Antiques and Collectibles
A significant personal scrap album and photograph collection documenting military service during the First World War and subsequent veteran activities, spanning the period from 1914 to 1977. The archive appears to have been compiled by a British serviceman with connections to the Rhondda Valley in Wales and the Birtle area of Greater Manchester.
The military photography includes original silver gelatin prints, comprising studio and field portraits. Handwritten captions identify individuals such as Percy Jones, Tommy Morgan, Dick Armour, and Stanly Davies. A notable group photograph of soldiers positioned outside wooden barracks bears the blue ink inscription: Fear-norts from the Rhondda Vall – Last of the Draft Dodgers.
A central feature of the album is a hand-drawn field map of the Ypres Salient, rendered in blue and red ink. The map identifies key locations of the conflict, including Ypres, Potijze, St. Jean, Zonnebeke, Tyne Cot, and Passchendaele. This is accompanied by a series of Ypres topographical postcards illustrating the town and the Cloth Hall before and after the bombardment, as well as the completed Menin Gate memorial. These are annotated with dates spanning 1914, 1918, 1964, and 1967.
The ephemera includes a single-page letter on Royal British Legion stationery dated 22 April 1977, addressed to Charlie and signed by Bill Dunks, detailing a commemorative pilgrimage to Arras and France. Additional contents include a large monochrome portrait print of Sir Winston Churchill, a newspaper clipping regarding a £2 a Week for Life election committee competition mentioning Sir W.A. Jowitt, and local history articles titled The Vanishing Parish of Birtle and Wesley Preached Near Here. A large-format newspaper page from Allied Newspapers Limited features a photographic study of Stonehenge.
Condition report:
The album binding shows significant wear and rubbing consistent with age and use. The internal paper and card components exhibit expected age-toning and areas of foxing. Newspaper clippings are particularly brittle with multiple edge tears and folds. Extensive staining and orange-brown residue are present throughout the album where adhesive tape has been used to secure items, leading to oxidation. Photographs are generally well-preserved with good tonal range, although some loose snapshots show minor silvering to the edges and corner creasing.
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