Antique Arms & Militaria
A Most Attractive Middle Eastern, Antique 19th Century Jambiya.
Carved wooden hit brass embossed and leather scabbard over wood. Double edged steel blade. The blade would polish nicely. The janbiya was given its name because it is worn on the side of a person – the word janbia is derived from the Arabic word "janb" which mean "side". A jambia is constituted of a handle, a blade, and a sheath in which the blade is held. It is made of a certain sort of wood, to hold the blade that is fixed to the waist from underneath with an upward curved sheath. The belt that holds the janbia can be made of tanned leather, or, wound some thick cloth.
The janbiya handle often tells of the social status of the man who wears it.
Other jambiya hilts are made of different types of horn, wood, metal and ivory. Apart from the material used for the hilt, the design and detail is a measure of its value and the status of its owner. there are 53 different types of Jambiya in the Metropolitan museum Collection, some bear a similarity to this example, many with near identical blades. read more
245.00 GBP
A Fine and Long, Saudi Arabian, Silver & Copper Alloy Dharia Jambiya 19th Century
A rare jambiya to find as the smaller Omani and Yemeni types were made in far greater numbers over the past century. A long bladed Dharia jambiya, with shbeyl hilt type, more within the short-sword size, with a flat beyd blade as opposed to the more frequently seen Omani dagger sized pieces. Late 19th century also called in the west a Wahhabi jambiya. With gemstone set scabbard and covered in geometrically patterned silver. A "Wahhabi jambiya" is a occidental collector's term. "Weapons of the Islamic World" by The King Faisal Centre Centre for Research & Islamic Studies categorises these by type, tribal or regional origin, not by religious sect. Obviously jambiyas of this type were carried by Wahhabis and certain of the tribes they are associated with would be predominately Wahhabi. These are from the Asir, Hejaz, Nejd (generally the South, West and Central Saudi Arabia) and were the origins and backbone of the "Ikwhan" which was of course Wahhabi. Dharia is the term used to describe the long dagger which originates from the west of modern day Saudi Arabia, around the Azir/Hijaz area, and down as far as Yemen.
The word Dharia appears to come from the Arabic Dhura'eyah which translates as Arm Long Dagger. These daggers are also called Sabiki, Sabak, Sabik etc depending on the spelling. The term Wahabite is also commonly used to describe these, but any direct connection with the Wahhabi Movement except perhaps the actual geographical area is likely very co-incidental, and perhaps that this style was one used by them.
The jambia was given its name because it is worn on the side of a person – the word jambia is derived from the Arabic word janb (Arabic: جنب, lit. 'side'). A jambia is constituted of a handle, a blade, and a sheath in which the blade is held. It is made of a certain sort of wood, to hold the blade that is fixed to the waist from underneath with an upward curved sheath. The belt that holds the jambia is made of tanned leather, or some thick cloth. There are specialised markets and handicraft markets that decorate it with golden wires.
The jambia handle often tells of the social status of the man who wears it. Jambias can be made with ivory handles or hilts of other rare and exotic materials.
T. E. Lawrence was famous for using a jambiya knife historically.
Overall just over 21.5 inches long. read more
1125.00 GBP
A Beautiful, Early 19th Century, Antique 'Tiger's Claw' Carved Horn Hilted Khanjar Dagger
A most attractive antique dagger with an impressive blade. A middle eastern long bladed dagger, also called a jambiya. With a long, curved double-edged sturdy steel blade, with a medial ridge. Beautifully hand carved horn hilt of elegant form with waisted grip with central carved spiral and typical hooked pommel. In its original leather covered wooden scabbard with metal conical chape.
Jambiya were taken by travellers to other cultures including Persia, the Ottoman empire, and India, where they were adopted with slight differences to the blade, hilt and scabbard. The horn hilt has old small losses to some surfaces. Blade 9 inches overall in scabbard 16.25 inches long, both measured straight across read more
475.00 GBP
A Very Fine Rare Gambler's Dirk cum Boot Knife, Carved Horn Grip, Mid 19th Century
A very fine quality dirk, perfect for concealment for the gamblers of the Wild West frontier, and the Mississippi river boat gamblers. Carved horn grip with small hairline cracking. Steel double edged blade of very fine and substantial quality. The strength of a blade that could punch through almost anything, ball end straight quillon in steel. Carved grip with shell form pommel. Original leather covered wooden scabbard with German silver mounts. Whether on a riverboat atop the Mighty Mississippi, or in the smoky dimness of a mining camp saloon, a lucky draw could turn a broken man into a winner. In the days of the frontier west, poker was king with the mustachioed likes of Wild Bill Hickok, Doc Holliday, ?Canada? Bill Jones, Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and hundreds of others.
