A Selection of Our Amazing, Latest New Additions, Recovered from Waterloo. Whether We Find Private Collectors For our Pieces, or, For Public Museums Such As The Royal Armouries, Every Treasure Will Find A New Home

We are always thrilled to offer ‘re-discovered’ pieces from history, that can be found new owners to love and enjoy them, or museums that can display them for the enjoyment of all. Last year, for example we traced and acquired the second oldest known cannonball fired in combat in England. From the second battle of St Albans in the War of the Roses. That wonderful relic of history now resides in the St Albans museum, and was part of a public exhibition held this year from March 24, 2023 - June 28, See our re-discovered cannon ball, now on display in the St Albans museum, in the last photo in the gallery. All due thanks to SAHAAS President, Dr. John Morewood. A short while ago we furnished, for the Royal Armouries, Tower of London collection, a ‘Waterloo’ 1796 Heavy Cavalry Trooper’s sword, that was subsequently used in a fascinating documentary, filmed at the armouries, presented by Sean Bean

Fine pieces added this week are from the Cotton Collection, a former 7th Hussars Waterloo veteran who owned the Waterloo Museum, The Hotel Du Musee. They will be added to the site, for sale, separately

We have more from our Waterloo recovered souvenirs to add this coming week. Some very small, amazing yet most inexpensive pieces, and a few absolute beauties, shrapnel, cannon balls, grenades, some ‘housewife’ thimbles, rings etc, and swords, French and British, including a French Grenadier's sword, recovered relatively early from the battle, so it is in exceptional condition and polished, with old blade pitting, a very good British 1796 light Infantry officer's sabre in scabbard, a 1796 Light Dragoon sabre in scabbard, and a 1798 spadroon officer's sword, overall russetted, and, including, a cast iron fire back {NOW SOLD} that bears an unknown family crest that was likely ripped out from a fire place at La Haye-Sainte farm house, to use just like sniper shield’s were a hundred years earlier in the trenches of WW1. The rear, of the very heavy iron plate, about two feet square, shows likely impact marks of ball and shrapnel. * in the Napoleonic Wars every soldier was required to keep upon his person, a ‘housewife’, a small kit comprising needle, thread and a half or full thimble. Apparently they are no longer called a ‘housewife’ probably now a ‘househuman’ or some such.

We show in the gallery pages from Waterloo Relics, by Gilles Bernard, and Gerard Lachaux, detailing excavated recoveries, identical to ours.

The Cotton Collection, the full weapons, militaria, and recovered artifact display, from the battlefield, housed at the Hotel du Musee at Waterloo, owned first by Edward Cotton, then by his descendant family, was sold by auction in 1909.

The last photo in the gallery shows a photograph of one section of the collection in the museum of Waterloo, taken in around 1900, showing all the weapons of Waterloo en situ, including all the protagonists {British, French, Prussian and Belgian muskets, swords, pistols, armour uniforms, etc}. The museum was founded and owned by a veteran of the 7th Hussars who personally fought at Waterloo. Another photo shows the front page of his collection catalogue

An extract from an 1862 publication;

A VOICE FROM
WATERLOO
A HISTORY OF THE BATTLE
FOUGHT ON THE 18TH JUNE 1815
WITH A SELECTION FROM THE WELLINGTON DISPATCHES, GENERAL ORDERS
AND LETTERS RELATING TO THE BATTLE.
ILLUSTRATED WITH ENGRAVINGS, PORTRAITS AND PLANS.
BY
SERGEANT-MAJOR EDWARD COTTON
(LATE 7TH HUSSARS).
“Facts are stubborn things.”
SIXTH EDITION, REVISED AND ENLARGED.


HOTEL DU MUSÉE,
AT THE FOOT OF THE LION MOUNT.
This Hotel, kept by a niece of the late Sergeant-Major Cotton, is situated in the very centre of the field of Waterloo, and is strongly recommended to visitors on account of its proximity to the scenes of interest connected with the great battle, and also for the excellent accommodation and comfort it offers at moderate charges.—See Bradshaw’s continental Guide.

Sadly, each sword once had its inventory label attached, but they are all now lost. With cotton's labels present the prices can be many times the value.

As with all our items, every piece will be accompanied by our fully detailed Certificate of Authenticity

{Available from the Project Gutenberg.}

Code: 25003