Antique Arms & Militaria

Rare, Archaic Chinese Warrior Prince's Bronze Jian Sword, Overlaid With Gold, Auspicious Metal, Around 2,400 to 2,600 Years Old, From the Zhou Dynasty to the Chin Dynasty, Including the Period of Sun-Tzu'. Likely of The Kingdom of Yue

Chinese Bronze 'Two Ring' Jian sword, a bronze alloy construction, with traces of pure gold, including the gold onlay of a dragon {see photos 1 and 3 in the gallery} with the Chinese ‘Auspicious Metal’ {gold}, overlay, and now with up to 2400 years of natural aged patination and surface encrustations, made and used in the era of China's Seven Kingdoms period, likely with royal connections in the Kingdom of Yue, up to the latter part of the Eastern Zhou dynasty (475 BC). It is incredibly rare to find a sword from this period of ancient history with gold decor. It's surface is covered in superb patination and age encrustations, with various areas showing traces of layered pure gold. Of course, naturally, in its day, it would have been visibly fully covered in gold and look quite magnificent. It would have undoubtedly have been made for an ancient Chinese warrior Prince or general, absolutely a man of the highest possible status within the King’s army. 535mms long, weight 800gms.

Formerly of the Anthony Dove Collection, one of the foremost collectors of ancient Chinese swords, and joint author on the seminal academic research paper on the authentication of ancient Chinese swords and their metallurgical construction.

We show in the gallery photographs of another sword very similar, from the same era and reign, a non ringed hilt type, that was once also covered in gold, but now encrusted with age, like ours, that sold in 2013 for $183,750.
However, that gold sword was detailed and inlaid with surviving archaic script, somewhat like our other engraved two ring sword, that has revealed, through diligent effort, a potential translation, and the name of its owner. In a fashion, our two similar swords, but combined, would have the merged result of that single gold sword. Yet at less than a small percentage of the cost of the Christie’s sword

The Zhou script engraved on that other gold sword may state the following : Gongwu wang Guang ? yi ji jin zi zuo yong jian ('King Guang of the State of Gongwu forged this sword with auspicous metal for his usage')

From a large collection of antiquities, swords daggers, and rings, that recently arrived, many pieces sold for the part benefit of the Westminster Abbey fund, and the Metropolitan Museum fund. Formerly the property of a highly regarded renown British expert and collector, who has collaborated with museum experts, such as the Wallace Collection, on the origins, forms, styles and metallurgical investigations on ancient Chinese Bronze Age antiquities, and early British silver.

Swords of this type are called “two-ring” swords because of the prominent rings located on the hilt. this is the very type of sword used by the highest ranking officer warriors or princes alongside the world renowned General Sun Tzu, in the Kingdom of Wu, {although this sword is more likely from the Kingdom of Yueh} who is thought by many to be the finest general, philosopher and military tactician who ever lived. His 2500 year old book on the methods of warfare, tactics and psychology are still taught and highly revered in practically every officer training college throughout the world.
We show a painting in the gallery of a chariot charge by a Zhou dynasty warrior armed with this very form of sword.
The Chinese term for this form of weapon is “Jian” which refers to a double-edged sword. This style of Jian is generally attributed to either the Wu or the Yue state. The sword has straight graduated edges reducing to a pointed tip, which may indicate an earlier period Jian.

The blade is heavy with a midrib and tapered edges with seal script engraving on both sides of the bottom section of the blade near the hilt. See the photo in the gallery that shows a close up of the section of blade with the seal script.

A very impressive original ancient Chinese sword with a long, straight blade with a raised, linear ridge down its centre. It has a shallow, short guard. The thin handle would have had leather or some other organic material such as leather or hemp cord, wrapped around it to form a grip. At the top is a broad, round pommel.

A very similar sword had a detailed metallurgical analysis carried out at the Wallace Collection was measured by Graham McArthur in the Conservation Department of the Wallace Collection at a number of points near the edge using a Branson Krautkramer electronic surface hardness tester giving results ranging from 158 to 289 VPH with an average of 247 VPH, and thus thought to be from 500 BC. That particular sword, had a number of features in common with one in the Catalogue of the Warner Jennings Collection in the Chinese National Palace Museum, Peking, that is considered to have royal associations with a king of Yueh.

The Seven Kingdom or Warring States period in Chinese history was one of instability and conflict between many smaller Kingdom-states. The period officially ended when China was unified under the first Emperor of China, Qin pronounced Chin Shi Huang Di in 221 BC. It is from him that China gained its name.

The Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BCE) was among the most culturally significant of the early Chinese dynasties and the longest lasting of any in China's history, divided into two periods: Western Zhou (1046-771 BCE) and Eastern Zhou (771-256 BCE). It followed the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BCE), and preceded the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE, pronounced “chin”) which gave China its name.

In the early years of the Spring and Autumn Period, (770-476 BC) chivalry in battle was still observed and all seven states used the same tactics resulting in a series of stalemates since, whenever one engaged with another in battle, neither could gain an advantage. In time, this repetition of seemingly endless, and completely futile, warfare became simply the way of life for the people of China during the era now referred to as the Warring States Period. The famous work The Art of War by Sun-Tzu (l. c. 500 BCE) was written during this time, recording precepts and tactics one could use to gain advantage over an opponent, win the war, and establish peace.

