Catalogue for our Sir Barnes Wallis 'Dam Busters' Collection auction to be held on Wednesday 25th of March 2026

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**Alfred Egerton Cooper R.B.A. (British, 1883-1974) Half Length Portrait of Barnes Wallis in Army Uniform smoking a Pipe, oil on canvas, signed with initials, 32cm h x 23cm w. Provenance: Sir Barnes Wallis thence by descent. Note: this work was most likely painted in 1915, while Cooper and Wallis were serving in the Artist Rifles. ** Artist's Re-sale Rights may be payable on this lot £300-500

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A collection of Sir Barnes Wallis' school books (6vols.) to include LACHLAN, R and FLETCHER, W. C. Elements of Trigonometry, London: Edward Arnold, 1904, 12mo, 164pp. Original brown cloth with black lettered spine. Rubbing to corners and edges of spine. Second impression. The first blank page with pencil written equations. Signed B.N. Wallis. COCKSHOTT, Arthur and WALTERS, F. B. Rev. A Treatise on Geometrical Conics. London: Macmillan and Co. Limited 1902. 12mo, 208pp. Original burgundy cloth bound with gilt lettered spine. Fading to spine and cover, rubbing to corners and edges of spine. Second Edition 1902. Signed B.N. Wallis and also signed J.C. Murray The University Birmingham 1903. HALL, H.S. and KNIGHT, S. R. Higher Algebra A Sequel to Elementary Algebra for Schools. London: Macmillan and Co., Limited 1903. 12mo, 557pp. Original burgundy cloth bound with gilt lettered spine. Fading to spine and cover, rubbing to corners and edges of spine. Fourth Edition. BUDDEN E. Elementary Pure Geometry With Mensuration. A Complete Course of Geometry for Schools. London: W. & R. Chambers, Limited 1904. 12mo, 284pp. Original burgundy cloth bound with gilt lettered spine. Fading to spine and cover, rubbing to corners and edges of spine, severe staining to pastedown and endpaper and back pages, some foxing. Signed B.N. Wallis. HALL, H. S. and KNIGHT, S. R. Elementary Algebra for Schools. London: Macmillan and Co., Limited 1902. 12mo, 392 pp. Original maroon cloth, faded gilt lettered spine, fading to spine and cover, rubbing to corners and edges of spine. Seventh Edition. Signed B.N. Wallis. SALMON, George, A Treatise on the Analytic Geometry of Three Dimensions. Dublin: Hodges, Figgis, & Co., 1882. 8vo, 612pp. Original green cloth, gilt lettered spine, rubbing to corners and edges of spine. Fourth edition. £200-300

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KELVIN Lord and TAIT Peter Guthrie. Elements of Natural Philosophy. Cambridge: At The University Press 1894. 8vo, 295pp. Original green cloth with gilt lettered spine. Rubbing to corners and edges of spine, tear to spine on both sides at the top, foxing and stains to pastedown and endpaper. Pencil written notes to back of contents page. Pull out folded diagram to the back. Signed B. N. Wallis. From E.E.W. Sept 26. '09. £80-120

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MINCHIN, G. M. and DALE J. B. Mathematical Drawing, London: Edward Arnold 1906. 8vo, 145pp. Original burgundy cloth bound with gilt lettered spine. Fading to spine and cover, rubbing to corners and edges of spine. Staining and foxing to pastedown, endpaper and other pages. Signed B.N. Wallis and also signed Alfred Jennings Kings College W.C. £80-120

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LOCK, Rev. J. B. A Treatise on Higher Trigonometry. London: Macmillan and Co. and New York 1889. 12mo, 199pp. Original maroon cloth with gilt lettered spine. Fading to spine and cover, rubbing to corners and edges of spine. Torn stuck library plate to paste down. Third Edition revised. Signed B. N. Wallis £80-120

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WATSON, W. A Text-Book of Physics. London: Longmans, Green, and Co. 8vo, 896pp. Original blue cloth, gilt lettered spine. Fading to spine and cover, rubbing to corners and edges, spine in poor condition, loose front page. dedicated "B.N.Wallis 8/6/21 from J M Bond 1900 With all good wishes" £40-60

