THE PERSONAL CHOICE – #3

  • by Barry Aucott
  • •
  • 10 Aug, 2017
  • •

Tipstaff's and Truncheons

And so we are back! Yes it’s been a few weeks since The Personal Choice was posted, we took a swing on the Antiques Trade Personalities and it worked… once.

Speaking of swing, it ties in nicely to this very blog! Yes indeed folks, it’s Clobbering Time! …19th Century style!

Now you might think that Clobbering Time is a tad going over board, what with the subject at hand, but then you can also make a good argument for the fact that it’s blatantly ripping off The Thing.

I did find it to be more relevant than the phrasing of “Batter Up”.

Despite this nifty little collection looking like mini baseball bats, or even nightsticks or batons. These are Truncheons and Tipstaffs (with one little old Cosh).

To think primarily in this day and age the Baton is just plain black, and part of the general attire of our law enforcement.

But like most things, the further back in history you go, the more flamboyant everything becomes. Well, expect the non-bathing routines and faeces in the street. But I digress.

Yes the Truncheons were decorated for crown and country, the crossed Truncheon designs were to signify the rank of the officer.

They had royal crowns, elegant colour schemes and each one intricately crafted for both style and practicality.

 

As the person who had to Photograph this lot, I can tell you they are as solid and heavy as they look. You wouldn’t want to be getting hit with one of those. You’d like to think they were used in the best possible way, a swift hit to the back of the leg. Though we all know the history of our violent past.

I suppose back in those days the ones who had money, had all the money. So why not fork it out on making your weapons look like crowns?

Gone are the days of old, and of course that is no bad thing.

Thankfully people are still around who like to collect these items, and they have become a very collectable item indeed.

I would like to say that this collection is one of the best collections of Truncheons/Tipstaffs of this nature in Britain.

You can find them all over on Astra-Antiques.com and do keep your eyes out in the Antiques Trade Gazette, as they might just be popping up in there also!

As always check out our wares on the website,

www.Astra-Antiques.com

Give us a Like on Facebook,

www.facebook.com/AstraAntiquesCentre

And follow us on Twitter,

@AstraAntiques

 

Till next time!

 

Dan,

Astra Antiques.

EXTENSION: PHASE 5

by Barry Aucott • 10 August 2017
Astra Antiques’ much anticipated two-storey extension has had a breath of new life. The extension now stands proudly to the rear of the old World War 2 “H” Block, complete with its roof and windows.

EXTENSION: PHASE 4

by Barry Aucott • 10 August 2017
With the Steel Work in place it was only a matter of time before the shell of the extension started to take shape. The Brick work had begun although the traditional British weather decided to keep work to a minimum with heavy down pours.

EXTENSION: PHASE 3

by Barry Aucott • 10 August 2017
The extension hit a couple of brick walls recently, which has delayed the project for the last month. A mixture of asbestos surveys, and delays on the steel work brought the entire building work to a sudden and unplanned stop.

EXTENSION: PHASE 2

by Barry Aucott • 10 August 2017
This resulted in 40x lorry loads of dirt and rubble being removed. Yet alas, no discovery of long buried and forgotten World War 2 treasures were found. Sorry to disappoint those enthusiasts.

EXTENSION: PHASE 1

by Barry Aucott • 10 August 2017
The first step was the mammoth task of emptying the original two out-buildings used as Storage space. No easy job given these were both filled to their limits over the course of the last ten years, packed to the ceiling with hidden treasures.

L’INCONNUE DE LA SEINE

by Barry Aucott • 10 August 2017
This young woman seemingly came out of nowhere. No history to her face, no name to her legend. There were no marks found on her body to suggest any type of Murder or struggle, so the cause of Death has always been linked with Suicide.

ANTIQUE TRADE PERSONALITIES #1

by Barry Aucott • 10 August 2017
“My interest was first sparked in antiques by my interest in history, visiting country houses and learning about life from times gone by, I knew I’d become an auctioneer by the age of fourteen”.

ASTRA ANTIQUES CENTRE – 10 YEARS ON

by Barry Aucott • 10 August 2017
So in light of the occasion, the manager himself has a few words to say on his start in the Trade, his passion for the business, and his look back on the last 10 years.

THE PERSONAL CHOICE – #5

by Barry Aucott • 10 August 2017
This new enhanced method of Taxidermy and the results it produced became rather popular. Not only to be exhibited, but to become something many would include in their own homes.

THE PERSONAL CHOICE – #4

by Barry Aucott • 10 August 2017
Lighting is crucial, not to mention the perfect lit setting can achieve a number of results, emotions, effects and that little thing we all know as visibility.
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