Sun Tzu was a Chinese general, military strategist, writer, and philosopher who lived in the Eastern Zhou period of ancient China. Sun Tzu is traditionally credited as the author of The Art of War, an influential work of military strategy that has affected both Western and East Asian philosophy and military thinking. His works focus much more on alternatives to battle, such as stratagem, delay, the use of spies and alternatives to war itself, the making and keeping of alliances, the uses of deceit, and a willingness to submit, at least temporarily, to more powerful foes. Sun Tzu is revered in Chinese and East Asian culture as a legendary historical and military figure. His birth name was Sun Wu and he was known outside of his family by his courtesy name Changqing The name Sun Tzu by which he is more popularly known is an honorific which means "Master Sun".

Sun Tzu's historicity is uncertain. The Han dynasty historian Sima Qian and other traditional Chinese historians placed him as a minister to King Helü of Wu and dated his lifetime to 544–496 BC. Modern scholars accepting his historicity place the extant text of The Art of War in the later Warring States period based on its style of composition and its descriptions of warfare. Traditional accounts state that the general's descendant Sun Bin wrote a treatise on military tactics, also titled The Art of War. Since Sun Wu and Sun Bin were referred to as Sun Tzu in classical Chinese texts, some historians believed them identical, prior to the rediscovery of Sun Bin's treatise in 1972.

Sun Tzu's work has been praised and employed in East Asian warfare since its composition. During the twentieth century, The Art of War grew in popularity and saw practical use in Western society as well. It continues to influence many competitive endeavours in the world, including culture, politics, business and sports.

The ancient Chinese people worshipped the bronze and iron swords, where they reached a point of magic and myth, regarding the swords as “ancient holy items”. Because they were easy to carry, elegant to wear and quick to use, bronze swords were considered a status symbol and an honour for kings, emperors, scholars, chivalrous experts, merchants, as well as common people during ancient dynasties. For example, Confucius claimed himself to be a knight, not a scholar, and carried a sword when he went out. The most famous ancient bronze sword is called the “Sword of Gou Jian”.

The Warring States period saw a transition in military styles, from bronze weaponry and chariot-based fighting to iron and cavalry. However, the old period was still revered. Despite the cost of manufacturing bronze swords like this on a mass scale, this particular style of duan jian – a double-edged straight sword – was used in China for approximately 2,500 years. Finely made bronze weapons such as this one were signs of prestige, wealth, and fighting prowess used in both ceremonial and funerary contexts. For example, swords were worn by the Emperor and his officials in ceremonial or official dress, attached to the belt with jade ornaments.

This is one of a stunning collection of original archaic bronze age Zhou dynasty weaponry we have just acquired. Many are near identical to other similar examples held in the Metropolitan in New York, the British royal collection, and such as the Hunan Provincial Museum, Hunan, China. As with all our items, every piece is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Just over 26 inches long overall.
From the Tony Dove F.S.A. Collection, formed circa 1970's, one of England’s most revered and respected collectors, especially early silver, & he was a past honorary President of London’s Silver Spoon Society.

Other bronze swords bearing inscriptions inlaid in gold include the example dated to the 5th century BC in the Freer Gallery of Art, illustrated by T. Lawton, Chinese Art of the Warring States Period, Change and Continuity, 480-222 BC , Washington, DC , 1982, p. 70-71, no. 28, and one in the Musée Guimet dated 5th-4th century BC, illustrated by C. Delacour, De bronze, d'or et d'argent, Sumptuary Arts of China , Paris, 2001, p. 131. Both the Freer sword and the Guimet sword bear the same twenty-character inscription, arranged in ten characters to each side, which Thomas Lawton translates as, "On the auspicious day jen-wu, this sword was made for righteous use .

We show in the gallery, another very similar sword in a most similar state of aged preservation, but, with surviving gold inlaid archaic script upon the blade. It was sold at Christies in 2013, for $183,,750 . Lot number 1234. A very rare and important gold-inlaid bronze sword, Eastern Zhou dynasty, late 6th-early 5th century BC; 19 3/8 in. (49.3 cm.) long. Estimate 150,000 - USD 250,000. Price realised USD $183,750. Formerly of the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, New York.

Ref; SOME OBSERVATIONS ON EARLY CHINESE BRONZE SWORDS
By
Anthony Dove and Alan Williams {The Wallace Collection} 65 publications  read more

Code: 24842

A Fantastic, Rare & Original 900 Year Old Templar Crusader Knights era ‘Sword of War’. A Broadsword With Brazil Nut Pommel. From the Period Immediately Following the Norman Conquest & As Used By the Templar Knights To Reclaim The Holy Land.

This wonderful antiquity would make a spectacular centrepiece to any new or long established fine collection, or indeed a magnificent solitary work of historical art, for any type of decor both traditional or contemporary and a fabulous original ‘statement piece’ for any home. In the world of collecting there is so little remaining in the world from this highly significant era in European and British history.

A few years ago we acquired and sold another, of the rarest of the rare, a Templar knights sword, stamped and forged and with still visible triple stamped markings of a Templar armourer. This sword bears, as is more usual, no such extremely rare, surviving and still visible Templar markings. It is an extraordinary, historical, and rare artifact of the era, and an absolute iconic example of the arguably most famous era in all knightly history.

A fine example piece, from the ancient Templar knightly age, from almost a thousand years past. Although this sword is now in an obvious ancient, and historical, russetted condition, with some elements lacking, every item made of iron from this era, such as the rarest of swords and daggers, even in the Royal Collection, are in this very same state of preservation. In fact, the fact they survive at all is both extraordinary and remarkable. Furthermore, all the more remarkable that any survived the crusade in order to return, as by far the majority of Knights Templar, Knights Hospitaller etc., that journeyed to the Holy Land on pilgrimage, failed to return.

