A Beautiful, Signed (山城守藤原秀辰) Hidetoki, Shinto Chisa Katana With Exceptional, Original Edo Period, Nashiji Gold & Contrasting Brown and Red Ground Urushi Lacquer Saya, Decorated With Representations of Longevity, Strength, Loyalty, & Good Fortune

A katana signed Hidetoki (山城守秀辰) a respected swordsmith from the Seki (Tokuin school), with several generations known, particularly the second-generation Hidetoki from the Early Edo period (Shōhō era, 1644–1648), known for producing sharp, highly-rated blades (Wazamono). These signatures often appear as "Seki-jū Yamashiro no Kami Fujiwara Hidetoki" (関住山城守藤原秀辰) for the first generation, and later as just "Yamashiro no Kami Hidetoki" by the second generation.

The katana is mounted in superb original Edo koshirae, with a Higo school iron kashira, and a tetsu fuchi, made in two slotted together parts, with a brass rimmed inner liner. Also, including a pair of shakudo menuki of dragons wrapped beneath beautiful, blue, tsuka-ito. A superb round tetsu tsuba with gold and copper filled kodzukana. With {two holes} udenuki no ana for the tying of an udenuki no O {wrist cord} that is done in a specific way, that requires these two holes in a specific position. It should be fastened/looped (called shirushizuke) on the fuchi part of the sword (the metal bordering piece between the swords tsuba (guard) and the tsuka (handle). Ideally, for both short and long swords- they should be the same length. It stops the samurai from dropping their katana during combat
It further assists the samurai in holding the strap in his mouth when dismounting or mounting a horse)

The original Edo saya of the sword is utterly amazing, it is decorated in dark brown and mid red urushi lacquer to simulate the bark of the pine tree with tiny speckles of abilone shell representing minuscule snow flakes, above that decor ground are nishiji lacquer pine-cones with their elongated bunched fascicle which are actually pine tree leaves, but physically, more greatly resemble elongated needles. The quality of the craftsmanship to create such a desgn is breathtaking.

In the gallery is a powerful Japanese woodblock print attributed to Tsukioka Yoshitoshi (1839–1892), from the 100 Aspects of the Moon series (1885–1892).
It depicts a samurai with his attendant beneath a pine tree, gazing toward a moonlit sky, embodying Yoshitoshi’s fascination with loyalty and reflection.


Japanese decor featuring pine cones often highlight the tree's symbolism of longevity and resilience, appearing in traditional kacho-ga (bird-and-flower) art by masters like Kono Bairei (1844–1895)

Pine (Matsu): Represents longevity, strength, and good fortune, often used in New Year's decorations and art for its evergreen nature.
Pine Cones: A specific symbol of fertility and the continuation of life, beautifully complementing the pine's overall meaning.

The chisa katana was able to be used with one or two hands like a katana (with a small gap in between the hands) and especially made for double sword combat a sword in each hand. It was the weapon of preference worn by the personal Samurai guard of a Daimyo Samurai war lord clan chief, as very often the Daimyo would be often likely within his castle than without. The chisa katana sword was far more effective as a defence against any threat to the Daimyo's life by assassins or the so-called Ninja when hand to hand sword combat was within the castle structure, due to the restrictions of their uniform low ceiling height. But in trained hands this sword would have been a formidable weapon in close combat conditions, when the assassins were at their most dangerous. The hilt was usually around ten to eleven inches in length, but could be from eight inches or up to twelve inches depending on the Samurai's preference. Chisa katana, Chiisagatana or literally "short katana", are shoto mounted as katana. It is fair to say wakizashi are shoto which are mounted in a similar way to katana, but in this instance we are considering the predecessors of the daisho. In the transitional period from tachi to katana, katana were called "uchigatana", and shoto were referred to as "koshigatana" and "chiisagatana", in many cases quite longer than the later more normal length wakizashi.

There are many reasons why people enjoy collecting swords. Some people are drawn to the beauty and craftsmanship of swords, while others appreciate their historical and cultural significance. Swords can also be a symbol of power and strength, and some collectors find enjoyment in the challenge of acquiring rare or valuable swords.

One of the greatest joys of sword collecting is the opportunity to learn about the history and culture of different civilisations. Swords have been used by warriors for millennia, and each culture has developed its own unique sword designs and traditions. By studying swords, collectors can gain a deeper understanding of the people who made and used them.

Another joy of sword collecting is the sheer variety of swords that are available. There are swords in our gallery from all over the world and from every period of history. Collectors can choose to specialize in a particular type of sword, such as Japanese katanas or medieval longswords, or they can collect a variety of swords from different cultures and time periods. No matter what your reasons for collecting swords, it is a hobby that can provide many years of enjoyment. Swords are beautiful, fascinating, and historically significant objects.

