Antique Arms & Militaria

A Rare & Huge, M1863 Single Action Starr Army 'Long Barrel' Revolver of the Civil War, .44 Calibre. Exactly As Can Be Seen Featured in Clint Eastwood’s Oscar Winning Movie, ‘The Unforgiven’

Single action 1863 model. Good external condition for age An impressive, big and powerful .44 cal revolver of the Civil War and early Wild West. Alongside the Colt Dragoon this was the biggest pistol of the Civil War, and it has amazing presence with an 8 inch barrel. Starr was the third largest producer of revolvers for the Union behind Colt and Remington.During the war the M-1863 Starr was issued to a number of US cavalry regiments, including the 1st Colorado Cavalry, the 6th & 7th Michigan Cavalry and the 11th New York Cavalry, just to name a few. While Starr double action revolver production started in 1858 they did not start production of the single action until 1863 finishing in 1865. Total Model 1863 S.A. production was approximately 25,000 revolvers making them rare finds today. The Model 1863 Single Action .44 calibre percussion Army Revolver was the third of the Starr revolvers produced for the military. Between September, 1863 and December 22, 1864, the Starr Arms Company delivered 25,002 Model 1863 Army revolvers to the Ordnance Department. The government's cost for this arm was $12.00 each. These arms and components were produced in Starr's plants in Yonkers, Binghamton and Moorisania. The grips on this gun are very good. The big long barrel Starr Army Revolver is the pistol that was chosen by the hero in Clint Eastwood's Academy Award winning movie 'The Unforgiven' played by Clint Eastwood, and the pistol was in fact featured as the main promotional part of the film in the 'Unforgiven' poster, see picture of the Starr Revolver, in the poster, in our gallery copyright Warner Bros.Single-action Army model of 1863 in .44 chambering with production numbers reaching 3,000, 21,454 and 23,000 respectively.
Design of the pistol fell to Ebanezar (Eban) Townsend Starr and all of the guns were manufactured out of the Starr Arms Company facility of Binghampton and Yonkers, New York for Federal service. The guns relied on a percussion cap system of operation with each chamber of the six-round cylinder loaded with a charge and a ball. Percussion caps were set upon the awaiting nipples found at each chamber. The hammer then fell on these caps to produce the needed ignition of the propellant charge within each chamber, the resultant forces propelling the ball out of the barrel. Externally, the revolver was of a conventional design arrangement. The handle was ergonomically curved for a good fit in the hand while being covered in useful grips. A solid frame was featured around the rotating six-shot cylinder which offered strength that open-frame revolvers of the period generally lacked. The hammer protruded from the rear of the frame within reach of the shooting hand's thumb for actuation as necessary. A loading arm was positioned under the barrel to help ram the contents of the chambers to the rear (and thus closer to the percussion cap's port). The barrel sat over this arm in the usual way, the ball projectiles guided into it by way of a proper seal from the cylinder's front face to the barrel's rear end. All in all, a traditional revolver arrangement that was proven to work. Sighting was by way of iron fittings over the top of the gun.

The gun has been made none actionable by the removal of such as the mainspring and cylinder ratchet pawl etc. { that are no longer present} very possibly as a simple way to temporarily deactivate its use for historical display. All the missing parts are relatively easy to be sourced in America, likely for a few hundred dollars, but its next owner may not wish to, or even need to bother, as it is no longer to be used, However, the price very much reflects the fact of the lack of the working internal action parts, which makes this revolver incredibly inexpensive and great value, due to its now completely non functioning condition, yet it is still a fascinating, original, historical souvenir of the US Civil War. FYI, Our last complete operable example we sold for £2850. Thus, one can acquire this 90% original, but only internally incomplete revolver of the Civil War, for considerablely less than 50% it’s worth.
As with all our antique guns no licence is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables.  read more

Code: 25258

An 18th Century Highly Decorated North West Frontier Jazail, With The Iconic Recurved Butt Stock & Elaborate Inlaid Decor

With a long Damascus twist barrel and a captured British EIC flintlock. Formerly this type of elaborately decorated long gun were the weapons of regional tribal warlords in the 18th and early 19th century.

A very fine, attractive and incredibly significant historical example of a North West Frontier Afghan War long gun known as a Jazail. With a highly distinctive recurved butt. Likely Damascus steel twist barrel. The ordnance inspected lock was captured from an East India Co. musket. It has the EIC mark of the lion, plus probably traces of an ordnance inspector stamp number. The gunlock and it's maker is a most interesting historical aspect of this intriguing gun, it appears by the remaining surface it may have been made by Hirst of London. Hirst had his business based in Little Tower Hill, London, and he was a contractor to the Ordnance and the East India Co. His specialism was rare breech loading rifles, with screw mounted breeches, and wall mounted pivot guns with large flintlock mechanisms, just as this one is.