Around 900 Years Old. A hand-forged iron knightly sword, the very same as used by the templar Knights of Jerusalem, comprising a narrow two-edged blade with shallow fuller to both faces, short ricasso, slender square-section cross guard tapering slightly, flat tang, brazil-nut pommel. 12th-early 13th century, used in the early Crusades Period by Knights, such as the Knights of Jerusalem the Knights Templar, Knights of St John, made from time of King Stephen, and used into the times of King Henry the IInd, and King Richard the Ist.
Although made for a Knight around the time of the reign of the Norman king, King Stephen, it was May likely also used by succeeding knights for the next few hundred years or so, as such swords were of immense value at the time and it was likely passed down from father to son or knight to knight, and thus used as a ‘sword of war’ right into the era of the battles of Crecy, Poitiers, and King Henry V’s age defining victory, at Agincourt. *See further reference to this below This assumption is realistically made due to swords at that time being incredibly valuable and most highly prized, and the style and form of swords during that period had only changed cosmetically, and thus ancestral swords, as this would have been in King Henry’s day, still functioned perfectly well, despite being used for the past centuries. There are records of swords recovered from Agincourt of being knightly ‘ancestral swords’, made and used originally in the Crusades, especially the swords from the hundreds of slain French knights of Agincourt that were descended from crusader knights from the nobility of France.

A Single-Handed, Knights sword, made in the 12th century {circa 1120's} and constantly used in the early Crusades period, by a Knight and hand forged by an armourer, during the time of England's King Henry Ist, and used into the reigns of King Henry the IInd, and King Richard Ist, the Lionheart, and potentially, for the following century or even longer. The tip section was likely lost in its last combat, and two small open separations in the blades fuller region, caused by its prolonged immersion in the earth, as the fuller is the thinnest part of the blade. Thus one may deduct and conclude this precious sword survived its earliest years in the arid deserts of the Holy Land, and thus it may have been used by a Templar that perished in combat in the era that the knights had returned to Europe only to be betrayed by their former Catholic masters in Rome, persecuted, and in greater part eradicated, in order to plunder the great suspected treasures the Templars returned with from the crusades, and to eliminate the great loans made by the knightly order to the King of France.

The eradication of the Knights Templar was a swift, politically-driven destruction orchestrated by King Philip IV of France and Pope Clement V in the early 14th century. While the order lost its military purpose after the Crusades, its massive wealth and independence made it a target for a debt-ridden monarch.

King Philip IV was deeply in debt to the Templars, who acted as his primary bankers; destroying them erased his financial obligations.

The King aimed to confiscate the order’s vast holdings, including estates and gold, to fund his wars against England and Flanders.
After the 1291 fall of Acre, the Templars lost their last foothold in the Holy Land, making them appear redundant to the public.
The Templars functioned as a "state within a state," exempt from taxes and answerable only to the Pope, which threatened Philip’s goal of centralising power in France.

The Knights Templar were an elite fighting force of their day, highly trained, well-equipped, and highly motivated; one of the tenets of their religious order was that they were forbidden from retreating in battle, unless outnumbered three to one, and even then only by order of their commander, or if the Templar flag went down. Not all Knights Templar were warriors. The mission of most of the members was one of support – to acquire resources which could be used to fund and equip the small percentage of members who were fighting on the front lines. There were actually three classes within the orders. The highest class was the knight. When a candidate was sworn into the order, they made the knight a monk. They wore white robes. The knights could hold no property and receive no private letters. They could not be married or betrothed and could not have any vow in any other Order. They could not have debt more than they could pay, and no infirmities. The Templar priest class was similar to the modern day military chaplain. Wearing green robes, they conducted religious services, led prayers, and were assigned record keeping and letter writing. They always wore gloves, unless they were giving Holy Communion. The mounted men-at-arms represented the most common class, and they were called "brothers". They were usually assigned two horses each and held many positions, including guard, steward, squire or other support vocations. As the main support staff, they wore black or brown robes and were partially garbed in chain mail or plate mail. The armour was not as complete as the knights. Because of this infrastructure, the warriors were well-trained and very well armed. Even their horses were trained to fight in combat, fully armoured. The combination of soldier and monk was also a powerful one, as to the Templar knights, martyrdom in battle was one of the most glorious ways to die.

The Templars were also shrewd tacticians, following the dream of Saint Bernard who had declared that a small force, under the right conditions, could defeat a much larger enemy. One of the key battles in which this was demonstrated was in 1177, at the Battle of Montgisard. The famous Muslim military leader Saladin was attempting to push toward Jerusalem from the south, with a force of 26,000 soldiers. He had pinned the forces of Jerusalem's King Baldwin IV, about 500 knights and their supporters, near the coast, at Ascalon. Eighty Templar knights and their own entourage attempted to reinforce. They met Saladin's troops at Gaza, but were considered too small a force to be worth fighting, so Saladin turned his back on them and headed with his army towards Jerusalem.

Once Saladin and his army had moved on, the Templars were able to join King Baldwin's forces, and together they proceeded north along the coast. Saladin had made a key mistake at that point – instead of keeping his forces together, he permitted his army to temporarily spread out and pillage various villages on their way to Jerusalem. The Templars took advantage of this low state of readiness to launch a surprise ambush directly against Saladin and his bodyguard, at Montgisard near Ramla. Saladin's army was spread too thin to adequately defend themselves, and he and his forces were forced to fight a losing battle as they retreated back to the south, ending up with only a tenth of their original number. The battle was not the final one with Saladin, but it bought a year of peace for the Kingdom of Jerusalem, and the victory became a heroic legend.

Another key tactic of the Templars was that of the "squadron charge". A small group of knights and their heavily armed warhorses would gather into a tight unit which would gallop full speed at the enemy lines, with a determination and force of will that made it clear that they would rather commit suicide than fall back. This terrifying onslaught would frequently have the desired result of breaking a hole in the enemy lines, thereby giving the other Crusader forces an advantage.

