Signed biography and letter attributed to Sir Evelyn Wood set for auction

Nov. 25, 2010 - PRLog -- A biography entitled ‘Record of the life of Major-General Sir Evelyn Wood’ inscribed by the great man himself and presented to his eldest son, along with a letter from Sir Evelyn Wood to his aunt, is set to come under the hammer in a single lot at a collectors’ sale on Friday, 3rd December 2010.

‘Record of the life of Major-General Sir Evelyn Wood 1838 to 1888’ recounts the life of one of Britain’s most decorated military figures. Field Marshal Sir Evelyn Wood served between 1854 and 1907; playing an active role in campaigns that included the Crimean War, the Indian Mutiny, the third Anglo-Ashanti War, the Anglo-Zulu War, the first Boer War and the Mahdist War. His illustrious career saw him awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces, in addition to the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath and the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George.

This first edition volume, bound in maroon cloth board with gilt signature on the front and inscribed ‘To Evelyn Michell from his loving father Evelyn Wood 1888’, is particularly interesting as it was presented by Field Marshal Sir Evelyn Wood himself to the eldest of his three sons. Along with the book is a letter which, addressed to “Dearest Aunt” and dated 17th February 1882 following his return from travelling to Africa, Italy and Paris and tells of his meetings with the Secretary of War, Lord Kimberley, and Queen Victoria.

Ben Gamble, MD and head auctioneer at Staffordshire auction house Cuttlestones, which will be hosting the sale, says:
“This lot gives a fascinating insight into the life of one of our great military figures. The fact that the items are of such a personal nature makes them even more interesting; while Sir Evelyn Wood had three sons, and it can be assumed that each was presented with a similarly inscribed book, this is only the second that has been discovered. We anticipate strong interest from collectors of militaria and those with a general interest in the Victorian era. even plain signatures from Sir Evelyn Wood have generated significant interest in the past, so it will be interesting to see what this lot, with its exceptional provenance, will achieve.”  

The catalogue for Cuttlestones’ Friday, 3rd December Collectors’ sale will be available online at www.cuttlestones.co.uk from Friday, 26th November. Viewing will take place on Thursday, 2nd December from 10:00am to 7:00pm. For those unable to attend the sale telephone and commission bids will be accepted alongside live online bidding via www.the-saleroom.com. For further details visit http://www.cuttlestones.co.uk or call 01785 714905.
- ENDS -

About Cuttlestones:
Based in the historic Staffordshire market town of Penkridge, Cuttlestones is a progressive firm of Auctioneers and Valuers that serves the whole of Staffordshire, Shropshire, Derbyshire, the West Midlands, Stoke-on-Trent and beyond, and is dedicated to providing first-class customer service while drawing on over 100 years’ combined industry experience.

The team’s broad knowledge covers areas as diverse as furniture, silver, watches, jewellery, glass, ceramics, militaria, toys, books, maps, paintings, clocks, barometers and general collectables and Country House Sales are a speciality. For more unusual items, Cuttlestones has forged relationships with expert consultants all across the country with a particular focus on stamps, jewellery, coins and militaria.

From its Staffordshire base, Cuttlestones offers everything you would expect from a modern auction house. A dynamic website, professional photography and cataloguing of each lot, live internet bidding facility and comprehensive marketing strategy means its auctions have global reach. Meanwhile, a central location means Cuttlestones is well placed to provide a first-class service from initial valuation through to settlement, across the West Midlands and beyond. http://www.cuttlestones.co.uk

# # #

From its Staffordshire base, Cuttlestones offers everything you would expect from a modern auction house. A dynamic website, professional photography and cataloguing of each lot, live internet bidding facility and comprehensive marketing strategy means its auctions have global reach. Meanwhile, a central location means Cuttlestones is well placed to provide a first-class service from initial valuation through to settlement, across the West Midlands and beyond. http://www.cuttlestones.co.uk