Rare shipwreck archive on sale at Sotheby's

An unparalleled archive of shipwreck images will be presented for sale at Sotheby’s London auction on 12th November 2013. 

Taken by four generations of the Gibson family of photographers over nearly 130 years, the 1,000 negatives record the wrecks of over 200 ships and the fate of their passengers, crew and cargo as they travelled from across the world through the notoriously treacherous seas around Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly between 1869 and 1997. 

Controversial figures excel in Bonhams’ arms and armour sale

A sword and pistols belonging to two swashbuckling 19th-century military men achieved impressive prices at leading London auction house Bonhams last week.

A Lloyds Patriotic sword awarded to Captain Arthur Farquhar (RN) was sold for £79,250 and a set of duelling pistols once owned by Lieutenant-Colonel Thomas Thornton achieved £67,250.

David Williams, director of antique arms and armour at Bonhams, said: ‘The market [for arms and armour] remains buoyant with interest coming from round the world for what was an outstanding collection of material. Interest in collecting antique arms and militaria continues to grow.’

Farquhar, was commander of HMS Acheron, but lost his ship and 67-man crew to a much larger French man of war after an encounter off Malta, while he was protecting a convoy of merchant ships.