To Find Antique Arms, Armour & Specialist Books in the UK There is Only one place you need to visit. We Trust You Will All Enjoy Your Visit & Viewing Experience of Our Online Site, Frequently Described As The Best Militaria Collectables Site in the World

NEW SELECTION OF REPUBLIC & IMPERIAL PERIOD ROMAN ANTIQUITIES ARRIVES THIS WEEK, PLUS EGYPTIAN AND VIKING.
This week we be showing our usual intriguing and amazing selection of our latest rare and fascinating pieces, including some fabulous and most beautiful and historical collectables due to be offered on our site within the next few days, including a stunning, ancient 1600 year old sword from the Barbarian Hordes of Attila the Hun and his invasion of the Roman Empire. Plus stunning ancient Roman rings, one a Gladiator’s ring, also, ancient Egyptian-Roman rings from the time of Anthony and Cleopatra, an Amazing 16th century Polish iron and silver nadziak, a knights War-Hammer, Greek arrow heads, spears, lead sling bullets, antiquities and rings from an 1820 Grand Tour Collection . Plus a good 1938 German Kriegsmarine officers dirk, a stunning original signed portrait photograph of Field Marshal Montgomery.

We Are Also Europe's Leading Original Samurai Sword Specialists.
We were listed by the world famous New York Times as one of the ‘must see’ places for Americans to visit when in Europe!! and regularly, as one of the very best shops in the whole of Great Britain. And bearing in mind, in the UK, recorded in 2019, there were 306,655 retail outlets,..apparently, so as you can imagine, the competition was pretty stiff.

For us it is vitally important that every customer, old and new, has confidence to deal with a well established, generations old company that believes every customer must have an enjoyable, successful and satisfactory experience, and you can know that you can also enjoy a personal one to one contact with our partners during any visit to our permanent gallery in Brighton, which for us is a priority.

Here are just two of our clients comments we received in the past five days. ‘Today the medals arrived. It is high quality as always and I am 100% satisfied. best regards G.B.’ From Germany

‘The swords arrived and are lovely. Yes, the Light Company sabre is especially striking. In fact, it's out of this world. You take good photos but they didn't do this piece justice. The French piece has tremendous presence. It's hard to find French Revolutionary pieces, especially ones with battle wear. Thanks again” G.G. From North America

Enjoy our site, it has been over 100 years in the making!.

The history of the ‘Grand Tour’

Richard Lassels, an expatriate Roman Catholic priest, first used the phrase “Grand Tour” in his 1670 book Voyage to Italy, published posthumously in Paris in 1670. In its introduction, Lassels listed four areas in which travel furnished "an accomplished, consummate traveler" with opportunities to experience first hand the intellectual, the social, the ethical, and the political life of the Continent.

The English gentry of the 17th century believed that what a person knew came from the physical stimuli to which he or she has been exposed. Thus, being on-site and seeing famous works of art and history was an all important part of the Grand Tour. So most Grand Tourists spent the majority of their time visiting museums and historic sites.

Once young men and women began embarking on these journeys, additional guidebooks and tour guides began to appear to meet the needs of the 20-something male and female travelers and their tutors traveling a standard European itinerary. They carried letters of reference and introduction with them as they departed from southern England, enabling them to access money and invitations along the way.

With nearly unlimited funds, aristocratic connections and months or years to roam, these wealthy young tourists commissioned paintings, perfected their language skills and mingled with the upper crust of the Continent.

The wealthy believed the primary value of the Grand Tour lay in the exposure both to classical antiquity and the Renaissance, and to the aristocratic and fashionably polite society of the European continent. In addition, it provided the only opportunity to view specific works of art, and possibly the only chance to hear certain music. A Grand Tour could last from several months to several years. The youthful Grand Tourists usually traveled in the company of a Cicerone, a knowledgeable guide or tutor.

The ‘Grand Tour’ era of classical acquisitions from history existed up to around the 1850’s, and extended around the whole of Europe, Egypt, the Ottoman Empire, and the Holy Land.
As with all our items, they come complete with our certificate of authenticity

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