A MYSTERIOUS piece of North East Victorian civic memorabilia is expected to attract keen bidding when it comes up for auction this week.

The huge purple cloth banner, decorated with Darlington’s town crest and showing a hand holding a pickaxe, is expected to make between £300 and £500 when it is sold at the three-day Anderson and Garland Fine Arts auction which starts today (December 2).

It is expected to be sold on Thursday.

Measuring 51in by 130in, the banner bears the inscription "Insignia Burgi de Darlington" and a ribbon saying “Darlington”.

It was part of a collection put together by keen local historian Ken Bradley, who originally bought the piece from a dealer, but confusion surrounds its purpose.

Mr Bradley said: “It looks like a miners’ banner but there were no miners in Darlington.

“I think it was probably something that was displayed in the old town hall.

“The size of it means I have not really been able to display it at home and it’s sacrilege to keep it in a box.

“I bought the banner from a dealer because I really liked it.

“It is late Victorian and was made by a banner manufacturer in London.

“I’ve always been interested in things like this.”

Mr Bradley was born in Portsmouth but his parents originate from Darlington and he has lived in the town on and off since the 1960s.

Anderson and Garland auctioneer, Fred Wyrley-Birch, said: “This is a lovely piece of civic history that anyone interested in Darlington’s past would be proud to own.

“We are expecting it to attract interest from local museums and private local history collectors.”

The banner is among a number of items of memorabilia related to the North East’s history that will be sold at the Fine Art and Antiques sale.

Also going under the hammer is the Victorian diary of a local businessman dating from 1889, who writes about Newcastle, Wylam and Prudhoe.

And a large collection of nautical signal flags will also be auctioned.

The collection, numbering around 35 pieces, was given to the vendor when the Wellesley Nautical School in Blyth, Northumberland, closed in 2006.

The flags are expected to be popular both with maritime historians as well as those interested in the North East’s past.

The Anderson and Garland Fine Art and Antiques auction takes place in Westerhope, Newcastle, on December 2, 3 and 4.