In the old west towns of Deadwood, Dodge City, Tombstone, and Virginia City, gamblers played with their back to the wall and their guns at their sides, as dealers dealt games with names such as Chuck-A-Luck, Three Card Monte, High Dice, and Faro, by far the favourite in the wild west saloons. Gambling took many forms on riverboats. Gambling with one's life with the boilers aside, there were sharks around willing to fleece the unsuspecting rube. As cities passed ordinances against gaming houses in town, the cheats moved to the unregulated waters of the Mississippi aboard river steamers.
There was also gambling with the racing of boats up the river. Bets were made on a favourite vessel. Pushing the boilers hard in races would also cause fires to break out on the wooden deck structures. Size 10 inches long overall, blade 5 1/4 inches. A very similar example was sold in Butterfields Auction, San Francisco in 1992 for £1,030. As is usual for these small knives it has no maker markings read more
675.00 GBP
A Superb Condition Relic From the Battle of Agincourt. A Fierce-Some Armour or Helmet Piercing Welsh Longbowman'sTanged Long Arrowhead. Recovered From Azincourt in the 1820's
Yet another small part of our wondrous, historical, and original Ancient Roman, Ancient Greek, Viking, Crusaders, and Medeavil battlefield antiquities and artefacts, another Grand Tour collection
Much of it acquired by a Scottish Duke's family in the 1820's while on a Grand Tour of Anglo French battle sites within Northern & Western France from Azincourt, in the Pas-de-Calais, to Poitiers in Aquitaine.
Most English and Welsh war arrows for longbows could vary, and some archers would have some type of armour piercing bodkin or “plate cutter” since their job was to penetrate armour (gambesons, hauberks, and plate). They had long and short bodkin, plate cutter, leaf, trefoil, crescent, and swallowtail broadheads. Broadheads were for targeting un-armoured men and knight's horses.
English & Welsh longbowman groups bore the brunt of the fighting in ‘overseas’ France, thus endowing them with a professional character. Their improved pay scale also reflected such a change, with the new figure being 6 pence a day – adding up to around 9 pounds per year. In a practical scope, the number actually came down to around 5 pounds per year; and for comparison’s sake, a medieval knight required around 40 pounds per year to support himself and his panoply.
The Battle of Poitiers was a major English victory in the Hundred Years' War. It was fought on 19 September 1356 in Nouaillé, near the city of Poitiers in Aquitaine, western France. Edward, the Black Prince, led an army of English, Welsh, Breton and Gascon troops, many of them veterans of the Battle of Crécy. They were attacked by a larger French force led by King John II of France, which included allied Scottish forces. The French were heavily defeated; an English counter-attack captured King John, along with his youngest son, and much of the French nobility who were present.
The effect of the defeat on France was catastrophic, leaving Dauphin Charles to rule the country. Charles faced populist revolts across the kingdom in the wake of the battle, which had destroyed the prestige of the French nobility. The Edwardian phase of the war ended four years later in 1360, on favourable terms for England.
Poitiers was the second major English victory of the Hundred Years' War, coming a decade after the Battle of Crécy and about half a century before the Battle of Agincourt.The English army was led by Edward, the Black Prince, and composed primarily of English and Welsh troops, though there was a large contingent of Gascon and Breton soldiers with the army. Edward's army consisted of approximately 2,000 longbowmen, 3,000 men-at-arms, and a force of 1,000 Gascon infantry.
Like the earlier engagement at Crécy, the power of the English army lay in the longbow, a tall, thick self-bow made of yew. Longbows had demonstrated their effectiveness against massed infantry and cavalry in several battles, such as Falkirk in 1298, Halidon Hill in 1333, and Crécy in 1346. Poitiers was the second of three major English victories of the Hundred Years' War attributed to the longbow, though its effectiveness against armoured French knights and men-at-arms has been disputedGeoffrey the Baker wrote that the English archers under the Earl of Salisbury "made their arrows prevail over the French knights' armour",but the bowmen on the other flank, under Warwick, were initially ineffective against the mounted French men-at-arms who enjoyed the double protection of steel plate armour and large leather shields. Once Warwick's archers redeployed to a position where they could hit the unarmoured sides and backs of the horses, however, they quickly routed the cavalry force opposing them. The archers were also unquestionably effective against common infantry, who could not afford plate armour.