Every item is accompanied with our unique, Certificate of Authenticity. Of course any certificate of authenticity, given by even the best specialist dealers, in any field, all around the world, is simply a piece of paper,…however, ours is backed up with the fact we are the largest dealers of our kind in the world, with over 100 years and four generation’s of professional trading experience behind us.

The world of antique sword collecting is a fascinating journey into the past, offering a unique lens through which to view history and culture. More than mere weapons, these artifacts serve as tangible connections to the societies and ancient times where they originated. Each blade tells a story, not just of the battles it may have seen but of the craftsmanship, artistic trends, and technological advancement of its time.

The swords mountings can be equally telling. Engravings and decorative elements may enhance the sword’s beauty and hint at its historical context. The materials used for them can reveal the sword’s age

Collecting antique swords, arms and armour is not merely an acquisition of objects; it’s an engagement with the historical and cultural significance that these pieces embody. As collectors, we become custodians of history, preserving these heritage symbols for future generations to study and appreciate.

We are now, likely the oldest, and still thriving, arms armour and militaria stores in the UK, Europe and probably the rest of the world too. We know of no other store of our kind that is still operating under the control its fourth successive generation of family traders

As once told to us by an esteemed regular visitor to us here in our gallery, and the same words that are repeated in his book;

“In these textures lies an extraordinary and unique feature of the sword - the steel itself possesses an intrinsic beauty. The Japanese sword has been appreciated as an art object since its perfection some time during the tenth century AD. Fine swords have been more highly prized than lands or riches, those of superior quality being handed down from generation to generation. In fact, many well-documented swords, whose blades are signed by their makers, survive from nearly a thousand years ago. Recognizable features of the blades of hundreds of schools of sword-making have been punctiliously recorded, and the study of the sword is a guide to the flow of Japanese history.”
Victor Harris
Curator, Assistant Keeper and then Keeper (1998-2003) of the Department of Japanese Antiquities at the British Museum. He studied from 1968-71 under Sato Kenzan, Tokyo National Museum and Society for the Preservation of Japanese Swords  read more

Code: 26080

A Beautiful Koto Period Samurai Chisa Katana, Around 500 Years Old With All Original Edo Period Fine Quality fittings

Most handsome original Koto period samurai sword with fine quality original matching Edo period fuchigashira and menuki with gold decorated flowers and birds, beautiful, iron, shin no maru-gata tsuba 18th Century

Original Edo urushi lacquered saya in black

A katana was two shaku or longer in length (one shaku = about 11.93 inches). However, the Chisa katana is longer than the wakizashi, which was somewhere in between one and two shaku in length. The most common blade lengths for Chisa katana was approximately eighteen to twenty-four inches. They were most commonly made in the Buke-Zukuri mounting (which is generally what is seen on katana and wakizashi). The chisa katana was able to be used with one or even two hands like a katana. The Chisa Katana is a slightly shorter Katana highly suitable for two handed, or two sword combat, or, combat within enclosed areas such as castles or buildings. As such they were often the sword of choice for the personal Samurai guard of a Daimyo, and generally the only warriors permitted to be armed in his presence. Chisa katana, Chiisagatana or literally "short katana", are shoto mounted as katana.

The chisa katana was also the long sword of choice for the art of twin sword combat, using two at once in unison, a chisa katana and wakazashi, one in each hand, a form used by the great and legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi who reportedly killed 60 men before his 30th birthday.
Miyamoto Musashi 1584 – June 13, 1645), also known as Shinmen Takezo, Miyamoto Bennosuke or, by his Buddhist name, Niten Doraku, was an expert Japanese swordsman and ronin. Musashi, as he was often simply known, became renowned through stories of his excellent, and unique double bladed swordsmanship and undefeated record in his 60 duels. He was the founder of the Hyoho Niten Ichi-ryu or Niten-ryu style of swordsmanship and in his final years authored the The Book of Five Rings, a book on strategy, tactics, and philosophy that is still studied today.

“In these textures lies an extraordinary and unique feature of the sword - the steel itself possesses an intrinsic beauty. The Japanese sword has been appreciated as an art object since its perfection some time during the tenth century AD. Fine swords have been more highly prized than lands or riches, those of superior quality being handed down from generation to generation. In fact, many well-documented swords, whose blades are signed by their makers, survive from nearly a thousand years ago. Recognizable features of the blades of hundreds of schools of sword-making have been punctiliously recorded, and the study of the sword is a guide to the flow of Japanese history.”

