Antique Arms & Militaria

A Wonderful, Very Early Period, 17th Century Flintlock Long Buccaneer's 'Fleet Captain's' or Pirate Pistol By Martin of Angers, Anjou, France. From The Real Pirates of The Caribbean & Port Royal Period The So-Called 'Golden Age of Piracy' Circa 1680

An absolute typical and beautiful form of the earliest and most elegant flintlocks of the 17th century, and just as favoured by Pirate Fleet Captains and Buccaneers during the golden age of piracy. Superb walnut stock, earliest form steel mounts, long barrel, and early barrel form ramrod pipes. Long eared steel 'skull crusher' buttcap, and early, typical 17th century 'banana shaped' lock, with florid scroll engraving to the lock plate and engraved with the gunsmiths name, Martin, Angers {Angers is partially obscured through age wear}. Twin nearside lock screws.
Martin is recorded in Angers sometime before 1680 and up to 1710, but his Christian name is not known. Angers was one of the principal provincial gunmaking centres - other significant Angers gunmakers were Boular, Bleiberg, and Pierre Monlong.

In the mid to late 17th century,m in the Western world, the period from the 1680s to the 1720s, has come to be known as the ‘Golden Age’ of piracy.

This was a time of heightened pirate activity, when thousands of ships in the Atlantic and beyond became the prey of roving bands of sea-robbers. Many of the most infamous pirates and buccaneers from history come from this era, Edward 'Blackbeard' Teach, Captain William Kidd, Anne Bonny, 'Calico' Jack Rackham, Henry Morgan, Stede Bonnet and more.

The Caribbean and the east coast of North America were the main areas that saw a surge in activity in the early 1700s. Ships carrying expensive cargoes were often intercepted, and stolen goods were sold in nearby islands and European colonies. Some pirates operated further afield, off the West African coast or in the Indian Ocean, where the island of Madagascar became a key base.

The real Pirates of the Caribbean
"The ‘golden age’ of piracy coincided with the expansion of English, later British, colonial activity around the Caribbean," writes Blyth. "This began in earnest with the capture of Jamaica from Spain in 1655." While piracy has been traditionally portrayed as a male-dominated pursuit, historical evidence suggests that women actively participated in piratical activities during various periods. In the Golden Age of Piracy, from the late 17th to the early 18th centuries, the presence of women in pirate crews became more pronounced. Anne Bonny and Mary Read are two notable examples of women who defied societal norms and navigated the perilous waters of piracy alongside their male counterparts. Their inclusion in pirate crews challenged prevailing gender roles and added a layer of complexity to the maritime lore of the era.

The story of Henry Morgan

Henry Morgan, a British privateer turned pirate, rose to prominence as a cunning strategist and a master of raiding Spanish colonies. Born circa 1635 in Wales, Morgan's early life remains relatively obscure, with scant historical records providing details about his upbringing. His maritime career began as a privateer, authorized by English authorities to harass Spanish colonies and shipping interests in the Caribbean during a period marked by geopolitical tensions between England and Spain.

Sir Henry Morgan was a unique individual in the history of buccaneering. He started out life as an indentured servant on a plantation in Barbados, but worked himself up to become one of the most notorious buccaneers there ever was, receiving not only praise from his uncouth brethren of the coast, but also from his king, who rewarded him with the a knighthood and a lofty position. Morgan had connections running in all levels of society, from the lowest dregs, his mutinous crewmen, to the highest echelons of nobility. Together with his loyal friend and crony, Sir Thomas Modyford, he rampaged the Spanish territories in the Caribbean, his name inspiring fear along the vast coastline of New Spain and its dependencies. Through his network he was able to operate as a broker between criminals from various countries and a nation state, culminating in the biggest amphibious buccaneering raid ever in the Caribbean and the destruction of the once proud city of Panama, of which the ruins can still be visited today. The expected end for a man of his making would be at the gallows, or swinging from the gibbet in some port or another. But not for Sir Henry Morgan. His networking skills protected him, set him up with a respectable position after his career as a buccaneer, and provided him with the luxury of drinking himself to death in the comfort of his own home at the ripe age of 53; a fate most other pirates must have surely envied him for. His exploits in the plunder of Port Royal and the attack on Spanish merchant ships contributed to the era’s rich folklore and became the stuff of legends. Sabatini based the first part of the story of Blood on Henry Pitman, a surgeon who tended the wounded Monmouth rebels and was sentenced to death by Judge Jeffreys, but whose sentence was commuted to penal transportation to Barbados where he escaped and was captured by pirates. Unlike the fictional Blood, Pitman did not join them, and eventually made his way back to England where he wrote a popular account of his ordeal. For Blood's life as a buccaneer, Sabatini used several models, including Henry Morgan and the work of Alexandre Exquemelin, for historical details

