Military Bugle c 1880, New Zealand
Originally owned by Walter Leonard Chisholm (1862-1957), who joined the Wellington Naval Brigade, Volunteer Unit, in 1881 as its bugle boy, aged 19.
The New Zealand government was at this time much disturbed by Maori resistance to land seizures in South Taranaki; and on 2 November 1881 a substantial force of armed men took ship from Wellington to Opunake to join others and all converged on the Maori village pf Parihaka on 5 November. However the Maori people there adopted a policy of non-violent resistance, there was no "battle" of any kind and the bugle never got blown in "action".
All the same, the bugle is a memento of an exciting episode in Walter's life.
The inscription on the bugle reads:
HENRY POTTER
30, Charing Cross
London
followed by what appears to be a hallmark