The Templars, though relatively small in number, routinely joined other armies in key battles. They would be the force that would ram through the enemy's front lines at the beginning of a battle, or the fighters that would protect the army from the rear. They fought alongside King Louis VII of France, and King Richard I of England.

In addition to battles in Palestine, members of the Order also fought in the Spanish and Portuguese Reconquista. It could also be enhanced by affixing to a rectangular bespoke display panel.We will include for the new owner a complimentary wooden display stand, but this amazing ancient artefact of antiquity would also look spectacular mounted within a bespoke case frame, or, on a fine cabinet maker constructed display panel.  read more

Code: 23241

A Most Scarce and Superb US Civil War, Savage North, Navy .36cal Revolver With Hand Carved “Trophy Cuts’. Most Likely Created By the Original Combatant, Issued to Either the Wisconsin, Missouri or Kansas Cavalry Regiments

A rare revolver that we are lucky to find only one or two a year, and this one is a particularly nice example.

During the Civil War the savage revolvers were acquired by 'Witcher’s Nighthawks', & 'White’s Rebels', two Confederate cavalry regiments in Virginia, the 11th Texas Cavalry under Col. George Reeves, and the Union’s US Navy’s warships.

The Savage was probably The most unusual and distinctive revolver ever made, and certainly the most distinctive revolver used during the American Civil War in the 1860s. Nothing was ever made before quite like it frankly since it has very modern features which were revolutionary at the time and utilised by just a few revolvers many decades. With four distinctive down stroke cuts and two cross cuts to the butt stock. This by tradition is recognised as trophy marks. One cut for each successful gunfight outcome. Produced in the 1860's. Standard three line address and patent markings on top of the frame above the cylinder. Henry North patent action, with a ring trigger for revolving the cylinder and cocking the hammer, and a second conventional trigger for firing, and a shared heart-shaped trigger guard. Very good fully operational action. Two-section cylinder, with the front section unfluted and the rear section fitted to the frame with cut-outs along the sides. Smooth grips with a distinctive blackstrap profile.

One of the very scarce revolvers of the US Civil War. With good clear maker and patent markings. A very collectable pistol that were made in far fewer numbers than their sister guns, the Colt and the Remington. A very expensive gun in it's day, it had a complex twin trigger mechanism, and a revolving cylinder with a spring operated gas seal. One of our very favourite guns of the 19th century, that epitomises the extraordinary and revolutionary designs and forms of arms that were being invented at that time, and for it's sheer extravagance of complexity, combined with it's unique and highly distinctive profile.

The Savage Navy Model, a six shot .36 calibre revolver, was made only from 1861 until 1862 with a total production of only 20,000 guns. This unique military revolver was one of the few handguns that was produced only for Civil War use. Its design was based on the antebellum Savage-North "figure eight" revolver, the Savage Navy had a unique way of cocking the hammer. The shooter used his middle finger to draw back the "figure 8" lever and then pushed it forward to cock the hammer and rotate the cylinder. The Union purchased just under 12,000 of these initially at $19.00 apiece for use by its cavalry units. Savage Navy revolvers were issued to the 1st and 2nd Wisconsin U.S. Volunteer Cavalry regiments, and 5th Kansas Volunteer Cavalry while the State of Missouri issued 292 Savage revolvers to its Missouri Enrolled Militia units. The remaining revolvers were purchased by private means and shipped to the Confederacy for use with the 34th Battalion of Virginia Cavalry (Witcher's Nighthawks), the 35th Battalion of Virginia Cavalry (White's Rebels), 11th Texas Cavalry, 7th Virginia Cavalry (Ashby's Cavalry), and 7th Missouri Cavalry. The United States Navy also made a small purchase of 800 Savages during 1861 for use on its ships. One of our very favourite guns of the 19th century, that epitomises the extraordinary and revolutionary Heath Robinsonseque designs and forms of arms, that were being invented at that time, and for it's sheer extravagance of complexity, combined with it's unique and highly distinctive profile.

We show in the gallery three different original photos of Civil War soldiers, each one proudly carries his Savage revolver for information only, not included. In May 2018 a similar Savage Navy Revolver sold in auction in America for $48,875, naturally it was a very nice example.

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

Code: 22325

A Stunning, Finest, And Historical Antique Ross Telescope, English, 3 Draw, Terrestrial Refractor, Boer War Period, Named For Major Robert Hope Fitzroy. Royal Artillery. Ross Is One Of The Great Names In The World Of British Optical Instruments.

In exemplary condition, a superb telescope of great Boer War and WW1, military, 'identifiable' provenance.

Major Robert Hope Fitzroy, Royal Artillery.

Major Robert Hope Fitzroy (1881–1952) was a British Army officer who served in the Royal Garrison Artillery. Born on September 10, 1881, he was the son of Lieutenant-Colonel William Fitzroy and Gertrude Mary Wentworth.

He had the following military and personal profile; He began his military career around the time of the Second Boer War (1899–1902). And became a major in WW1 in the RGA, the Royal Garrison Artillery.

The RGA operated the huge heavy artillery at the Western Front.