As once told to us by Victor Harris who, as an esteemed regular visitor to us here in our gallery, quoted the same words above, that are repeated in his book.
Victor Harris
Curator, Assistant Keeper and then Keeper (1998-2003) of the Department of Japanese Antiquities at the British Museum. He studied from 1968-71 under Sato Kenzan, Tokyo National Museum and Society for the Preservation of Japanese Swords



21 inch blade tsuba to tip. 32 inches long overall

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of our family’s trading, as Britain’s oldest established, and favourite, armoury and gallery  read more

Code: 24954

Twenty Six Years Ago, After Over 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.

It was a great honour for Mark and David, especially considering at the beginning of the new millennium, in the year 2000, there was over 7,000 established antique and collectors shops in the UK, according to the official Guide to the Antique Shops of Britain, 1999-2000, and we were nominated, and voted into in the top four in Britain.

Since first opening our doors early in the last century, for over 55 years as mine host, Mark, and for 45 years by David, they have personally greeted hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, and likely tens of millions in over half a century, to their family owned galleries. To every single one we have tried our utmost to provide our renown five star service of courtesy, respect, assistance, help, and advice.

We still have many more pieces from our super Crimean war collection, to add to our web store. Many are absolute beauties of museum quality, including military artifacts, guards bearskin caps, swords, and militaria all from the Crimean War

Plus, many more original samurai swords, are to be added. Also, an amazing collection of original, antique samurai sword tsuba {sword guards} from the past 500 years, and, as well as all that, so much more!

A resume, below, of our family’s ‘old English merchants and traders’ 500 year old history, that stretches from our ancestors serving Queen Elizabeth 1st as her ‘Sea-Hawk’ captains, that were highly successful {though technically, unofficial} maritime raiders, and scourge of the Spanish fleet of King Philip of Spain, relieving them of his gold, looted from The Americas, then, over 400 years later, to HMS Hawkins, a ‘Hawkins’ class heavy-cruiser, {the ship and her class that were named after Sir John Hawkins, one of Queen Elizabeth’s Sea-Hawk captains} that took part in the Normandy landings in 1944, supporting American troops landing on Utah Beach, and then, to current times, and our shop here in The Lanes.

Our family have been involved as merchants and traders in the South of England {lately in Sussex, and formerly, in the ‘West-Country’ in Devon} since the early part of the 16th century. Our ‘Hawkins’ ancestors, were then based in Plymouth, in the county of Devon, and were sea-farers of world renown, and some of the very earliest traders regularly sailing their merchant ships across the Atlantic to the New World, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1st.

Our fleet were taking emigrating English pilgrims and settlers West to America, and returning with new and exotic cargo from the entire Americas, {such as tobacco and potatoes from the Andes}, Eastwards across the Atlantic, to the eager 16th century English markets.

By the 19th century part of our family had re-located Eastwards to Brighton, yet still connected to our maritime roots, into the local Brighton shellfish trade, supplying shellfish to the Prince Regent’s kitchens at the Palace in Brighton, and his accompanying aristocratic court that had built their family ‘town’ mansions across the length of Brighton’s seafront.
From there, part of the Hawkins family ‘migrated’ to more land based pursuits, of merchant traders, primarily as shop-keepers in and around Brighton, and other Hawkins’ though emigrated, and settled to trade in America and Canada.

David Hawkins senior {Mark and David’s father} however, lovingly maintained his desire to remain connected to our ancient family maritime roots. His desire was sated by acquiring a deep-sea-fishing and sailing ship, a 1930’s gaff rigged schooner. Moored at Newhaven port’s Cresta Marine, but it was only used strictly for pleasure, until the late 1970’s. Offering frequent complimentary recreational therapy fishing trips to blind former servicemen from St Dunstans Hospital in the 1960’s.
A photo in the gallery is of portraits of two sea faring ‘Plymouth’ Hawkins, John and Richard, John was cousin to Sir Francis Drake who became one of England’s foremost naval commanders, and, scourge of King Philip of Spain, and father of Richard. Another photo is of heavy cruiser HMS Hawkins named in John’s honour, it was the lead ship of five Hawkins-class heavy-cruisers, named after our esteemed forebears. In 1944 HMS Hawkins returned home from the East Indies fleet to participate in the Normandy landings. Initially assigned to the 1st Cruiser Squadron of the Home Fleet, she was detached to the Western Task Force Gunfire Support Bombardment Force U to support American troops landing at Utah Beach.

Scholars think it is likely Francis Drake was illegitimate, and that is probably why he was placed at an early age into the household of William Hawkins of Plymouth. Drake thus began his seagoing training as an apprentice for the Hawkins family, and the rest as they say, is history.

We are open 6 days a week from 10.30 till 4.30. Please note however, we never open our gallery on Sundays or Bank Holidays. A tradition of just a single day of rest every week we have tried our best to maintain for 100 years.

However, our web store, like all the stores online, operates 24/7, 365 days of the year.

Here’s wishing a healthy and happy well-being to us all.
Gloria Antika!