Jazails very often had captured British made locks, as their domestically made locks were often very basic matchlock types. The Jazail was used by the notorious North West Frontier tribesmen, in the 18th century, during the era of what was called The Great Game. The period when the British control of India was expanding, yet under considerable and constant threat by Russia, and it's attempted conspiracies in order to influence discord among the Indian populace for their own advantages, ‘plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose’ .

Rudyard Kipling's novel Kim was based around this very geo political situation, and a most informative, accurate, and yet ripping tale that it is too. It would have also been used in the Ist Afghan War in the 1830's, in many ways the first major conflict of what became known as " The Great Game". The reasons for the British invasion and occupation of Afghanistan in the late 1830s are many and varied. They mainly revolve around what one of the 'victims' of the event referred to as 'the Great Game'. This was the name given by Arthur Conolly to denote the shadow boxing between Russia and Britain for influence in Central Asia for much of the 19th Century. Relations between Russia and Britain were strained in the 1830s as the British feared the expansionist and strong armed tactics of Tsar Nicholas I who came to the throne in 1825. He sought a policy that expanded Russian influence southwards and eastwards. This was bringing Russian influence towards Britain's own 'Jewel in the Crown' India.
India was still ruled by the East India Company, although the British government had constrained much of the company's freedom to act by this time and was ultimately guiding its policy on the wider international scene. The British were particularly concerned at Russian influence in Persia. They had heard reports that the Russians were helping the Shah of Persia beseige Herat on the western side of Afghanistan. If successful in taking this city, Russian influence would advance along the route that they would take if they were to invade India at any point in the future. But British alarm bells really began to ring when a rumour circulated that a Russian had arrived at the court of Dost Mohammed in Kabul. If this was true, then it was believed that Russian influence might extend to the borders of India itself. Steeped in classical education, most British decision makers knew the invasion route of India taken by Alexander the Great and assumed that the Russians would soon have the capability to make a similar incursion. As with all our antique guns no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables Rudyard Kipling's poem of the Afghan War refers to the feared deadly accuracy of the Jazail, and it goes;

"A scrimmage in a Border Station
A canter down some dark defile
Two thousand pounds of education
Drops to a ten-rupee jezail".

Frizzen lacking on the lock, action weak. As with all our antique guns, no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables  read more

Code: 22931

A Superbly Attractive, Native American Indian 'Spontoon Head' Style Tomahawk with Studded Haft, Glass Beads, and Eagle Feathers.

Great Lakes style. Rarely seen in Europe, a large spontoon trade style tomahawk axe head, with 2 large hook quillons on either side of the head. The head itself is a work of art, engraved with four spontoon heads at north south east and west, and nail point stamped create a circle. Possibly forged by an unknown blacksmith. The blade and head show a nice natural patina, and old brass tacks along the handle. They are domed head brass tacks set in an ash wood haft. The haft has a hole drilled for attaching an old beaded drop and eagle feathers with a piece of thin buckskin cord, the eagle feathers have been cut across the top, this is an old Lakota symbol of 'cutting an enemy's throat'. In excellent condition, It somewhat reminds us of the late 19th century spontoon head tomahawk of Chief Iron Tail of the Oglala Lakota Nation. He was a famed late 19th century celebrity Sioux, but it was as a star performer in Buffalo Bill's Wild West in the 1880s that brought this Sioux to the attention of world leaders and American audiences; as many as 12,000 people attended the live shows each day. It was the quintessential last vestige of the American West and passing century of discovery. When performances went overseas, Iron Tail was still Buffalo Bill's lead performer, and also his avowed best friend. He nicknamed Bill "Pahaska" or "Long Hair." In the West they hunted; in Europe, they toured historic sites, often hosted by royal aristocracy, traveling together until 1913.The spiked tomahawk, made along the lines of medieval European battle axes, had either a straight or curved spike projection at the top of the hatchet’s head.

The Missouri war axe, a large, thin-bladed hatchet with a short handle, was favoured by tribes along the great bend of the Missouri River.

The spontoon tomahawk, with its dagger-like blade and curled or winged-like appendages, suggested a fleur-de-lis-shaped battle axe.

Although least practical as a cutting or chopping tool, each one of these tomahawks made formidable hand weapons and held some favour with Indians because of their graceful and artistic shapes.

