Welcome to The Vault Militaria
Welcome to
The Vault Militaria
Authentic pieces. Timeless stories. Exceptional service.
The Vault Militaria is the UK’s newest destination for authentic wartime memorabilia and collectables. Specialising in rare and hard-to-find items from World War I and World War II, we offer history enthusiasts and collectors a carefully curated selection of genuine artefacts.
new items every week
Rare finds
Our team of experts meticulously sources, authenticates, and catalogues each piece, ensuring that you receive only the finest quality items with verified provenance. And we’re adding more and more items on a regular basis.
From battle-worn uniforms and medals to vintage weapons, field equipment, and personal effects, The Vault Militaria brings you closer to the tangible remnants of wartime history.
knowledge & experience
We buy & sell
The founders of The Vault Militaria bring over 50 years of combined collecting experience to the table. They have a pair of keen eyes for the unusual together with an extensive knowledge of wartime collectables to ensure that every item offered is both authentic and exceptional.
With decades spent honing their expertise, they’ve developed an unparalleled ability to source and validate rare military artifacts, making The Vault Militaria a trusted name in the field.
Contact Mark on 07471 058445 or Andrew on 07944 609319
Contact Mark on 07471 058445
or Andrew on 07944 609319
latest additions
Browse our latest items
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“Letter on a Record” by USO
£35.00 SKU: 0077AThis “Letter on a Record” was made by the USO (United Service Organisation) and the National Catholic Community Service. Servicemen would record a message, up to a minute long to send home to loved ones and family during WW2. They’re actually made of a wax coated cardboard (sometimes made of shellac or an early form of vinyl), so they are VERY fragile indeed. The USO set up recording booths or mobile studios at major military bases, hospitals, and USO clubs. Sometimes a small band or pianist would accompany a soldier if they wanted to sing a short song in addition to speaking. Recording sessions were free or very low-cost to the service member, thanks to wartime donations and charity drives. This one, considering the age and materials used is in incredible condition. Of course, the coating has some crazing, but that’s very typical of items of this nature, made all the way back during WW2. It has no structural cracks, no chips and is still perfectly round. Vinyl records all have that ‘ribbing’ (called ‘land areas’) and this one is no different. Looking closely, you can see the condition which is excellent. It features a “From” and a “To” area, where soldiers, like a traditional card, could write their name, and the recipients name for an extra touch of personality. Due to the nature of this item, we’ve made up a clear plastic sleeve which is included in the price, and it will also be VERY well packaged. -
Douglas Combined Protractor & Parallel Rule
£20.00 SKU: 0076AThe Douglas Combined Protractor & Parallel Rule is a navigation tool used for plotting and measuring courses on charts. The left side is used as a ruler to indicate the course of bearing. Aligning the protractor allows for direct reading of angles from the nearest meridian or parallel. It can also act as a parallel rule for transferring bearings across a chart and assist in calculating departure and difference of latitude between two points. It’s accuracy is noted to half a degree and it was designed by a British naval officer, Captain H. Douglas, R.N., around the early 1900s. It was used during WW2, and possibly during the VERY late stages of WW1 too. Made out of translucent plastic, and housed in a card slip, it has a small hole in the centre. On the front of the cardboard slip, is a sticker which combines as a type of label, but also, the instructions. There’s also a small tie, for hanging and securing. The protractor itself is in excellent condition, with all the black markings in perfect order. There are no chips on the outside edge and the cardboard slip is also in excellent condition. The bottom edge is a tiny bit worn, as displayed in the pictures, but overall, it’s in excellent condition. All too often these sort of things end up dog-eared, bent or at the very least stained. This one, has none of this. -
WW2 German Officer’s Cross Strap
£95.00 SKU: 0242MWW2 German Officer's Cross Strap. A good condition brown leather officer's cross strap. The leather remains supple and strong, showing very minor signs of age. It is fitted with flat-style buckles, which are unmarked. A well preserved example.
We sell to the USA, Europe, and most worldwide destinations.
All items are securely packed for safe transit.
