Napoleonic War Heroes Feature in 20th October Books Sale

NAPOLEONIC WAR HEROES FEATURE IN 20 OCTOBER BOOKS SALE

The two great British heroes of the Napoleonic Wars will star in Sworders’ October 20 Books and maps sale. Four items associated with Horatio, 1st Viscount Nelson come together as one lot, including part of the lying-in-state drapery from the great man’s funeral, which come mounted, framed and labelled.

They also include a mounted, framed and signed dispatch from the Admiral, also marked ‘Bronte Nelson’ to the side and dated 26 October 1799. It reads: ‘Sir James St Clair-Erskine, best Commander in Chief of his majesty’s forces’. Two prints, one of Nelson himself, complete the lot, which carries a guide of £400-600.

A panorama of The Funeral Procession of Arthur, Duke of Wellington, by Samuel Herny Gordon Alken and George Augustus Sala, published by Ackermann of London in 1852, carries hope of £1000-1500. It features a continuous strip hand-coloured aquatint panorama, on 56 sections with mourners and regiments listed at the foot.

A mighty 67.6ft (20m) long in one sheet, with a folding height extension to show the funeral carriage fully extended, the linen-backed panorama shows some browning, with occasional bubbling and creasing, but is nevertheless in good to very good condition. The whole folds into its original red cloth portfolio, the front cover embossed with Wellington's arms and title in gilt.

The panorama comes with an original sheet of Notices to persons going in the procession or holding tickets of admission to St. Paul’s for the Funeral of the late Duke of Wellington, 18th Nov. 1852.

“In the year of the bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo, these mementoes are timely reminders of just how important these two figures – Nelson and Wellington – are in the history of our nation,” said Sworders’ books and maps consultant Michael Kousah. “The stunning panorama, alone, instantly coveys the huge impact that the Duke of Wellington had on the public consciousness, and what his passing meant.”