Regardless of style or shape, like the Indian’s bow and lance or the white man’s rifle and revolver, the tomahawk was as important a practical tool as it was a weapon of combat. Whether left plain or adorned with tacks, beads, coloured cloth, feathers, animal parts or even human appendages, the tomahawk also served as a symbol, representing the choice between peace or war, when white and red men met. While the first iron hatchets and tomahawks in America came from British and French sources in the northwestern territories and the Spaniards and French in the south and southwestern regions of the frontier, the first American tomahawks probably appeared in the Far West during Meriwether Lewis and William Clark’s 1804-1806 expedition. Nevertheless, by the early to mid-19th century, the iron tomahawk had become a standard trade item and fighting implement of frontier Indians. This tomahawk is not an 18th century or early 19th century example, today those examples are now valued in the tens of thousands of pounds, and furthermore may now never leave American shores. This axe is likely 19th century or later. Surface pitting to the iron and small blackened staining to the iron on one side. We cannot ship this item to the US, because Native American items are not permitted imports into America  read more

Code: 23398

A Magnificent 18th Century Anglo French Indian War To Revolution Period All Silver Hilted Small Sword with Colichmarde Blade. Probably By William Kinman. A Stunning Museum Piece, A Near Pair to General George Washington's Sword in Amazing Condition

A combination of the finest 18th century artisan's skill of both a silversmith and bespoke swordsmith. Circa 1759 possibly by William Kinman of London. no silver hallmark was required due to The 'Act of 1738' the Plate Offences Act 1738, & the 1738 exemptions, which exempted the requirement of an assay mark for gold and silver mounts of swords, daggers, pistols and guns

General George Washington, later the first President of the United States, had a near identical sword that he used during his service as commander of the new American Army in the American War of Independance from 1776 onwards. Born in the Colony of Virginia, Washington became the commander of the Virginia Regiment during the French and Indian War (1754–1763). He was later elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses, and opposed the perceived oppression of the American colonists by the British Crown. When the American Revolutionary War against the British began in 1775, Washington was appointed commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. He directed a poorly organized and equipped force against disciplined British troops. Washington and his army achieved an early victory at the Siege of Boston in March 1776 but were forced to retreat from New York City in November. Washington crossed the Delaware River and won the battles of Trenton in late 1776 and Princeton in early 1777, then lost the battles of Brandywine and Germantown later that year. He faced criticism of his command, low troop morale, and a lack of provisions for his forces as the war continued. Ultimately Washington led a combined French and American force to a decisive victory over the British at Yorktown in 1781. In the resulting Treaty of Paris in 1783, the British acknowledged the sovereign independence of the United States. Washington then served as president of the Constitutional Convention in 1787, which drafted the current Constitution of the United States.

Ideal in its day for duelling or close quarter combat, as well as being a simply fabulous, finest quality sword of immense beauty.

Fine cast and chased silver hilt in the elegant rococo style with double shell guard single knucklebow and pas dans. The grip has silver banding interspersed with herringbone pattern twisted silver wire.

The guard has enchanting workmanship with a scrolling, pierced, rococo Arabesque pattern. Colishmarde blade with part bright steel finish.
The highly distinctive colishmarde blades appeared in 1680 and were popular during the next 40 years at the royal European courts. The colichemarde bladed swords had a special popularity with the officers of the French and Indian War period. Even George Washington had a very fine one just as this example.

The colichemarde sword descended from the so-called "transition rapier", which appeared because of a need for a lighter sword, better suited to parrying. It was not so heavy at its point; it was shorter and allowed a limited range of double time moves.The colichemarde in turn appeared as a thrusting blade too and also with a good parrying level, hence the strange, yet successful shape of the blade.

This sword appeared at about the same time as the foil. However the foil was created for practicing fencing at court, while the colichemarde was created for dueling. With the appearance of pocket pistols as a self-defense weapon, the colichemardes found an even more extensive use in dueling.
This was achieved thanks to a wide forte (often with several fullers), which then stepped down in width after the fullers ended. The result of this strange shape was a higher maneuverability of the sword: with the weight of the blade concentrated in one's hand it became possible to maneuver the blade at a greater speed and with a higher degree of control, allowing the fencer to place a precise thrust at his/her adversary. This sword is a true work of art, in it's beauty form, quality and balance. One photo in the gallery is of General Burgoyne surrendering his similar gilt sword after the Battle of Saratoga in October 1777. Another portrait of George Washington with his very similar solid silver sword sword. The 1767 Silver-Hilted Smallsword
One of Washington's most beautiful swords, this sword appears in many famous Washington paintings.  read more

Code: 24960

A Superb, Medieval & Most Rare, 12th-13th Century Crusader Knights Iron Flanged Battle Mace & Scorpion Flail Mace Head

