Photo: Bonhams
Back in the glory years of Earth’s mightiest explorers, a brave few risked fortunes and lives just at have the opportunity to say they’ve been the first to do something or reach some place. And at the turn of the twentieth century, there was no bigger challenge than to reach the Earth’s poles.
In 1907, the so-called British Antarctic Expedition, or the Nimrod expedition, set out to reach the South Pole. It was the first of three expeditions to the Antarctic led by Ernest Shackleton with the stated goal of reaching the South Pole before anyone else.
Shackleton was one of the main figures of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, as the age became known over the years.
Coal-powered ships, steamers, poneys, and sledges were used by the four-man landing party to achieve their goal, but despite all the efforts the expedition failed, 100 geographical miles short of their target.
Now, more than a century later, one of the sledges used by one of the team’s members, Eric Marshall, is up for sale at the Bonhams Travel and Exploration Sale in London on February 6, for an estimated £60,000-£100,000.
The sledge in question is one of eighteen eleven-foot such means of transport used during the expedition. It will sell accompanied by its owner’s personal flag, which is valued at £30,000-50,000.
"Shackleton was one of the great figures of the heroic age of Polar exploration, and the Nimrod expedition was an important chapter in the story of the race to the South Pole,” said in a statement Bonhams head of books and manuscripts Matthew Haley
"Few of the sledges used during the Nimrod expedition survive; of those that do, this appears to be the only one with a direct link to one of the four Southern Party explorers, and I think it will be of great interest to collectors."
Shackleton was one of the main figures of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration, as the age became known over the years.
Coal-powered ships, steamers, poneys, and sledges were used by the four-man landing party to achieve their goal, but despite all the efforts the expedition failed, 100 geographical miles short of their target.
Now, more than a century later, one of the sledges used by one of the team’s members, Eric Marshall, is up for sale at the Bonhams Travel and Exploration Sale in London on February 6, for an estimated £60,000-£100,000.
The sledge in question is one of eighteen eleven-foot such means of transport used during the expedition. It will sell accompanied by its owner’s personal flag, which is valued at £30,000-50,000.
"Shackleton was one of the great figures of the heroic age of Polar exploration, and the Nimrod expedition was an important chapter in the story of the race to the South Pole,” said in a statement Bonhams head of books and manuscripts Matthew Haley
"Few of the sledges used during the Nimrod expedition survive; of those that do, this appears to be the only one with a direct link to one of the four Southern Party explorers, and I think it will be of great interest to collectors."
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