The motivations for women to join pirate crews were as diverse as those of their male counterparts. Some, like Anne Bonny and Mary Read, disguised themselves as men to gain access to the adventurous and lucrative world of piracy. Their ability to conceal their gender allowed them to operate freely within the confines of a pirate ship, participating in raids, engaging in combat, and earning the respect of their fellow crew members. The reasons for adopting a pirate's life were multifaceted, often stemming from a desire for economic independence, a rejection of societal constraints, or a quest for personal freedom in an era when opportunities for women were limited.

Original engravings in the gallery of;

Anne Bonny, as pictured in Charles Johnson’s 1724 book A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the most notorious Pyrates. Anne Bonnya (disappeared after 28 November 1720) was a pirate who served under John Rackham. Amongst the few recorded female pirates in the Golden Age of Piracy, she has become one of the most recognized pirates of the era, as well as in the history of piracy in general.
The first biography of Bonny comes from Captain Charles Johnson's 1724 book A General History of the Pyrates. In August 1720, Bonny, Rackham, and another woman, Mary Read, together with about a dozen other pirate crewmembers, stole the sloop William, then at anchor in Nassau harbor, and put out to sea. The crew spent months in the West Indies attacking merchant ships. Bonny took part in piracy alongside the men, handing out gunpowder to fellow pirates, a job usually referred to as a powder monkey. On 5 September 1720, Governor Rogers put out a proclamation, later published in The Boston Gazette, demanding the arrest of Rackham and his associates. Among those named are Anne Bonny and Mary Read

Portrait of Capt. Sir Henry Morgan, as pictured in Alexandre Exquemelin's Piratas de la America (1681) It is probable that in the early 1660s Morgan was active with a group of privateers led by Sir Christopher Myngs attacking Spanish cities and settlements in the Caribbean and Central America when England was at war with Spain. It is likely that in 1663 Morgan captained one of the ships in Myngs' fleet, and took part in the attack on Santiago de Cuba and the Sack of Campeche on the Yucatán Peninsula

Engraving of Capt. Stede Bonnet with a Jolly Roger flag from A General History of the Pyrates (1724) Stede Bonnet (c. 1688 – 10 December 1718) was an English pirate who was known as the Gentleman Pirate because he was a moderately wealthy landowner before turning to a life of crime. Bonnet was born into a wealthy English family on the island of Barbados, and inherited the family estate after his father's death in 1694. Despite his lack of sailing experience, Bonnet decided he should turn to piracy in the spring of 1717. He bought a sailing vessel, the Revenge, and traveled with his paid crew along the Eastern Seaboard of what is now the United States, capturing other vessels and burning other Barbadian ships.