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3 vols. The University Tutorial Series. Clive's Mathematical Tables. London: W. B. Clive, University Tutorial Press Ltd. 8vo, 49pp. Original green cloth with black lettered spine. Fading and damage to spine, rubbing to edges and spine, staining to pastedown, endpaper and backboard. Signed B.N. Wallis and initialled to the title page B.N.W. Cowes 1910. EVERETT, J. D. Deschane's Natural Philosophy Part 4 Sound and Light. London: Black & Son, Limited. 8vo, 318pp. Orginal red cloth with gilt lettered spine. Fading to spine and cover, minor rubbing to corners and edges of spine. Sixteenth edition. Initialled B.N.W Cowes 1911. WHITEHEAD, A.N. An Introduction to Mathematics. London Williams & Norgate 1911, 12mo, 256pp. Original blue cloth with gilt lettered spine. Spine in very poor condition, with later added "homemade" dust cover, possibly from a paper bag, handwritten to the front by Sir Barnes Wallis - An Introduction to Mathematics, A.N. Whitehead and signed B.N. Wallis £80-120

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A felt figure of a seated Christ's Hospital pupil in uniform 6.5cm. £150-200

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SAXELBY, F. M. A Course in Practical Mathematics. London: Longmans, Green, and Co. 1905. 8vo, 438pp. Original green cloth with detached gilt lettered spine, fading to cover, rubbing to corners and edges. signed B.N. Wallis and A.L. Bowley £80-120

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Transactions of the Institution of Civil Engineers of Ireland, Dublin 1907, VOL. XXXIII 8vo, 263pp., (a booklet containing a chapter "Buttressed Masonry Dams"), together with Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society VOL VI PART IV. 1888, 8vo, both in poor condition with loose and torn covers, some pages not separated to the 2nd book £70-90

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ROUTH, Edward John. Advanced Rigid Dynamics - The Advanced Part of a Treatise on the Dynamics of a System of Rigid Bodies. London: Macmillan and Co., Limited 1905. 8vo, 484pp. Original blue cloth with gilt lettered spine. Fading to spine and cover, minor rubbing to corners and edges of spine. Together with 2 loose pages of pencil notes and equations. Sixth Edition 1905. £200-300

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RAUSENBERGER Professor F. The Theory of The Recoil of Guns with Recoil Cylinders. London: Crosby Lockwood and Son 1909. 8vo, 114pp. Orginal red cloth, gilt lettered spine . Fading to spine and cover, minor rubbing to corners and edges of spine. With fold out map. Initialled B.N.W £150-200

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A STEWART, Wallace R. The Higher Text-Book of Heat, The Tutorial Physics Volume II. London: W.B. Clive University Tutorial Press Ltd. 1911. 12mo, 399pp. Original brown cloth with gilt lettered spine. Minor rubbing to corners and edges of spine. Signed B.N. Wallis £80-120

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Aeronautics Technical Reports of the Advisory Committee For Aeronautics for the Year 1910-11. London Darling And Son 1911, 8vo, 134pp., bound in blue cloth with gilt lettering, fading to spine and cover, rubbing to corners and edges of spine, photographs, fold out plated throughout £50-70

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ALEXANDER, Wm. Column and Struts, Theory and Practical Design. London: E. & F. N. Soon, Ltd., 1912. 8vo, 267pp. Original brown cloth with gilt lettered spine. Minor rubbing to covers and edges of spine. £30-40

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ANDREWS, Ewart S. Further Problems In The Theory And Design of Structures. London: Chapman & Hall, Ltd. 1913. 8vo, 236pp. Original green cloth with gilt lettered spine, minor rubbing to corners and edges of spine. Signed B.N. Wallis and also signed B.N. Wallis to the title page. Together with a typed signed letter from Ewart S. Andrews to Mr Wallis £200-300

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MASTERSON Commander E. A. R.N. Handbook on Rigid Airship No. 1 Parts I & II and Appendix 1913. Admiralty S Branch S.0281/13. 8vo., 213pp. Bound in blue tooled cloth, gilt title to spine, gilt "No.79" to top right front board. Fading to spine and cover, rubbing to corners and edges of spine Photos, diagrams and fold out coloured plates throughout. Signed to pastedown B.N. Wallis 1915 and with signature G Landey? £200-300