The RGA grew into a very large component of the British Army, being armed with heavy, large-calibre guns and howitzers that were positioned some way behind the front line and had immense destructive power. With the new long-range small arms available to the infantry in the era before World War I, artillery fighting in the infantry line was increasingly vulnerable to small-arms fire. The solution to this was the principle of standing off and engaging the enemy with indirect fire. Henceforth the artillery would be positioned well behind the infantry battle line, firing at unseen targets, controlled by a forward artillery observer. Later in the war, advances in the science of gunnery enabled guns to be aimed at co-ordinates on a map calculated with geometry and mathematics. As the war developed, the heavy artillery and the techniques of long-range artillery were massively developed. The RGA was often supported by the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) who had devised a system where pilots could use wireless telegraphy to give corrections of aim to the guns. The RFC aircraft carried a wireless set and a map and after identifying the position of an enemy target the pilot was able to transmit messages such as A5, B3, etc. in Morse code to an RFC land station attached to a heavy artillery unit, such as Royal Garrison Artillery Siege Batteries.

HM Gun Scene Shifter was a massive 13.5-inch British railway gun that saw active service across two world wars. Today, its incredible legacy lives on through the history of British heavy artillery.
A breakdown of its operational history:

World War I

The original 14-inch barrel was initially built to equip an Imperial Japanese Navy battleship, but the order was canceled.The "Shift": Requisitioned by the British Army, it was mounted onto a railway chassis and given its iconic name.Western Front: Operated by the Royal Garrison Artillery in France, it provided crucial long-range interdiction fire on strategic German infrastructure like railway junctions.

Two pictures in the gallery of HM Gun Scene Shifter and the Second Battle of the Somme. A Battery of 8-inch howitzers (Royal Garrison Artillery) in action on the roadside at St. Leger.  read more

Code: 26226

A French Hussar's Light Cavalry Officer's Heavy Grade Sabre, Sabre de Hussard, Late 18th/Early 19th Century Ist Empire Pattern

From the former P.T.Norheim Collection of Finest French Arms

A strong robust brass hilt (old bruising in places) with ovoidal langets, rear quillon with faceted button terminal, knuckle-guard with medial ridge, pommel and back-piece in one, and wire-bound leather-covered grip, With curved fullered blade double-edged towards the point and with Coulaux Freres Klingenthal manufactory details along the back at the forte, in original brass scabbard (with some old denting, predominantly up from the chape) lined in brown leather and open along each side at the top, steel shoe, and two rings for suspension
33.75 inch. blade.

The word “hussar” identifies the light horsemen and comes from the Hungarian “huszar”. The most famous hussar units were the French regiments of the Napoleonic era. They were employed for scouting and communication purposes, and to screen the movement of the Emperor's corps, like during the advance that allowed the French to flank the Austrian general Mack at Ulm in 1805. The hussars, such as of the 1st Hussars employed at Jena in 1806, are characterized by the ornate Hungarian style uniform, sabretache, sabre and carbine.

The hussars also played a prominent role as cavalry in the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815), serving in campaigns in Austria (1804 & 1809), Prussia (1805 -1806), Poland (1806), Spain (1809 - 1813), Germany (1812), France (1814 - 1815), and Belgium (1815) before being disbanded by the Bourbon Restoration.
As light cavalrymen mounted on fast horses, they would be used to fight skirmish battles and for scouting. Most of the great European powers raised hussar regiments. The armies of France, Austria, Prussia, and Russia had included hussar regiments since the mid-18th century. In the case of Britain, four light dragoon regiments were converted to hussars in 1806–1807.

Hussars gained notoriety in the Grande Armée after the invasion of Egypt. At the Battle of Salalieh in August 1798, brigade commander Antoine Charles Louis de Lasalle fought "like a demon" and solidified his reputation as a maverick rider upon returning to France and receiving Weapons of Honour. At the ceremony (in a remark often mistakenly attributed to Napoleon), Lasalle quipped "Any hussar who isn't dead at age 30 is a layabout." The hussars of Napoleon's army created the tradition of sabrage, the opening of a champagne bottle with a sabre. Moustaches were universally worn by Napoleonic period hussars, the British hussars were the only moustachioed troops in the British Army – leading to occasional taunts of "foreigner" from their brothers-in-arms. French hussars also wore cadenettes, braids of hair hanging to either side of the face, until the practice was officially proscribed when shorter hair became universal. This sabre is from a private collection of one of the foremost experts and authors of swords in Scandinavia, and chairman of the the Norwegian Weapons Historical Society
A famous military commander in Bonaparte's army who began his military career as a hussar was Marshal Ney, who after being employed as a clerk in an iron works joined the 5th Hussars in 1787. He rose through the ranks of the hussars in the wars of Belgium and the Rhineland (1794–1798) fighting against the forces of Austria and Prussia before receiving his marshal's baton in 1804 after the Emperor Napoleon's coronation.

On the French Revolution, it was numbered as the 5th Hussar Regiment during the army reorganisation of 1 January 1791, as the fifth oldest cavalry unit in the French army, before being promoted to 4th Hussar Regiment in 1793 after the previous holder of that title. In 1814, just before the fall of the First French Empire, it was renamed the régiment des hussards de Monsieur, though it resumed the title of 4th Hussar Regiment during the Hundred Days before being disbanded on the Bourbon Restoration which followed. After Napoleon returned from exile and invaded Belgium, the 4th Hussar Regiment would enter combat at the final battles of Ligny, and Waterloo, in which Napoleon would be defeated.  read more

Code: 25354

Victorian Jack the Ripper Period 'Derby' Pattern Best Warranted Wrought Hard Steel Handcuffs

Two metal cuffs attached together by a metal ring on each cuff, linked with a swivel in the centre to join both ends together. One cuff has a metal key inserted in lock. Key locks, unlocks and unscrews nicely.

Hiatt & Company began manufacturing handcuffs and slave-chains in the 1780s and was the largest supplier of handcuffs to the British police.

The Whitechapel murders were committed in or near the largely impoverished Whitechapel district in the East End of London between 3 April 1888 and 13 February 1891. At various points some or all of these eleven unsolved murders of women have been ascribed to the notorious unidentified serial killer known as Jack the Ripper.