Bonnet set sail for Nassau in the Bahamas, to the haven for pirates known as the "Republic of Pirates", but he was seriously wounded en route during an encounter with a Spanish warship. After arriving in Nassau, Bonnet met the infamous pirate Blackbeard. Incapable of leading his crew, Bonnet temporarily ceded his ship's command to Blackbeard. Before separating in December 1717, Blackbeard and Bonnet plundered and captured merchant ships along the East Coast. After Bonnet failed to capture the Protestant Caesar, his crew abandoned him to join Blackbeard aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge. Bonnet stayed on Blackbeard's ship as a guest, and did not command a crew again until summer 1718, when he was pardoned by North Carolina governor Charles Eden and received clearance to undertake privateering against Spanish shipping interests. Bonnet was tempted to resume his piracy but did not want to lose his pardon, so he adopted the alias "Captain Thomas" and changed his ship's name to Royal James. He had returned to piracy by July.

THE HOME OF ORIGINAL AND AFFORDABLE ANCIENT ANTIQUITIES & ANTIQUE COLLECTABLES IN BRITAIN.

The Lanes Armoury, world renown as Britain's favourite specialist collectors shop, and also a font of historical and educational information that is detailed with every single item. We detail each piece alongside its historical context, either generic or specific, for those that may wish to read, learn, or be informed, as opposed to simply acquire collectable items. It is probably one of the oldest companies of our kind in the whole of Europe and we have been established through generations, as specialists in armoury antiques, militaria collectables, and specialist books, since the early 1900’s, and thus we have continued to be one of the largest in the world today. We are also very pleased to know we are also studied and read by academics and students from hundreds of universities around the world, by those that are interested in not only British but worldwide history.
For this reason we also like to be known as a learning and researching website.
Everyday we are contacted by historians that wish to make contributions to our detailed information for our pieces, and to thus add to our constant dedication to impart historical knowledge, that may be unknown to many of our millions of viewers.

Overall in super condition for age, very nice and crisp action, good steel all over with just minor traces of usual old surface pitting, very small contemporary repairs to the walnut stock with small losses to the forestock wood trim, bottom half of the brass tipped rammer lacking.
19.5 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 trading  read more

Code: 25750

An Exceptional 1821 Pattern Victorian British Cavalry Officer's Combat Sabre By Hawkes & Co. Piccadilly. Fully Etched Deluxe Quality Blade. The Regulation Pattern Used in the 'Charge of the Light Brigade' in the Crimean War.

Bearing Queen Victoria's VR cypher with crown. Regulation three bar steel hilt and sharkskin bound wired grip. Slightly curved blade, bearing the maker's name, address and Royal Warrant of Hawkes and Co.

The very type of Hussar's and Lancer's sabre as used by British Cavalry Officer's in the ill fated charge in the Crimean War against Russia. All steel three bar steel hilt, Full original wire binding over complete fish skin grip. Overall in fine all bright patina. Sadly, of course, we have no way of knowing if this sword was ever used by a specific officer in the charge, however it is absolutely used at the time and is the type used by all the serving Cavalry officers The Cavalry officers actually used two types of sword, this, the 1821 pattern, and a few officers also used the mamaluke pattern sword In the Crimean War (1854-56), the Light Dragoons were in the forefront of the famous Charge of the Light Brigade, immortalized by Tennyson's poem of that name ("Into the valley of death rode the six hundred").
The regiments adopted the title hussars at this time, and the uniform became very stylish, aping the hussars of the Austro-Hungarian army. But soon the blues and yellows and golds gave way to khaki as the British army found itself in skirmishes throughout the far-flung Empire, in India and South Africa especially.
In 1854 the regiment received its orders from the War Office to prepare for service overseas. Five
transport ships - Harbinger, Negotiator, Calliope, Cullodon, and the Mary Anne – embarking
between the 8 May and 12 May, carried 20 officers, 292 other ranks and 298 horses. After a
troubled voyage, the regiment arrived at Varna, Bulgaria on the 2 June. On the 28 August the
entire Light Brigade (consisting of the 4th Light Dragoons and 13th Light Dragoons, 17th
Lancers, the 8th Hussars and 11th Hussars, under the command of Major General the Earl of
Cardigan) were inspected by Lord Lucan; five men of the 13th had already succumbed to cholera.
On the 1 September the regiment embarked for the Crimea - a further three men dying en-route.
On the 20 September the regiment, as part the Light Brigade, took part in the first major
engagement of the Crimean War, the Battle of the Alma. The Light Brigade covered the left
flank, although the regiment’s role in the battle was minimal. With the Russians in full retreat by
late afternoon, Lord Lucan ordered the Light Brigade to pursue the fleeing enemy. However, the
brigade was recalled by Lord Raglan as the Russians had kept some 3,000 uncommitted cavalry
in reserve.