The English army was an experienced force; many archers were veterans of the earlier Battle of Crécy, and two of the key commanders, Sir John Chandos, and Captal de Buch were both experienced soldiers. The English army's divisions were led by Edward, the Black Prince, the Earl of Warwick, the Earl of Salisbury, Sir John Chandos and Jean III de Grailly, the Captal de Buch.
After several decades of relative peace, the English had renewed their war effort in 1415 amid the failure of negotiations with the French. In the ensuing campaign, many soldiers perished due to disease and the English numbers dwindled, but as they tried to withdraw to English-held Calais they found their path blocked by a considerably larger French army. Despite the disadvantage, the following battle ended in an overwhelming tactical victory for the English.
King Henry V of England led his troops into battle and participated in hand-to-hand fighting. The French king of the time, Charles VI, did not command the French army himself, as he suffered from severe psychotic illnesses with moderate mental incapacitation. Instead, the French were commanded by Constable Charles d'Albret and various prominent French noblemen of the Armagnac party.
This battle is notable for the use of the English longbow in very large numbers, with the English and Welsh archers forming up to 80 percent of Henry's army. The decimation of the French cavalry at their hands is regarded as an indicator of the decline of cavalry and the beginning of the dominance of ranged weapons on the battlefield.
Agincourt is one of England's most celebrated victories. The battle is the centrepiece of the play Henry V by Shakespeare. Juliet Barker in her book Agincourt: The King, the Campaign, the Battle ( published in 2005) argues the English and Welsh were outnumbered "at least four to one and possibly as much as six to one". She suggests figures of about 6,000 for the English and 36,000 for the French, based on the Gesta Henrici's figures of 5,000 archers and 900 men-at-arms for the English, and Jean de Wavrin's statement "that the French were six times more numerous than the English". The 2009 Encyclopædia Britannica uses the figures of about 6,000 for the English and 20,000 to 30,000 for the French. Part of an original medieval collection we have just acquired, of Viking and early British relics of warfare from ancient battle sites recovered up to 220 years ago.
It has been suggested that the bodkin came into its own as a means of penetrating armour, but research by the Royal Armouries has found no hardened bodkin points, though only two bodkin points were actually tested, not a statistically relevant number. Bodkins did, however, have greater ability to pierce mail armour than broadheads, and historical accounts do speak of bodkin arrows shot from close range piercing plate armour. Broadheads were made from steel, sometimes with hardened edges, but were more often used against lightly armoured men or horses than against an armoured adversary.
In a modern test, a direct hit from a steel bodkin point penetrated mail armour, although at point blank range. However, the test was conducted without a padded jack or gambeson, which was layered cloth armour worn under heavier armour for protection against projectiles, as it was known to stop even heavy arrows.
Armour of the medieval era was not completely proof against arrows until the specialised armour of the Italian city-state mercenary companies. Archery was thought not to be effective against plate armour in the Battle of Neville's Cross (1346), the Battle of Bergerac (1345), and the Battle of Poitiers (1356); such armour became available to European knights and men at arms of fairly modest means by the late 14th century, though never to all soldiers in any army.
Some recent tests have demonstrated that needle bodkins could penetrate all but heavy steel plate armour; one test used padded "jack" armour, coat of plates, iron and steel mail and steel plate. A needle bodkin penetrated every type, but may not have been able to inflict a lethal injury behind plate. As with all other tests, accuracy of these tests is called into question as the arrowheads were all high carbon steel and hardened, and the historical accuracy of the armour tested is unknown.The name comes from the Old English word bodkin or bodekin, a type of sharp, pointed dagger. Arrows of the long bodkin type were used by the Vikings and continued to be used throughout the Middle Ages. The bodkin point eventually fell out of use during the 16th and 17th centuries, as armour largely ceased to be worn and firearms took over from archery. 105mm long overall including socket
As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity.
Most of our antiquities and artefacts are from 200 year past souvenir accumulations from British ‘Grand Tours’. Beautiful Items and antiquities were oft acquired in the 18th and early 19th century by British noblemen and women touring battle sites in Northern France and Italy, in fact most of Europe and the Middle East, on their so-called ‘Grand Tour’. They were often placed on display upon their return home, within the family’s 'cabinet of curiosities', within their country house. Some significant British stately homes had entire galleries displaying the treasures and artefacts gathered and purchased on such tours, and some tours lasted many years, and the accumulated souvenirs numbered in their hundreds or even thousands. A popular pastime in the 18th and 19th century, comprised of English ladies and gentlemen traveling for many months, or even years, throughout classical Europe, and the Middle East, acquiring knowledge and education on the arts, and thus returning with antiquities and antiques as souvenirs for their private collections, and these travels have been thus called ‘Grand Tours’.
