EARLY 20TH CENTURY

Details

BRITISH ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION (1910-1913)
AN ICE AXE
EARLY 20TH CENTURY
With cast steel head by Manskey & Co., Stourbridge, the handle with original twine grip; together with an electroplated serving spoon, engraved with the emblem of a penguin standing on the southern hemisphere encircled by the legend, 'BRITISH ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION TERRA NOVA RYS' with maker's mark for Walker & Hall
The axe: 19 ¾ in. (50 cm.) long
The spoon: 8 ½ in. (21.5 cm.) long

Provenance

William Richard Timothy.
Thence by descent.
Christie's, London, 29 April 1999, lot 163.

Special notice

These lots have been imported from outside the EU for sale using a Temporary Import regime. Import VAT is payable (at 5%) on the Hammer price. VAT is also payable (at 20%) on the buyer’s Premium on a VAT inclusive basis. When a buyer of such a lot has registered an EU address but wishes to export the lot or complete the import into another EU country, he must advise Christie's immediately after the auction.

Lot Essay

W. R. Timothy, a retired marine engineer, became licensee of the 'Hope and Anchor', Cardiff, in the late 1890s. Cardiff, with its importance as a coaling station, was probably the town from which Scott received his strongest support. As an ex-sailor himself, Timothy was naturally inclined to befriend members of the expedition and the previous vendor informed us that he amassed a large amount of Antarctic clothing and polar equipment. The collection was moved to Merthyr Tydfil in the 1920s and kept in a large cellar. The importance of the collection was unrecognised and it was allowed to deteriorate, the present ice axe and spoon alone surviving.

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