During the 25 October the regiments, the Light Brigade, took part in the Battle of
Balaclava and the famous Charge of the Light Brigade.
The 13th Light Dragoons formed the right of the front line. The 13th and 17th moved forward; after 100 yards the 11th Hussars, in the second line, also moved off followed by the
4th and 8th. It was not long before the brigade came under heavy Russian fire.Lord Cardigan, at the front of his
men, charged into the Russian guns receiving a slight wound. He was soon followed by the 13th
and 17th. The two squadrons of the 13th and the right squadron of the 17th were soon cutting
down the artillerymen that had remained at their posts. Once the Russian guns had been passed,
they engaged in a hand-to-hand fighting with the enemy that was endeavouring to surround them
by closing in on either flank. However, the Light Brigade having insufficient forces and suffering heavy casualties, were soon forced to retire. The last picture in the gallery is of Capt. Louis Edward Nolan (January 4 1818-October 25 1854), who was a British Army officer of the Victorian era, an authority on cavalry tactics, and best known for his controversial role in launching the disastrous Charge of the Light Brigade during the Battle of Balaclava. He was the first casualty of that engagement. His identical sword can be plainly seen in that painting. This sword has no scabbard at present, however, it may well become available, as the last owner had it but it was lost in their home, if it is found, and if required, it will be supplied by us at its cost price to us.

Overall in excellent condition for age.

The regulation pattern of sword used by British cavalry officer's, such as all the hussar and lancer officer's that took part in the 'Charge of the Light Brigade' in the Crimean War.

We show in the gallery a photograph of Winston Churchill holding his sword around the time he was in the Charge of Omdurman, another with Lord Cardigan of the Charge, holding his identical sword, and a photograph by Fenton, taken in the Crimean of officers of the Light Brigade all with their identical sword.  read more

Code: 25050

A Fabulous & Impressive Large 10th Century Original Viking Spear, Classified as 'Petersen type G'... Vápnum sínum skal-a maðr velli á feti ganga framar, því at óvíst er at vita, nær verðr á vegum úti geirs of þörf guma

From the 13th century Codex Regius, a collection of Old Norse poems from the Viking Age. Verse 38 quoted above is translated here;

Let a man never stir on his road a step
without his weapons of war;
for unsure is the knowing when need shall arise
of a spear on the way without.

Circa 10th century. A fabulous example of an original Viking war spear.
Using the Petersen scale of dating swords axes and spears of the medieval era, it is around 1100 years old, and in super condition for its age. With a slightly impacted tip, possibly bent from penetration of mail armour or shield. With edge shoulders placed low on the blade and a short conical socket with marked narrowing below the blade. Although not as glamorous as the sword, the spear was in every sense the definitive weapon of the Viking Age and used as the primary weapon of combat by almost every warrior. Decorated spearheads inlaid with precious metals prove that in the Viking Age spears were not seen as the poor man's choice and one has only to look at the representations of warriors from the illuminated manuscripts of the era to quickly come to the conclusion that the use of the spear was ubiquitous. Many of the Anglo-Saxon phrases used to describe both battle and warrior help to underline the importance of the spear.

The spearheads were made of iron, and, like sword blades, were made using pattern welding techniques (described in the article on swords) during the early part of the Viking era . They could be decorated with inlays of precious metals or with scribed geometric patterns
After forming the head, the smith created the tang in the early period, such as for a javelin type spear, or in the later Viking mostly a socket fitting for a regular spear. Sometimes with holes for rivets to grip onto the haft.