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of trading  read more

Code: 23577

An 19th Century 1842 Pattern Lancer Officer's Percussion Pistol. From a Super Original Crimean War Collection.

Made by William Peacock of London. An officer's version of the type 1842 lancer's pistol, used in the Crimean war by officers such as were in the Charge of the Light Brigade. With traditional lancer's flat butt stock, and lancers captive ramrod and percussion action. Good tight working action. Pineapple engraved finial trigger guard, acanthus leaf scroll engraved butt plate.

The maker, William Peacock of Grosvenor sq. London is engraved on the lock face with scroll engraving and sliding safety, and his gold scroll address {London} engraved on the barrel flat, but some of the gold inlay is lacking so it is difficult to read. The barrel of .65 inch bore also has an inlaid partial gold line at the breech.

Charge of the Light Brigade
In response to their orders, the Light Brigade began their charge, but at the wrong gun batteries. They galloped through Russian artillery fire from three sides and on into the ‘Valley of Death’ suffering heavy losses in the process.

Some of the horsemen succeeded in reaching the Russian guns at the end of the valley, and even drove the men operating them into retreat before charging the Russian cavalry beyond.

We advanced down a gradual descent of more than three-quarters of a mile, with the batteries vomiting forth upon us shells and shot, round and grape, with one battery on our right flank and another on the left, and all the intermediate ground covered with the Russian riflemen.’
Lord Cardigan, recounting the Charge of the Light Brigade to Parliament, 1855.

After intense fighting, the remnants of the Light Brigade were forced to retreat from the guns. They made their way back through the ‘Valley of Death’ before reaching safety. Fortunately, their return was ensured by the French cavalry, who cleared the Russians from the north side of the valley.

Although the reinforcements from Sevastopol had now deployed and were ready to begin an assault on the heights, no further action was taken.

The battle ended in strategic stalemate, with the Russians controlling the heights and the road, but Balaklava still in Allied hands. Unfortunately, Russian possession of the road made supplying the forces besieging Sevastopol during a terrible winter much harder.

Lock with areas of old light pitting, usual signs of age an use commensurate to the service life and purpose of this scarce lancer officer’s pistol  read more

Code: 24900

French Cavalry-of-the-Line Flintlock Pistol M1816 for Cuirassiers, Dragoons and Lancers, Ordnance Converted to Percussion in 1822 . From a Super Original Crimean War Collection.

It has all its complete and original parts completely conserved, serviced, and cleaned by hand. Including a walnut half-stock, iron and brass mounts, ramrod lacking, and butt-cap, the lock inscribed for the French arsenal manufacture, 'M.re Rle de M? {possibly Manufacture Royale de Mutzig}. French Royal restoration period, with numerous inspector's stamps throughout all parts.

Used by the French line regiments of the cuirassiers, dragoons, or lancers from 1816 up to and including the Crimean war.

Good tight action, sound barrel. Many pistols of this type were also imported to the USA during the Civil War. At the time of the Crimean War, the army of the Second Empire was a subscripted army, but was also the most proficient army in Europe. One of the more famous groups were the Zouaves. According to Captain George Brinton McClellan, an American Military Observer, the Zouaves were the "most reckless, self-reliant, and complete infantry that Europe can produce. With his graceful dress, soldierly bearing, and vigilant attitude, the Zouave at an outpost is the beau ideal of a soldier."
The French army consisted of the Imperial Guard infantry, the line infantry including the Foreign Legion, cavalry, artillery, and engineer troops. Sources suggest that between 45,000 and 100,000 French forces were involved at one time or the other in the Crimea. Service in the French army was for seven years, with re-enlistments in increments of seven years. The Battle of Eupatoria was the most important military engagement of the Crimean War on the Crimean theatre in 1855 outside Sevastopol.

Ottoman forces were being transferred from the Danube front to the Crimean port of Eupatoria and the town was being fortified. Upon direct orders from the Czar who feared a wide-scale Ottoman offensive on the Russian flank, a Russian expeditionary force was formed under General Stepan Khrulev aiming to storm the base with a force variously estimated between 20,000 to 30,000.

Khrulev hoped to take the Ottoman garrison by surprise on February 17, 1855. His intention failed to materialise, as both the Ottoman garrison and the Allied fleet anticipated the attack.

The Russian artillery and infantry attacks were countered by heavy Allied artillery fire. Failing to make progress after three hours and suffering mounting casualties, Khrulev ordered a retreat.

This reverse led to the dismissal of the Russian Commander-in-Chief Aleksandr Sergeyevich Menshikov and probably hastened the death of Nicholas I of Russia, who died several weeks after the battle.

