Choose The Ideal Christmas Gift From Great Britain's Favourite Armoury Antiques & Collector's Shop. Some of The Best Ideas You Could Imagine, For Both Christmas & New Year, Have Come From The Lanes Armoury’. Our 105th Christmas in Brighton

Now moving on towards the middle of November, as we all are, this would the perfect time to select a Christmas gift for a loved one {or oneself} from our unique and massive selection of original military antiques, ancient antiquities, and Ist edition novels. Also a fine time for deliveries worldwide to arrive before the Christmas festivities.

This is our 105th year of family trading this coming Christmas, and the dawn of our 106th year. Every year, many, many millions of people visit Brighton, and many hundreds of thousands of them find there way here to us. In fact up to two or three thousand often visit us every opening day.
The world famous New York Times included our gallery in their list as one of the very best places to visit in the UK when travelling to Europe from America. Where else in the UK could you leave a store, after a jolly Christmas holiday visit, with a selection of original WW2 Officer’s uniform buttons for only £1.50p each, or an original solid gold and gemstone intaglio carved seal ring once worn 1700 years ago by an Imperial Roman senator. Where you might rub shoulders with a former American President’s First Lady, a Hollywood superstar, {our latest recent superstar visitor was British actor Tom Hardy} or a retired Scottish teacher on a regular visit from the Outer Hebrides.

Incredible things seem to happen here every day, for example, just this week a very nice gentleman arrived after travelling all the way from Hong Kong, just to view, and purchase, one of our most special Japanese swords we were offering, and just as it was being packed up, after our business together was concluded, for its long journey to his home, another gentleman called on the phone with sincere interest in order to buy that very same sword, just a few minutes after the Hong Kong gentleman bought it, and bearing in mind we have many hundreds of swords on offer, and many thousands of intriguing pieces.
This remarkable occurrence was witnessed by one of our oldest friends and a very special regular customer, who was seated witnessing the whole turn of events, and he was amazed at the incredible coincidence, yet, he exclaimed, that so many hundreds of times he has been here in the past near 20 years, and he has seen, first hand, just how often that happens. We are truly a shop of most remarkably diverse visitors, and extraordinary coincidences.

As a former client, world renowned author, John Osborne, once said to Mark,
“It’s quite extraordinary, you can see just about everyone you could imagine here, and if you haven’t seen them yet, there’re probably on their way!’

Unique, ancient, antique and vintage beautiful items are our specialty, and be sure and certain that anything from us will be the best choice you can make this Christmas time. Just arrived this week! some stunning cannon balls fired at Waterloo. Plus, our current selection ranges from a collection just acquired of really great and rare bayonets, British German & French, antique WW1 and WW2, from a collector who wanted the very best he could find over the past 40 years. Including rare French examples from the 'Russian contract' during WW1, that were uncovered in Ukraine in the late 90's, and some French Foreign Legion bayonets, acquired from a French Foreign Legion reserve armoury depot clear-out in the 70's. Plus stunning and rare Japanese samurai swords including a beautiful, original 'Tamashigiri Cutting Test' antique samurai katana signed by high rated master smith, Masashige Tegarayama, 手柄山正繁 with a highly rare Tamashigiri Cutting Test, By Gonnosuke Komatsubara, Dated 1799 to some super Ist Edition Charles Dickens novels, and various fabulous, wonderful and utterly beautiful antique Victorian dragoon dress helmets. Also a stunning collection of historical, provenanced original Napoleonic War cannon balls and a huge French Howitzer explosive round { now inert}.

All kinds of other unique and fabulous conversation pieces, including some delightful volumes, have been acquired lately, such as, for example, a 1st edition of The Third Man by Graham Greene, one of David senior’s fellow imbibers at our neighbours ancient establishment, The Cricketers, Brighton’s 500 year old inn.

Another part of our original Japanese katana acquisitions arrived, and as usual many are stunning beauties and A Superb Choice For This Christmas, And a Special Price Too! A Very Good World War II Imperial Japanese Army Officer's Katana with a famous family's silver clan mon

We have had arrive here recently, some more really wonderful, original pieces of history. And as usual, this occurs almost every single day, {except Sunday} sometimes many times in a day if we are fortunate. Being one of all the world’s collectors favourite stores, some incredible artifacts are almost magnetically drawn to our doorstep every opening hour.

