museumtom Posted 31 July , 2004 Share Posted 31 July , 2004 Hey Guys. I just thought you would like to see two items I bought today at the Militaria fair in Birr County Offaly, Ireland. A Slade Wallace cross belt with a Martini Henry ammunition pouch. The pouch has a metal innard and is made by a Dublin maker as is also the belt itself. Price…, 5 euro Set of 4 Wicker holders for 18 pounder artillery shells maker marked for 1917, price…. 20 euro for the four, Not bad I think. Next week there is a fair in the North Star Hotel in Dublin, I will post some pictures of that next week. Tom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 31 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 31 July , 2004 stuff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 31 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 31 July , 2004 last pic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 31 July , 2004 Author Share Posted 31 July , 2004 I have been searching the net and I cannot find any site that has a picture of these wicker containers in use. Can anyone point me in the right direction please? regards. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbarchetta Posted 31 July , 2004 Share Posted 31 July , 2004 Tom, These were carried by horses to get shells up the line where railway tracks hadn't been laid and roads were impassable by limbers. The attached photo is not very good, but is entitled "Shells passing up to the guns by horse carrier". You can just make out a horse with four of your carriers on one side (and presumably four on the other), but in two two's, rather than the line of four that yours are in. That's the best I can come up with, I'm afraid !! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 31 July , 2004 Share Posted 31 July , 2004 I`m sure I`ve seen them carried vertically on the horses` sides, Jim. Perhaps that`s when they were not being ridden? Phil B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Poilu Posted 31 July , 2004 Share Posted 31 July , 2004 Tom, You did incredibly well with the whicker shell carriers, 20 Euros? Someone has given those away! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIGEL Posted 31 July , 2004 Share Posted 31 July , 2004 Do you know where they were made Tom ?? Isaw a programme once about the old days in Ireland and a lot of wickerwork was done around the Shannon as they had a good supply of materials there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 1 August , 2004 Author Share Posted 1 August , 2004 Many thanks for all the replies guys. Time now 2.19 am just back from a music session in the local. I will suss out the makers marks in the morning...... many thanks for the picture of these items on horses....it is really very much appreciated. Are these common in the area of the battlefields now? like are they sold at french and Belgian car boots or markets still? I was told by the seller ( I only buy what I see not what I hear) that they were brought back from the battlefields about 20 years ago. Just wondering their rareity. regards. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Poilu Posted 1 August , 2004 Share Posted 1 August , 2004 Tom, They are rare! Like wooden storage boxes these were lying about in countless numbers after the war but were of course put to many other uses or simply burnt for firewood. I visit many of the French fairs and in the last 10 years I have never seen British wicker carriers in a 'four' pack like this. Of course there is always the lucky chance of a find at a bootsale but it is more difficult nowadays. The German 77mm triple carriers seem to be the most common, I have picked up a few in France. As an estimate if I had yours, dated and marked, I would find four cases to fill it and expect (and get) a price of around £200 on eBay, probably shipping to the US. The last empty German 77mm wicker carrier I had went for just under £100. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Poilu Posted 1 August , 2004 Share Posted 1 August , 2004 Here is a later canvas and leather pattern but the principle is the same: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 1 August , 2004 Author Share Posted 1 August , 2004 Thank you Giles. They were a table all day and no-one even looked at them. I was just packing up to go home and did a last 'look around' and the rest is history. By the way they were marked 18pdr markIIB.R.C.&W.cCo 1917. I cannot tell if the B in mark IIB is part of the makers name or not as the marks are all close together. Regards. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 1 August , 2004 Author Share Posted 1 August , 2004 Just thought I woul add that they are held together with one strand of twisted copper wire so they may have been singles. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Morval Ross Posted 5 August , 2004 Share Posted 5 August , 2004 Hi Tom, I am a new member from Ennis in County Clare, I am always trying to find out about militaria Fairs in IReland but never can find any info, Do you have a list of when and where these fairs are on. CurranL tells me you are from Thurles, I am originaly from Mountshannon, Accross the Lough Derg from Dromineer. regards Ross. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 5 August , 2004 Author Share Posted 5 August , 2004 Hello Co Clare. I have often played in the pipers club in Killaloe. However I am a Dub and I live in Holycross and will have a table at the Militaria Fair in the North Star hotel this Saturday, Opposite Amiens Street railway Station in Dublin. It is run by the International Militaria Collectors Club and starts at 10am. If you are there look me up. If not pm me for more info. Tom Burnell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest John Sukey Posted 5 August , 2004 Share Posted 5 August , 2004 Just a question. Are you sure thats an ammunition pouch? ie; cartridge loops on the inside? It looks more like a volunteer pattern pouch for carrying despatches. At any rate, for 5 Euros the seller must have not had a clue on the value, or you were very lucky! With that kind of luck, do you have any picks for the Grand National? You had a very good day on both purchases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 5 August , 2004 Author Share Posted 5 August , 2004 The inside of the leather pouch has a metal compartment which might hold martini type rounds. I thought it might be a message pouch but the metal liner drew me to an ammo thingy. This belt was part of a pair of belts and I got the two for ten euros or 5 euros each, The second belt was a brass buckled(The seemed to have once been an insignia on the buckle, the holes are in it)) and a manky outside of this belt (the inside was leather) was pale yellow filligree work and it also has a short belt hanger and a long sword hanger hanging from it.......if you get my meaning. If you looked at this belt you would probably pass it by. I can post some pics if you like........tommorrow. I am off to bed now, early riser. regards. Tom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
museumtom Posted 7 August , 2004 Author Share Posted 7 August , 2004 I brought the belt and pouch and it was agreed all round that it was in fact for Martini rounds. I have posted some pictures from the fair on this forum this evening. regards. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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