However, there is little evidence that tells us the length of the shaft. The archaeological evidence is negligible, and the sagas are, for the most part, silent. Chapter 6 of Gísla saga tells of a spear so long-shafted that a man's outstretched arm could touch the rivet. The language used suggests that such a long shaft was uncommon.

Perhaps the best guess we can make is that the combined length of shaft and head of Viking age spears was 2 to 3m (7-10ft) long, although one can make arguments for the use of spears having both longer and shorter shafts. A strong, straight-grained wood such as ash was used. Many people think of the spear as a throwing weapon. One of the Norse myths tells the story of the first battle in the world, in which Odin, the highest of the gods, threw a spear over the heads of the opposing combatants as a prelude to the fight. The sagas say that spears were also thrown in this manner when men, rather than gods, fought. At the battle at Geirvör described in chapter 44 of Eyrbyggja saga, the saga author says that Steinþórr threw a spear over the heads of Snorri goði and his men for good luck, according to the old custom. More commonly, the spear was used as a thrusting weapon. The sagas tell us thrusting was the most common attack in melees and one-on-one fighting, and this capability was used to advantage in mass battles. In a mass battle, men lined up, shoulder to shoulder, with shields overlapping. After all the preliminaries, which included rock throwing, name calling, the trading of insults, and shouting a war cry (æpa heróp), the two lines advanced towards each other. When the lines met, the battle was begun. Behind the wall of shields, each line was well protected. Once a line was broken, and one side could pass through the line of the other side, the battle broke down into armed melees between small groups of men.

Before either line broke, while the two lines were going at each other hammer and tongs, the spear offered some real advantages. A fighter in the second rank could use his spear to reach over the heads of his comrades in the first rank and attack the opposing line. Konungs skuggsjá (King’s Mirror), a 13th century Norwegian manual for men of the king, says that in the battle line, a spear is more effective than two swords

Part of an original medieval collection we have acquired, of Viking and early British relics of warfare from ancient battle sites recovered up to 220 years ago. 14 inches long.

Almost every iron weapon that has survived today from this era is now in a fully russetted condition, as is this one, because only a very few of the swords of kings, that have been preserved in national or Royal collections can today be still in a relatively good state and surface condition. However, Bronze Age swords, daggers etc. that are usually much earlier, survive far better as they only suffer from surface ageing and patination, unlike iron and steel weaponry, which makes early iron weapons so incredibly rare, especially the Viking examples, as so many were abandoned, lost in battle or sacrificed due to precious few Viking burials discovered.

THE HOME OF ORIGINAL AND AFFORDABLE ANCIENT ANTIQUITIES & ANTIQUE COLLECTABLES IN BRITAIN.

The Lanes Armoury, world renown as Britain's favourite specialist collectors shop, and also a font of historical and educational information that is detailed with every single item. We detail each piece alongside its historical context, either generic or specific, for those that may wish to read, learn, or be informed, as opposed to simply acquire collectable items. It is probably one of the oldest companies of our kind in the whole of Europe and we have been established through generations, as specialists in armoury antiques, militaria collectables, and specialist books, since the early 1900’s, and thus we have continued to be one of the largest in the world today. We are also very pleased to know we are also studied and read by academics and students from hundreds of universities around the world, by those that are interested in not only British but worldwide history.
For this reason we also like to be known as a learning and researching website.
Everyday we are contacted by historians that wish to make contributions to our detailed information for our pieces, and to thus add to our constant dedication to impart historical knowledge, that may be unknown to many of our millions of viewers.

As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity, and an attractive complimentary display stand.  read more

Code: 22758

A Simply Superb King George IIIrd British Light Dragoon Flintlock Pistol In Exemplary Condition Almost Beyond Compare

Excellent walnut stock with original patina to all parts steel brass and walnut. All fine brass fittings and captive ramrod. In original flintlock, made by a good ordnance and militia contractor from Birmingham.