Every item, as usual, will be accompanied with our unique, presentation quality, 'Certificate of Authenticity' that will not only fully certify it's genuineness, but it will detail the circumstance of it's origin, and where and when it may have been used in it's specific or generic history.
Where else in Britain could you walk out of the store this Christmas with an original souvenir from Alexander the Great's battle with the Persians in 334 B.C, from only £65, to a fabulous unique handmade gold, diamond and ruby 'Mystery Watch' once owned by movie legend, Elizabeth Taylor, for just under £180,000, or, a 2500 year old ancient Chinese sword that may very likely have once been the sword of a king!, and how about a fabulous 'Shaturnal' a Moghul War-Elephant cannon

We are very proud to offer a superb selection of ancient antiquities, swords, daggers and spears from all the major past empires and civilisations of the world from over the past 3,500 years. In fact many recognise our unique and original selection is likely the best and most comprehensive to be seen, and offered for sale, anywhere in Europe, and possibly even the world over.

This Christmas season we can offer thousands of pieces, including, such as, a fabulous complete set of Charles Dickens novels

"Outside of a dog, man's best friend is a book. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."

— GROUCHO MARX
{and yes, he was a visiting customer as well, in around March 1965}

And please be further assured, all gift purchases may be changed after Christmas for any form of suitable alternatives.

"Doesn't someone you know deserve something unique from The Lanes Armoury". Just look at a few of our thousands of pages of delectable offerings, that vary from a very rare Rowntree’s WW2 munitions factory Rescue Officer’s helmet, to an Iceni chieftain’s chariot rein mount from the Roman-Celtic war with Queen Boudicca in England 2000 years ago, to very rare Italian Renaissance 16th century prince's dagger, to crossbow bolts recovered from the Battle site of Bannockburn {23–24 June 1314}, to some exceptional swords from the Napoleonic Wars, some belonging to several of Napoleon's generals. One, is a presentational grade sabre, somewhat akin to the fabulous Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund swords awarded to hero’s of the wars with Napoleon {but fortunately, not for the 100,000 pounds plus cost that they can command today}, &, to a superb Gurkha’s WW2 military issue kukri for just a few hundred pounds. Everything is possible through our portals, for all budget ranges, from just a few pounds to six figures.

The Lanes Armoury described by the 'New York Times' as one of the very best stores and destinations to visit when in Europe.
A living, breathing gallery that is a huge walk around ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’, containing thousands of original historical and magical pieces from the ancient long past, to the near recent. In fact, from 300,000 years of human history, and 100 million years of world history.

We are certainly not the biggest premier store in Europe recommended by the New York Times, in fact we are probably the smallest, but what we lack in size, apparently, we more than make up for in amazement, and wonder, and, the family have been trading in antiques in Brighton for over 104 years. Prior to that, we traded in Brighton caught shellfish for the previous 100 plus years, with our licensed shellfish concessions for the entire Brighton coastline.

For example, we added recently items that range from a Samurai Ancestral Sword Around 600 years old {or more}, a WW2 Japanese Officer's Sword With An Ancestral Blade 450 Years Old, an original late Koto to shinto samurai’s daisho, a stunning ‘Agincourt’, hand-and-a-half knights sword, a Seige of Troy era Bronze Age sword, incredibly rare original Viking warriors sword around 1000 years old, a beautiful samurai’s disguised fan dagger, plus, Ancient Roman Gladiator's rings for both for a Gladiator and Gladiatrix, around 1700 years old.

Google just let us know our updated Google entry just past the amazing 1,000,000 { one million } searches in order to find out our location in order to visit us here in Brighton, England.

Twenty Four Years Ago, After 80 Years Trading in Brighton, We Were Honoured by Being Nominated & Awarded by BACA, In The Best Antique & Collectables Shop In Britain Awards 2001
Presented by MILLER'S Antiques Guide, THE BBC, HOMES & ANTIQUES MAGAZINE, for the British Antique & Collectables Awards. The version of the antique dealers ‘Oscars’ of Britain.


In the gallery, the first photo, is a wonderful daybreak photo, taken the at the farm two Christmas seasons ago, December 2023. Showing what some are calling the South of England's 'Sky-on-Fire' Daybreak. You can see in the far distance in his retirement paddock the late Judy Hawkins's beloved former UK 'Supreme Champion' Scottish Highland grey pony, that was a frequent competitor against the late queen's Highlands at Windsor Castle. In his prime, he had his own worldwide fan club, and competition followers. Photo 7 in the gallery is old “Governor’ and his little chum “Roger” waiting for their morning apples at our farm last year, sadly, they are now no longer with us. Photo 8 is a typical example of everyday new arrivals in the gallery. Photo 9 is Judy and Holly, ten years apart, first watching "Governor" in competition, then Holly alone, with her horse, following on in her late devoted grandmother's passion, and, the family tradition. Our family have been entranced by our love of animals since modern memory, but principally dogs and horses, for over 200 years. Of course, in regards to horses, the first 130 years was by necessity, as then you couldn’t get anything done, in both the domestic or business world, at all, without them, but the past 70 years has been for love, pleasure and joy alone.
This year has been a tough one for our equine life. First we lost Governor, then Roger, then just last week, Arrow. But the many decades of joy they brought us all, and hopefully the joyous life they all led with us here, more than makes up for our feelings of loss and sadness.