As for the battle's strategic importance, it confirmed that allied total command of the sea would ensure that the threat to the Russian flank would remain for the duration of hostilities. For the allies, possession of Eupatoria meant that the total investment of Sevastopol remained a viable option. For the Russians, they could not afford to commit unlimited resources from their vast army to the Crimea, for fear of a lightning allied thrust from Eupatoria closing the neck of the peninsula at Perekop.

For the Ottomans, their Army had regained its self-esteem and to some extent its reputation; most French and British realised this, although others including the high command would stubbornly refuse to make further use of their fighting abilities in the Crimean theatre. A very nice example of French cavalry percussion pistol (Ref. "French Military Weapons 1717-1938", by James E. Hicks, pp. 81 and 94).

Hand specialist conservation and preservation of original items is one of our fundamental tenets, it is not unusual for us to expend up to ten times the cost of an item in order to preserve a piece for the future, and to return it to how it once looked for posterity. Of course over restoration can be worse than no restoration at all so every care is made to ensure exactly the right amount of conservation is undertaken by our specialist and highly trained world renown artisans,

Photo in the gallery of the same pistol in the belt of an American Civil War Union trooper  read more

Code: 24803

A Very Good Pair of Early Victorian Crimean War, British Dragoon Tunic Shoulder Scales. From a Super Original Crimean War Collection.

Epaulette is a type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia of rank by armed forces and other organizations. Epaulettes bear some resemblance to the shoulder pteruges of ancient Roman military costumes. However their direct origin lies in the bunches of ribbons worn on the shoulders of military coats at the end of the 17th century, which were partially decorative and partially intended to prevent shoulder belts from slipping. These ribbons were tied into a knot which left the fringed end free. This established the basic design of the epaulette as it evolved through the 18th and 19th centuries.

From the 18th century on, epaulettes were used in the French, British and other armies to indicate rank. The rank of an officer could be determined by whether an epaulette was worn on the left shoulder, the right shoulder or on both. Later a "counter-epaulette" (with no fringe) was worn on the opposite shoulder of those who wore only a single epaulette. Epaulettes were made in silver or gold for officers, and in cloth of various colours for the enlisted men of various arms. By the early eighteenth century, epaulettes became the distinguishing feature of an officer, leading to officers of military units without epaulettes to petition their government for the right to wear epaulettes, to ensure that they would be recognized as officers. Certain cavalry specialties wore flexible metal epaulettes referred to as shoulder scales such as these. During the Napoleonic Wars and subsequently through the 19th century, grenadiers, light infantry, voltigeurs and other specialist categories of infantry in many European armies wore cloth epaulettes with wool fringes in various colours to distinguish them from ordinary line infantry. "Flying artillery" wore "wings", similar to an epaulette but with only a bit of fringe on the outside, which matched the shoulder seam. Heavy artillery wore small balls representing ammunition on their shoulders.  read more

Code: 18972

Caesarian, Original Roman Republic Period Lead Sling-Bullet Glans Plumbea From Julius Caeser's Civil War With Pompey, From the Battle of Munda 45 bc

From a superb collection of Roman antiquities and ancient collectables, that have just arrived, including a very few Caesarian glans from a centuries past 'Grand Tour' collection. Collected from near La Lantejuela, Andulusia

Caesar's civil war (49–45 BC) was one of the last politico-military conflicts of the Roman Republic before its reorganization into the Roman Empire. It began as a series of political and military confrontations between Gaius Julius Caesar and Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus.

Before the war, Caesar had led an invasion of Gaul for almost ten years. A build-up of tensions starting in late 49 BC, with both Caesar and Pompey refusing to back down led, however, to the outbreak of civil war. Eventually, Pompey and his allies induced the Senate to demand Caesar give up his provinces and armies. Caesar refused and instead marched on Rome.

The war was a four-year-long politico-military struggle, fought in Italy, Illyria, Greece, Egypt, Africa, and Hispania. Pompey defeated Caesar in 48 BC at the Battle of Dyrrhachium, but was himself defeated decisively at the Battle of Pharsalus. Many former Pompeians, including Marcus Junius Brutus and Cicero, surrendered after the battle, while others, such as Cato the Younger and Metellus Scipio fought on. Pompey fled to Egypt, where he was assassinated on arrival. Caesar intervened in Africa and Asia Minor before attacking North Africa, where he defeated Scipio in 46 BC at the Battle of Thapsus. Scipio and Cato committed suicide shortly thereafter. The following year, Caesar defeated the last of the Pompeians under his former lieutenant Labienus in the Battle of Munda. The Battle of Munda was the last episode of the war between the Romans. Eventually, Caesar’s absolute domination in Roman politics was established and the anti-Caesarian opposition virtually disappeared. Labienus was killed at Munda, and the wounded Gnaeus Pompey was captured after a few weeks and beheaded. The victorious Caesar was awarded the title of Liberator and Emperor, had a great triumph, and the scope of his power continued to expand.

