Lot 27 : Sold for £2,900 hammer

Estimate £800-£1,200

CAPTAIN WILLIAM KIDD PIRATE Circa 1645-1701 - Bible, Bible Box and Mirror - Reputed to be from the ship Adventure Galley. A small early 18th Century carved oak bible box, the hinged lid over a carved double lunette front and steel lock plate above the initials 'WK', the interior missing a division, with canvas panel and leather holding strap, 52cm wide, together with a leather covered bible titled on cover ' Kidd's family bible, Pentland Farm, Leith, Edinburgh, the reverse 'Capt William Kidd Adventure Galley, together with a small oak framed mirror with original plate glass, the top frame section inscribed and inlaid with a primitive skull and cross bones and arrow above the skull, the reverse shows a part concealed compartment dot stamped 'Yunnan Island ', with a hand written reference to the British Museum, 'hidden here map of latitude and longitude of treasure island China seas', also noticed on the reverse is a parchment type backing with indecipherable ink writing. ILLUSTRATED Research has identified that these items were formerly the property of the late Hubert Palmer who died in 1949, aged 85, a retired lawyer and collector of pirate relics. After his death all artifacts passed to his house keeper and nurse companion Mrs Elizabeth Dick. It was reported that due to the high costs of living Mrs Dick decided to sell the collection and turn her eighteen room home into flats and an auction was conducted on the premises at Staincliffe, 22 Granville Road, Eastbourne, Sussex by auctioneers Oakden & Co on Thursday and Friday, 20th and 21st July 1950. Fieldings also hold the sale catalogue, the mirror lot 305 was purchased for

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