AMAZING WORLD WAR 1 SCRAPBOOK IS ONE OF MORE THAN 1,000 LOTS ON SALE AT FIRST AUCTION IN ROYAL WOOTTON BASSETT

A WORLD WAR 1 scrapbook created by a nurse on the frontline is just one of the lots going under the hammer at the inaugural two-day sale – the first for the newly-opened RWB Auctions in Royal Wootton Bassett.

The scrapbook belonged to Madeline Riva Baxter: born in July 1890 in Rainhill, Lancashire and who died in 1975 in Stretton, Shropshire in her 85th year. It’s expected to attract interest from museums, collectors and military enthusiasts across the UK and overseas. 

It primarily covers the years 1918 to 1919 while Madeline was volunteering with the British Committee of the French Red Cross at an ‘English Ladies Canteen’ in Vitry-le-François. Vitry-le-François is located in the Marne department of France, south east of Reims. 

Madeline saw the destruction wrought on Vitry which was at the centre of fighting during the First Battle of the Marne. She would also have been close to the frontline on the last major German offensive on the Western Front: The Second Battle of the Marne in July 1918.

Head auctioneer Gareth Wasp said: “This is a rare account of the experiences of a woman during the war close to the frontline and will be of interest to many. Red Cross canteens are a poorly understood function of the First World War’s female-dominated civilian voluntary services. 

“Madeline had been a member of a Voluntary Aid Detachment before she sailed for France, like other famous VAD members, Agatha Christie and Vera Britten, meaning she likely had some volunteer nursing experience. Madeline joined the English Ladies Canteen in Vitry-le-François shortly before it opened on 26 March 1918. 

“Her scrapbook charts her journey via Le Havre, her work in the canteen and her social life among her fellow volunteers and the French, British and American soldiers moving through the region. The Vitry Red Cross canteen was documented by painter Isabel Codrington and official war artist Olive Edis*, who was commissioned by the Imperial War Museum to photograph women’s activities on the Western Front.”

Included in the scrapbook are contemporary newspaper clippings, postcards of Vitry-le-François and the surrounding area, as well as unpublished photos including of prisoners of war, African American troops and various named volunteers and military personnel. 

It also features drawings and inscriptions, apparently from a range of contributors, as well as official documents and personal correspondence. Towards the back, Madeline has pasted in original photographs of a female Red Cross member receiving the Croix de Guerre, possibly Aethelflaed Benson.

This is entered as lot 720 to be included in the Thursday 25th January sale with an estimate of £1,000 to £1,500.

Another notable lot is an 18th Century copy of a famous religious picture by Raphael. 

The large oil painting, which measures 219cms by 138 cms, is a replica of “The Great Holy Family of François I” by Raphael (1483 to 1520). It’s an oil on canvas in an ornate moulded and gilded frame with acanthus leaf, foliate and beading motifs. The painting came from a private collector in the South West. 

Gareth Wasp said: “This is an extremely faithful copy of Raphael’s oil on canvas, ‘La Sainte Famille, dit La Grande Sainte Famille de François Ier’ The Holy Family, known as the Great Holy Family of François I), now in the Musée du Louvre in Paris. 

“The fidelity to the original painting suggests that the artist copied it from the life, rather than from an engraving. The original painting was given as a gift by Pope Leo X to King François I of France in 1518, and remained in the Royal Collection until it was taken for the State around the 1790s.”

Raphael, an Italian painter and architect, was a contemporary of both Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. His father was an established artist and encouraged his son’s talent. Raphael went on to become an apprentice artist and painted many famous works often with religious significance. He was particularly known for his various Madonna paintings. The painting, with an estimate of £4,000 to £6,000, is one of nearly 1,000 lots going on sale at the very first auction to take place in the new £3m salerooms which officially open on Monday (January 15).  

RWB Auctions has been a passion project for founder Jon White who first opened Old Bank Antiques almost five years ago. Jon now has a team of 30 people running his businesses – RWB Auctions, Old Bank Antiques and Britannia Coin Company all under the umbrella of Gold Traders UK. 

Items in this sale of antiques, fine art, jewellery, silver, coins, medals, clocks and collectibles, can be viewed on Monday January 15 until 7pm, Tuesday January 16 9:30am to 5pm, Friday January 19 9:30am to 5pm, Monday January 22 9:30am to 5pm,and Tuesday January 22 and 23 9:30am to 7pm before the sale on Wednesday January 24 and Thursday January 25 between 9am and 10am.

Anyone who wants to bid will have to register - Buyer’s premium is only 10% plus VAT. For more information visit https://www.rwbauctions.com