A rare example of mace, and, apparently, not many surviving examples of this type of flanged mace are still in existence.
An offensive battle mace that would be an amazingly effective piece against armour, helmet or shield. In almost spherical form with multi layered protruding flanges in hollow-cast iron that could be mounted on a haft, or with a chain and haft and used as a battle flail. They were also carried as a symbol of power and rank, as it is so now, for example such as the cosmetically huge parliamentary mace and the Queen's great mace of state being just two examples. In the Crusades era this was, on occasion, also an ecclesiastic weapon used by Bishops Popes, for an ecclesiastical warrior was not allowed to draw blood in combat a most novel distinction but far more usually used by mounted knights in noble combat. a flail mace for extra reach on horseback. Unlike a sword or haft mounted mace, it doesn't transfer vibrations from the impact to the wielder. This is a great advantage to a horseman, who can use his horse's speed to add momentum to and underarmed swing of the ball, but runs less of a risk of being unbalanced from his saddle.
It is difficult to block with a shield or parry with a weapon because it can curve over and round impediments and still strike the target. It also provides defense whilst in motion. However the rigid haft does have the advantage as the flail needs space to swing and can easily endanger the wielder's comrades.

Controlling the flail is much more difficult than rigid weapons.On a Flail it had the name of a Scorpion in England or France, or sometimes a Battle-Whip. It was also wryly known as a 'Holy Water Sprinkler'. King John The Ist of Bohemia used exactly such a weapon, as he was blind, and the act of 'Flailing the Mace' meant lack of site was no huge disadvantage in close combat. Although blind he was a valiant and the bravest of the Warrior Kings, who perished at the Battle of Crecy against the English in 1346. On the day he was slain he instructed his Knights both friends and companions to lead him to the very centre of battle, so he may strike at least one blow against his enemies. His Knights tied their horses to his, so the King would not be separated from them in the press, and they rode together into the thick of battle, where King John managed to strike not one but at least four noble blows. The following day of the battle, the horses and the fallen knights were found all about the body of their most noble King, all still tied to his steed.

During the Middle Ages metal armour such as mail protected against the blows of edged weapons. Solid metal maces and war hammers proved able to inflict damage on well armoured knights, as the force of a blow from a mace is great enough to cause damage without penetrating the armour. Though iron became increasingly common, copper and bronze were also used. Pictures in the gallery, some medieval, showing them used in combat. The mace head is approximately the size of a slightly flattened tennis ball.  read more

Code: 22686

The Lanes Armoury Welcomes Thousands Upon Thousands of Personal Visitors To The Store In Brighton Every Day {But Not Sundays} . Fabulous Pre-Historic, Archaic, Ancient, Antique, & Vintage Treasures, Artifacts, & Collectables Are Added Every Single Day

We are told, most generously, every single day, when the gallery-shop is open, by literally dozens of our thousands of visitors, that we are their favourite shop in the whole of the U.K. Many, when they are returning to England for another visit, tell us they make a point to make another visit to us every single time as part of their UK travels. Just the other week one of our regular visitors from China diverted his journey from Beijing to Paris, to go via London Gatwick Airport, in order to just to visit us for a couple of hours, and then return to Paris. This very week lots more incredible treasures arrived including an 18 item German badge and buckle collection of a WW2 combat bomb disposal officer. A section of the special engineering units {Fleming’s so called ‘Red Indians} in wartime Europe were a vital part of clandestine warfare, and all parts of the units combat service were then trained in recognising enemy mines, booby traps, handling of explosives, demolitions, counter-demolitions, bomb disposal, and combined with recognition of enemy uniforms and equipment for intelligence gathering. Reporting all elements of their findings back to CoCO, and by them to the Admiralty. Fleming referred to such brave men as his ‘Red Indians’. see Casino Royale for reference. Plus 3 fabulous pistols, A Polish WW2 pistol Third Reich period, A Punjab Irregular Horse pistol, and a stunning Crimean War cavalry officer’s pistol. And a wonderful samurai horse riders armour, early Edo period, of the Matsunaga clan plus, dozens of Museum Grade original antique collectibles such as cased pistols, samurai tantos, etc.

The story so far of the Hawkins Brothers and "The Lanes Armoury" written by Francis Taylor;

Sadly it is likely the last, true, original 'armoury' shop left in the whole of Britain. Defining the original term of an historical 'Armoury' as a building containing all forms of militaria, arms and armour, from all of the eras of mankind from the stone age culture, to all the civilizations of antiquity, both pre-history, and historic, on into the medieval, the post medieval and later, to WW1 and WW2. Effectively covering from 300,000 years b.c. until WW2. Not including their fossils of course that can be up to 100 million years old.

