A MAHOGANY decanter box belonging to a relative of Admiral William Bligh, of the ship Bounty, is going under the hammer in Worcestershire this month.

The presentation box, which comes with a letter of authenticity, was presented to Dr William Bligh OBE for his voluntary services at a temporary hospital set up in Bournemouth during a typhoid epidemic in 1936.

Born in St Kilda, Australia, in 1868, Dr Bligh was related to Admiral Bligh through an uncle.

Dr Bligh served as a major in the Royal Army Medical Corps and from 1920 to 1933 was attached to the Royal Tank Corps stationed at Bovington Camp in Dorset, which is where TE Lawrence - Lawrence of Arabia - was also stationed.

Since his death in 1946, aged 78, the presentation decanter box has remained in his family.

However, it was recently bought by an antiques dealer, who took it to Worcester auctioneers Andrew Grant, based in Cherry Orchard.

It will go under the hammer at a fine arts sale, which is being held at the Bank House Hotel, Bransford, on Thursday, January 30.

John Pratt, from Andrew Grant, said he expected the box to go for at least £1,000.

"Once the association with Captain Bligh is known it should interest some big collectors who will probably pay anything from £1,000 upwards," he said.

What makes the lot particularly attractive is the letter of authenticity.

"It is quite rare to get that," Mr Pratt said. "We often get items in that have stories that go with them but to prove the stories is very difficult."