BoB autograph book to be sold

Not of National importance? I’d agree with that. Send it to the RAF Museum and it would be locked away in a drawer and no-one would ever have the chance to see it anyway. Remember that many Museums are happy to acquire such items but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they will ever go on public display. At least one Military Museum (of some importance) makes this clear to anyone who donates items.

Regards,

kev35

I would have considered this book to be of national interest.

I suspect the vendor and auctioneer were quite happy to have it ‘hyped’ as a treasure of national importance. Whether it actually was of ‘national importance’, or not, I’m not so sure.

Bader fans look away now !

Daily Mail puts the boot in!

” Bader sought out risk as if addicted to it. He was self-centred, trying to force his way on to escape plans even though a man with tin legs could not get through a tunnel or over rooftops without jeopardising others. When he was turned down, he told the escape committee with breathtaking arrogance: ‘The government at home would rather have me back than all the rest of you put together.’ ”

Is there something odd about that bottom photo- has a different head been pasted on ?

He looks like one of the Thunderbirds large-headed cousins..

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2021757/A-flawed-hero-Douglas-Bader–brave-foolish-egomaniac-led-squadrons-few.html

Totally true about Bader, does not mention the medic he stopped coming home was if i remember correctly for medical reasons..
read this to see what a grade a A+++++e he was

http://www.pprune.org/archive/index.php/t-102783.html

Met him once in the RAF and he tried as a Civie to get someone on a parade charged for calling it the RAF and not the R-A-F… actually stood there as a civie had a go at him, most on the parade wanted to tell him to go forth and multiply… was ushered away before mutiny..,

I would have considered this book to be of national interest.

The owner could at least allow it to be published, where it would probably
raise some valuable cash for RAF charities.

I agree, something like this should be available for all to see. Not locked away
to be re-sold at a later date.
Regarding Bader, he did have his detractors. If I remember correctly,
Bob Stanford Tuck wasn’t one of his greatest fans ?

Whilst something like this doubtless would be an attractive artefact for RAFM Hendon I cannot imagine they would want to fork out £thousands for something that is certainly a nice item but hardly a ‘must have’ acquisition for them. At best it is an interesting collectable, but perhaps not something that Hendon could or should be expected to put their hands in their pockets for although I am certainly not denigrating or rubbishing it – just offering a pragmatic view!

As to your comment that it should “not be locked away to be re-sold at a later date” I’m afraid this always was a private collectable/keepsake and was surely for the owner to decide whatsoever he wanted to do with it? He quite legitimately decided to sell it, and then that purchaser then decided to sell it on. And possibly again! I cannot see the problem with that. This is a privately owned collectable and keepsake/curio, not something that the nation has any lien on. Whilst not in this format I rather suspect that between them the RAFM, IWM and TNA probably have multiples of all of these signatures elsewhere….and some!!

a mess steward at Biggin Hill

was in fact a mess steward here at Martlesham Heath

Is there any truth in the rumour that, albeit that now it has almost been rubbed away, the chair leather, with which the book is bound, faintly discloses the words ‘Property of the Stork Hotel Liverpool’?

I think it should be in the RAF Museum but I doubt they can afford it.

I agree, something like this should be available for all to see. Not locked away
to be re-sold at a later date.
Regarding Bader, he did have his detractors. If I remember correctly,
Bob Stanford Tuck wasn’t one of his greatest fans ?

Hi all,
A wonderful item no doubt but something bothers me.
With the exception of Douglas Bader I have not seen the signature of any other BoB participant in it.
Granted I have not seen all of the pages but the ones that have been shown are all post BoB signatures. This seems odd for a book described as it has been.
Still a great item though.
Jealous…………
gerry

Bader fans look away now !

Daily Mail puts the boot in!

” Bader sought out risk as if addicted to it. He was self-centred, trying to force his way on to escape plans even though a man with tin legs could not get through a tunnel or over rooftops without jeopardising others. When he was turned down, he told the escape committee with breathtaking arrogance: ‘The government at home would rather have me back than all the rest of you put together.’ ”

Is there something odd about that bottom photo- has a different head been pasted on ?

He looks like one of the Thunderbirds large-headed cousins..

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2021757/A-flawed-hero-Douglas-Bader–brave-foolish-egomaniac-led-squadrons-few.html

It sold for £33k to a private collector.

Its a shame the goverment did not invest their money into purchasing a piece of british history, rather than wasting uk tax payers money bailing out the euro zone.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/grateful-war-baby-buys-raf-book-heroes-165945013.html

It sold for £33k to a private collector.

I think it should be in the RAF Museum but I doubt they can afford it.

This autograph book has been sold at auction at least three times before and first became known in 1983 when its original owner had some publicity in The Northern Echo , a regional morning paper ‘up north . It was compiled by Norman Phillips of Thornaby who was a mess steward at Biggin Hill who kept the book behind the bar in the mess and when he returned home to the north east after the war gave it you a young aviation enthusiast Eric Powell , a family friend .
The book was sold by Mr Powell on 6 June 1985 for £16,000 and bought by accountant Nigel Dixon on behalf of a collector . The new owner was in fact the chairman of Merryhill Contracting of Romsey who if he did’nt want any publicity promptly displayed it at Broadlands , the home of Lord Mountbatten as was reported in the RAF News of 26 July 1985 .
The book was then auctioned again on Thursday 1 March 1990 at a Phillips Arms , Armour & Militaria sale with a reserve price of £18,000 – £22,000 but I do not know how much it sold for . Interestingly the same auction saw
Lady Bader sell many of her late husbands possessions including his log book which sold for £10,000 as reported in the Daily Mail of 2 March 1990 .
The autograph book was auctioned again in June 1995 this time by Bonhams of London with an expected price of £20,000 but again I do not know its selling price .
My interest is in the fact that the book was compiled by someone from my own area and that Eric Powell who originally sold the book actually offered to let me see it but for some reason I did’nt take up his offer ! If anyone is interested in seeing copies of the various press reports just pm me and I can arrange photocopies .

I caught this on BBC R4 this morning, there was a great story of the particular pilot being questioned of him falling out of his aircraft, as usual with most bbc radio the story got cut short so we never knew what the outcome was.

The news gave me a laugh this morning. They said that “the album was covered in leather cut from a mess chair by Douglas Bader”
Must help the price

Just hedging my bets! 😀

Either it will or it wont. Maybe I should be a politician?

Anyway…it might be fake! :diablo: (only kidding!)

Could go for a lot more.

On the other hand, it might not [/url]

Truly, the mark of an expert :diablo:

Could go for a lot more.

On the other hand, it might not get beyond the reserve. One can never tell.

Found this link while viewing the autograph book, though:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-12583046