They were described as one of the most highly recommended visitors attractions in the whole of the UK by the New York Times. It is also regularly featured by many other world wide publications. Hundreds of thousands of tourists and regular visitors come to see them every single year, including, in the 1970's such erstwhile luminaries as President Ronald Reagan, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. They evolved their company from one of the oldest established family businesses in Sussex, spanning over 100 years, with a client base that includes museums, heads of state, presidents, princes and kings. But whether you are a movie star, a head of state or a student, all will be treated with the same courtesy and respect. Every sale is important to them, albeit a £5 badge a £5,000 rare book, or a suit of armour for £50,000.
Every day they are told that to some, this is their favourite shop in the world, with some foreign visitors returning year in year out for 40 years or even more, so they truly believe they have a great responsibility to their customers, their reputation, and to the amazing city of Brighton.
Their oldest customer has incredibly been a regular buyer, for an amazing, near 70 years.

To view just a flavour of the visual history one can view here, and their modus operandi during the past century of their business and store, please click the group photos to the left, and see just small aspects of their gallery, in photos taken recently, and from the distant past.
One is a photograph from the outside of their shop taken around 1920, another one from more recently, and another, of their 1920's vintage horse drawn pantechnichon that was still in use for local deliveries until 1969 and another photo one of their 'more modern' pantechnichons in the 1970's. The partners, Mark and David also regularly appear on the BBC and numerous UK TV channels, consulting on historical documentaries, and on various antique 'discovery' programs, and act as consultant appraisers and for notable private individuals and public companies. During Mark's 54 years personally trading in The Lanes, and David's 44 years {that's around 98 years combined} both within the family businesses, it is estimated they have had pass through their hands, and appraised, possibly more items than any other living dealers in the country, and their breadth of knowledge and experience is simply astonishing. While in his capacity as export director of the old family company, Mark was personally responsible for the sale and export of over 2,000 individual antique items every single week for nearly ten years. Shipping their treasures within a fleet of trucks and 40 foot container lorries, to the four corners of globe. If you can get Mark to describe some of his past professional trades, you will certainly be amazed. Just one part of his trade, back in the 1970’s was the selling and shipping of vintage classic cars to the States. Dozens of 20 foot containers were sent, containing either a vintage Rolls Royce, Bentley, Lagonda, Alvis, Aston Martin, and their like, with the interiors packed full of antique porcelains and silver and antique furniture stacked on top {in order to utilise every valuable space possible}. Mark’s first personal car was a BRG 1932 Aston Martin Le Mans. Originally raced by Sir Sydney Caffyn as an amateur {who was a friend of Mark’s father David senior}, which Mark bought from Sir Sydney’s brother, some while after Sir Sydney had died, for which he paid the princely sum of £325 in around 1971. He sold it to an Italian-American Las Vegas casino owner for £800 three years later, The last known example he knew of, the Aston Martin 1932 Le Mans LM8, and that he tried to buy {unsuccessfully I might add}, sold recently for €905,000 at Sothebys {somewhat in excess of Mark’s budget}. How times {and prices} have changed!

Of course, these days, after selling their wholesale antique export shipping companies, that were some of the largest of their kind in Europe, for the past 35 years the brothers have concentrated their devotion to being England's leading specialist antique arms and militaria dealers, focusing their core business from general antiques and fine art, to the finest, ancient, antique or vintage samurai weaponry, armour, and worldwide swords, firearms and militaria and historical books, covering the past three millennia. It is now said they are the largest samurai weapon dealers in the western world, and this website is the largest of it's type in the world, including over 17,000 full colour photographs of some of their items for sale.
A recent article, written about their business on 'City News Live' is copied here below, as published;**
"With so many different histories to offer, you can feel freer in Brighton than in most British cities to select trips which coincide with your interests and of course, you're much more likely to find in Brighton things to do which bring the history you love to life. For the lover of militaria, a visit to The Lanes Armoury is a must with a difference. The Armoury's housed in a three-storey 16th century building and is a real treasure trove, it's a museum which is not a museum as everything is for sale. It has been nominated and then short-listed for the British Antique & Collectors Awards as the best Antique Shop in Great Britain and is the latest incarnation of a much older business David Hawkins Brighton Ltd which was one of the earliest and largest dealers in Antiques and Collectibles within the whole of Europe in the last century."

It's their current specialisation in worldwide Arms, Armour, Militaria, and Books, which really marks them out and creates such a fascinating and fantastic place to visit. From antiquities from all the past ancient empires, including bronze-age swords, axes, helmets and daggers, to Roman Viking and medeavil weaponry, to suits of samurai and European armour, muskets, revolvers, duelling pistols, American civil war swords, right through to medals and World War II militaria, it's all there to be viewed and drooled over. For example they had in stock a signed 1st Edition book that once personally belonged to Winston Churchill detailing a story of combat in the American Revolutionary War. It was presented to him during WW2 and signed by it's author, Robert Graves, one of England's greatest WW1 poets and novelists. It was declared by Churchill, in a personal letter to Robert Graves thanking him for the gift, that it was one of only 6 or 7 novels that he had read during his premiership in the war, and subsequently this very book was used by him to advise the creation and modus operandi of the new British Commandos. Also the last time I visited I was shown their first edition The Great Gatsby, an absolute gem of a rarity, that must be valued at many tens of thousands of pounds. It's not a museum, but when you leave, you've had the same experience! I can honestly say the experience of a visit to the armoury, although not a vast premises by any means, is utterly memorable, and every single person that passed through their doors while I was there was either astonished, amazed, or both!

