A SPECIALIST sale is due to be held at Tennants Auctioneers – and includes some rare and curious lots.

The Militaria and Ethnographic Sale, held on Wednesday, comprises of 530 lots including an array of military helmets and caps, as well as a collection of primitive money and barter items from the late SGM Adams, a medallist.

Specialist Oonagh Drage said she had never seen such a collection of items and it was very difficult to put a guide price on the lot.

“It is a very unusual collection, one that SGM Adams had been putting together over many years, and he travelled the world for find his pieces.

“He obviously knew what he was looking for, and they are items that could easily be over looked by the untrained eye.”

A total of 21 lots of foreign currency or barter items will go under the hammer as part of the Tribal Weapons and Ethnographica section of the large sale.

It includes African Manillas, Solomon Island shell rings, armbands and combs, and a rare ancient Indian piece of Lac currency, made of sealing wax. Lot 415 is a 19th century Fijian chief’s whale tooth tabua, which is the highest token of respect one can receive in Fiji, is estimated at £250-350. Another interesting lot from Fiji is lot 395: a 19th century war club, which in a dense hard wood of reddish colour, with large toadstool shape head, is estimated at £500-700.

Also of note is lot 378, a carved walrus tooth seal killing club, which is possibly Inuit and comes with a pre-sale estimate of £300-500.

In the militaria section, there is a vast array of helmets and uniforms.

Ms Drage said: “We have an Edwardian officer’s spike helmet which came from a Manchester regiment.

“Another nice item is a brass fireman’s helmet, as well as many other military helmets from across Europe.”

The sale starts at 10.30am on September 7.