A rare variant of the classic Second World War commando knife sold for 200 times its lower estimate at a North Yorkshire auction on June 23.
The Fairbairn-Sykes dagger and scabbard (right) sparked a lengthy battle at Ryedale Auctioneers of Kirkbymoorside between a UK-based internet bidder and an overseas phone. Bidding (slightly extended by a brief phone hitch) took about 20 minutes before the former was victorious at £20,000, plus 20% buyer’s premium.
It had an unusual machined brass grip and a blade with the broad arrow British issue mark and the number 2. However, with the highest commission bid being £400, auctioneer Angus Ashworth declared the price “quite a shock.” The knife was Lot 4 in a Militaria, Sporting & Firearms sale. “Normally I do about 120 lots an hour and I think about half an hour into this sale we had done about five.”