The murderer or murderers were never identified and the cases remain unsolved. Sensational reportage and the mystery surrounding the identity of the killer or killers fed the development of the character "Jack the Ripper", who was blamed for all or most of the murders. Hundreds of books and articles discuss the Whitechapel murders, and they feature in novels, short stories, comic books, television shows, and films of multiple genres.

The poor of the East End had long been ignored by affluent society, but the nature of the Whitechapel murders and of the victims' impoverished lifestyles drew national attention to their living conditions. The murders galvanised public opinion against the overcrowded, unsanitary slums of the East End, and led to demands for reform. On 24 September 1888, George Bernard Shaw commented sarcastically on the media's sudden concern with social justice in a letter to The Star newspaper:  read more

Code: 24294

Spectaular Looking, Rare, Super Example of a 17th -18th Century Matchlock Musket See the Catalogue of Ottoman Firearms at the Askeri Military Museum Harbiye Istanbul. " Askeri Muze Osmanli Ve Cumhuriyet Donemi ATESLI SILAHLAR Katalogu". Ayse Cotelioglu

A rare, antique 17th century Turkish Ottoman Empire matchlock musket. The musket has an octagonal Damascus steel barrel struck with the makers mark, and a figured Circassian walnut stock extensively banded in brass. Only a few Ottoman matchlock muskets of this type survive in Turkey, most can be seen outside of Turkey at museums in Poland and Ukraine as the muskets were taken from the Turks as booty by the Poles and the Cossacks during the 17th century wars with the Ottoman Empire.

Similar guns are published in the Turkish catalogue of Ottoman Firearms at the Askeri Military Museum Harbiye Istanbul. " Askeri Muze Osmanli Ve Cumhuriyet Donemi ATESLI SILAHLAR katalogu"by Aysel Cotelioglu.

These types of Turkish guns were very popular and widely used by Zaporozhian and Don Cossacks during the 17th century. The Zaporozhian Cossacks, Zaporozhian Cossack Army, Zaporozhian Host were Cossacks who lived beyond the rapids of the Dnieper River, the land also known under the historical term Wild Fields in today's Central Ukraine. Today much of its territory is flooded by the waters of Kakhovka Reservoir.

The Zaporozhian Sich grew rapidly in the 15th century from serfs fleeing the more controlled parts of the Polish?Lithuanian Commonwealth. It became established as a well-respected political entity with a parliamentary system of government. During the course of the 16th, 17th and well into the 18th century, the Zaporozhian Cossacks became a strong political and military force that challenged the authority of the Polish?Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Tsardom of Russia, and the Crimean Khanate.

The Host went through a series of conflicts and alliances involving the three powers, including supporting an uprising in the 18th century. Their leader signed a treaty with the Russians. This group was forcibly disbanded in the late 18th century by the Russian Empire, with most of the population relocated to the Kuban region in the South edge of the Russian Empire. The Cossacks served a valuable role of conquering the Caucasian tribes and in return enjoyed considerable freedom granted by the Tsars. As with all our antique guns, no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables  read more

Code: 22112

A Scarce US Civil War Service 1817 Model US Army Rifle, Dated 1826, Percussion Conversion For American The Civil War

Made in Middleton Connecticut by either Simeon North or Robert Johnson. The breech is marked in three lines with US / AH / (circle) P. The P proof mark is in a depressed rosette. The inspector initials AH are those of Asabel Hubbard who was a Springfield Armory armourer and contract arms inspector.

The M1817 nicknamed the 'common rifle' in order to distinguish it from the Hall rifle was a flintlock muzzle-loaded weapon issued due to the US Dept. of Ordnance's order of 1814, produced by Henry Deringer and used from 1820s to 1840s at the American frontier, and after conversion to percussion, in the American Civil War in the 1860's.

This type of rifle-musket was used in the Civil War with service in the 2nd Mississippi Infantry, CS. A seldom seen, good looking longarm to fit any military collection, with shortened fore-stock wood, smooth bored.

Under contract with the government, Henry Deringer converted some 13,000 such flintlocks to percussion, muzzleloader rifles with the ‘drum’ or ‘French’ style system.

Unlike the half-octagon barreled Model 1814 Rifle that preceded it, it had a barrel that was round for most of its length. The barrel was rifled for .54 calibre bullets. For rifling it had seven grooves. Like the Model 1814, it had a distinctive large iron oval patchbox in the buttstock.  read more

Code: 26036

A Near Mint And Truly Magnificent, Early Victorian, 1847 Albert Pattern, British North Somerset Regimental Officer's Cavalry Helmet. Possibly The Best Original Example Outside Of The Royal Collection. Original, Crimean War Period

High polished nickle silver skull, stunningly and ornately decorated with applied mercurial gilt floral trim around the full body, visor, and down the rear of the helmet, and especially around the front badge. The badge is a diamond brilliant cut steel eight-pointed silver star on the front which was almost wholly covered by an oval device in gilt, in the centre of which is the Royal Cypher (VR) on a frosted gilt ground with the oval garter surround bearing the regimental title 'North Somerset'. Large rosettes affix the red morocco leather-backed gilt chin scales. Its mercurial flaming torch plume holder, with white horse hair plume, topped by a frosted gilt rose mount, completes the helmet magnificently. The liner is full, and intact.
Formerly from the late collection of one of England's most esteemed military antique collectors and Antiques Roadshow travelling consultant expert for around 30 years, Roy Butler

When in combat or on 'the charge' the plume could be removed. See pictures {painting and original photos} in the gallery of the helmet worn in the Crimea with and without plume.

