Dreweatts 1759 | Constructing a Legacy: The Collection of Sir William & Lady McAlpine

Dreweatts

Donnington Priory

Newbury, Berkshire

RG14 2JE

United Kingdom

This is a live online auction with auctioneer. For details on registration, bidding, viewing & condition reports, click “Important information” link.

View page turning catalogue

Sale Announcement | Find out more

Introducing the Collection of Sir William and Lady McAlpine | Find out more

The Work of Gerald Benney | Find out more

The Designs of Oliver Messel | Find out more

Viewing in London (highlights): 16-17 Pall Mall, SW1Y 5LU
27 Jul 2026 10:00 - 16:00 BST
28 Jul 2026 10:00 - 16:00 BST
29 Jul 2026 10:00 - 16:00 BST
30 Jul 2026 10:00 - 16:00 BST
31 Jul 2026 10:00 - 16:00 BST

Viewing in Newbury (full sale): see below

Aug 12, 2026 10:30 AM BST

Aug 08, 2026 10:00 AM - 03:00 PM BST

Aug 09, 2026 10:00 AM - 03:00 PM BST

Aug 10, 2026 10:00 AM - 04:00 PM BST

Aug 11, 2026 10:00 AM - 04:00 PM BST

Aug 12, 2026 10:00 AM - 04:00 PM BST

Auction currency	GBP
Buyer's premium	27 % (exc. Sales tax)
Accepted cards for registration
Accepted cards for payment
Other payment methods

Register to bid

Terms & conditions Important information

Ask a question Download Catalogue View Catalogue

QUEEN VICTORIA'S DIAMOND JUBILEE; A RARE COAT OF ARMS FOR THE ROYAL TRAIN, 1897

Lot 6

λ TERENCE CUNEO (BRITISH 1907-1996), THE FLYING SCOTSMAN HALF WAY ON THE EDINBURGH TO LONDON LINE

Lot 26

λ DAVID SHEPHERD (BRITISH 1931-2017), FLYING SCOTSMAN

Lot 27

A PAIR OF GILTWOOD AND COMPOSITION CONSOLE TABLES, IN THE MANNER OF THOMAS JOHNSON

Lot 100

THE WEMBLEY STADIUM FLAGPOLES, 1923

Lot 183

1927 ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM I LIMOUSINE, COACHWORK BY THRUPP & MABERLY

Lot 185

Featured lot Provisionally sold Leading Won Outbid Lost Declined Reserve not met Leading

6

Quantity

1

0 GBP

Opening bid

5,500 GBP

Buy it now price

0 GBP

Max bid

GBP

Estimate

6,000 - 10,000 GBP

QUEEN VICTORIA'S DIAMOND JUBILEE; A LARGE AND RARE COAT OF ARMS FOR THE ROYAL TRAIN 1897 A large scale cast and painted brass Royal coat of arms produced at Swindon works, used on either the engine and tender of the Royal train on Journeys between Paddington and Windsor, Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee 1897, with oak presentation triangular presentation plaque gilt inscribed " ROYAL COAT OF ARMS, designed by J S Currall, carriage department drawing office Swindon, patterns made in carriage finishing shop, cast in brass foundry loco department in May 1897, painted in carriage paint shop...", with metal hanging loops to the reverse, wooden support base and small brackets the arms approximately 106.5cm, 138cm wide, approx 150-200kg Saleroom notice: Please note that originally this is one of the four coats of arms which hung on the Royal train, two on the locomotive, and two on the tender. In 1897, the Great Western Railway (GWR) constructed a special Royal Train with six-coaches to mark Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee. The Locomotive was the Achilles-class locomotive named Emlyn, which was specially repainted in GWR livery and renamed The Queen for the occasion and the locomotive and the tender were each hung with two royal coat of arms- of which this is one. The Queen's carriage royal saloon is preserved at Steam, the Museum of the Great Western Railway in Swindon and featured custom silk, gold plating, and Axminster carpets. It is possible that these same armorials were again used in January 1936 to decorate the engine "Windsor Castle" which drew the Royal train at the funeral of his majesty King George V. Condition Report: Saleroom notice: Please note that originally this is one of the four coats of arms which hung on the Royal train, two on the locomotive, and two on the tender. Provenance is a mystery- Lady McAlpine has gone through existing paperwork that survives from Sir William’s buying days but to no avail. It has been repainted as we believe was the common practice that to ensure the coats of arms such as these always looked smart both when in use, and for subsequent display- they were repainted at frequent intervals by the respective train companies (in this case probably at Swindon works). We suspect that this was last repainted 30 years ago or so- but cannot be certain. Some small white paint splashes, surface dirt, scuffs and marks (notably around extremities). Has a panel with bracing/support bracket rods for mounting. Weight is approximately 150-200KG but could be more- requires 4-6 men to move it and will require specialist collection. Small loss to one sprig of leaves below shield, one banner finial slightly bent. Please see additional images for visual references to condition which form part of this condition report. All lots are available for inspection and Condition Reports are available on request. However, all lots are of an age and type which means that they may not be in perfect condition and should be viewed by prospective bidders; please refer to Condition 6 of the Conditions of Business for Buyers. This is particularly true for garden related items. All lots are offered for sale "as viewed" and subject to the applicable Conditions of Business for Buyer's condition, which are set out in the sale catalogue and are available on request. Condition Report Disclaimer