The last photo in the gallery is an autographed photo, given to Mark personally, by the late great President Ronald Regan in the Oval Office of The White House.  read more

Code: 25540

A Very Fine Ancient Koto Period Sengoku ‘Plum Blossom’ Tanto Of the 1400's, Signed Blade, Around 600 Plus Years Old. A Museum Piece of Stunning Beauty From The Japanese Samurai's Ancient Warring Period of The Ancient Civil War

Around 600 plus years old. The Japanese "Great Warring Period," more accurately known as the Sengoku period, was an era of intense civil war and social upheaval from the mid-15th to the early 17th century. It was characterized by a power vacuum left by the weakened Ashikaga Shogunate, leading to continuous conflict as regional warlords, or daimyo, fought for control of Japan. This period is famously associated with the samurai, the rise of castle towns, the introduction of firearms, and a social system where lower-ranking individuals could overthrow their superiors (gekokujo).


Likely used by one of the great Japanese clans that used the Ume plum blossom symbol as their kamon crest. With simply fabulous original Edo mounts of a copper ground with silver and gold decor of takebori deep relief plum blossom and berries. A fine copper tsuba stamped with rows of plum blossom kamon. The original edo saya is stunning, and inlaid with almost microscopic inlays of white shell. The saya pocket holds a superb kozuka with a complimenting copper hilt decorated with a takebori gold and shakudo goose in flight, showing with half a pure gold full moon. It is signed on the reverse side.

The blade is very good with typical early, koto narrow straight hamon. The tang is signed but due to its great age is very difficult to translate. There are a super pair of matching takebori plum blossom menuki under the gold silk binding. A tanto would most often be worn by Samurai, and it was very uncommon to come across a non samurai with a tanto. It was not only men who carried these daggers, women would on occasions carry a small tanto called a kaiken in their obi which would be used for self-defence. In feudal Japan a tanto would occasionally be worn by Samurai in place of the wakizashi in a combination called the daisho, which roughly translates as big-little, in reference to the big Samurai Sword (Katana) and the small dagger (tanto). Before the rise of the katana it was more common for a Samurai to carry a tachi and tanto combination as opposed to a katana and wakizashi. Before the 16th century it was common for a Samurai to carry a tachi and a tanto as opposed to a katana and a wakizashi. Plum blossoms, symbolic of the arrival of spring, were a favored subject among scholar-gentleman painters in China, but when Chinese ink paintings of plums arrived in Japan their imagery became widespread within Zen circles. This composition of a gnarled plum tree framed by a circle of ink wash may reflect the use of the circle in Zen painting and calligraphy as a visual representation of words from the text of the Heart Sutra, “form is void and void is form,” and as a symbol of enlightenment.

Motsurin, a Zen artist-monk, might also have chosen plum blossoms because they were beloved of his mentor Ikkyū Sōjun (1394–1481), an abbot of Daitokuji temple in Kyoto known for his poetry, calligraphy, and flagrantly unorthodox behavior. Motsurin’s inscribed text claims that even elegant peonies and sweet jasmine cannot match the plum as a representation of the spring season. Originally brought in from China during the early Heian period (794-1185), plum trees became popular as ornamental garden fixtures because of their delicate beauty. Over the years, many varieties have been cultivated and now you see ume blossoms in a myriad of colours.

Ume blossoms are the first flower of spring and the original inspiration for flower-viewing hanami parties that were so well-loved by the rich aristocrats from the past. 21.5 inches long overall, blade 11 inches long  read more

Code: 23658

A Rare, Original, Japanese Antique Edo Period Samurai War Bow 'Daikyū ' With Urushi Lacquered Woven Rattan Quiver 'Yabira Yazutsu' With 3 'Ya' Arrows

A wonderful, original, antique Edo period {1603-1863} Samurai long war bow 'Yumi', made in either yohonhigo or gohonhigo form {4 piece or 5 piece bamboo laminate core, that is surrounded by wood and bamboo, then bound with rattan and lacquered}

Acquired by us by personally being permitted to select from the private collection one of the world's greatest, highly respected and renown archery, bow and arrow experts. Who had spent his life travelling the world to lecture on archery and to accumulate the finest arrows and bows he could find. .

Edo Era, 1600 to 1700's, with practice arrows, unfeathered, that fit into in a lacquer quiver {yabira yazutsu} with three arrows {ya}. we show a photo in the gallery from a samurai museum display that shows a practice arrow stand with the same form of flightless 'ya' inbedded in sand within the stand.