After Britain was drawn into the French Revolutionary Wars, the government of Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger proposed on 14 March 1794 that the counties should form Corps of Yeomanry Cavalry that could be called on by the King to defend the country against invasion or by the Lord Lieutenant to subdue any civil disorder within the county. A meeting of householders at Frome in Somerset on 2 May 1798 resolved to form a military association to defend the town and country. Its services were accepted on 2 June, and the Frome Troop of Cavalry was formed. Other troops were formed at about the same time at Road, Wolverton, Mells, Beckington and Bath.

These independent troops all served until the Treaty of Amiens in 1802 when they were disbanded. The peace was short-lived and Britain declared war on France again in May 1803, beginning the Napoleonic Wars. The Frome Volunteers offered their services again in July and were accepted on 17 August as the Frome Selwood Troop of Volunteer Cavalry. The volunteers formed two troops, becoming a squadron in June 1804 when they united with the East Mendip Cavalry to become the Frome and East Mendip Regiment of Volunteer Cavalry. The regiment became the North Somerset Yeomanry in 1814 with six troops.

From 1820 to 1840 the regimental headquarters was at Mells Park, home of Thomas Strangways Horner, commanding officer (CO) from 1804 to 1839, when he was succeeded by his son. Another long-serving CO was Richard Boyle, 9th Earl of Cork and Orrery, Lt-Col Commandant

For some years the Keynsham Troop was without any officers, and although its members were keen and turned out promptly when required, their appearance and discipline had deteriorated to the point where they were known locally as 'The Cossacks'. It was disbanded in May 1842, but many of its members transferred to other troops of the regiment or joined the Gloucestershire Yeomanry Cavalry. In 1854 on the outbreak of the Crimean War, 342 out of 398 officers and men in the North Somerset regiment volunteered to serve their country.

The North Somerset Yeomanry raised the 48th (North Somerset) Company for the IY, which arrived in South Africa on 23 March 1900 and served in 7th Battalion, IY.The company served until 1901, earning the regiment its first Battle honour: South Africa 1900–01 The regiment's CO, Viscount Dungarvan was already serving in South Africa in February 1900 and was seconded to the IY as second-in-command of the 22nd Battalion in 1901–02

1/1st North Somerset Yeomanry
The 1st Line regiment mobilised at Bath in August 1914 as part of the 1st South Western Mounted Brigade. In October 1914 it moved to Sussex with the brigade, but left it shortly afterwards. It landed in France on 3 November and joined the 6th Cavalry Brigade, 3rd Cavalry Division, on 13 November, replacing the 10th Hussars who moved to the newly formed 8th Cavalry Brigade As such, it was one of only six yeomanry regiments to be posted to a regular cavalry division in the war

The regiments Battle Honours were
South Africa 1900–01
First World War
Ypres 1914 '15, Frezenberg, Loos, Arras 1917, Scarpe 1917, Amiens, Hindenburg Line, Beaurevoir, Cambrai 1918, Pursuit to Mons, France and Flanders 1914–18

Overall in simply superb condition, the original horsehair plume has very good long hair {with commensurate wear for age}. It has a storage mounting screw thread bolt for the helmets display, but its too long for wearing in mounted service with the plume affixed.

THE LANES ARMOURY, THE PREMIER HOME OF ORIGINAL AND AFFORDABLE ANCIENT ANTIQUITIES, MILITARY ARMOURY ANTIQUES & COLLECTABLES IN BRITAIN

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury, Britain's most famous, favourite, and oldest original Armoury Antique store, 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, and thus, it is a lifetime guarantee.  read more

Code: 25819

A Thousand Year Old Norman Invasion Period Knightly Sword Circa 1066 AD of a Norseman Of Viking Origin. Mounted With Ancestral Blade From 600 AD Thus This sword Is Both 1000 & 1600 years Old

It is very rare indeed to fine an original sword from the pre Norman period, but this one is exceptional, in mounted with an earlier inlaid blade of the 5th to 8th century, possibly a Norse or Frankish ancestor of its Norman conquest period owner, therefore its blade was already between 300 to 500 years old, when it was hilted around 900 to 1000 years ago during the Norman Conquest. Thus the blade could be between 1300 to 1500 years old. The Normans that invaded England, Britain’s last and final conquerors, were settled Vikings, that remained in Normandy after the Viking seiges of Paris era in the 800’s.

The Vikings, and later the Normans, originated from Scandinavia, particularly the regions of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

In the 9th century, Scandinavian Vikings began raiding the northern and western coasts of France.
By about 900, after six sieges of Paris, they had established a permanent foothold in the valley of the lower Seine River, eventually leading to the creation of the County of Rouen and later the Duchy of Normandy.
The intermingling between the Norse Vikings and the native Franks led to the development of a distinct Norman identity, adopting the French language, religion, and social customs.

Despite their eventual adoption of Christianity and French culture, the Normans retained many of their Viking traits, such as their adventurous spirit and martial skills.
The six sieges of Paris may well have created a lesson for the future that has rarely been learned by its victims. After every siege began the Viking raiders were simply paid to go away and loot another part of France, which meant it happened six times in around 40 years. The Vikings learnt quite quickly the concept and incredible advantages of the ‘Danegeld’, { so known as such, due to, “to pay the Dane to go away, meant he will forever return for more”}.

