Bonhams has announced that it will offer the Polar and Boer war medals of Dr Alister Forbes Mackay, a member of Ernest Shackleton's Antarctic Expedition of 1907-1909, on October 16 in London.
 The medals can expect strong results, with any item relating to the famous polar expeditions generally selling well at auction |
Mackay served as a surgeon on the expedition and was one of just three men to reach the South Magnetic Pole. His Polar Medal, along with those he gained during the Boer war, are expected to make £3,000-5,000 ($4,807-8,012).
When Shackleton had set off to attempt to reach the South Pole, he despatched Mackay, as well as D Mawson and TWE David, to reach the South Magnetic Pole, which lay 650km north west.
The gruelling journey took 10 days, but Mackay and his men took possession of the region for the British Crown. They were physically deteriorated and in poor health, but nonetheless managed to raise three cheers for the king and rejoin the main party some days later.
In June, Bonhams sold a complete set of first edition copies of the Arctic Blue Books, a compilation of British parliamentary papers charting the history of exploration in the Arctic, and considered the most important primary source for Arctic studies, for $68,500.
In October 2012, Christie's auctioned a harrowing letter detailing the discovery of Captain Scott's body for $107,802.
Paul Fraser Collectibles has a fantastic signed letter from Ernest Shackleton for sale.