The arrows are made using yadake bamboo (Pseudosasa Japonica), a tough and narrow bamboo long considered the choice material for Japanese arrow shafts. The lidded quiver is a beautiful piece of craftsmanship in hardened urushi lacquer on woven rattan. Practice arrows were a fundamental part of samurai bowmanship.

These sets are very rarely to be seen and we consider ourselves very fortunate, indeed privileged, to offer another one.
It was from the use of the war bow or longbow in particular that Chinese historians called the Japanese 'the people of the longbow'. As early as the 4th century archery contests were being held in Japan. In the Heian period (between the 8th and 12th centuries) archery competitions on horseback were very popular and during this time training in archery was developed. Archers had to loose their arrows against static and mobile targets both on foot and on horseback. The static targets were the large kind or o-mato and was set at thirty-three bow lengths and measured about 180cm in diameter; the deer target or kusajishi consisted of a deer's silhouette and was covered in deer skin and marks indicated vital areas on the body; and finally there was the round target or marumono which was essentially a round board, stuffed and enveloped in strong animal skin. To make things more interesting for the archer these targets would be hung from poles and set in motion so that they would provide much harder targets to hit. Throughout feudal Japan indoor and outdoor archery ranges could be found in the houses of every major samurai clan. Bow and arrow and straw targets were common sights as were the beautiful cases which held the arrows and the likewise ornate stands which contained the bow. These items were prominent features in the houses of samurai. The typical longbow, or war bow (daikyu), was made from deciduous wood faced with bamboo and was reinforced with a binding of rattan to further strengthen the composite weapon together. To waterproof it the shaft was lacquered, and was bent in the shape of a double curve. The bowstring was made from a fibrous substance originating from plants (usually hemp or ramie) and was coated with wax to give a hard smooth surface and in some cases it was necessary for two people to string the bow. Bowstrings were often made by skilled specialists and came in varying qualities from hard strings to the soft and elastic bowstrings used for hunting; silk was also available but this was only used for ceremonial bows. Other types of bows existed. There was the short bow, one used for battle called the hankyu, one used for amusement called the yokyu, and one used for hunting called the suzume-yumi. There was also the maru-ki or roundwood bow, the shige-no-yumi or bow wound round with rattan, and the hoko-yumi or the Tartar-shaped bow. Every Samurai was expected to be an expert in the skill of archery, and it presented the various elements, essence and the representation of the Samurai's numerous skills, for hunting, combat, sport and amusement, and all inextricably linked together.

The mounted archer mainly controls his horse with his knees, as he needs both hands to draw and shoot his bow. As he approaches his target, he brings his bow up and draws the arrow past his ear before letting the arrow fly with a deep shout of In-Yo-In-Yo (darkness and light).

Yabusame (流鏑馬) is a type of mounted archery in traditional Japanese archery. An archer on a running horse shoots three special "turnip-headed" arrows successively at three wooden targets.

This style of archery has its origins at the beginning of the Kamakura period. Minamoto no Yoritomo became alarmed at the lack of archery skills his samurai possessed. He organized yabusame as a form of practice.

Nowadays, the best places to see yabusame performed are at the Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gū in Kamakura and Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto (during Aoi Matsuri in early May). It is also performed in Samukawa and on the beach at Zushi, as well as other locations.
On his final day in Japan in May 1922, Edward, Prince of Wales was entertained by Prince Shimazu Tadashige (1886–1968), son of the last feudal lord of the Satsuma domain. Lunch was served at Prince Shimazu’s villa, followed by an archery demonstration. Afterwards, the Prince of Wales was presented with a complete set for archery practice, including an archer’s glove, arm guard and reel for spare bowstrings  read more

Code: 25534

A Fine Shinto Samurai Katana Signed By Mino Swordsmith, Nodagoro Fujiwara Kanesada Circa 1720 Around 300 Years Old, With a Horai-zu Style Tsuba