83mm long overall including tang
As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity read more read more
Fine, Incredibly Beautiful Presentation, King George IIIrd Brass Barrel Blunderbuss. Presented to John Holmes, of HMS Thunderer 'As A Token Of Regard' in London 1800. Potentially, It May Have Seen Service At the Battle of Trafalgar. By Thomas, of London
Finest walnut stock with wonderous patination. Excellent action and overall in superb condition. Probably by gunsmith John Thomas of Fore Street, Edmonton .
Presentation inscribed in 1800 from Vincent Drew to John Holmes. Very recent family research these past two months has determined it was presented to the Reverend John Holmes, who was the chaplain of HMS Thunderer, a '74 Gunner' Warship that was part of Nelson's fleet that served at the Battle of Trafalgar.
He joined the Thunderer in May 1805, served at battles of Cape Finisterre and Cape Trafalgar, during 1805, and was discharged from the Ship on the 26th November 1808 when the Thunderer was laid up in Ordinary at Chatham. There is no way to determine if the reverend Holmes took this blunderbuss aboard, but it is intriguing to think he may have done, and of course, if it was indeed used in the battle by the chaplain. In war, chaplains, and indeed ship's surgeons, were armed, as they were expected to have the ability to defend themselves should the need arise. In fact, by regulation, all British officers currently are required to possess {and carry in dress circumstances} a sword of combat quality, for the very same reason, unlike for example the current US armed services, where the officer's sword is regulated to be of dress quality only
In 1805 HMS Thunderer fought in Admiral Calder's fleet at the Battle of Cape Finisterre. Her captain, William Lechmere, returned to England to attend a court-martial as a witness to the events of Admiral Calder's action off Cape Finisterre at the time of the battle. Later that year she fought at the Battle of Trafalgar under the command of her First Lieutenant, John Stockham. The surgeon on board was Scotsman James Marr Brydone, the chaplain the reverend John Holmes, it was the first of the main British battle fleet to sight the Franco-Spanish fleet. Thunderer signalled the Victory and three minutes later battle orders were signalled to the British fleet beginning the Battle of Trafalgar.
Rev. John Holmes resume of service on the Thunderer;
15 Jul 1805 with the blockading squadron off Ferrol, under Sir Robert Calder : departed 30 to 40 leagues off Finisterre to intercept Franco-Spanish fleet from the West Indies. On the 22nd sighted each other. Signal made to engage the enemy - followed by the engagement.
15 Aug 1805 Victory, with Nelson onboard, departed from Portsmouth ; was joined off Plymouth by the Ajax and Thunderer on 18th ; and arrived off Cadiz 28 Sep.
10 Oct 1805 off Cadiz - the tactical preparations etc. for the forthcoming battle. 20 Oct combined fleet departed Cadiz, fleet manoeuvres.
21 Oct 1805 'England expects' signalled, the first shots of the Battle of Trafalgar are fired.
22-30 Oct 1805 losses amongst the prizes due to bad weather etc: Redoutable, Rayo, Monarca (sank) ; Fougueux, Bucentaure, Indomptable, San-Francisco-de-Asis, Aigle, Berwick (wrecked) ; Algsiras (taken into Cadiz) ; Santa-Ana, Neptuno (recaptured) ; Santisima-Trinidad (scuttled) ; Achille, Intrepide, San-Augustin (burnt)
12 Mar 1806 captured the Spanish privateer Santo Christo del Paldo, 14 guns, 67 men, off Cadiz.
8 Dec 1806 with a squadron under R.-Admiral. Sir T. Louis, anchored in Valetta harbour, and having victualled departed the 15th for Tenedos, arriving on 21st. 27th departed for the Dardanells, and anchored in Azire bay. 1 Feb the squadron returned to off Tenedos.
11 Feb-3 Mar 1807 With Sir John Duckworth on what some have described as his somewhat less than successful expedition to Constantinople. 14th anchored off Cape Janizary, ships' boats used to rescue men from the burning Ajax. 19th steered for Constantinople. 2 Mar returned to the Mediterranean.
Late 1807 stationed at Palermo.
21 Feb 1808 joined in Palermo bay by R.-Admiral Strachan's squadron.
2 Mar 1808 joined Lord Collingwood's squadron off the island of Maritimo. 6 Mar received news that the French fleet had been at sea for a month and departed in search, which continued for a week or two after the French fleet had returned to Toulon on 10 Apr. Leaving Vice-admiral Thornborough with a sufficient force to blockade Toulon, Lord Collingwood departed for Gibraltar and Cadiz, to contribute his aid to the cause of the Spanish patriots.
