Perhaps I should call this 'sale of the century'. This was a rare opportunity to acquire some Police memorabilia formally owned by Avon & Somerset Constabulary. Storage space is a premium these days so I can understand the need to off-load things that you don't need - the same for any collector.
There was an auction held on 25 July and 15 August at Clevedon Salerooms, Bristol (UK).
I expect to see many of these items slowly filter onto the collectors market over the next few weeks, months and years. Some traders will be looking to make a swift profit so some items have already appeared for re-sale on eBay. There may also be collectors who purchased a 'job lot' for only one or two particular pieces and then re-sale the items they don't intend to keep.
I've included most, but not all the items which were being sold by Avon & Somerset Constabulary.
All photographs have been reproduced with kind permission from Clevedon Salerooms.
Unfortunately, nearly all these caps are missing their badges, making them somewhat anonymous.
The helmets are of particular interest so I've included some more photos of these. These sold for just £70, which is a good price despite the missing helmet plates. Knowing these came from Avon & Somerset Constabulary does help identify their origin and approximate age based on the style.
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| Black liners such as these are older and likely to be pre-1930's |
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| The green liner became common from the 1940's |
Here's my assessment of these helmets. Helmet No. 2 is almost certainly the oldest in my opinion. The helmet rose is of an early design. It looks like there may not be any holes for a helmet plate in which case it could be a rare example which was used before helmet plates were introduced. I have a photograph of this particular style helmet in my blog under Somerset Constabulary. It has the same style of helmet rose with leather band around the helmet. Other photos show them using helmets before the metal helmet plates were issued.
1. City of Bath Police c. 1920
2. Somerset Constabulary c. 1900 (very scarce)
3. & 4. Bristol Constabulary c. 1940s/50s
My initial thought was that helmet No. 1 was City of Bath because of the six panel. However, I'm aware that Somerset Constabulary used six panel helmets with one side eylet. Bristol Constabulary also used a six panel helmet at one time.
This nice selection of capes sold for just £60, so think twice about those you see being offered for one or two hundred. Some of these also have their collar numbers, which makes them even more appealing. The collar numbers are G1059, C77, 2113, 2533. The two with letter pre-fixes are probably Bristol Constabuary. 2113 has Bristol Constabulary buttons which may have been later issued to a Somerset & Bath Constabulary officer as there's no letter pre-fix. One of the capes has a hood, which is unusual. Capes which still have the makers label, along with the original collar number are the most collectable in my opionion.
I've owned several capes in my collection but they do take up lots of space and are quite heavy.
All three of the tunics shown below sold for just £25.
At the time of writing (24 August), all three of these tunics were listed on eBay for £42.95 each plus £6.50 p&p. Avon & Somerset tunics are rarely available for sale, but as mentioned elsewhere in my blog, they don't attract much interest. A more realistic value in my opinion would be £20 with collar numbers intact.
These three 'greatcoats' sold for £65. The first one is made by JS Rainwear and probably c. 1980's. The other two are older and former Bristol Constabulary coats c. 1940's and both appear to have collar number C77. Again, at the time of writing (24 August) one of the C77 coats was listed on eBay for £49.95 plus £7.40 p&p. The seller on eBay specialises in vintage clothing. As with the capes, these are a nice addition for a collector, but are heavy and take up lots of space.
I believe the same JS coat is also listed on eBay as London Metropolitan Police and priced at £24.95 plus £6.50 p&p. If it's the same coat, then it's almost certainly Avon & Somerset as they issued these coats during the 1980's as well as other Police Forces.
This fine collection of wooden wall plaques sold for £100 at the auction. These are also listed on eBay (August 2024) for between around £25 and £45. These are a somewhat niche collectable and generally not desirable unless someone has a personal affiliation with one of the organisations. Another trader obviously spotted an opportunity here.
An interesting selection of Police motorcycle helmets. It's fortunate the Police adhesive stickers were not removed as that would have made them anonymous. The third one was used by Somerset Constabulary during the 1960's, as covered in my blog under Somerset Constabulary.
This unique piece was being offered on eBay for over £1,000.
A rather attractive metal hand-painted sign sold for £90. Fortunately someone had the foresight to write on the reverse that it was removed from HQ reception in 2019. 57cm x 70cm high. It's somewhat surprising that they decided to dispose of thses nice pieces. I wonder whether it's in lieu of commissioning some new pieces which incorporate the King Charles cyther. These ones use a crown design which is traditionally associated with a female monach and often referred to as 'Queens' crown.
Yes, a Police cell door for £110.
A sword is something I've never been so interested in that I could justify buying, even if it's Police related. It also seems to be a minefield for the novice. I imagine this a fairly niche market and perhaps not so easy to sell.
What better slice of Policing history than a fingerprinting table, especially if you once used it at Bridewell Police station. Hard to believe this piece of history sold for only £30. Lets hope it went to a good home where it's preserved.
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| Copper fingerprint plate |
Here's one of my favourite items is this Somerset Constabulary flag. A very unique and scarce item.
There were even two vintage Raleigh Police bicycles selling for only £40 and £20 each. In need of attention but a good restoration project for the right person.
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