This is the pattern of pistol for use by British Light Dragoon & Hussars Cavalry regiments, and called the New Land Pattern, used intially from around 1802, during the Peninsular War, the War of 1812, and the Hundred Days War, culminating at Waterloo. This pistol was used later up to the early 1840's when the ordnance transferred to the use of percussion arms. One would have to go a long way and for a considerable time to find another example in such good condition and as good quality as this one. it is simply a museum grade and condition example likely impossible to improve upon. Introduced in the 1796 and in production by 1802, the New Land Cavalry Pistol provided one model of pistol for all of Britain's light cavalry and horse artillery. Another new element was its swivel all steel ramrod, which greatly improved the process of loading the pistol on horseback and ensuring no loss of ramrod due to miss-handling or dropping..

The service of British Cavalry regiments, particularly the Light Dragoons, proved essential in the mastery of the Indian Subcontinent. The Duke of Wellington, then Arthur Wellesley, was primarily recognized for his military genius by his battles in India. Of particular note was the Battle of Assaye in 1803 where the 6000 British faced a Mahratta Army of at least 40,000. During the engagement the 19th Light Dragoons saved the 74th Regiment by charging the enemy guns 'like a torrent that had burst its banks'. Pistols firing and sabre slashing, the 19th broke the enemy's position and the day was won. 19th Light Dragoons gained "Assaye" as a battle honour, and the nickname "Terrors of the East". The 19th Light Dragoons eventually served in North America during the War of 1812 and so did this form of pistol. Cavalry was the 'shock' arm, with lance and sabre the principal hand weapons. The division between 'heavy' and light was very marked during Wellington's time: 'heavy' cavalry were huge men on big horses, 'light' cavalry were more agile troopers on smaller mounts who could harass as well as shock.

During the Napoleonic Wars, French cavalry was unexcelled. Later, as casualties and the passage of years took their toll, Napoleon found it difficult to maintain the same high standards of cavalry performance. At the same time, the British and their allies steadily improved on their cavalry, mainly by devoting more attention to its organization and training as well as by copying many of the French tactics, organization and methods. During the Peninsular War, Wellington paid little heed to the employment of cavalry in operations, using it mainly for covering retreats and chasing routed French forces. But by the time of Waterloo it was the English cavalry that smashed the final attack of Napoleon's Old Guard.

Hussar Yeomanry regiments were light cavalry units, primarily composed of mounted volunteers, who served as part of the British Army reserve. They were known for their distinctive uniform, which often included a pelisse (a short fur-edged jacket). These units, like the Yorkshire Hussars and the Queen's Own Worcestershire Hussars, were formed in response to the French Revolutionary Wars and served in various roles, including policing, reconnaissance, and fighting as light cavalry

They were primarily used as light cavalry, meaning they were mounted on fast horses and used for skirmishes, scouting, and reconnaissance.

The Yeomanry was considered an auxiliary force, meaning it supplemented the regular army, rather than replacing it, County-Based

As with all our antique guns no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables  read more

Code: 25757

A Superb Boer War Period Royal Artillery Officer's Sable Busby With Near Mint Gilt Grenade Plume Holder With Royal Crested Badge of the Royal Artillery.

It still has the original leather lining with maker name in a gilt and leather seal, that reads; Jones Chalk and Dawson 6 Sackville St. London

The busby retains the original black leather chin strap gilt Royal Artillery coat of arms on gilt grenade helmet plate which is worn over the left ear together with the white horsehair brush plume. Finally the Busby has the rich red "bag" which hangs down the soldier's right side of the helmet. Officer helmets are always in very short supply and are sought for, but Sable helmets in this truly nice condition come along very infrequently.

