My Great Uncle's WW1 Tunic - a story and a request for help

[trenchtrotter]

I agree with Grovetown,

Its a lovely tunic if unremarkable (please do not take that as bad...no Div / unit insignia to add interest / any blue chevrons to left sleeve?) but nevertheless would grace any collection. £350 is a good estimate.

If I were you I would keep as a family heirloom, I dont know if you have children but one day they may love it? If not then some questions to ask oneself.....why donate to a museum that probably wont display and could sell themselves? Also if you sell dont feel bad...either donate as indicated to a charity of your choice, I am sure the original owner would approve or convert the funds into an item you will personally treasure, a picture, antique or personal item that will be a reminder. I did this with my Grandmas rose gold charm bracelet and rings, so old fashioned my daughters would not wear and though linked to family served no purpose in a box, I now have two antiques I treasure and see everyday.

I like and collect pieces and medals to Royal Artillery, RFA and RGA and like myself there are many people who would like the tunic and serve as a good custodian.

Please bear with the Forum, some are suspicious of new members asking values / advice re disposing of items because they are dealers scoping the market and never return or say thanks, however I prefere to trust in the first instance and see what happens, so from me welcome and thanks for sharing and whatever you do hope it works out for you and the tunic...lovely item to have.

Regards

TT

[Dragon]

Just hypothetically, when you say a uniform is unremarkable, does it become more remarkable if there's a known history - say, a bravery medal like a Military Medal? What makes something remarkable?

Gwyn

[trenchtrotter]

"Unremarkable" is a subjective term and does not do the tunic justice nevertheless compared to other tunics available ie cuff ranks, gallentry awards, unusual insignia, line regiment, other accompanying items etc. It is as stated still a nice attributed tunic and if the story is true a sleeper which is always nice. I have an unremarkable cuff rank tunic to a 2nd Lieut. to the RFA / RGA and it is one of my nicest items. I mean no disrespect by the term but it is a limitation of language perhaps?

Regards

TT

[Dragon]

I was asking a genuine question. I'll rephrase it. If, say, the original man had won something like an award or there was a story about him, does that make it more valuable? I have nothing to sell. I wouldn't know one piece of insignia from another - it isn't my 'thing'. I was just interested.

I'm afraid I don't know what a sleeper is.

[Jerry B]

I was asking a genuine question. I'll rephrase it. If, say, the original man had won something like an award or there was a story about him, does that make it more valuable? I have nothing to sell. I wouldn't know one piece of insignia from another - it isn't my 'thing'. I was just interested.

I'm afraid I don't know what a sleeper is.

In theory, a named tunic to a gallantry medal winner, with a story etc... would probably fetch more than a similar tunic without the award, though factors such as which regiment it is for might make more of a difference than if the owner had awards.

I assume he means by a sleeper, that it has not been on the collectors market previously and passed through many peoples hands, though I might be wrong.

[trenchtrotter]

Yes re sleeper, one that has not been on the market and recently discovered etc. Re value a MC winners tunic would command little moe than a non medal winner. Named tunics are nicer because of the research. This is a nice tunic as it is researchable.

Regards

TT

[Dragon]

Thank you both. I didn't have an agenda; I was just interested.

Gwyn

[Jerry B]

I like it and as an ex Cardiff resident the Charles street maker adds to it's desirability to me, not something you see very often. With regards to medal winners tunics, I have a MC winners tunic from a later period and it was very cheap, so in that case not a factor apparently.

[viralto]

Don't worry gents: I'm fine with it being called unremarkable

I'm under no illusions about it and there must be millions of similar stories of men that had relatively short, fairly undistinguished military careers like Trevor's. In truth, I'd feel a little fraudulent if I were to claim it as some kind of family heirloom - he's a pretty distant relative and died three months after I was born. I didn't even know his name until he was mentioned in passing during a rare conversation with my brother last November!

That said, I'm very glad that I had an opportunity to learn something about him and his life. My son is studying WW1 poetry at A-Level and this has made the whole subject very real for him.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the tunic right now. My maternal Grandfather played a massive role in my life until I was twelve (when he died) and he was RQMS of a Gurkha regiment in Burma, fought at Kohima and ended up a Chindit. He almost never spoke of it when he was alive, other than to say that the Gurkhas were the most brave, honourable and selfless men he ever met in his life. I sponsor two Gurkha pensions in his name and the Khukuri he was awarded when he was made an honorary Gurkha is on display in the museum in Winchester. He's the guy I feel comfortable honouring and if I do end up selling, the proceeds will go to The Gurkha Welfare Trust to support another pensioner.

Thanks again for all of the help and advice - I really do appreciate it.

Tim

[Wardog]

Glad the forum has helped Tim- and a great idea to to support the Gurkha Wefare Trust- do though attempt to guide your son towards this forum and the Western Front Association-to give some balance to his study of Great War Poets. Best wishes, Paul.