The Battle of Munda did not immediately foreshadow Caesar’s victory. His soldiers, most of them poorly experienced, initially succumbed to the enemy’s onslaught, which could have ended in defeat. The decisive attitude of the leader, who knew how to react in the threatened section, and the experience of the legions from the right-wing ensured victory for Caesar.
He was made dictator perpetuo (dictator in perpetuity or dictator for life) in 44 BC and, shortly thereafter, assassinated.
See for reference
Cf. DAmato, R. and Sumner, G., Arms and Armour of the Imperial Roman Soldier: From Marius to Commodus, 112 BC-AD 192, London, 2009, fig.32, p.45, for similar glandes from Zaragoza Museum, one with the name of Pompey inscribed also coming from Monda battlefield; Schinco, G., Small, A.M., 'A previously unknown siege of Botromagno/Silvium: the evidence of slingshots from Gravina in Puglia (Provincia di Bari, Puglia)' in Papers of the British School at Rome, 2019, pp.1-52, figs.31, 37.

This is the sling-bullet 'type IIb of the Völling classification'. This one bears a plain surface cast, some found in the region have the abbreviated name of Julius Caesar; it was used in quantity at the Battle of Monda (or Munda) against the last supporters of Pompey, the leaders of the Optimates, on the 17th March 45 BC. Similar shots were used in the civil war among Pompey and Caesar, and in all of Caesar's wars. The funditores of Caesar's age were part of the light infantry. Caesar speaks of his Balearic slingers during the conquest of Gaul. They wore a short tunic, with leather or rope sandals to the feet, and a warm overcoat which could also have been used to store projectiles. They also used a satchel to carry very deadly lead-like stones or bullets.

1 3/4 in. (62. grams, 45 mm).
A biconical facetted lentoid-section lead sling shot (glans)

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of our family’s trading, as Britain’s oldest established, and favourite, armoury and gallery  read more

Code: 24608

An Original, Net Camouflaged, D.Day Pattern MK III 'High Rivet' Helmet. Fabulous D-Day Collection, Medals, & Stripes, of ANCO Corporal of The Ox & Bucks Light Infantry & Later Part of the Airborne Div,

The helmet with its original netting and camouflage is seriously rare and it comes with an accompanying group of his four British medals {unworn} and his corporal stripes.

A D-Day Pattern MKIII high rivet helmet, with original netting and camouflaging, and his corporal's battledress stripes and medals. The helmet may have painted regimental markings, but there is no way the net and camouflage should be removed in order to check. The German part of the collection, the iron cross medals etc. was sold separately.

We do not know if he qualified for more than his four medals, as his family knew not either. His German souvenir medals were put away after the war and never saw the light of day till very recently, which is why they are in superb condition. The helmet was not his first original service issue, he originally had the Brodie pattern helmet. His German medals {which may be from an Arnham based SS Panzer Division crew} will be sold separately, but only his medals, stripes and D-Day MKIII camouflage helmet are sold together here under this stock code.

The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry committed three battalions to the Normandy campaign in 1944, with two landing on the 6th June 1944 - one by air, one by sea.

2nd Battalion (52nd), Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, 6th Airlanding Brigade, 6th Airborne Division

Part of 6th Airborne Division, 2nd Battalion were some of the first Allied troops to arrive in Normandy when six gliders carrying D Company and elements of B Company, led by Major John Howard, landed in the early hours of 6 June. Though one of the gliders landed some distance to the east, five would land remarkably close to their objective. They successfully captured and held the River Orne and Caen Canal bridges, securing a vital bridgehead to pave the way for the advance of the allied forces that would land on the beaches. One of these bridges was renamed Pegasus Bridge after the emblem of the British Airborne, the name it is still known by today. The rest of the Battalion would arrive by glider around 9pm on 6 June, landing at the bridgehead as part of Operation Mallard.

1st Buckinghamshire Battalion, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, No. 6 Beach Group

The 1st Bucks Battalion, a territorial army battalion of the Ox & Bucks, also landed at Sword Beach on D-Day. Part of No. 6 Beach Group, an anti-tank platoon landed with the first tide, while the remainder landed with the second tide of the invasion force. The Group was responsible for organising units landing on Sword and arranging supply dumps in the area. As infantry support for the Beach Group, 1st Bucks were tasked with defending the beachhead from any counterattacks.
The Battle of Arnhem and the subsequent defence of the Oosterbeek Perimeter have passed into legend and the subject of numerous books and films, meaning that the story of the Operation is quite well known by most who have an interest in military history, what is probably less known is the contribution of the Regiment in Operation Market Garden.

