A 167-year-old silver snuff box and military medals presented to a war hero who fought under the Duke of Wellington have sold for thousands of pounds at auction in Oxfordshire.
The silver military presentation box was awarded to Sergeant Major William Livsey who served centuries ago during the Peninsular Napoleonic Wars.
It was discovered at an Oxfordshire house alongside a pair of the soldier's medals for bravery dated 1793-1814, from his time with the Royal Artillery.
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The historical military accolades went under the hammer at Hanson, Holloway and Ross Auctioneers in Banbury on Saturday.
The snuff box, which featured a replica miniature Peninsular War cannon, sold for £1,900 - smashing its £800-£1,000 estimate.
The two medals fetched £1,500.
The items sold to a private UK buyer and the total paid, with buyer’s premium, was £4,683.
Jasper Marsh, auctioneer at Hanson Holloway’s Ross, said: “It was a superb result for wonderful historical discoveries made on our doorstep in Banbury.
"We have been reminded of the gallantry of a man who proudly served our country two centuries ago under Wellington, a renowned military leader.
“Historical treasures like this are part of Britain’s heritage. We’re delighted the lots have been acquired by the same buyer.
"We very much hope they will continue to stay together.”
The military heirlooms had been treasured through the generations by Sgt Major Livsey's descendants who decided the time had come to part with them.
The ornate box has an inscription honouring "his meritorious services in bringing that Corps to its present efficiency" and was presented on August 29, 1856.
Hallmarked Birmingham 1853 with the makers mark Yapp and Woodward, it came with a 1967 cutting from the Oxford Times explaining its provenance.
The article features Sidney Farrow, a former janitor at Oxford’s Museum of the History of Science, who inherited the snuff box in the 1920s.
Sgt Major Livsey, who signed up for the Royal Artillery at the age of 18 in 1808, was his great grandfather.
One of the medals features five clasps marking the serviceman’s participation in the Pensinsular conflict in Tolouse, Orthes, Pyrennes, Vittoria and Albuhera.
It was offered together with a Long Service/Good Conduct medal and copies of Livsey’s service records.
The Peninsular War was a conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the UK against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars.
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769-1852), was among the commanders who won and ended the Napoleonic Wars when the Seventh Coalition defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.
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This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.
Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.
Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk
Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1
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