The Blunderbuss (born of the Dutch word "Donderbus", appropriately meaning "Thunder Pipe" or "Thunder Gun") came to prominence in the early part of the 18th Century (1701-1800) and was more akin to the modern day shotgun than a "long gun" musket or heavy pistol of the time. As such, she excelled in close-in fighting, be it within the confines of naval warfare or walled nature of the urban environment, where her spread of shot could inflict maximum damage to targets at close ranges. Its manageable size, coupled with its spread shot, ensured some level of accuracy for even the novice user and its appearance was rather intimidating to those unfortunate enough to be staring down the business end. As with modern firearms, the Blunderbuss also made for an excellent security-minded weapon and soon found popularity amongst all matter of operators - military, civilian and, of course, criminal parties - by the middle of the 1700s. Even George Washington championed the Blunderbuss for Continental Army "Dragoon" units of the burgeoning American military as opposed to the carbine this being nothing more than a full-featured long gun of lesser overall length, proving suitable for horse-mounted handling. In fact, the short-form version of the Blunderbuss came to be known as the "Dragon", giving rise to the term "Dragoon" for such gun-wielding cavalrymen. Dragoons went on to form specialized units of mounted infantrymen within their respective armies during the end of the 17th Century and into the middle of the 18th Century - in a way, becoming an evolutionary step of the fabled mounted knight of the Middle Ages. Their use of Dragons soon gave way to the widely-accepted carbine musket. The Blunderbuss was also known as the "Blunderbess" As with all our antique guns no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables read more
4250.00 GBP
A Battle of Agincourt, From the Reign of King Henry Vth, 'Flesh Cutter" Welsh or English Longbowman's Arrowhead, 1415, Battlefield Recovered In the 1820's as A 'Grand Tour Souvenir'
Yet another small part of our wondrous, historical, and original Ancient Roman, Ancient Greek, Viking, Crusaders, and Medeavil battlefield antiquities and artefacts, another collection that has just arrived with us. Act fast though, the collection was small, from the same Grand Tour collector's family, and selling fast!!
A Battle of Agincourt Tanged 'Flesh Cutter" Arrowhead, 1415, Battlefield Recovered In the 1820's as A 'Grand Tour Souvenir'Acquired by the Hamilton family in the 1820's while on a Grand Tour of Anglo French battle sites within Northern & Western France from Azincourt, in the Pas-de-Calais, to Poitiers in Aquitaine.
Most English war arrows for Longbows could vary, and some archers would have some type known as a "Flesh Cutter" since their job was Broadheads were for targeting un-armoured men and knight's horses.
After several decades of relative peace, the English had renewed their war effort in 1415 amid the failure of negotiations with the French. In the ensuing campaign, many soldiers perished due to disease and the English numbers dwindled, but as they tried to withdraw to English-held Calais they found their path blocked by a considerably larger French army. Despite the disadvantage, the following battle ended in an overwhelming tactical victory for the English.
King Henry V of England led his troops into battle and participated in hand-to-hand fighting. The French king of the time, Charles VI, did not command the French army himself, as he suffered from severe psychotic illnesses with moderate mental incapacitation. Instead, the French were commanded by Constable Charles d'Albret and various prominent French noblemen of the Armagnac party.
This battle is notable for the use of the English longbow in very large numbers, with the English and Welsh archers forming up to 80 percent of Henry's army. The decimation of the French cavalry at their hands is regarded as an indicator of the decline of cavalry and the beginning of the dominance of ranged weapons on the battlefield.
Agincourt is one of England's most celebrated victories. The battle is the centrepiece of the play Henry V by Shakespeare. Juliet Barker in her book Agincourt: The King, the Campaign, the Battle ( published in 2005) argues the English and Welsh were outnumbered "at least four to one and possibly as much as six to one". She suggests figures of about 6,000 for the English and 36,000 for the French, based on the Gesta Henrici's figures of 5,000 archers and 900 men-at-arms for the English, and Jean de Wavrin's statement "that the French were six times more numerous than the English". The 2009 Encyclopædia Britannica uses the figures of about 6,000 for the English and 20,000 to 30,000 for the French. Part of an original medieval collection we have just acquired, of Viking and early British relics of warfare from ancient battle sites recovered up to 220 years ago.
Bodkins had a greater ability to pierce mail armour than broadheads, and historical accounts do speak of bodkin arrows shot from close range piercing plate armour. Broadheads were made from steel, sometimes with hardened edges, but were more often used against lightly armoured men or horses than against an armoured adversary.