Francis Taylor

“With the passing of the generations that came before, all that is left, after the memories dim and fade away, is what that is physically left behind. To seek such manifestations of past generations, and preserve them for the future, is vital for all those generations yet to come”

Mark Hawkins  read more

Code: 19615

A Beautiful Full Suit of 16th Century Tudor Style Knight’s Historismus Plate Hall Armour with Halbeard Polearm. Fully Leather Strapped & Buckled So Likely, and Potentially, Wearable

Historicism or also historism and historismus comprises artistic styles that draw their inspiration from recreating historic styles or imitating the work of historic artisans. This is especially prevalent in architecture, such as revival architecture. Through a combination of different styles or implementation of new elements, historicism can create completely different aesthetics than former styles. Thus it offers a great variety of possible designs.

In the history of art, after Neoclassicism which in the Romantic era could itself be considered a historicist movement, the 19th century saw a new historicist phase marked by an interpretation not only of Greek and Roman classicism, but also of succeeding stylistic eras, which were increasingly considered equivalent. In particular in architecture and in the genre of history painting, in which historical subjects were treated of with great attention to accurate period detail, the global influence of historicism was especially strong from the 1850s onwards.

Plate armour is a historical type of personal body armour made from bronze, iron, or steel plates, culminating in the iconic suit of armour entirely encasing the wearer. Full plate steel armour developed in Europe during the Late Middle Ages, especially in the context of the Hundred Years' War, from the coat of plates worn over mail suits during the 14th century.

In Europe, plate armour reached its peak in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. The full suit of armour, also referred to as a panoply, is thus a feature of the very end of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period. Its popular association with the "medieval knight” is due to the specialised jousting armour which developed in the 16th century.

Full suits of Gothic plate armour were worn on the battlefields of the Burgundian and Italian Wars. The most heavily armoured troops of the period were heavy cavalry, such as the gendarmes and early cuirassiers, but the infantry troops of the Swiss mercenaries and the Landsknechts also took to wearing lighter suits of "three quarters" munition armour, leaving the lower legs unprotected.

The use of plate armour began to decline in the early 17th century, but it remained common both among the nobility and for the cuirassiers throughout the European wars of religion. After the mid-17th century, plate armour was mostly reduced to the simple breastplate or (cuirass), worn by cuirassiers. This was due to the development of the musket, which could penetrate armour at a considerable distance. For infantry, the breastplate gained renewed importance with the development of shrapnel in the late Napoleonic wars.

Plate armour gave the wearer very good protection against sword cuts, as well against spear thrusts, and provided decent defense against blunt weapons.

The evolution of plate armour also triggered developments in the design of offensive weapons. While this armour was effective against cuts or strikes, their weak points could be exploited by thrusting weapons, such as estocs, poleaxes, and halberds. The effect of arrows and bolts is still a point of contention with regard to plate armour. The evolution of the 14th-century plate armour also triggered the development of various polearms. They were designed to deliver a strong impact and concentrate energy on a small area and cause damage through the plate. Maces, war hammers, and pollaxes (poleaxes) were used to inflict blunt force trauma through armour. Strong blows to the head could result in concussion, even if the armour is not penetrated.

Fluted plate was not only decorative, but also reinforced the plate against bending under striking or blunt impact. This offsets against the tendency for flutes to catch piercing blows. In armoured techniques taught in the German school of swordsmanship, the attacker concentrates on these "weak spots", resulting in a fighting style very different from unarmoured sword-fighting. Because of this weakness, most warriors wore a mail shirt (haubergeon or hauberk) beneath their plate armour (or coat-of-plates). Later, full mail shirts were replaced with mail patches, called gussets, which were sewn onto a gambeson or arming jacket. Further protection for plate armour was the use of small round plates called besagews, that covered the armpit area and the addition of couters and poleyns with "wings" to protect the inside of the joint.