He also signed Kinmichi. see Hawley’s Japanese Swordsmiths, ID KAN533 who was active in the Mino province between 1716-1736. A beautiful sword with a fabulous hamon mounted handachi style. The photos showpresent It is an original Edo period mounted handachi semi tachi form katana with iron mounts of fine quality. The original Edo saya has a beautiful rich red lacquer with flecks of pure gold.
The Edo tsuba is o-sukashi, in iron, a Horai-zu style tsuba that has a motif of crane, the symbol of long life. The crane and/or turtle and/or rocks and/or pine trees and/or bamboo are often referred to as a 蓬莱図 (Hōrai-zu) crane pattern design. The sword was being worn more and more edge up when on foot, but edge down on horseback as it had always been. The handachi is a response to the need to be worn in either style. The samurai were roughly the equivalent of feudal knights. Employed by the shogun or daimyo, they were members of hereditary warrior class that followed a strict "code" that defined their clothes, armour and behaviour on the battlefield. But unlike most medieval knights, samurai warriors could read and they were well versed in Japanese art, literature and poetry. Samurai were expected to be both fierce warriors and lovers of art, a dichotomy summed up by the Japanese concepts of bu to stop the spear exanding into bushido (the way of life of the warrior) and bun (the artistic, intellectual and spiritual side of the samurai).
Originally conceived as away of dignifying raw military power, the two concepts were synthesized in feudal Japan and later became a key feature of Japanese culture and morality.The quintessential samurai was Miyamoto Musashi, a legendary early Edo-period swordsman who reportedly killed 60 men before his 30th birthday and was also a painting master. Members of a hierarchal class or caste, samurai were the sons of samurai and they were taught from an early age to unquestionably obey their mother, father and daimyo. When they grew older they could be trained by Zen Buddhist masters in meditation and the Zen concepts of impermanence and harmony with nature. The were also taught about painting, calligraphy, nature poetry, mythological literature, flower arranging, and the tea ceremony. The blade shows a super hamon, and polish with a couple of very small edge pits near the habaki on just one side.  read more

Code: 23998

A Stunning Edo Period Tettsu {iron Plate} Krishitan {Christian.} Tsuba, Of The Holy Cross, Heavenly Eight Pointed Stars in Gold, & The River Of Life in Silver. In Superb Condition & From A Very Fine Collection of Tsuba.

A stunning Krishitam sukashi piercing of the cross with a silver river and gold eight pointed star inlays. With a kozuka hitsu-ana, and kogai hitsu ana
The Bible starts with an account of a river watering the Garden of Eden. It flowed from the garden separating out into four headwaters. The rivers are named, flowing into different areas of the world,

Eight pointed stars symbolise the number of regeneration and of Baptism. The Stars and The River as Christian Symbols, are images or symbolic representation with sacred significance. The meanings, origins and ancient traditions surrounding Christian symbols date back to early times when the majority of ordinary people were not able to read or write and printing was unknown. Many were 'borrowed' or drawn from early pre-Christian traditions.
The Hidden Christians quieted their public expressions and practices of faith in the hope of survival from the great purge. They also suffered unspeakably if captured and failed to renounce their Christian beliefs.

In Silence, Endo depicts the trauma of Rodrigues’ journey into Japan through his early encounter with an abandoned and destroyed Christian village. Rodrigues expresses his distress over the suffering of Japanese Christians and he reports the “deadly silence.”

‘I will not say it was a scene of empty desolation. Rather was it as though a battle had recently devastated the whole district. Strewn all over the roads were broken plates and cups, while the doors were broken down so that all the houses lay open . . . The only thing that kept repeating itself quietly in my mind was: Why this? Why? I walked the village from corner to corner in the deadly silence.

...Somewhere or other there must be Christians secretly living their life of faith as these people had been doing . . . I would look for them and find out what had happened here; and after that I would determine what ought to be done.”

- Silence, Shusaku Endo

Two images in the gallery are drawings of bronze fumi-e in use during the 1660s in Japan, during the time of the persecution. Each of these drawings mirrors actual brass fumi-e portraying Stations of the Cross, which are held in the collections of the Tokyo National Museum

The current FX series 'Shogun' by Robert Clavell is based on the true story of William Adams and the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyesu, and apart from being one of the very best film series yet made, it shows superbly and relatively accurately the machinations of the Catholic Jesuits to manipulate the Japanese Regents and their Christian convert samurai Lords.

Oda Nobunaga (1534–82) had taken his first step toward uniting Japan as the first missionaries landed, and as his power increased he encouraged the growing Kirishitan movement as a means of subverting the great political strength of Buddhism. Oppressed peasants welcomed the gospel of salvation, but merchants and trade-conscious daimyos saw Christianity as an important link with valuable European trade. Oda’s successor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537–98), was much cooler toward the alien religion. The Japanese were becoming aware of competition between the Jesuits and the Franciscans and between Spanish and Portuguese trading interests. Toyotomi questioned the reliability of subjects with some allegiance to the foreign power at the Vatican. In 1587 he ordered all foreign missionaries to leave Japan but did not enforce the edict harshly until a decade later, when nine missionaries and 17 native Kirishitan were martyred.