Armour of the medieval era was not completely proof against arrows until the specialised armour of the Italian city-state mercenary companies. Archery was thought not to be effective against plate armour in the Battle of Neville's Cross (1346), the Battle of Bergerac (1345), and the Battle of Poitiers (1356); such armour became available to European knights and men at arms of fairly modest means by the late 14th century, though never to all soldiers in any army.
Most of our antiquities and artefacts are from 200 year past souvenir accumulations from British ‘Grand Tours’. Beautiful Items and antiquities were oft acquired in the 18th and early 19th century by British noblemen and women touring battle sites in Northern France and Italy, in fact most of Europe and the Middle East, on their so-called ‘Grand Tour’. They were often placed on display upon their return home, within the family’s 'cabinet of curiosities', within their country house. Some significant British stately homes had entire galleries displaying the treasures and artefacts gathered and purchased on such tours, and some tours lasted many years, and the accumulated souvenirs numbered in their hundreds or even thousands. A popular pastime in the 18th and 19th century, comprised of English ladies and gentlemen traveling for many months, or even years, throughout classical Europe, and the Middle East, acquiring knowledge and education on the arts, and thus returning with antiquities and antiques as souvenirs for their private collections, and these travels have been thus called ‘Grand Tours’. read more
A Stunning Rarity, A Solid Silver Roman Military Ring, Possibly of a Tribune or Legatus, or Even the Personal Guard of the Emperor Contantine Ist, of the Roman Empire. Engraved with the Personal Wreathed Labarum Standard of Constantine the Great
Engraved with the Personal ‘Wreathed Labarum’ Standard of Constantine the Great.
A Labarum engraved ring of Constantine Ist's Military standard showing the symbol 'Chi Rho' surrounded by the victory symbol laurel wreath. As it is a solid silver ring it likely demonstrates it was awarded and worn by an Imperial Roman military commander of high rank. Roman bronze rings and bracelets were awarded and allowed to be worn by the Legionary or Centurion, but the silver grade was only for the ranks of such as the Centurion, Tribune or Legate. Plus, as the Emperors symbol is framed in the engraving within a laurel wreath of victory, it may most likely have been awarded to the highest rank of Tribune [a wide stripe Tribune] or, a Legate, after a great victory in combat. Possibly after the Battles of Livium Bridge against Maxentius and the Battle of Chrysopolis against Emperor Licinius in the East, The religious aspect of the conflict was reflected in Licinius drawing up his battle lines with images of the pagan gods of Rome prominently displayed, whilst Constantine's army fought under his talismanic Christian standard, the labarum. Licinius had developed such a superstitious dread of the Labarum he forbade his troops from attacking it, or even looking directly at it.
Constantine’s saw his divine message from Christ, it was;
‘In hoc signo vinces’ – “In this sign, you will win”
The Labarum was a square legion's banner of the 4th century Roman Empire, with golden fringes, hung on a cross beam, on which was embedded the Chi-Rho Christogram, and sometimes also the image of Christ in purple and gold. It was introduced by Emperor Constantine the Great. It was the banner of the Roman legions but used only when the emperor was with the army.
According to an account by Eusebius of Caesarea, before the battle at the Milvian Bridge (October 28, 312 CE) Constantine the Great had a vision that allowed him to win. Around noon, he was to see a luminous cross in the sky, and under it, an inscription in Greek – “You will overcome this”. Better known in Latin translation In hoc signo vinces – “In this sign, you will win”. The next night in a dream, Christ commanded him to use the sign of the cross against his enemies. Eusebius then describes labarum (legionary’s banner) with the sign of Chi Rho.
The Labarum, became the sacred military standard of the Christian Roman emperors, first used by Constantine I in the early part of the 4th century AD. The Labarum—a Christian version of the vexillum, the military standard used earlier in the Roman Empire—incorporated the Chi-Rho, the monogram of Christ, in a golden wreath atop the staff. The flag was made of purple silk (purple dye being at this time a rarity derived from a shellfish of the genus Murex) richly embroidered with gold. Although usually suspended from a horizontal bar, it appears to have been displayed occasionally by fastening one of its sides to its staff.
Constantine was the first emperor to convert to Christianity. He ended the policy of persecuting Christians and in 313 CE issued the Edict of Milan, proclaiming the freedom to profess this religion.
