Antique Arms & Militaria

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A Beautiful & Incredibly Impressive Original Antique Omani Silver Al Saidi 'Royal' Khanjar, Just The Type As Was Presented To The Famed Lawrence of Arabia Over 100 Years Ago

A Beautiful & Incredibly Impressive Original Antique Omani Silver Al Saidi 'Royal' Khanjar, Just The Type As Was Presented To The Famed Lawrence of Arabia Over 100 Years Ago

A rare and complete example of an Omani Sa'idiyyah khanjar, a Royal Khanjar with the distinctive ‘7 Rings’ to denote its owner is a person of high status, comprising of an all silver scabbard and hilt. Decorated in intricate silver filigree wirework with a pattern similar to the 'tree of life'.
Also known as the Jambiya, daggers of this quality were almost always usually custom made for presentation. Lawrence of Arabia had several very similar ones presented to him, they were his favourite dagger, and he was frequently photographed wearing them. One picture is a portrait of Lawrence with his silver Jambiya, near identical to this one. Information only not included Silver, usually more often than not, coin silver, not English hallmarked silver. The jambia, a curved Islamic dagger, is the main customary accessory to the clothing worn by Arabian men. For centuries the people of South Arabia have inherited the their jambiahs from generation to generation. There are several theories about the origin of the Jambia. There are historical facts, concerning the existence of the Jambia revealing that it used to be worn at Sheban times, in the Himiarite kingdom. They take the statue of the Sheban king (Madi Karb 500 bc ) as proof. This statue, which was discovered by an American mission in Marib in the 1950s, was found to be wearing a Jambia.
Since The most expensive and famous jambiya was purchased by Sheikh Naji Bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Sha'if, who was able to pay US $1 million for one prized and ancient piece. This jambiah had a historical importance, belonging to Imam Ahmed Hamid Al-Din, who ruled Yemen from 1948 to 1962. The Imam's most precious possession was transferred to Sheikh Hussein Al-Watari, who in turn sold it to Sheikh Al-Sha'if.
According to Sheikh Muhammad Naji, the son of current owner of the most precious jambiah, his father?s prize is the most expensive and famous one in the country. Its cost was made so high because it is one of the best jambiahs ever made by Al-Saifani, and a piece of history, as well.
The second highest price ever paid for a jambiah was for the one that Sheikh Ahmed Hamid Al-Habari sold to Sheikh Abdullah Bin Hussein Al-Ahmar for £440,000 GBP.


A picture in tha gallery from the 1950's shows a khanjar being given to a British member (Colonel Watson) of the Trucial Oman Levies

for reference see
Ernst Hieke; Zur Geschichte des Deutschen Handels Mit Oastafrika Teil, 1 Wm Oswald & Co, page 40 1939
Robert Elgood; The Arms and armour of Arabia
Approx 27 cm top to bottom  read more

Code: 23903

750.00 GBP

A fabulous Chinese Export Chinoisserie Black Lacquer and Gold Large Tea Caddy Chest of the Finest Quality, King George IIIrd, circa 1800's from the Estate of a 23rd Foot, Royal Welsh Fusiliers Peninsular War and Waterloo Officer George Fielding

A fabulous Chinese Export Chinoisserie Black Lacquer and Gold Large Tea Caddy Chest of the Finest Quality, King George IIIrd, circa 1800's from the Estate of a 23rd Foot, Royal Welsh Fusiliers Peninsular War and Waterloo Officer George Fielding

An antique finest quality Chinese export hand gilded Chinoiserie tea chest caddy with hinged lid, and interior lidded pewter container, for the most precious tea, and made for the European market. Possibly made in Foo Chow.

Not only is the exterior stunningly decorated in the Chinoiserie style, the interior pewter container’s lid is exquisitely engraved to match, with another fabulous and highly elaborate oriental scene of figures and countryside. The lacquer shows scenes of a typical Southern Chinese scholar's garden with people in it, all done in black and gold. Surrounding these scenes are typical Chinese decorative motifs incorporating several auspicious symbols..

This is a superlative tea chest, and note that its exceptional size makes it a most rare type of tea 'chest' size caddy. It is hand crafted with hand painted chinoiserie gilt and ebonized black lacquer. It is painted on all sides with multiple figures, pagoda and palace gardens, with additional geometric and floral designs. It retains its original hand engraved pewter lidded tea casket; It has 2 carrying handles on the sides. It also has most satisfying heft in its weight. The lid’s gilding is worn as to be expected, but all the remaining 4 faces are in excellent near mint condition, as is the interior and the tea casket. The inner lid area contains the monogram of George Fielding, ‘G F’, a British army officer and a Peninsular War and Waterloo veteran, for whom it was commissioned. Captain George Fielding, of the 23rd Regiment of Foot, the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, was a veteran of the Battle of Waterloo who was wounded at the battle, and who resided at Startforth Hall, Startforth, County Durham.

