WHYTE'S THE ECLECTIC COLLECTOR 15/16 MAY 2021

111 THE ECLECTIC COLLECTOR - TIMED ON-LINE AUCTION 1 MAY - 15/16 MAY 2021 Northern Ireland 256 1977 (25 May) letter from Airey Neave on Northern Ireland. Single page on House of Commons paper, setting out his party’s general view on Northern Ireland, e.g. “ We do believe there is little chance of serious political progress being made until the terrorists, whether Catholic or Protestant, Republican or Loyalist, are defeated”. Airey Neave was killed by an INLA bomb on 30 March 1979. Typescript with handwritten salutation and signature. Also with a note from Mrs Thatcher’s secretary. 11 by 8.50in. (27.9 by 21.6cm) Condition: Fine, address of recipient cut off, a few slight tone spots. Airey Middleton Sheffield Neave, DSO, OBE, MC, TD (1916 – 1979) was a British soldier, lawyer and Member of Parliament. During WorldWar II he was the first British prisoner-of-war to succeed in escaping from Oflag IV-C at Colditz Castle, and later worked for MI9. After the war he served with the International Military Tribunal at the Nuremberg Trials. He later became Conservative Member of Parliament for Abingdon and Opposition spokesman on Northern Ireland Affairs. Neave was assassinated in 1979 in a car bomb attack at the House of Commons. The Irish National Liberation Army claimed responsibility. Estimate €100-€150 (approx £90-£130) Click here for more images and to bid on this lot 256 257 1980s to 2000s collection of badges, mainly Northern Ireland Republican. (100) Includes enamelled (25), pinback and button hole, including 1916 Rising Anniversary, Sinn Féin, Troops Out, Sniper At Work, Óglaigh na hÉireann, etc., silver (2) for Bicentenary of the 1798 Rebellion and 25th Anniversary of the Hunger Strikes, yellow metal Cuman na mBan, also button badges (23) including Thomas McElwee, 1916 leaders, Stop The Show trials, Smash H-Block, Youth For Irish Freedom, etc. Condition: Mainly very fine to extremely fine. Estimate €150-€200 (approx £130-£170) Click here for more images and to bid on this lot 257 258 1981. Prisoner art. Decorated mirror depicting Portlaoise Prison. Inscribed 1981 on reverse. 16 by 20in. (40.6 by 50.8cm) Condition: Excellent, no apparent faults Estimate €100-€150 (approx £90-£130) Click here for more images and to bid on this lot 258