A silver ring of a hoop form, with nicely shaped shoulders, circular bezel nicely engraved with the Emperor's Chi Rho cross, within a laurel wreath roundel. In the gallery is the Labarum of Constantine I, reconstructed from the depiction on a follis Roman coin, minted c. 337. The three dots represent "medallions" which are said to have shown portraits of Constantine and his sons. plus another Roman coin showing his standard, an artistic representation of the Emperor's Labarum, and an original roman carved marble panel, showing Emperor Constantine holding his personal standard adorned with his Chi Rho symbol at the very top.
Battle of Milvian Bridge, (October 28, 312 CE), major battle in a Roman civil war between Constantine I and Maxentius. After the collapse of the Roman Empire’s Second Tetrarchy, Constantine and Maxentius asserted competing claims to the imperial throne. At Maxentius’s goading, Constantine invaded the Italian Peninsula. A lightning campaign saw Maxentius killed in battle at the Milvian Bridge on the outskirts of Rome. Constantine’s victory confirmed his role as ruler of the Western Empire. According to ancient sources, Constantine converted to Christianity just before the battle. The Battle of the Milvian Bridge may have concluded Constantine’s civil war with Maxentius, but it was not his final battle. In the East, Licinius conquered his rival Maximinus Daia’s lands. However, he held them only briefly before Constantine invaded, first in 314 and again in 316. Constantine seemingly eschewed any subtlety of manoeuvre, he launched a single massive frontal assault on Licinius' troops and routed them.[6][8] He won a decisive victory in what was a very large-scale battle. According to the fifth-century historian Zosimus, “There was great slaughter at Chrysopolis.” Emperor Licinius was reported to have lost 25,000 to 30,000 men, with thousands more breaking and running in flight. Licinius managed to escape and gathered around 30,000 of his surviving troops at the city of Nicomedia.
Recognising that his surviving forces in Nicomedia could not stand against Constantine's victorious army, Licinius was persuaded to throw himself on the mercy of his enemy. Constantia, Constantine's half-sister and Licinius' wife, acted as intermediary. Initially, yielding to the pleas of his sister, Constantine spared the life of his brother-in-law, but some months later he ordered his execution, thereby breaking his solemn oath. This occurred because Licinius was suspected of treasonable actions, and the army command pressed for his execution. A year later, Constantine's nephew, the younger Licinius, also fell victim to the emperor's anger or suspicions. He was executed in 326 and had his name expunged from official inscriptions.
In defeating his last foe, Licinius, Constantine became the sole emperor of the Roman Empire; the first such since the elevation of Maximian to the status of Augustus by Diocletian in April 286. After his conquest of the eastern portion of the Roman Empire, Constantine made the momentous decision to give the east its own capital, and the empire as a whole its second. Constantine was now the undisputed ruler of the entire Roman Empire. As thanks for his good fortune and proof of his conviction, he would make Christianity the state’s most favoured religion. But Constantine would also abandon the city whose conquest had cemented his conversion. The capital would be relocated east to the city of Byzantium (renamed Constantinople, modern Istanbul). Rome would be left to crumble, and with it the Western Empire.
As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity
read more
1250.00 GBP
A n Original 1870's Victorian the 9th Battalion Volunteer Militia Rifles of Canada, 9th Voltiguers De Quebec Shako Plate. The Oldest French Canadian Regiment.
A very good and rare large helmet plate of the Canadian Light Infantry volunteers.
3 loop pin mounting posts. In superb condition.
The '9' unit mark denotes issue to the 9th Battalion Volunteer Militia Rifles of Canada (Voltigeurs de Quebec). They were one of the units mobilized and sent out west during the 1885 North West Rebellion. The unit was established in 1862.
The North-West Rebellion (or the North-West Resistance, Saskatchewan Rebellion, Northwest Uprising, or Second Riel Rebellion) of 1885 was a brief and unsuccessful uprising by the Metis people under Louis Riel, and an associated uprising by First Nations Cree and Assiniboine, of the District of Saskatchewan against the government of Canada. During a time of great social change in Western Canada, the Metis believed that the Canadians had failed to address the protection of their rights, their land and their survival as a distinct people. Despite some notable early victories at Duck Lake, Fish Creek and Cut Knife, the rebellion ended when the Metis were defeated at the siege of Batoche, Saskatchewan, the eventual scattering of their allied Aboriginal forces and the trial and hanging of Louis Riel and eight First Nations leaders.
Tensions between French Canada and English Canada increased for some time. Due to the role that the Canadian Pacific Railway played in transporting troops, but political support for it increased, and Parliament authorized funds to complete the country's first transcontinental railway.
