A Feature on The Lanes Armoury in the London Daily Telegraph

Celebrating Britain's Unique Retailers; A most kind review of Mark Hawkins and The Lanes Armoury by Tom Ough of the Daily Telegraph. See a scan of the article, as it appeared in the Daily Telegraph, in the gallery. This other review was completed earlier this year; Mark Hawkins celebrates 50 th year at The Lanes Armoury this year [2021].The story so far of the Hawkins Brothers and "The Lanes Armoury" written and updated by Frank Taylor; Sadly it is likely the last, true, original 'armoury' shop left in the whole of Britain. They were described as one of the most highly recommended visitors attractions in the whole of the UK by the New York Times. It is also regularly featured by many other world wide publications, appearing in too many television programmes to list, including Italian and Japanese documentaries, plus the Discovery Channels "Mud Men", and Ian McShane's world famous tv series, "Lovejoy". Several film locations have been filmed in their shops, including Graham Greene's " Brighton Rock", and Roger Moore's film series "The Persuaders", way back in 1971. Hundreds of thousands of tourists [and regular visitors] come to see them every single year, including in the 1970's President Ronald Reagan, and in October 1970 Elizabeth Taylor with Richard Burton also visited [and it was during that extraodinary visit Elizabeth Taylor sold to Camilla, {Mark and David's mother}, her bespoke diamond and ruby encrusted Rolex watch]. Also in the 1960's Edward G. Robinson visited, and H.M. Queen Elizabeth and HRH Prince Philip came through the Lanes, and their store in the 1980's, as did the HRH the Aga Khan. The 'Hawkins brothers' evolved their company from one of the oldest established family businesses in Sussex, with a client base that includes museums, heads of state, presidents, princes and kings. But whether you are a movie star, a head of state or a student, all will be treated with the same courtesy and respect. Every sale is important to them, albeit a £5 badge, a £500 sword, a £50,000 medieval book, or maybe a Gothic suit of armour for £40,000. Every day they are told that to some, this is their favourite shop in the world, with some foreign visitors returning year in year out for 40 years or even more, so they truly believe they have a great responsibility to their customers, their reputation, and to the amazing city of Brighton. Their oldest customer has incredibly been a regular buyer, for an amazing, over 75 years. The partners, Mark and David regularly appear on the BBC and numerous UK TV channels on various antique 'discovery' programs, and act as consultant appraisers. During Mark's 48 years, and David's 36 years [that's over 80 years combined] with the family business, it is estimated they have had pass through their hands, and appraised, possibly more items than any other living dealers in the country, and their breadth of knowledge and experience is simply astonishing. While in his capacity as export director of the old family company Mark was personally responsible for the sale and export of over 2,000 individual antiques, armouryantiques and militaria items every single week for nearly ten years. Shipping their treasures to the four corners of globe. Of course, these days [and for the past 30 years] the brothers are concentrating their attention to being England's leading specialist arms and militaria dealers, limiting their business to fine, ancient, antique or vintage samurai weaponry, armour, militaria and historical books, covering the past three millennia. It is now said they are the largest samurai weapon dealers in the western world, and this website is the largest of it's type in the world including over 17,0000 full colour photographs of some of their items for sale.
With so many different histories to offer, you can feel freer in Brighton than in most British cities to select trips which coincide with your interests and of course, you're much more likely to find in Brighton things to do which bring the history you love to life. For the lover of militaria, a visit to The Lanes Armoury is a must with a difference. The Armoury's housed in a three-storey 16th century building and is a real treasure trove, it's a museum which is not a museum as everything is for sale. It has been nominated and then short-listed for the British Antique & Collectors Awards as the best Antique Shop in Great Britain and is the latest incarnation of a much older business David Hawkins [Brighton] Ltd which was one of the earliest and largest dealers in Antiques and Collectibles within the whole of Europe in the last century. It's their current specialisation in Arms, Armour, Militaria, and Books which really marks them out and creates such a fascinating and fantastic place to visit. From bronze-age swords, axes and daggers, suits of samurai and European armour, muskets, revolvers, duelling pistols, American civil war swords, right through to medals and World War II militaria, it's all there to be viewed and drooled over. For example, they have in stock at present a 19th century 'Vampyre Killing Kit', [near identical to one in the Tower Collection] essential for those Victorian trips to the Carpathian mountains and Transylvania, and last year had a signed 1st Edition book that once personally belonged to Winston Churchill detailing a story of combat in the American Revolutionary War. It was presented to him during WW2 and signed by it's author, Robert Graves, one of England's greatest WW1 poets and novelists. It was declared by Churchill, in a personal letter to Robert Graves thanking him for the gift, that it was one of only 6 or 7 novels that he had read during his premiership in the war, and subsequently this very book was used by him to advise the creation and modus operandi of the new British Commandos. They have two pages in a folio from one of the earliest printed books, and a Ist Ed, book of 1479 By Bartolomaeus Platina, and just recently in, an Autographed copy of Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens at just under £25,000 [now sold]. It's not a museum, although often believed to be, and when you leave, you've really have had the same experience! I can honestly say the experience of a visit to the armoury, although not a vast premises by any means, in fact probably the smallest recommended by the New York Times, but is utterly memorable, and every single person that passed through their doors while I was there was either astonished, amazed, or both! But remember, although it looks and feels like a museum, as the brothers reminded me, everything is for sale!....

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