Clive of India
As carefully as we could, we laid the weapons aside after an initial inspection, and photographed the lot the following day during what turned out to be a rare sunny spell. The omens all looked good!
I initially thought that we would be able to sell the decommissioned muskets on Ebay but sadly no, their very efficient system soon booted us off leaving just the swords and bayonets and a frightening message from Ebay’s administration department about the dire consequences of our actions.
However, as the swords sold people got to hear of the muskets and they were soon being crated up and sent to buyers all over the country. We sold the items with copies of the hire agreement with the film company, the sale invoice for our subsequent purchase from Gajendra, and a numbered and signed certificate of authenticity. All the muskets and bayonets were individually numbered and referred to in the hire and sale invoices so the weapons could be properly tracked back to being used in the film.
In the last month we have taken delivery of a few of the weapons and props used in the most recent film Sharpe’s Peril and we are waiting eagerly to see which ones have been used before selling them, probably through Ebay again, and of course word of mouth. You’ll notice from the photograph that they include candelabras and a wine bucket and I can’t wait to see them in the film. I don’t expect them to be cluttering up my barn for very long given our previous experience. The spears may be a different story, they’re nearly 8 feet long! Anyone got any ideas??
--Clive Richards
Amazingly I was able to identify the very Brown Bess that Sgt Sharpe fired at the start of the film and the pistol with folding bayonet which was used in the jail break sequence. These were sent to an auction house and no doubt are highly prized items in someone’s collection. I still think I should have kept those, but what’s done is done.
Without a shadow of doubt it was huge fun dealing with so many people who shared our enthusiasm for the Sharpe’s Rifle series and we made many new friends including the organizers of the Sharpe Appreciation Society here in England, and through our association with them I have been approached by the staff at Sharpe Point to write this short article .
The treasure trove Clive found himself with from Sharpe’s Peril
You can also contact Clive via Ebay if you are interested
in what he has for sale from Sharpe’s Peril.
Clive Richards will be selling many of the items on Ebay after Sharpe's Peril airs on November 10. If you would like to be notified about the sales then add Waterloo.nutcase as a favorite seller on http://www.ebay.com/ and you will be notified automatically by Ebay when the sale starts.
Clive would also welcome emails to: Clive1815@googlemail.com.
Daragh O’Malley and Sean Bean on the
set of Sharpe’s Challenge
My Kingdom for a Spear Contest!
Clive Richards has graciously offered one of the spears used in Sharpe’s Peril to anyone who comes up with the cleverest use for one! Jot down what idea sounds best as to what one would do with such a highly prized item (let alone dozens!) How utilitarian are you? How crafty are you? How devious are you?
How ingenious when all is said and done, are YOU?
The winner will receive one of the actual spears used in the production of Sharpe’s Peril. Wondering what’s the point? Can you edge out your competition?
Show us what you’re made of!
Send your answer to: Sharpe Pointe
All Entries Must Be Submitted by: Dec. 10th, 2008
When the four wooden crates arrived there was eager but careful use of crow bars and screwdrivers and plenty of hot tea provided by Mary-Anne who by now had lost all hope of seeing me for many hours to come.
Aladdin’s Cave? Treasure trove? Cornucopia? I don’t know how best to describe what our barn had been converted to that night but it was certainly messy with paper, wood and metal straps everywhere. Perhaps Christmas present unwrapping for 8 year olds would best describe the scene? As long as it was not a Pandora’s box I didn’t mind!
When we returned to England I set about trying to find out about the film and indeed it seemed to be a magnificent project involving hundreds of extras, exotic locations and an intriguing story line. It was worth the expense just to see the looks of disbelief on the faces of our friends when I told them what we had decided to do. I was now beyond hope and deemed an incurable eccentric stuck in a time warp somewhere at the beginning of the 19th century; a label I am quite happy with.
The pistol Sharpe used in the jail break scene from Sharpe’s Challenge. The barrel had been painted silver. Note folding bayonet on top of barrel.