It was the earliest Norman knights that went on the earliest crusades to liberate Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Such as Richard the Lionheart, aka King Richard the 1st. The Crusades were a series of religious wars initiated and supported by the Christian Latin Church in the medieval period, primarily aimed at reclaiming the Holy Land from Muslim control. These campaigns, spanning from 1095 to 1291, were driven by a mix of religious fervor, political ambitions, and economic opportunities

The blade is shorter than when first used, with the end probably damaged and lost in combat. It is inlaid with inserts of copper, bronze and silver, in a circular bullet shaped patterns, one with 3 metal concentric circles. The pommel appears to be once further inlaid with silver. All the indications are that this amazing sword could very likely have been used by a very high ranking nobleman in the Norman Invasion 1066 period, and it most likely it had already been used by a highborn warrior or noble for almost 5 centuries prior to its re-hitting during the time of the invasion of Britain.

This piece simply a remarkable artefact from the previous two millennia.

It is a joy to own it even just for a very brief and it is still a wonderful original knight’s sword from the days of the Norman invasion, and prior to that, from the period known to historians as the ‘dark ages‘
It is an iron two-edged sword with broad two-edged lentoid-section blade, slightly tapering square-section crossguard. flat tang, D-shaped pommel, likely with inlaid silver, vertical bar to each face; the blade has traces of copper inlay to one face, to the other two applied discs: the upper copper-alloy with punched rosette detailing, the lower abraded to its present state of three concentric rings (apparently copper, bronze and silver). 850 grams, 61cm (24"). Fair condition, typical for its great age; lower blade now absent; edges notched and partly absent, all potentially due to combat.
See Oakeshott, E., Records of the Medieval Sword, Woodbridge, 1991, items X.4, X.5, and see p.21, item 8, for the blade.
The blade does not bear a fuller and is a plain lentoid-section which it is why it could well indicate a date of manufacture in the 5th-8th century, the Dark Ages in northern Europe; the crossguard and the pommel are the re-hilted later additions, more typical of the later 10th century, i.e. Petersen's Type X (Oakeshott, p.25). The Normans were an ethnic group that arose from contact between Norse Viking settlers of a region in France, named Normandy after them, and indigenous Franks and Gallo-Romans. The settlements in France followed a series of raids on the French coast mainly from Denmark — although some came from Norway and Iceland as well — and gained political legitimacy when the Viking leader Rollo agreed to swear fealty to King Charles III of West Francia following the Siege of Chartres in 911 AD. The intermingling of Norse settlers and native Franks and Gallo-Romans in Normandy produced an ethnic and cultural "Norman" identity in the first half of the 10th century, an identity which continued to evolve over the centuries. The new Norman rulers were culturally and ethnically distinct from the old French aristocracy, most of whom traced their lineage to the Franks of the Carolingian dynasty from the days of Charlemagne in the 9th century. Most Norman knights remained poor and land-hungry, and by the time of the expedition and invasion of England in 1066, Normandy had been exporting fighting horsemen for more than a generation. Many Normans of Italy, France and England eventually served as avid Crusaders soldiers under the Italo-Norman prince Bohemund I of Antioch and the Anglo-Norman king Richard the Lion-Heart, one of the more famous and illustrious Kings of England.The Story of the Norman Conquest
The majority of the scenes which together tell the story of the Norman Conquest match in many instances with medieval written accounts even if there are, as one might expect with a purely visual narrative, some omissions such as the Anglo-Saxons’ battle with Norway’s Harald Hardrada at Stamford Bridge three weeks prior to Hastings. Again because it is a visual account, with only a few Latin words as pointers, many scenes are open to several interpretations. The tapestry starts with a scene set in 1064 CE where the English king Edward the Confessor (r. 1042-1066 CE) says farewell to Harold Godwinson, his brother-in-law and the Earl of Wessex, who is to travel to Normandy on an unknown mission. Norman writers would record the mission’s purpose as a pledge of Saxon loyalty to William, Duke of Normandy, while an English chronicle suggests it was merely a visit to secure the release of Saxon prisoners. On 14 October 1066, William’s forces clashed with an English army near Hastings. Within a century of these events taking place, over a dozen writers had described the battle and its aftermath. Some of these accounts are lengthy, but they contradict each other and do not allow us to reconstruct the battle with any certainty.

English perspectives on the Battle of Hastings are found in the Old English annals known as the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. In one version, perhaps copied in the 1070s, it was claimed that William built a ‘castel’ at Hastings before Harold arrived. Harold then gathered a large army but William attacked before Harold could organise his troops. There were heavy casualties on both sides: among the dead were King Harold himself and his brothers, Leofwine and Gyrth.There are also differing accounts of one of the most iconic yet debated parts of the battle: the death of Harold. Was he killed by an arrow to the eye, as claimed by Amatus of Monte Cassino, writing in the 11th century? Was he hacked to bits, as recounted by Bishop Guy of Amiens (died 1075)? Or was he shot with arrows and then put to the sword, as described by the 12th-century chronicler, Henry of Huntingdon? Hastings is one of the most famous battles in English history. Modern historians continue to debate its impact. The Norman Conquest brought many social, economic, political and cultural changes, but some people living in 11th-century England did not even consider this battle to be the most important event of 1066.

A monk writing at Christ Church, Canterbury, recorded just two events for that year in a chronicle kept at the cathedral: ‘Here King Edward died. In this year, Christ Church burned.’ Another scribe then added the words, ‘Here came William’. This is a good reminder that that the Battle of Hastings did not affect everyone in the same way, even if it became part of English folklore. This fabulous most ancient sword could be simply framed under glass for display. Almost every weapon that has survived today from this era is now in a fully russetted condition, as is this one, because only the swords of kings, that have been preserved in national or Royal collections are today still in a good state and condition. We will include for the new owner a complimentary wooden display stand, but this amazing ancient artefact of antiquity would also look spectacular mounted within a bespoke case frame, or, on a fine cabinet maker constructed display panel.  read more

Code: 23230