Boer War Collector's thread........

BadgerDog

BadgerDog

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
46   0   0
Location
Toronto, Canada
Any Boer War collectors here? :)

How about showing us your rifles, pistols, uniforms, or anything else that's from the the Boer War period of 1899-1902.

I'll start the thread off with........

1896 Boer Mauser (7 x 57mm) Rifle - Mfg by Ludwig Lowe

(Click PIC to Enlarge)


1896 Boer Mauser (7 x 57mm) (lots more detailed pics ... click here)http://imageevent.com/badgerdog/germanservicerifles/1896boermauserrifleserialb7772

One of the first 20,000 rifles delivered in 1896 to Z.A.R.
Rifle serial number ranges were A1 - A10000 & B1 - B10000

All matching numbers except cleaning rod and un-numbered bolt.
Vet bring back and was originally part of CMI collection.


Regards,
Badger
 
Stevo said:
How many rifles were purchased by the Boers in total?
Click to expand...

Between Robert Ball and Ron Bester's books, I understand that before the Boer War started, they purchased a total of 47,000 Mauser Model 1895 rifles and carbines from DWM and Ludwig Lowe. They were shipped during July, August and Sept 1896, then March, May and June of 1897. Further rifles were shipped from Germany, but were turned back by the British blockade and later sold to Chile, after having the Chilean crest applied.

In my opinion, the best work on the subject of Boer War guns is "Small Arms of the Anglo-Boer War 1899 - 1902" by Dr. Ron Bester and Associates. I have a copy that I bought from John Denner & Co (click here)http://www.denner.ca/ , but I thought that John Wall in an old 2003 Gunboards post summed it up nicely.

John Wall said:

It is major revision and expansion of Bester's first book on Boer War firearms of 9 years ago.

Of interest to members of this Forum is the new 25 page chapter devoted to just the Krag-Jorgenson rifle in the Boer War. Bester covers this rifle in detail and presents evidence that Krag rifles and carbines made both in Norway (by the Krag Jorgenson Rifle Co) and in Austria (made at Steyr) were officially purchased and used by the Transvaal or ZAR.

The 386 page book contains many excellent period and contemporary B&W and color photos of Krags as well as Mausers and a host of rifles made at Enfield. Also covered are British and German handguns including the Mauser C96, the Webley, all British and Commonwealth long guns, swords, bayonets and accoutrements such as bandoliers.

It is large format, the same size and bulk as "Small Arms of the World", and is printed on the best paper with the best binding. Unfortunately, it weighs 7 pounds and should have come with its own mini-wheel barrow. It costs US$120 and is available only from John Denner in Canada, and can be ordered through Denner's website.
Click to expand...

Regards,
Badger
 
Last edited:
There was some more rifles sold but these were semi-custom guns "Plezier Mausers" that the Burgers could purchase from the magistrate for 5 ZAR pounds.
I am not sure how many sold but will look it up.
I got some stuff my great-great granpa carved while he was a POW on st Helena Island. Oh and I have some furniture of that era that his wife hid in the farm dug-out so that the british would not loot it. My great-grandpa fixed the hat-rack and took the original mirror out and found a telgraph that the old guy wrote his wife, while he was on comando, she hid it there so that the English soldiers would not find it and know where her husbands commando where, my great grandpa put it down on the kitchen counter top to show my grandpa and the maid threw it out thinking it was garbage!!!! He told me that years after the war they emptied the dug out and actually found some arty shells that did not explode in the dug out.
Don't know where it is now. I got the hat rack and some other stuff from them but Mom and dad has the carvings, will get soem pic's some time
 
Boer War

The top mauser is my Boer Mauser.....It is a Ludwig Lowe...The Boer's name C.P.PRETORIUS is carved in the stock.......The other stuff is Boer War and Pre boer war Canadian stuff.... Cheers,Lastmag
VintageMausers.jpg

old_gear_3.jpg

old_gear_1.jpg
 
lastmag said:
The top mauser is my Boer Mauser.....It is a Ludwig Lowe...The Boer's name C.P.PRETORIUS is carved in the stock.......The other stuff is Boer War and Pre boer war Canadian stuff.... Cheers,Lastmag
Click to expand...

Beautiful pieces lastmag ! I wish my Boer Mauser was clearly named like that. Have you ever researched C.P.PRETORIUS to see if you can find history on him?

Besides the CMI (Canadian Military Institute) museum mark, it's only got some odd "notch like" marks on the right side of the butt wrist. I'm not sure if they were a crude attempt of the owner to carve his name (since buffed or worn down), some kind of score keeping, or simply an artifact of naturally rubbing up against something (maybe a ring on his right hand from holding a shooting position). Any guesses from folks here?


