Whopping £130,000 hammer price for antique weaponry at Harborough auction

A collection of arms, armour and antiques made £130,000 when it went under the hammer at an auction in Market Harborough.

The whopping sum was almost triple the estimated sales figure of £47,000 for the collection which belonged to late antiques dealer John Hardy. The Leicester dealer was well known for his eccentricity and passion for militaria – particularly edged weapons.

The 250 lots in the first auction of the year at Gildings Auctioneers, came from John Hardy Antiques situated at 91 London Road, Oadby from the mid-1960s, expanding into the adjoining property 20 years later.

Mr Hardy was known for his local paper advertisements which claimed, "If it’s broken or damaged, don’t worry, I will have bought worse!"

Among the weapons, dating from the 17th century to the mid-20th century, the standout lot was a mortuary sword, which sold for £4,800 against an estimate of £400 to £600. The sale also contained several Civil War era basket-hilted swords, so named because, following the execution of King Charles I in 1649, many of them depicted his face on the hilt.

Another basket-hilted backsword, despite its poor condition, also attracted fierce bidding, going under the hammer for £4,000 against an estimate of £300 to £500.

Gildings director, Mark Gilding, said: “We’re delighted with the result of this unique collection from one of Leicester’s best known characters in the antiques trade.

“As well as the great demand we saw in the edged weapons, armour and guns areas, it was fantastic to see a packed saleroom of bidders in the room on the day, many of whom were specialist arms dealers who had travelled from all over the country.”

Other auction highlights included an English rapier and a swept-hilt rapier which sold for £3,400 and £3,200 respectively against estimates of up to £600 and £1,000. The sharply pointed swords were used by European military throughout the 16th and 17th centuries.

A Caucasian shasqua, a type of sabre that originated in the mountain tribes of the Caucasus, engraved with sun and crescent moons, sold for £1,700 after being estimated at £300-£500.

Antique guns also sold for thousands of pounds against estimates in the hundreds, alongside a Victorian officer’s Albert pattern gilt helmet with a red plume, selling for £1,600 compared to its estimate of up to £600.

John Hardy, who died just over a year ago, is fondly remembered by his friends and colleagues.

Gildings’ consultant valuer Michael Mays said: “John’s shop in Oadby was like no other. He was only really happy when the shop was empty and everything sold, although that gave cause to bemoan the lack of stock.

“The backroom was devoted to the objects he had collected since his youth, and over the years he travelled in search of the old and unusual – sticking to his mantra that if it is broken or damaged, no matter. The backroom was supposed to be a secret, but it was poorly kept, for he enjoyed showing his collection to those who expressed keen interest.”