Over the past century many visitors will have seen the numerous full suits of plate armour we have had the pleasure of displaying. 15th, 16th and 17th century originals, plus, historismus hall armours. Our most impressive, if some of you may remember, in the 1960’s, was a full suite of equestrian mounted ‘knight on horseback’ armour. And we displayed it in our shop just round the corner, in Prince Albert St, as it had 20 foot high ceilings. It looked just like the example we show as the last photo in the gallery of one such similar in a museum in America. This fabulous set was passed on to our friend and neighbour, the late arms dealer Paul Grafton, who owned the former ‘House of Correction’ for many years, and it occupied his whole shop!, but exceptionally memorable it was.
It was eventually passed on to Holland and Holland, we believe for their bespoke gun shop in London, and thence later, we understand, to an American billionaire who kept it next to his swimming pool, whereupon it became very wet and thus rusty. After that it travelled to New Jersey or Park Avenue, New York possibly, but we sadly lost track of it then

This beautiful full suit of Tudor hall plate armour is very likely circa to post 1900. We don't normally acquire or sell non original items but historismus pieces have always been desireable and most collectable in their own right.
It is offered complete with its bespoke fully fitted display stand as can be seen in the photographs. We can also facilitate bespoke hand delivery within the UK mainland by our own transport  read more

Code: 24964

Very Rare French 6 inch Howitzer Iron Cannon Ball. Recovered From Waterloo Battle Site and Weighing Around 24 Pounds. This Is One From An Amazing Collection of Waterloo Finds, The Other French 6 inch Howitzer Round Shot We Sold Immediately Two Weeks Ago

Very rare piece indeed, in that the Howitzer were sparsely used at Waterloo, due to their size, with 6 regular cannon, used in support, by the French artillery, for every two Howitzers used, and each Howitzer was operated with a 13 man crew. And of course, more than half of all the Howitzer six inch rounds were explosive, and thus detonated, leaving no residual cannonball to recover. This is the round shot non-explosive version

What an amazing, large and impressive historical centrepiece for any collector or collection. Imagine the family gatherings or dinner parties that would be enlivened by such an incredible historical artefact and conversanaturally failed to detonate.tion piece! To speculate the incredible hours of battle, with hand to hand combat and the frantic melee that this cannonball was involved within, fired by a French Howitzer crew at the heroic British infantry, or our valiant Prussian volunteer allies of the Kings German Legion, during the glorious defence of La Haye Saint, or the British Guards regiments defenders of Hougemont

The artillery of the French army was almost completely redesigned by Jean Baptiste Grimbeauval from 1765 onwards, standardising gun calibres and making gun carriages lighter and easier to transport, allowing for more flexible and efficient manoeuvring. A typical French artillery battery during the Napoleonic Wars was made up of four to six cannons with the support of two 6-inch howitzers. The shell we discovered would have had a maximum range of around 1100m and would have been most deadly at a range of 640m

Our shell would have been shot from a 6-inch howitzer, that fired, either hollow cast or solid round shot cannonballs. Around 24lb in iron weight for a hollow cast exploding mortar, and around 30lb in weight for round shot. It was the largest of the 3 sizes of howitzer used by the French during the Battle of Waterloo, which would have required 4 horses to draw it and 13 crewmen to fire it – an efficient team would have been able to fire one round ever minute.

A cannonball is a solid ball of metal, known as round shot, which could smash through the ranks of soldiers, causing massive devastation. In contrast, an explosive mortar howitzer shell is a hollow iron sphere filled with gunpowder, with a slow burning fuse fitted to the case. Once lit, it was intended to explode above the heads or at the feet of the Allied soldiers, causing enormous amounts of damage to their formations. A howitzer throws it shells high into the air with a sharp trajectory, and is designed to bring ‘indirect fire’ down on enemy formations either in buildings as at Hougoumont, or, as here, behind a ridge and out of direct sight. While the shell discovered at Mont Jean is known as a 6-inch howitzer shell, an Old French inch is actually equivalent to 1.066 modern inches, so the dug up shell was in fact 6.4 inches in diameter but with size losses due to surface erosion.

We show in the gallery the 6 inch French Howitzer cannon ball recently recovered at Mont St Jean at Waterloo, that when fired, impacted deep underground, and was latterly recovered from the dig. The engraving photographed in our gallery shows the farm house of Mont St. Jean. This house being close to the rear of the action, it was much dilapidated by random shot (1815). Engraver James Rouse. Note the round shot impacts through its walls.  read more