Operation “Market Garden”
“Market” was the Airborne element of the operation, with three Allied Airborne Divisions being dropped behind enemy lines in Holland with the task of capturing and holding until relieved by ground forces, all the bridges along a “corridor” from the Belgian/Dutch border along a single road to the river Rhine at Arnhem.
The American 101st Airborne Division were to capture the bridges around Eindhoven, the American 82nd Airborne Division the bridges around Nijmegen and the British 1st Airborne Division along with the Polish Independent Parachute Brigade the bridges at Arnhem on the Rhine.

“Garden” was the land based element with the main thrust along the “corridor” being made by Lieutenant General Brian Horrocks’s British 30th Corps, with the 12th and 8th Corps on each flank. 30th Corps objective was to advance along the corridor linking up with the Airborne Divisions and reaching the Rhine at Arnhem within four days! From there the British 2nd Army could then cross the River Rhine, the last natural barrier, and then turn into the Ruhr and Germany itself and end the war by the end of 1944.

“This is a tale you will tell your grandchildren... …and mightily bored they’ll be”
Lieutenant General Brian Horrocks, commanding British 30th Corps
1st Battalion (43rd) Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Operations by the 53rd (Welsh) Division in 12th Corps, containing the 43rd, aimed to protect the left flank of the land based “Garden” force, 30th Corps, pushing through the airborne corridor from Eindhoven to link up with the Market forces at Arnhem.

On 20 September the enemy withdrew through De Kruisberg, leaving a small force to cover the retreat. The 43rd followed at night to push ahead in single file through the town to protect the flank of 15th (Scottish) Division forming a bridgehead on the Wilhelmina Canal at Best.

The advance by the 43rd in the direction of Oirschot attracted heavy fire. The blown bridge at Oirschot was reached at midday on 21st and the nearside bank of the canal was made secure to protect the western flank of the Scottish Division. The canal was a formidable obstacle but could be crossed by wading infantry.
The village of Dun was captured and where Regimental Headquarters was established until 5 October.

Nijmegen, Holland - October 1944
On 5 October, the 43rd was ordered to move up to Nijmegen bridgehead as reserve battalion. The move was full of small incidents of enemy action and manoeuvre. The Battalion led the attack by 71st Brigade to liberate 's-Hertogenbosch, which was secured by 27th, but the remnants of the enemy did not withdraw completely over the Maas to the north.
The objectives of the 1st British Airborne Division were to capture and hold the bridges over the river Rhine at Arnhem, however in the end only a force slightly over battalion strength managed to reach and hold the northern approaches to the Road Bridge. Only the Second Parachute Battalion (less C company, who were separated in the town), reinforced by part of 1st Parachute Brigade HQ, individual members of 1st and 3rd Parachute Battalions and some attached arms personnel actually reached the Divisional objective – the Bridge.

The Corporal of the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry Defence Platoon, survived the debacle, escaped capture during the greater Operation Market Garden, to be evacuated. See a photo of some of the various men evacuated after the Arnham debacle in the gallery.{but this photo does not include Ox and Bucks combatant}

**The price shown is for the helmet, his 4 british campaign medals and his corporal stripes, it does not include the German medals, they were for sale, separately, though now sold,
The last owners name will be past on to the next owner.  read more

Code: 25378

An Original, Antique, Small Continental 'Derringer' Back-Action Percussion Lock Pocket Pistol Circa 1840. Fancy Engraved Lock. Blued Steel Finish

This pistol is singularly attractive. It was acquired with a pair of cased, Belgian, percussion 'Barkers' boxlock pistols. This pistol required full servicing, and hand conservation by our artisans, and after three intensive days work it has been completed and looks dramatically improved and very charming indeed. The percussion action has now been hand cleaned and conserved to be as tight and crisp as it was 185 years ago.

This 'Derringer type of pocket pistol was actually made before the Philadelphia, US, Henry Deringer pistol, by varied makers, but the Henry Deringer pistol was made famous, by being used in the notorious assassination of President Abraham Lincoln in 1865.

This is the very same style and form as the Lincoln Deringer pistol, and it is not known if the American, original Henry Deringer pistol example was a design made first, by his company, or other way round.

One of the scarcest and most collectable small pistol of American history, is the original US, Philadelphia manufactured, Henry Deringer's back action lock 'Deringer' pistol. The pistol that was used by Henry Wilkes Booth to assassinate probably the most famous American President to have ever lived, Abraham Lincoln. It was this Deringer gun after which all small pocket pistols have since been named. A pistol and name that shall live on in memory, for as long as American history is recorded.
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In the century and a half since it happened, populist history has largely boiled down the assassination of Abraham Lincoln to the story of a single perpetrator: John Wilkes Booth. Four of the eight convicted for participating in the conspiracy to assassinate Lincoln in April of 1865 died on the gallows three months later.
But in his appearance at the Camden County Historical Society, Lincoln scholar Hugh Boyle made clear that the real story is a sprawling epic. It involves a gang of Confederate operatives and sympathizers that first plotted to kidnap the President and, when that failed, decided to murder not only him, but the Vice President and Secretary of State as well. Their goal was to decapitate and destabilize the federal government in hopes of forcing a settlement to the war that would avoid the South's total defeat. In the end, they managed to kill Lincoln and seriously injure Secretary of State William Seward.

