Lord Nelson's Shoe Buckles Worn At Trafalgar To Go Under The Hammer

The shoe buckles worn by Lord Nelson when he was killed at the famous Battle of Trafalgar are going to auction and could fetch £5,000.

The rare brass buckles, which date back to around 1800, were donned by the British naval hero during the decisive victory when he was shot by a French musketeer.

They were worn aboard HMS Victory, where Admiral Horatio Nelson led 27 British ships to battle in the Atlantic Ocean, just west of Cape Trafalgar, Spain on October 21st, 1805.

Without losing a single British vessel, the British successfully defeated the 33-strong French and Spanish fleets, who lost 22 ships.

The victory confirmed Britain's naval supremacy and was achieved thanks to Nelson's unconventional tactics.

The rectangular shoe buckles with sprung clasps come will go under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers in Etwall, Derbyshire, on Wednesday, with an estimate of £3,000 to £5,000.

Presented in a framed box, the buckles date to circa 1800 and come with a document which says:

"These Buckles are presented to Alexander Davison Esq of Swarland Park as a mark of my grateful respect for the many obligations.

"He has conferred upon me - sent from London this 2 Aug 1828.

"These buckles were presented to me by the family of the late Lord Nelson; he wore them at the ever-memorable Battle of Trafalgar R. Ro[berts?] 46 Piccadilly."

Adrian Stevenson, Militaria expert at Hansons, said: "Nelson was an inspirational leader, a military genius who carved his name in the history books.

"It is an honour to handle the sale of these buckles and it would be an even greater honour to own them."