Code: 25699

An 18th Century Flintlock Long Barrel Sporting Musket

Absolutely perfect as an original decorative display piece for the right location. Nice stock, flintlock action [not actionable] 52.5 inches long overall. This would make a delightful original display piece for any suitable location. Under barrel brass plate strengthening supports.The royal forest was an area of land designated to the king for hunting and forestry; it included woodland, heathland, and agricultural land. As of the 12th century nearly a third of England's territory was assigned as royal forest. Only the king and other permitted members of the nobility were allowed to hunt game in the assigned area. To maintain this restriction, forest law was introduced to enforce the boundaries. Special officials known as foresters were in charge of overseeing forest law. The foresters were among the most hated of royal officials as they were often corrupt, having a reputation for making illegal side profits on royal forest property by farming, extracting natural resources, and poaching game. They exacted many punishments for poaching game, farming, and other illegal activities on the royal forest. Heavy fines and imprisonment were the common discipline. While foresters were in charge of the upkeep of forest law, sometimes the king would employ the local sheriff to get involved. Hunting, however, was not the only function for the royal forest. Kings would also use these territories for cattle upbringing, farming, and extracting the land's resources. They also notably served as reserves for all kinds of wildlife. King Henry I of England was known for having a fascination with pet animals. His parks included wild animals like lions and leopards. Forest laws in regards to hunting created class distinctions. King Richard II of England issued the first game law in 1390. It constituted a property requirement of certain value to have hunting dogs or other hunting equipment. During the Regency period, game birds were shot in different ways, though Driven Game shooting was popular on larger estates. Here, where beaters are employed to drive game towards a line of standing guns through woods and over moors or fields, dependent on the quarry and time of year. The total bag (number of birds shot) will be anywhere between 80 and 300, again dependent on quarry etc. The day will be very formal, and gamekeepers or a shoot captain will oversee proceedings. Pickers-up are also employed to make sure all shot game is collected. On such estates, large numbers of pheasants, partridge and duck, but not grouse, may be released to maintain numbers. Shotguns (also known as a fowling piece or scattergun) were improved during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and game shooting became more popular. To protect the pheasants for the shooters, gamekeepers culled vermin such as foxes, magpies and birds of prey almost to extirpation in popular areas, and landowners improved their coverts and other habitats for game. Game Laws were relaxed in 1831 which meant anyone could obtain a permit to take rabbits, hares and gamebirds.  read more

Code: 23478

A Very Scarce French Chassepot Rifle Musketoon Modele 1866 Colonial Inlay

Last used by the French Colonial Spahi in WW1. The scarce French Army Musketoon model, St Etienne. Converted to the Gras system in 1874. Used from the Franco Prussian war right throught WW1 by the French Colonial Spahi. This rifle was laterly renamed the 1866-74 after it was converted to the Gras system. Then in the latter part of its working life this rifle has been transferred to the French colonial troops, the famous Spahi, and over decoratedby them with typical Spahi flamboyant inlays at the butt. We show photos of a French Curassier using his 1866 Chassepot musketoon in the Franco Prussian War, French Infantry using their Chassepot, and the French Colonial Spahi using the 1866-74 musketoon into WW1.

Spahis were light cavalry regiments of the French army recruited primarily from the indigenous populations of Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. The modern French Army retains one regiment of Spahis as an armoured unit, with personnel now recruited in mainland France. Senegal also maintains a mounted unit with spahi origins as a presidential escort: the Red Guard.he spahi regiments saw extensive service in the French conquest of Algeria, in the Franco-Prussian War, in Tonkin towards the end of the Sino-French War (1885), in the occupation of Morocco and Syria, and in both World Wars. A detachment of Spahis served as the personal escort of Marshal Jacques Leroy de Saint Arnaud in the Crimean War and were photographed there by Roger Fenton. A contingent of Spahis also participated in the North China campaign of 1860. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 one detached squadrons of Spahis formed part of the forces defending Paris, while a provisional regiment comprising three squadrons was attached to the Army of the Loire.2 A serious rising against French rule in Algeria during 1871?72 was sparked off by the mutiny of a squadron of Spahis who had been ordered to France to reinforce those units already there. Pahis were sent to France at the outbreak of war in August 1914. They saw service during the opening period of mobile warfare but inevitably their role diminished with the advent of trench warfare. During World War I the number of units increased with the creation of Moroccan Spahi regiments and the expansion of the Algerian arm. By 1918 there were seven Spahi regiments then in existence, all having seen service on the Western Front, in addition a detached squadron had served in Palestine against the Ottoman Empire. 11mm calibre, .20+ inch barrel. Obsolete antique no licence required. Its inventor was, Antoine Alphonse Chassepot, and it became the French service weapon in 1866. It was first used at the battlefield at Mentana, November 1867, where it inflicted severe losses on Garibaldi's troops. The event was reported at the French Parliament: "Les Chassepots ont fait merveille!", {The Chassepots did marvelous execution !} In the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) it proved greatly superior to the German Dreyse needle gun, outranging it by 2 to 1. Although it was a smaller caliber but the chassepot ammunition had more gunpowder and thus faster muzzle velocity. The Chassepots were responsible for most of the Prussian and other German casualties during the conflict. Small Gras cartridge adaption bolt head lacking. As with all our antique guns no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables  read more

Code: 21713