(Click PIC to Enlarge)

Regards,
Badger
 
Last edited:
I wish my Boer Mauser was clearly named like that. Have you ever researched C.P.PRETORIUS to see if you can find history on him?
Click to expand...
Pretorius is a very common last name litrally thousands of them so this may be hard.
It would be interesting if you came up with something.
 
green said:
See my post on EE parts and bits for book
Click to expand...

My apologies to Stevo if this a little too promotional for this forum, but as I said folks, if you're ever going to get interested in the Boer War for firearms collectibles, or simply want a beautifully written book rendered throughout with incredible photographs, this is it........

It's the Skennerton+ of the Boer War ........ :)

Clead said:
I have a couple metal trade [cap?] badges.. does that meet the minimum? :) I've got the badges for Bugler and Farrier. LOL a military farrier :D. Slightly dated
Click to expand...

Absolutely Clead ! Where's the pics? .... uhhhhhh.. of the military farrier that is ..... :D :D :D

Here are three British medal groupings awarded to soldiers who fought in the Boer War 1899-1902. British service medals prior to WWII, were often named (impressed) on their rims (as these all are ... see more detailed pics) with the the soldier's name, rank and unit in which he was serving when he was awarded the medal. Because of the age, anyone can write to the British War Office archives and get the service records on folks whose medals you come across.

Captain Leslie George de Rune Barclay (Born on Oct 3,1879 - Died Feb 1, 1965 at age 85). He fought in the Boer War and WW1 (Royal Irish Rifles) and incredibly, his last medal (on the far right) was the Defence Home Service Medal for serving in the Home Guard during WWII. It's un-named on the rim. Note: He also was awarded the rare BAR to his Mons Star.

(Click Pic to Enlarge)


Private J. White (#5247) of the Northumberland Fusliers. He fought at Belmont and the Modder River, where he was wounded on Nov 28, 1899 and invalided back to England.

(Click Pic to Enlarge)


Colour Sergeant J. Sutherland (#4624) of the Argyle & Sutherland Highlanders. He fought at the Modder River, Paardeberg, Dreifontein and the Transvaal. He received an Honorable "Mention in Dispatches".

(Click Pic to Enlarge)


For more detailed pics of the various soldier's medals shown above (click here)http://imageevent.com/badgerdog/generalmilitaria/militarymedals

Regards,
Badger
 
Hi Fellas ..thanks for the kind words....I contacted a fellow at the university of Pretoria trying to research my Pretorius and the Professor that Answered was named......................Yup,You guessed it...PRETORIUS! He said the same thing that Pretorius was a very comon "old Dutch" Latin name and it may be hard to trace.....kinda left it at that....but I,m hoping more resources wil reveal Boer unit nominal rolls and I can go from there. He did give me a link to a Boer Rifle Registry for collectors....I,ll post the link if I can dig it out...
LASTMAG
 
The last survivor from NZ's support to the Boer War died just afer he turned 100yo!! That was in the 1970's He lied about his age as he was 16 when he enlisted!
 
I contacted a fellow at the university of Pretoria trying to research my Pretorius and the Professor that Answered was named
Click to expand...
Did you know that Pretoria is named after the "voortrekker" pioneer Andries Pretorius?
Now if someone would just sell me a Boer war Mauser this Boer will show you guys how to use it!! lol
 
Best I can do is two medals from that war. One Vicky and one Eddy.
Have a Z.A.R. Martini action but it was so pitted that cleaning it up removed the markings. (the barreled action was being used as a fence post in OZ.) Barrel badly bent, so discarded.
 
Boer seun said:
Did you know that Pretoria is named after the "voortrekker" pioneer Andries Pretorius?
Now if someone would just sell me a Boer war Mauser this Boer will show you guys how to use it!! lol
Click to expand...
Hey Old Son....being half a Dutchman mylf...anytime you,re out here in Rural Ontario...Drop me A line and we'll head out to the 350 yd Range,grab a box of 7mm and try out the "Pretorius Rifle " and the Mk 1 Lee Enfield......Kind of a Boer War Tribute Shoot....even have the bandoliers and headgear!!!
John Denner had a couple of Boer bandoliers a year or so ago that he showed me....Drop him a line at his website...he's a big Boer war guy....It won't be cheap but he turns the stuff up!!

LASTMAG
 
Boer Carving

Hard to make decent digital shots of this indoors...heres the best I made of the carving on the stock.This is one of the 10,000 A Prefix Rifles ordered by the ZAR
and shipped during July,Aug,and Sept of 1896.It is serialed on the left breech and in the wood immediately below....lots of German proofs as well.
cppretorius.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom