Heritage gets hammered

It’s difficult to single out any of the items but if there’s any category worth focusing on then it’s the militaria and related collectables.

There are, for example, lots of mementoes made by prisoners of war incarcerated in islands like St Helena, Bermuda and Ceylon (Sri Lanka), during the Anglo-Boer War.

From the same drawn-out conflict there’s a mint condition Martini Henry rifle with bayonet and sheath as well as two other rifles, one being a short-stock flintlock rifle meant for use by women and children.

Later period military items includes a Hitler Youth-knife and several others such as a short-blade scabbard as used by the infamous Gurka troops of India, as well the original bombardier’s jacket worn by Eliot Kretzmer, Johannesburg mayor in 1991 who flew many sorties for the Royal Air Force during the 2nd World War.

Consolidated Auction Group, the company behind the idea of highlighting heritage as a corporate social investment initiative, has also acquired typical African weaponry. Amongst these are several bows with at least one quiver still containing poison-tipped arrows.

Other collectables of continentally similar appeal is a Masai double-point spear and a Matabele long-blade spear.

“The variety of items we have received so far are simply amazing,” says Chico da Silva, managing member of Consolidated and custodian of Heritage Watch, the project behind this preservation initiative.

According to Da Silva, one of the most difficult aspects of the auction is determining a value for some of the items.

Figuring out what the cost of a miniature bow with arrows, used Cupid-style by San people in mating rituals, is just one case in point of heritage items flouting traditional valuation methods.

Da Silva states that the auction is an ideal opportunity for high-end collectors and entry-level heirlooms hunters to share the same space.

“We’ve got household items from yesteryear, toys, bottles from bygone days, fine art, wrought iron urns used decades ago in the Kruger Park, even antiques such as a portable writer’s buro – a beautiful and unique period piece.”