VIEW & BID

Please enter your max bid

Auction date(s): Aug 12

Lot location: Newbury, Berkshire

Featured lot Provisionally sold Leading Won Outbid Lost Declined Reserve not met Leading

'FAWLEY COURT' NAME PLATE FROM THE G.W.R SAINT CLASS LOCOMOTIVE 2942 FAWLEY COURT

125

Quantity

1

0 GBP

Opening bid

3,500 GBP

Buy it now price

0 GBP

Max bid

GBP

Estimate

4,000 - 6,000 GBP

VIEW & BID

Please enter your max bid

Auction date(s): Aug 12

Lot location: Newbury, Berkshire

Featured lot Provisionally sold Leading Won Outbid Lost Declined Reserve not met Leading

185

Quantity

1

0 GBP

Opening bid

40,000 GBP

Buy it now price

0 GBP

Max bid

GBP

Estimate

40,000 - 60,000 GBP

1927 ROLLS-ROYCE PHANTOM I LIMOUSINE COACHWORK BY THRUPP & MABERLY Registration no. RF 3588, Chassis no. 91EF, Engine no. CX25, 45/50hp 7,668cc 6-cylinder overhead valve-gear centre-change manual gearbox Sir William had decided to sell the larger percentage of his classic car collection in December 2003 through Bonhams Car Department. Shortly before the auction Lady McAlpine had expressed sadness that the Phantom was leaving Fawley, as she rather liked driving it. It was withdrawn from the auction. She thought that it had actually been sold prior to the auction, so was happily surprised when, 22 days later, it was presented to her as a Christmas present. The recession in the motor immediately after the end of the Great War trade prompted Rolls-Royce to progress beyond their existing 'single model' policy and to the introduction of a smaller, cheaper 20hp car to be built alongside the existing 40/50hp Silver Ghost. Henry Royce's new design incorporated a number of modern features such as overhead valvegear for its six-cylinder engine, a centre-change gearbox, and 'Hotchkiss drive' rear axle. Introduced in 1925, the New Phantom (retrospectively known as the Phantom I) boasted an entirely new overhead-valve six-cylinder engine displacing 7,668cc, and like the 20hp adopted a disc-type clutch and adjustable radiator shutters. Its chassis though, remained essentially the same as that of the later four-wheel-braked 'Ghost, and would continue fundamentally unchanged until the arrival of the Phantom II in 1929 brought with it an entirely new frame. Despatched to London-based coachbuilder Thrupp & Maberly in April 1927, New Phantom long-wheelbase chassis number '91EF' was sold via Rootes Ltd of Piccadilly to first owner Colonel M A Swinfen-Brown of Lichfield, who service records indicate owned the car until at least 1938. Restored around 1970, the vehicle came into the ownership of Sir William McAlpine in 1977 and has been maintained since then by recognised marque specialist. Finished in cream/blue with leather/cloth upholstery. This lot will be on display at Donnington Priory from Friday 7 th August until Wednesday 12 th August. Prior to this it will be on display at Fawley Hill Estate where it can be viewed by appointment only- please contact housesales@dreweatts.com. Condition Report: Chassis & Frame: Where visible, the chassis showed no signs of cracking or rust and appeared in good condition. Engine (7.6L Inline-6): Cylinder head appeared free from cracks or seepage. The engine was dry-cranked and appeared sound. Transmission & Drivetrain: All gears selected easily, the clutch operating as it should. Brakes & Suspension: Brakes operated as they should with no undue wear. Leaf springs and dampers appeared sound. The car would benefit from new tyres as they are showing some signs of cracking in the tyre walls. Body & Paint: The paintwork was generally good but suffers from some minor external blemishing. The door shuts showed paint loss as expected where the wooden frame had shown signs of drying out. No significant signs of rot were observed in the wooden frame. Door hinges were sound except for the front passenger door, which showed slight wear. All door gaps appeared good. Interior & Woodwork: The interior condition was as expected for a vehicle that has had extensive use since it was last restored. A small tear in the rear seat squab fabric appears to have happened accidentally rather than as a result of perishing. Both jump seats were in good condition without blemish. Headlining appeared satisfactory without any obvious tears. The leather seats in the driver’s compartment appeared to be intact but would benefit from a dose of hide food and possibly Connolising. Woodwork and trim appear intact in all areas. Conclusion . Due to lack of fuel, I was unable to observe the engine running, but I am told the engine has recently had a head gasket replacement and the engine ran successfully without problem post-gasket replacement. The engine dry-turned without problem, and I observed all linkages were operating as they should. The car typically presents well as a later restoration that has been used on many occasions whilst in the care of Lady McAlpine. It would certainly benefit from some minor recommissioning before taking to the road once more. Condition Report Disclaimer

VIEW & BID

Please enter your max bid

Auction date(s): Aug 12

Lot location: Newbury, Berkshire