By 1865, the South was a vast swath of utter destruction.
It was a time of massive upheaval, great danger and high emotion for the South, so the idea that someone might be thinking about attacking the President or other high government officials was not a crazy one in the atmosphere of the times."
The frustrations and angst of the Southern cause came to a boil in April of 1865. Its capital, Richmond, Va. -- now a burned out hulk of a city -- was captured and occupied by Ulysses S. Grant's forces on April 3. Six days later, Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia surrendered and was disarmed at Appomattox. Three days after that -- April 11 -- President Lincoln, standing in a second-story window of the White House, spoke to a huge crowd in a city gone wild in celebration of the Appomattox surrender. But among those listening in that crowd were John Wilkes Booth and 21-year-old Lewis Thornton Powell.

John Wilkes Booth, one of America's most famous actors of the time, and Lewis Thornton Powell were enraged by the President's White House speech on April 11. Three days later, Booth killed Lincoln in Ford's Theater while Powell tried to kill Secretary of State William Seward in his home. Booth was one of the country's most famous actors and an ardent supporter of the Confederacy. His young companion, Powell, was a Confederate army veteran and a second cousin of Confederate general John B. Gordon
The gang leader -- 27-year-old John Wilkes Booth -- was tracked down and shot to death by Union soldiers in Virginia. Eight others were convicted of being conspirators with Booth. Four were sentenced to death and hung, including the first woman ever executed by the U.S. government. The other four were sent to a remote prison island off the coast of Florida.
John Wilkes Booth killed President Lincoln with a shot in the back of the head near his left ear. The Henry Deringer pistol was the weapon he used. Manufactured by Henry Derringer. The weapon was found on the floor of the State Box in Ford's Theatre after the assassination, but it located today in the basement of Ford's Theatre.

10.8cm / 4 1/4 inches barrel length, 8 inches / 20cm long overall

Priced once the conservation cost has been calculated  read more

Code: 26091

A Most Rare Early, 14th Century, circa 1340, Medievil Iron Hand Cannon or 'Handgonne' Made in the Period, & Used From the Battle of Crecy and Poitier Era.

An absolutely beauty and an incredibly significant historical piece, effectively the handgonne, was the very first iron hand held powder and ball piece, that began the evolution into the pistol, almost 700 years ago, and around 500 years before Mr Colt developed his first revolver in the 1840's.

From a collection of original rare antiquities collection we acquired, and this is the third extraordinarily rare original handgonne from that collection. We normally find only one or two every ten years or so, or even longer, but to buy all three from the collection was amazing.

The earliest design of conical form. Small enough and light enough to be manoeuvred by hand and thus then loosely fixed, or semi-permanently fixed, in either an L shaped wooden block and used like a mortar, or, onto a length of sturdy wooden haft, from three feet to five foot long to be used almost musket like and bound with wrought iron bands see illustration in the photo gallery of these medievil variations of mounting. The precursor to the modern day pistol and musket from which this form of ancient so called handgonne developed into over the centuries. It is thought that gunpowder was invented in China and found its way to Europe in the 13th Century. In the mid to late 13th Century gunpowder began to be used in cannons and handguns, and by the mid 14th Century they were in relatively frequent use for castle sieges. By the end of the 14th Century both gunpowder, guns and cannon had greatly evolved and were an essential part of fortifications which were being modified to change arrow slits for gun loops. Hand cannon' date of origin ranges around 1350. Hand cannon were inexpensive to manufacture, but not accurate to fire. Nevertheless, they were employed for their shock value. In 1492 Columbus carried one on his discovery exploration to the Americas. Conquistadors Hernando Cortez and Francisco Pizzaro also used them, in 1519 and 1533, during their respective conquests and colonization of Mexico and Peru. Not primary arms of war, hand cannon were adequate tools of protection for fighting men.. Approx, 4 inches long 1 1/2 inch bore, and weighs around 5.1 lbs

See Funcken, L. & Funcken F., Le costume, l'armure et les armes au temps de la chevalerie, de huitieme au quinzieme siecle, Tournai,1977, pp.66-69, for reconstruction of how such hand cannons were used.
At the beginning of the 14th century, among the infantry troops of the Western Middle Ages, developed the use of manual cannons (such as the Italian schioppetti, spingarde, and the German Fusstbusse).  read more

Code: 24816