It was redesignated the 9th Regiment Voltigeurs de Québec on 8 May 1900, and, following the Great War, Les Voltigeurs de Québec on 29 March 1920. During the Second World War it was designated the 2nd (Reserve) Battalion, Les Voltigeurs de Québec on 10 May 1941 and Les Voltigeurs de Québec (Reserve) on 15 September 1944. After the Second World War it was designated Les Voltigeurs de Québec (Motor) on 1 April 1946. On 1 September 1954, it was amalgamated with Le Régiment de Québec (Mitrailleuses) and redesignated Les Voltigeurs de Québec (Mitrailleuses). It was, again, redesignated Les Voltigeurs de Québec on 11 April 1958. On 22 February 1965, the regiment was amalgamated with The Royal Rifles of Canada. The two regiments ceased to be amalgamated on 1 November 1966 and the “Voltigeurs de Quebec” continue as an active infantry regiment on the Canadian order of battle.
4 inches high.
Photo four in the gallery shows another helmet plate mounted upon its Shako read more
345.00 GBP
An Early Roman Empire Period 1st Century Status Seal Ring Depicting Winged Pegasus and Bellerophon Slaying the Monstrous Chimaera With His Spear
A superb Henig type Xb ring. Wide oval bezel affixed to flattened shoulders engraved copper bronze alloy with gilt highlights. Almost identical shape and form to one found in the UK near Hadrian's Wall. And another similar, with the very same style of workmanship and engraving from the era, was discovered 50 years ago, and believed to be once the ring of the infamous Pontius Pilate, the Governor of Judea for Rome
Although an Ancient Greek legend, all the gods and myths of Ancient Greece were highly revereed and eagerly adopted by the Romans, for their art especially. However, once they adopted the Greek gods they Romanised and re-named them, such as the God of the Sea, Poseiden, who thus became Neptune, God of the Sea, for the Romans. Traditional stylized engraving, typical for a Roman status ring, for a citizen or noble.
Pegasus is fabled winged-horse from Greek mythology which was fathered by Poseidon and was born from the severed neck of the gorgon Medusa, slain by Perseus. At the same time and in the same way, Chryasor was also born. Poseidon gave Pegasus to his son Bellerophon who put Pegasus to good use in his famous battle with the Chimaera.
The myth of Bellerophon begins with the hero visiting Tiryns and enjoying the hospitality of the city's king Proitos. However, trouble started when Stheneboia, the king's wife, fell in love with the hero and made inappropriate advances. Bellerophon, being a good guest, politely rejected these advances but predictably, Stheneboia saw red and went before the king and accused the visitor of attempting to seduce her. In punishment, Bellerophon was sent by Proitos to serve his father-in-law Iobates, King of Lykia. On arrival, Bellerophon was set a series of dangerous and impossibly difficult tasks, chief amongst them being to destroy the fearsome and rather bizarre Chimaera. This fire-breathing creature was a terrible mix of a lion's body with a snake for a tail and the head of a goat sprouting from its back. To aid him in this task, Bellerophon was fortunate to have at his disposal Pegasus. In some accounts he found the horse at the fountain of Pirene near Corinth, and Hesiod suggests this fact explains the name Pegasus, derived from 'water'- pēgē. Taming the horse with the help of Athena, Bellerophon rode (and flew) Pegasus and managed to kill the monstrous Chimaera with his spear.
Bellerophon and Pegasus went on to enjoy further success with other challenges Iobates set the hero including a battle with the Amazons. However, becoming rather boastful and thinking he could fly high enough on his winged steed to take his place amongst the immortal gods, Bellerophon was thrown by Pegasus and fell unceremoniously back to earth. Meanwhile, Pegasus kept on going and on reaching Mt. Olympus, he was given to Eos who was responsible for bringing Dawn across the sky each day. According to Hesiod in his Theogony, Pegasus also brought Zeus his thunder and lightning whenever needed.
Pegasus appeared on Greek pottery, the earliest being Corinthian wares from the 7th century BCE. Pegasus was also a popular design on coins, in particular from Corinth from the 6th century BCE. A famous representation in sculpture is from the pediment of the Temple of Artemis on Corcyra (c. 580 BCE). The Bellerophon and Pegasus myth was also a popular subject in Roman art - especially engraved semi-precious stone cameos and floor mosaics - where the horse became symbolic of immortality.
A ring discovered 50 years ago is now believed to possibly be the ring of Pontius Pilate himself, and it was the same copper-bronze form ring as is this one. See its image in the gallery, with a detailed drawing of the traditional stylized engraving.
Being around 2000 years old, it has a heavily encrusted, natural, well aged patina
As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity read more
395.00 GBP