The Second Boer War saw attempted application of bombardment as an alternative to the use of ground forces. In most battles fought during the conflict this was proved not to be possible. There was competition from the other side's ability to undertake evasive measures. The opponent was able to use cover to protect himself and hide his position. Nonetheless, the tactic of the creeping barrage, used at the Relief of Ladysmith, has been described as "revolutionary"
At the outbreak of the war the British army had some 100 guns available of which only twenty-seven were standard field artillery pieces of a reasonably modern design. The Royal Navy was able to contribute seven 12-pounders carried for use ashore. The rest had to be improvised and, as a result of the resourcefulness of Captain Percy Scott, shipboard 12-pounders, known as Long 12s, and 4.7-inch guns were given emergency carriages or mounts and rushed to the front. The defence of Ladysmith thus became possible. In the course of the war the Royal Field Artillery’s 15-pounders were augmented by another 322 guns, fifty Pom-Poms, eighteen 5-inch breech-loaders, thirty-nine 5-inch howitzers and twelve 6-inch guns. The Royal Horse Artillery brought out seventy-eight 12-pounders. Almost all these were out-ranged by Boer weapons of similar type. Furthermore, the British use of field artillery had to undergo a radical revision from the approved tactics that lost the guns at the Battle of Colenso to the fire-from-concealment approach that proved effective at the Battle of Magersfontein. In addition, new methods of coordinating artillery support and infantry movement had to be developed.

Royal Artillery in the Boer War;

Howitzer Batteries. These guns form part of the siege train sent out to South Africa under command of Lieutenant Colonel Perrott, and are engines of enormous destructive power. The howitzer is an old weapon newly introduced with far higher qualities than it ever possessed before. There are several calibres of the siege howitzer, that depicted being the 6-in. breech-loader, weighing 30-cwt., and when limbered up scaling nearly 4.5 tons in draught. The gun fires lyddite shrapnel, the shell complete weighing nearly 70-lb, and having a range of something like 10 miles. The breech mechanism is analogous to that of the field gun, with am interrupted screw, and buffers are provided to take the recoil. A vast amount of material accompanies a siege battery, ammunition being supplied to the extent of 500 rounds per gun, and the work of transport becomes therefore one of great difficulty. But it is in the hands of officers and men who thoroughly competent to undertake it. a siege train is, of course, the artillery formed for the reduction of fortified places. Such a train has nearly always to be organised specially for its particular purpose, and it rarely has any existence in peace-time. Thus when the war broke out the work of organising the siege train began, and the new siege material supplied was soon afloat, and reached South Africa in charge of a highly-trained force of experienced officers and men.
Siege train officers. In all about 32 officers, and over 1,100 men, drawn chiefly from Portsmouth, Plymouth, Exeter, and Devonport, are with the siege train in South Africa. They know the work thoroughly, and are all under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Perrott, Captain and Adjutant Currie, and Captain De Brett, DSO, Major Allen, Major Nicholls, and Captain Strange. These are the principal officers to whom the highly-important duties of the siege train are assigned, but the full exercise of their activity and experience will come later on in the war, when the time arrives for crushing the final opposition of the Boers. Meanwhile, however, the officers of the siege train have been very well employed.

Ammunition Column. These are representative types of the men who are concerned in the transport and distribution of ammunition. They are the sergeant-major, the gunner, the trumpeter, the sergeant, and the driver, and all are armed with revolvers, and certain of them with swords and rifles. There are two classes of ammunition columns. The first is attached to every division, as well as to the Corps Artillery and to the corps troops attached to the Army Corps, and brings up the ammunition reserve for all arms, the ammunition waggons feeding the batteries, and the small-arm carts supplying the infantry, while there are reserve waggons and carts for both. The other class of ammunition columns forms the ammunition parks, which consist of three sections, and are intended for the supply of the whole Army Corps and the cavalry brigades.

Formerly in the Roy Butler Collection.  read more

Code: 25756

A Most Rare Early, 15th Century Medievil Iron Hand Cannon or 'Handgonne' Made in the Period, & Used From the Battle of Agincourt 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.
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 common 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 3/4 inches long 1 inch bore, and weighs around 3.2 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).