After Toyotomi’s death and the brief regency of his adopted child, the pressures relaxed. However, Tokugawa Ieyasu, who founded the great Tokugawa shogunate (1603–1867), gradually came to see the foreign missionaries as a threat to political stability. By 1614, through his son and successor, Tokugawa Hidetada, he banned Kirishitan and ordered the missionaries expelled. Severe persecution continued for a generation under his son and grandson. Kirishitan were required to renounce their faith on pain of exile or torture. Every family was required to belong to a Buddhist temple, and periodic reports on them were expected from the temple priests.

By 1650 all known Kirishitan had been exiled or executed. Undetected survivors were driven underground into a secret movement that came to be known as Kakure Kirishitan (“Hidden Christians”), existing mainly in western Kyushu island around Nagasaki and Shimabara. To avoid detection they were obliged to practice deceptions such as using images of the Virgin Mary disguised as the popular and merciful Bōsatsu (bodhisattva) Kannon, whose gender is ambiguous and whom carvers often render as female.

The populace at large remained unaware that the Kakure Kirishitan managed to survive for two centuries, and when the prohibition against Roman Catholics began to ease again in the mid-19th century, arriving European priests were told there were no Japanese Christians left. A Roman Catholic church set up in Nagasaki in 1865 was dedicated to the 26 martyrs of 1597, and within the year 20,000 Kakure Kirishitan dropped their disguise and openly professed their Christian faith. They faced some repression during the waning years of the Tokugawa shogunate, but early in the reforms of the emperor Meiji (reigned 1867–1912) the Kirishitan won the right to declare their faith and worship publicly.

Some wear to the gold and silver inlays on the reverse side.  read more

Code: 25311

A Beautiful, Edo Period, 18th century Hanbo, A Samurai Warrior's Face Armour Mask

Black lacquer decor throughout, with vermillion lacquer interior. The expression is fierce/noble with protruding chin, the shape is elegant and very well refined. three lame yodarekake, with hooked standing cord pegs. Face armour, of this type is called hanbo.

They were worn with the Samurai's armours to serve as a protection for the head and the face from sword cuts. There are 4 types of face armour mask designs that came into general use in Japan: happuri (which covers the forehead and cheeks), hanbō (covers the lower face, from below the nose all the way to the chin), sōmen (covers the entire face) and the me-no-shita-men (covers the face from nose to chin). We can also classify those mask depending on their facial expressions, most of which derive from the theatre masks. It has an asenagashino ana a hole under the chin to drain off perspiration and orikugi two projecting studs above the chin to provide a secure fastening to the wearer. In the 16th century Japan began trading with Europe during what would become known as the Nanban trade. Samurai acquired European armour including the cuirass and comb morion which they modified and combined with domestic armour as it provided better protection from the newly introduced matchlock muskets known as Tanegashima. The introduction of the tanegashima by the Portuguese in 1543 changed the nature of warfare in Japan causing the Japanese armour makers to change the design of their armours from the centuries old lamellar armours to plate armour constructed from iron and steel plates which was called tosei gusoku (new armours). Bullet resistant armours were developed called tameshi gusoku or (bullet tested) allowing samurai to continue wearing their armour despite the use of firearms.


The era of warfare called the Sengoku period ended around 1600, Japan was united and entered a relatively peaceful Edo period. However, the Shoguns of the Tokugawa period were most adept at encouraging clan rivalries and conflicts and battles were engaged throughout the empire. This of course suited the Shogun very well, while all his subordinate daimyo fought each other they were unlikely to conspire against him. Samurai use continued to use both plate and lamellar armour as a symbol of their status but traditional armours were no longer necessary for war, but still for battle. The face armour was not designed to have any nose protection fitted, the lacquer is original Edo period throughout with vermilion red lacquer in the interior face portion, the exterior lacquer has a fair amount of age flaking over around 6-8% of the neck defence lames.  read more

Code: 23686

A Fine Edo Tsuba Kaga Kyoto Praying Mantis, Cricket Butterfly in Gold Inlay. From WW2 British RAF Commander & Hero Air Marshal Dowding's Collection

Circa 1730 from the family of Air Marshal Lord Dowding, commander of the Royal Airforce in WW2.

Iron plate inlaid with silver and gold superior Kaga Kyoto school tsuba of fine quality. After Hanabusa Itchō, a very popular subject in Japanese art in the late 17th to 18th century.
Tsuba were made by whole dynasties of craftsmen whose only craft was making tsuba. They were usually lavishly decorated. In addition to being collectors items, they were often used as heirlooms, passed from one generation to the next. Japanese families with samurai roots sometimes have their family crest (mon) crafted onto a tsuba. Tsuba can be found in a variety of metals and alloys, including iron, steel, brass, copper and shakudo. In a duel, two participants may lock their katana together at the point of the tsuba and push, trying to gain a better position from which to strike the other down. This is known as tsubazeriai pushing tsuba against each other.

