Shoe buckles worn by Nelson are up for auction in Derbyshire.

The naval commander gave them to Southampton-born Sir Richard Hussey Bickerton during the Napoleonic Wars.

Since then, they have been kept in the Bickerton family, passed down through the generations. Sir Richard, who was born in 1759, joined the Royal Navy at the age of 12.

Charles Hanson, owner of Hansons Auctioneers, said: "These buckles are a thrilling auction find which sweep us back in time to British battles on the high seas.

"They come to us from the family of Sir Richard, second baronet [1759 to 1832], a Southampton-born man who signed up for the Royal Navy at the age of 12 and rose to the highest ranks.

"It was wonderful to meet his descendant and discover the story of the buckles, their provenance and place in history.

"Nelson and Bickerton knew each other well. In 1804 Bickerton served as Second-in-Command to Nelson during a blockade of the French port of Toulon.

"This was the early days of the Napoleonic Wars which lasted from 1803-1815, a time when the First French Empire under Napoleon Bonaparte battled for power across Central Europe.

"When Nelson received the thanks of the Corporation of London for the Toulon blockade, he insisted Bickerton received equal recognition. Nelson’s high regard for Bickerton was underlined by the gift of the buckles in around 1804.

"They are typical of the period and would have been given not long before Nelson lost his life, aged only 47, at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. That momentous historical event saw the British Navy fight off the combined French and Spanish fleets, thwarting Napoleon's plans to invade Britain.

"The buckles’ link to both Bickerton and Nelson [1758-1805], Britain’s greatest maritime commander, will appeal to collectors all over the world with a passion for naval history. Nelson’s inspirational leadership, grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics delivered decisive British victories during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars."

The shoe buckles, which are expected to fetch between £2,000 and £3,000, will be available at Hansons Auctioneers’ Derbyshire Fine Art Auction on November 28.