THE HOME OF ORIGINAL AND AFFORDABLE ANCIENT ANTIQUITIES & ANTIQUE COLLECTABLES IN BRITAIN.

The Lanes Armoury, world renown as Britain's favourite specialist collectors shop, and also a font of historical and educational information that is detailed with every single item. We detail each piece alongside its historical context, either generic or specific, for those that may wish to read, learn, or be informed, as opposed to simply acquire collectable items. It is probably one of the oldest companies of our kind in the whole of Europe and we have been established through generations, as specialists in armoury antiques, militaria collectables, and specialist books, since the early 1900’s, and thus we have continued to be one of the largest in the world today. We are also very pleased to know we are also studied and read by academics and students from hundreds of universities around the world, by those that are interested in not only British but worldwide history.
For this reason we also like to be known as a learning and researching website.
Everyday we are contacted by historians that wish to make contributions to our detailed information for our pieces, and to thus add to our constant dedication to impart historical knowledge, that may be unknown to many of our millions of viewers.

Our unique certificate of authenticity is provided with every purchase from The Lanes Armoury, backed up by over 100 years of family trading in military antiques of all eras and all known civilizations  read more

Code: 24768

Superb Antique Indian Tulwar 17th to 18th Century Silver Decor Hilted Sword With Hybrid Wootz Damascus Shamshir Blade. It Has Just Returned From Expert Museum Grade Conservation, Polishing & Etching of The Blade To Reveal Its Stunning Pattern

A superb period sword, with a very good superb hybrid wootz Damascus shamshir steel blade. Hybrid Damascus wootz has a more open wood type running grain with larger patterns than plain wootz that has often small tight curls.
Silver decorated iron Lahore hilt decorated with stunning design with matching lined cap pommel. Strong and powerful blade of substance. There are clear indications that this particular hilt is of Punjab manufacture: the fat vase shape of the grip section, the slightly forward angle of the quillons and the beautiful silver koftgari.

For those familiar with fine Japanese blades, we notice just how incredibly similar hybrid Wootz can appear by comparison to the hamon and hada of some early Japanese tamahagane steel blades. In fact, the similarity is quite remarkable.

A sword as popular within the Sikh Empire as the Mughal Empire.

The hilt also known as tulwar comprises langets with lotus-head outlines, domed quillons, and a centrally swollen grip. A knuckle guard with a terminal that recurves toward the disc-pommel which has been attached with a pointed sunburst plaque, a decorative feature further fitted at its centre with a dome and lotus bud finial.

Persian: شمشیر (type, which refers to a Persian or Iranian sword with a radical curve. The name is derived from the shamshīr, which means “lion’s claw or lions tale” in the Persian language – pointing towards the curve of the blade. These types of blades are normally used for slashing unarmored opponents either on foot or mounted; while the tip could be used for thrusting. In India, the term ‘Goliya’ (meaning circle) was used to describe these types of blades; referring to their curve.

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.

Emperor Aurangzeb was the last significant Mughal emperor of India. His reign lasted from 1658 to 1707. During this phase, the empire had reached its largest geographical expansion. Nevertheless it was during this time period that the first sign of decline of the great Moghul Empire was noticed. The reasons were many. The bureaucracy became corrupted and the army implemented outdated tactics and obsolete weaponry. The Moghul Empire was descended from Turko-Mongol, Rajputorigins. It reigned a significant part of the subcontinent of Asia from the initial part of the 16th century to the middle of the 19th century. When it was at the peak of its power, around the 18th century, it controlled a major part of the Asian subcontinent and portions of the current Afghanistan. To understand it's wealth and influence, in 1600 the Emperor Akbar had revenues from his empire of £17.5 million pounds per annum, and 200 years later, in 1800, the exchequer of the entire British Empire had revenues of just £16 million pounds. It has been asked, that, although he had the income per annum of around 500 billion pounds a year in today's value,but was he actually happy? Apparently,...yes, he was ecstatic.



31 inch blade measured across the curve. No scabbard  read more

Code: 22647