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MASTERSON Commander E. A. R.N. Handbook on Rigid Airship No. 1 Parts I & II and Appendix 1913. Admiralty S Branch S.0281/13. 8vo., bound in blue tooled cloth, gilt title to spine, gilt "No.43" to top right front board. Fading to spine and cover, rubbing to corners and edges of spine, (spine detatched from front edge), Errata list 1914 glued to front page, "S Branch" on title page crossed out and replaced "Air Dept." Photos, diagrams and fold out coloured plates throughout. Signed to pastedown B N Wallis and marked Shore Station Barrow in Furness £200-300

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BESANT, W, H. A Treatise on Dynamics. London: G Bell and Sons, Ltd. 1914. 8vo, 443pp. Original green cloth, gilt lettered spine. Rubbing to the corners and edges of the spine. Fifth Edition, initialled B.N.W Dec 1940. Throughout the book there any many handwritten pencil notes and some equations, there is also a loose piece of paper with pencil written equation. £200-300

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ATTWOOD, Edward L. Text-Book of Theoretical Naval Architecture. London: Longmans, Green and Co. 1916. 12mo, 494pp. Original blue cloth with with gilt lettered spine. Fading to spine and cover, minor rubbing to corners and edges of spine, torn library label stuck to front cover, some pages within the book with anomalies and stains to inner pages. Loose folded diagram to the back of the book. New Edition July 1916. £30-40

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ANDREWS, Ewart S. The Theory and Design of Structures. London: Chapman & Hall, Ltd 1916. 8vo, 618pp. Original green cloth, green lettered spine. Some rubbing to corners and edges of the spine. Third Edition. Revised Reprint. Signed to title page B.N. Wallis £80-120

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GLAVILLE TAYLOR, R. An Introduction to the Differential and Integral Calculus and Differential Equations. London: Longmans, Green and Co. 1916. 12mo, 568pp. Original blue cloth with black lettered spine. Fading to spine and cover, rubbing to corners and edges of spine, some staining to inside pages. Red pen note made to index page 568. New Impression. £50-70

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JUDGE, Arthur W. The Properties of Aerofoils and Aerodynamic Bodies. London: Whittaker & Co 1917. 8vo, 298pp. Original blue cloth, gilt-lettered spine. Some fading to spine, minor rubbing to corners, occasional light foxing with folding diagrams. Signed B.N. Wallis Some written pen notes page 6 £100-150

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**Alfred Egerton Cooper R.B.A. (British, 1883-1974) The Firth of Forth with the British Fleet from HMA 9 Airship, oil on canvas, circa 1916, signed recto, Bourlet labels verso, 69m h x 89cm w, within a painted wood frame. ** Artist's Re-sale Rights may be payable on this lot. Provenance: Sir Barnes Wallis thence by descent. Exhibited: possibly "Airships in Peace and War" Prince's Gallery, Knightsbridge, September 1919. Note: The R.9 was the first airship on which Barnes Wallis worked, serving as an assistant at Vickers under Chief Designer H. B. Pratt, and was the first British rigid airship to fly. Alfred Egerton Cooper and Wallis were close friends from their time together in the Artists Rifles, a connection that lends particular resonance to this work. This painting may be among the earliest works executed in flight, or developed from sketches made in the air, and was very likely painted during the same flight as the photograph "An aerial view of a portion of the Grand Fleet at anchor in the Firth of Forth, taken from the British Airship R.9" (Imperial War Museum, cat. no. Q 20633). The painting is prominently displayed on the wall of Barnes Wallis's office in the 1955 film "The Dam Busters", widely regarded as one of the best-known and most beloved British war films of the post-Second World War era. £4000-6000

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Handbook on Rigid 23 Class Airships 1918, Airship Department May 1918, 8vo, 86pp bound in blue cloth with debossed white text. Fading to spine and cover, minor rubbing to corners and edges of spine. Photos, diagrams and fold out coloured plates throughout. Signed B.N.Wallis to endpaper and stamped 26. Pastedown with glued confidential Government statement £200-300

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