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WW1 German 98/05 Bayonet (sawback)
£450.00 SKU: 0241MWW1 German 98/05 Sawback Bayonet. This is a excellent example of the iconic German 98/05 sawback bayonet, often referred to as the "butcher bayonet." It features a clean blade with sharp sawback teeth, tapering into a sharp point. The maker on the ricasso reads "Simson & Co Suhl." Along the spine of the blade we have additional markings, including a "W" under a crown and the number "15" which represents the year of manufacture, 1915, followed by two inspection stamps. The wooden grip plates are in excellent condition, displaying an attractive mid-brown colour. The rifle retaining button on the hilt is fully functional and there are three inspection stamps on the rear side of the hilt. The scabbard is also in excellent condition, fitting the bayonet perfectly and retaining some of its original bluing. Inspection stamps are visible on the lower ball and the throat of the scabbard, where they are typically found. To complete the bayonet it comes the correct period frog. Good condition sawback bayonets are not easy to find. This is a great example.
We sell to the USA, Europe, and most worldwide destinations.
All items are securely packed for safe transit.
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Lieutenant L A Griffin RNVR Service History & Photo Pack
£120.00 SKU: 0075ALieutenant L A Griffin was in the RNVR during WW1 and this pack contains some of his service history, including some photos of him. Included are some certificates, letters and even a whole album of photos. These packs are great for collectors, and there’s a lot here to enjoy too. For the sake of collectors, we don’t want to talk too much about the specifics of what’s included, but the photos speak for themselves and half the fun of these packs is the investigative element. Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve founded in 1903 and merged with Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) in 1958. The RNVR played major roles in both World Wars, and Lieutenant L A Griffin was (mostly) a minesweeper. Given the age of these documents, it’s surprising how good condition they remain in. The certificates are printed and written on VERY thin and delicate paper, while the other documents are on thicker more robust paper. The photo album is in very good condition, though one photo does appear to be missing and there are two light stains on the front cover. Some of the ships he served on were: HMS Sutton HMS Pekin HMS Atherstone HMS Ganges HMS Eridge Included, are the letters confirming this too, along with a whole host of other papers, documents and pictures. -
WW1 German 98/05 Bayonet (dated 1916)
£240.00 SKU: 0240MWW1 German 98/05 Bayonet (dated 1916) This is an excellent example of the iconic German 98/05 bayonet, commonly referred to as the "butcher bayonet" due to its distinctive blade shape. The blade is in superb condition, showing no signs of rust or damage and retaining a sharp, well defined tip. The maker on the ricasso reads "Alex Coppel Solingen" a renowned German manufacturer of edged weapons. On the spine of the blade we have the often seen markings, including a crown over a "W" the number "16" representing the year 1916, and an inspection stamp. The wooden grip plates are a nice light brown colour and are held in place with the two original screw bolts. The hilt features a fully functioning rifle retaining button and bears two clear inspection stamps above it. The scabbard is also in excellent condition, and free from any damage. You can clearly see the ageing and coloration of the metal scabbard, perfectly match the metal fittings on the bayonet. A strong indication that the two have always lived together. A very nice example.
We sell to the USA, Europe, and most worldwide destinations.
All items are securely packed for safe transit.
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Elizabeth II General Service Medal. Reg No: 23548089 Rank: Gunner (GNR) Regiment: Royal Artillery Name: G.T. Page Clasp: Cyprus The Royal Artillery is a corps within the British Army that specializes in artillery duties, including operating guns, radars, and calling in air support.
We sell to the USA, Europe, and most worldwide destinations.
All items are securely packed for safe transit.
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Green Emergency Lamp for Blackouts
£90.00 SKU: 0074AThese green emergency lamps for blackouts were used during WW2. The idea was to make it harder for Axis powers to spot civilian instillations, including towns and houses. There was an amount of light that was considered ‘legal’ during blackout times and these lamps were designed to not break that amount. This lamp has a coloured, pale green shade and a black base with the usual fitting. The bulb inside doesn’t appear to have popped and looks new and also included around it, is the original card. These cards are almost always thrown away before the first use so this is a good indicator that this lamp is ‘brand new’ or unused… but still from the WW2 era. On the black base, there’s a ‘Made in England’ marking that’s nice and clear, and the same notation is printed on the box. The shade is starting to show the typical age of plastic from this era, with a couple of VERY small cracks. Perfectly natural for plastic or polymer this old and is not a reflection of condition, but age. The box, missing it’s original lid, still has the original corrugated card on the inside and all the printed words and design is clearly visible, though it shows some wear. The base of the box has some light staining, but clearly states it’s for a green lamp. The green lamps are rarer than the yellow/ amber ones, so this is a nice find indeed.
