Every day is a school day, as the old adage goes. Today, at the college of life or, rather more specifically, on the website of the The Cotswold Auction Company, I learned that Sir Winston Churchill’s dentist was named Sir Wilfred Fish. One to keep in mind for your next village fete or pub quiz.
As well as sounding like a forgotten villain from Cluedo, Dr Fish also designed a pair of dentures for Sir Winston, which, should you be so inclined, are up for auction with the Cotswold Auction Company in their February 6 sale, along with other things, under the umbrella of ‘Books, Medals, Militaria, Coins, Stamps and Collectables’. I have not endeavoured to learn why Dr Fish was knighted, but I would imagine it was for daring to go near the Prime Minister’s mouth after his usual breakfast of cigars, brandy and champagne.
Dentures aside, the auction contains a veritable feast of war memorabilia and other items. Of note is the microphone with which Sir Winston announced the end of the Second World War, as well as a RAF Battle of Britain ‘Book of Heroes’.
This Book of Heroes is considered ‘extremely rare’, according to the Cotswold Auction Company. It contains the signatures of 107 RAF officers, many of whom flew in the Battle of Britain and did not survive the war, and was created in 1941. The leather cover of the book was cut from a mess chair by legendary ace Douglas Bader, whose signature and photo feature in the book.
On the ‘non-war’ side of things, the auction will also offer up a ukulele signed by Paul McCartney, which has a surprisingly reasonable estimate of £200-£300 and comes with a case and some pictures of Terry Wogan. Other lots will be a boxing glove signed by Frank Bruno, a signed football boot from Geoff Hurst and guitars signed by The Shadows and Status Quo.
The ‘eclectic assortment of memorabilia’ belonged to a Gloucestershire-based collector named George Ridgen, who purchased the Churchill memorabilia and the ‘Book of Heroes’ at Bonhams and other auctions ‘some years ago’. All provenance paperwork is included.
For more information, to bid and to view the remaining lots, click here.
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