.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2004/017/004)

Body adornment? Small bag shaped accessory woven in stripes of orange, dark red, green, black and silver thread.The top edge has three horizontal stripes from which hang knotted leather tassels. A futher seven tassels hang as a fringe from the lower edge. Along the top of the bag are four plaited leather loops and a woven loop handle. See smiliar 003, 005, 006.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2004/017/005)

Body adornment? Small bag shaped accessory woven in stripes of orange, dark red, green, black and silver thread. The top edge has three horizontal stripes from which hang knotted leather tassels. A futher seven tassels hang as a fringe from the lower edge. Along the top of the bag are four plaited leather loops and a woven loop handle.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2004/017/006)

Body adornment? Small bag shaped accessory woven in stripes of orange, dark red, green, black and silver thread. The top edge has three horizontal stripes from which hang knotted leather tassels, narrower than that of 2004/017/003. A futher six tassels hang as a fringe from the lower edge. Along the top of the bag are four plaited leather loops and a woven loop handle.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2004/025/002)

Naga bag with shoulder strap. Probably made of cotton. Woven in green and purple stripes. The bag is constucted with central panels at front and back with a panel wrapped around each side. Each side panel extends 35mm below the central panel and ends in a fringe - this forms the shoulder strap which is black and green striped cotton. Hint of lurex in the bottom 4 stripes.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2005/029/001)

Commemorative tablecloth showing woven pictures of historic ships. Made of natural linen with a damask weave. The lighter side of the fabric is the right side. Wide border of shields, anchors and crossed union flags. Woven into the border ‘Walpole Bros. Ltd. Irish Handwoven Linen. Damusk. Belfast.’ The ships depicted, in date order are 1. Henry Grace 1514 (there are two of these) 2. St George Worn with holes in places.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2006/014/006)

Knife - bayonet, metal.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2006/014/007)

Bayonet with metal sheath and canvas webbing holder.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2006/073/001)

Leaf shaped iron blade, bound with iron strip and an iron strip twisted around the butt. Probably had a paper label on it at some point. Some insect damage to the shaft. Central Africa?

British Empire & Commonwealth (2006/073/002)

Fishing spear (see also 003). Long wooden shaft, spiked spearhead with barbs cut into the metal. Bound with a strip of iron. Possibly East Africa?

British Empire & Commonwealth (2006/073/003)

Fishing spears (see also 002). Long wooden shaft, spiked spearhead with barbs cut into the metal. Bound with a strip of iron. Possibly East Africa?

British Empire & Commonwealth (2006/087/007)

Length of white cotton slotted lace, with straight edges, on a shop card. The front of the card is headed "ARTICLES" and the reverse "CORRESPONDENCE SERVICE". Also includes the shop's name and address "HOK EONG & Co 5, Phayre Street RANGOON" cable address - "Curio Rangoon" Measurements Width of lace - 25mm Size of card - 150mm x 85mm

British Empire & Commonwealth (2006/087/008)

Length of white cotton slotted lace, with straight edges, on a shop card. The front of the card is headed "ARTICLES" and the reverse "CORRESPONDENCE SERVICE". Also includes the shop's name and address "HOK EONG & Co 5, Phayre Street RANGOON" cable address - "Curio Rangoon" Measurements Width of lace - 25mm Size of card - 150mm x 85mm Also see 007 for similar but with a slightly different design

British Empire & Commonwealth (2006/087/012)

Machete

British Empire & Commonwealth (2006/087/013)

Machete

British Empire & Commonwealth (2006/087/014)

Pale wood spear, two sections of the shaft decorated with dyed red and black goat hair. Hand grip between the two sections is plain wood. Wood section each end. Pointed but the iron butt and spearhead missing. Goat hair is damaged by insects. Probably Chin people.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2007/005/080)

British Indian Army 1897 pattern sword with scabbard, made for an infantry officer. The sword carries the VRI cypher on its hilt, signifying Queen Victoria, Empress of India. The owner's initials (I.H.W) have been etched onto the blade. Made by Henry Wilkinson of Pall Mall, London. A serial number of 37696, dates it precisely to 1900. The leather field service scabbard is from the same period. It has a nickel-plated throat and fastens into a Sam Browne rig.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2007/026/005)

One of a set of four framed lace bark patterns decorated with ferns and leaves. Paper label on reverse reads 'Made from the bark of the lace-bark tree from Jamaica, Lagetta Lintearia... The borders are cut from the spathes, or sheaths of the fruits from mountain cabbage palms, Euterpes Montana... The ferns and leaves are from various parts of the island...'

British Empire & Commonwealth (2007/095/012)

Dagger (one of four 2007/095/012-015) with curved blade and decorative handle and scabbards.

British Empire & Commonwealth (2007/095/013)

Dagger (one of four 2007/095/012-015) with curved blade and decorative handle and scabbards.