2.5 inches x 2.25 inches  read more

Code: 21757

A Beautiful 18th Century Sikh Prince's or High Status Noble's Tulwar, Gold Inlaid Koftgari Style Hilt & Finest Damascus Steel Blade. Returned From a Museum Grade Blade Conservation

The hilt is covered in pure gold koftgari decor.

A superb blade just returned from specialist cleaning and etching to reveal the Damascus steel patterning.


The Tulwar had historically been the quintessential combat sword used by Sikhs as their sacred kirpan due to its superior handling while mounted on horseback. With a curved blade optimized for cutting and slashing with sweeping cuts delivered from the shoulder by a horseman the curved blade of the tulwar could strike repeated blows without the danger of the blade getting stuck in bone or armour. It allowed for fierce slashing on all sides cutting through enemy formations while mounted on horseback.

This tulwar has a curved blade of approximately 73cm in length with a graduating blade where it eventually begins its taper to the point. With its curved blade the point of the sword cannot be very effectively used for thrusting and the Tulwars defensive capabilities are limited. In this circumstance defence was taken up by using the shield (Dhal) in tandem with the Tulwar as an integral duo on the battlefield.

The blade was firmly attached to the hilt of the Tulwar commonly using a heated paste of lac or red dye from the papal tree which when it hardened provided a solid and effective adhesive between the two parts of the sword.

The hilt of the Tulwar has a button on top and a circular dished pommel disk without domed pommel cap or knuckle bow, featuring the koftgari design patterns of flowers in pure hammered gold inlaid into the steel hilt. The grip of the Tulwar below the pommel disk narrows at the top and bottom while bulging out in the middle. The crossguard between the grip and the blade features two short but very thick rounded quillions.

The index finger could be wrapped around a quillion rather than the grip providing the swordsman with extra maneuverability of the sword. Some Tulwars feature a knuckle guard extending from the quillion to the pommel disk, while others do not, both styles of Tulwars were commonly used by Sikhs. This sword may once have had a knuckle guard.

Guru Hargobind, the 6th Sikh Guru is said to have always carried two Tulwars representing his temporal and spiritual authority. They both had gold onlaid hilts.

New photos of the museum conserved and etched Damascus blade to be added  read more

Code: 22814

A Fabulous, Original, Royal Naval 32 Pounder Cannon Ball Fired From One Of The 32 Pounder Cannon, The Largest Cannon of the Royal Naval 100 Gunner, Man o'War, Ist Rate Warships In Nelson's Fleet Such As HMS Victory, Into The 'Formidable'

Within “Naval Gunnery”, by Captain H. Garbett R.N., published in 1895, the greater part of the volume deals with the breech-loaders of the 1890s, but, the first chapter discusses the smooth-bore cannon era in considerable detail. A full account is provided of how a 32-pounder – the largest type of gun carried by Victory and her contemporaries – was served. Due to their size and weight these weapons were carried on the “gundeck”, the lowest tier, 30 of them in total on Victory. The next level up, the middle-gundeck, carried 24-pounders, and above that again the upper-gundeck with 12-pounders. Guns of the latter size were also carried in the open on the quarterdeck and forecastle, where the close-range, large calibre Carronades were also mounted.

The ship carried only enough men to crew the guns on one side of the ship only and should it be necessary to fight on both sides simultaneously – as when breaking the French line at Trafalgar – the guns could only be served with half-crews. The weapons were heavy – a 32-pounder’s barrel alone weighed almost three tons – and considerable strength was demanded to run them out and to train them on target.

The cannon balls in our collection were recovered from the Formidable while it was in dock in Plymouth and taken to a local hostelry, and kept as a garden ornaments, near the port as a battle souvenir from the last battle in the Trafalgar campaign in the Battle of Cape Ortegal, where it was captured and taken as a prize from north-west Spain that saw Captain Sir Richard Strachan defeat and capture a French squadron under Counter-admiral Pierre Dumanoir le Pelley. It is sometimes referred to as Strachan's Action. The French ship Formidable was captured by the Royal Navy at the Battle of Cape Ortegal on November 4, 1805. Following her capture, she was sailed to a British port and arrived at Plymouth, England, where she was "laid up in ordinary" and later commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Brave.
The Formidable, an 80-gun ship of the line, was one of four French ships of the line that escaped the Battle of Trafalgar only to be captured shortly after by a British squadron under the command of Admiral Sir Richard Strachan. She arrived in Plymouth later that year, where the process of condemning the ship as a prize and taking her into the Royal Navy began.

To have been recovered from the French third rate ship of the line we presume it must have hit the ship in combat once fired at her by a 32 pounder, either at Cape Trafalgar or Cape Ortegal.

4 November 1805 marks the Battle of Cape Ortegal in the 3rd Coalition War when Captain Sir Richard Strachan’s 4 British ships-of-the-line & 4 frigates defeated Rear Admiral Pierre Dumanoir le Pelley’s 4 French ships-of-the-line. The battle completed the shattering victory at Trafalgar. It ensured British naval dominance for the rest of the Napoleonic Wars.
Dumanoir led the French van at Trafalgar. He escaped & sailed south. On 2 November, he saw 36-gun HMS Phoenix patrolling the area. He chased it. It led him to Strachan, firing its cannons to alert him. Dumanoir fled. Strachan chased him. At 05:45, 4 November, 36-gun HMS Santa Margarita closed on Dumanoir’s rearmost ship, 74-gun Scipion. At 09:30, 36-gun HMS Phoenix joined in. Strachan was 6 miles behind. Scipion fired her stern guns at the frigates. They kept on her, slowing her down. At 11:45, Dumanoir formed line-of-battle. Strachan also formed line, bringing his ships-of-the-line to Dumanoir’s starboard side.
Dumanoir brought his ships around to attack. But Strachan had formed his frigates into a second line on Dumanoir’s port, catching him in a crossfire. By 15:00, Scipion & Dumanoir’s 80-gun Formidable surrendered. 74-guns Duguay Trouin & Montblanc fled. 74-gun HMS Hero & Strachan’s 80-gun HMS Caesar captured them by 15:30. Strachan lost 24 dead, 111 wounded. Dumanoir lost 730 dead/wounded. His ships were commissioned into Britain’s navy. The crews were imprisoned. Ortegal completed Britain’s naval victory. France’s remaining 5 ships were bottled up in Cadiz. Britain now ruled the waves.

On this Pickle Night, November 6th, we remember one of the smallest ships with one of the greatest legacies: HMS Pickle 🎉
Under Lieutenant John Richards Lapenotière, Pickle was “the swiftest ship in Nelson’s fleet,” and after the Battle of Trafalgar she was entrusted with carrying home the official dispatches announcing victory... and the loss of Lord Nelson, 220 years ago this month.
After battling through fierce storms, Lapenotière made landfall at Falmouth on 4 November 1805, then journeyed 271 miles to London by post-chaise, changing horses 21 times in 37 hours to deliver his message to the Admiralty:
“Sir, we have gained a great victory. But we have lost Lord Nelson.”

6 inch solid round shot ball. Weighing in at 28.8 pounds, {weight lost through 1/4 inch surface corruption}

Picture 5 in the gallery is a painting of the Redoubtable and the other ‘prize’ ships captured at Cape Ortegal being towed back to Plymouth.

Photos aboard HMS Victory of the 32 pounder gun deck, one of these cannon, or another like it from Nelson’s fleet, would have fired this cannonball into the Redoubtable. Photos by Francis Sartorius II - http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/12066.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28503147  read more

Code: 25988

A Superb Original Waterloo Recovered Souvenir '6 Pounder ' Royal Artillery Cannon Ball Fired at La Haye Sainte During The Battle, Recovered From The Farm

Napoleonic Wars cannon ball recovered from a Waterloo excavation well over 190 years ago. One of three we just acquired that were brought back from Waterloo to England over 190 years ago, the first was sold by us recently.

At the Battle of Waterloo, the British Royal Artillery deployed 6-pounder cannons, from which this ball was fired, a relatively light artillery piece that fired a 6-pound (approximately 2.7 kg) solid iron ball. These cannons, introduced in 1793, were crucial for supporting cavalry charges and were easier to manoeuvre than heavier guns.

The 6-pounder was designed to provide lighter, yet still effective, artillery support to the cavalry and infantry.
Ammunition:
They fired various types of ammunition, including round shot (solid iron balls), canister shot (a type of scatter shot), and spherical case shot (a type of shell).
The effective range of the 6-pounder with round shot was around 800-900 yards (732-823 metres), though it could reach up to 1700 yards (1554 metres).
The cannonballs were devastating, capable of inflicting serious injury and damage to both men and horses.

At Waterloo, the 6-pounders were primarily used by the Royal Horse Artillery and some field artillery units, with variations in the types of 6-pounders used.
Captured at Waterloo:
Some French 6-pounder cannons were also captured by the British as trophies of war.
La Haye Sainte:
The strategic farmhouse of La Haye Sainte was a focal point of fighting, where the 6-pounder was used extensively.

We show in the gallery a photo of a Waterloo cannon ball embedded in a cemetery wall, from Waterloo Relics by Bernard & Lechaux

Another identical cannon ball is now in the National Army Museum, see gallery.
NAM Accession Number
NAM. 1999-05-8-1

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Code: 25987