Captain Fielding served in the Peninsular War from Aug 1811 to April 1814, at Aldea de Ponte, Badajoz, Cuidad Rodrigo, Nive, Toulouse, & Orthez. He died in Bath in 1830.

Chinoiserie, so called from 'Chinois' the French for Chinese, was a style inspired by the finest art and design imported from China, Japan and other Asian countries in the 18th century. At its height in Britain from the mid 18th century, this fanciful style relied more on the designer's and craftsman's imagination than on accurately portraying oriental motifs and ornament.

In it earliest days the tea it contained would have been valued by today’s standard thousands of pounds so one can understand why its container should be so fine and a superb work of art in it’s own right. In England in the 1700s, tea was an incredibly expensive commodity. To keep it safe, people would store it in a tea Chest or tea box, which eventually became known as a tea caddy (the word caddy is derived from the Malay "Kati", a unit of weight by which tea was sold). As tea was too expensive to risk leaving in the presence of servants, the caddy in which it was stored would generally be kept in the drawing-room. Subsequently, the tea caddy became an important & fashionable accessory for the home. Tea Caddies were made in a huge variety of styles and materials..

In the manufacture of lacquer-ware the lightest kinds of wood are used. After planing, the surface is covered with a coating of grasscloth fibre and Broussonetia paper, and a mixture of pigs' or buffaloes' gall and pulverised old red sandstone serves as a priming. The article is then placed in a dark room, and a coating of the prepared lacquer laid on with a brush and allowed to dry; and according to the fineness of the ware these coatings are repeated from 3 to 15 times. When the hut coat is dry the articles are painted and gilded. The lacquer, sap of the Vemix vemieiaf used in Canton, is imported from Szechuen or Kiangsi. The gold colouring (a solution of gold leaf in glue water) is laid on with lye of potash ; red is native cinnabar, pink a varnish prepared from Carthamus and green is formed by a mixture of hartall and indigo. Nearly all the lacquer-ware is manufactured in Canton, but magnificent specimens, far exceeding the Canton ware in beauty, colour and fineness are turned out at Foochow. They are made by a single family, said to be of Japanese origin, who brought the secret over with them and have retained it ever since.

From: Catalogue of the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs Collection
at the United States International Exhibition, Philadelphia, 1876
Inspectorate General of Customs, 1876

13.5 inches x 9.75 inches x 8 inches  read more

Code: 23900

2150.00 GBP

A Wonderful 18th Century French Small-Sword of Parcel Gilt and Blued Steel A Simply Stunning Museum Grade Piece

A Wonderful 18th Century French Small-Sword of Parcel Gilt and Blued Steel A Simply Stunning Museum Grade Piece

A sword that is certainly worthy of a finest collection of all forms of object d'art, antiquities, antiques and militaria.
Likely made at Versailles, at the royal workshops, by a royal swordsmith of King Louis XVIth, such as the master swordsmiths of the king, Lecourt, Liger or Guilman. A very finest grade sword of the form as was made for the king to present to favoured nobles and friends. He presented a similar sword to John Paul Jones see painting in the gallery now in the US Naval Academy Museum.

Three near identical swords to this now reside in the Metropolitan A simply superb small-sword, with stunningly engraved chiselled steel hilt, overlaid with pure gold over a fish-roe background,, decorated with hand chiselled scenes in the rococo Italianate renaissance style depicting various hunting scenes, of hunting hounds and game birds. The multi wire spiral bound grip is finest silver, in with Turks head finials. The blade is in the typical trefoil form, ideal for the gentleman's art of duelling. The degree of craftsmanship of this spectacular sword is simply astounding, worthy of significant admiration, it reveals an incredible attention to detail and the skill of it's execution is second to none. Other similar swords are in also in the British Royal Collection and in Les Invalides in Paris. Trefoil 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. For example of the workmanship in creating this sword for such as the King and Marie Antoinette we show the keys for the Louis XVI Secretary Desk (Circa 1783) made for Marie-Antoinette by Jean Henri Riesener, one of the worlds finest cabinetmakers, and whose works of furniture are the most valuable in the world. The steel and gold metalwork key for Marie Antoinette's desk, is attributed to Pierre Gouthoire (1732-1813), the most famous Parisian bronzeworker of the late eighteenth century who became gilder to the king in 1767. This sword bears identical workmanship and style to that magnificent key. This is the quality of sword one might have expected find inscribed upon the blade 'Ex Dono Regis' given by the King. Very good condition overall, with natural aged patination throughout. This painting, entitled John Paul Jones and Louis XVI, by the American artist Jean Leon Gerome Ferris depicts John Paul Jones and Benjamin Franklin at the court of Louis XVIth and being presented a similar sword now in US Naval Academy Museum.
39.1/4 inches long overall.  read more

Code: 23138

5995.00 GBP

A 19th Century English Boxlock Pistol By Smith of London

A 19th Century English Boxlock Pistol By Smith of London

Circa 1830. Boxlock pistols were pocket pistols popular in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Effectively the first Derringers. The most unique feature of their design was the boxlock mechanism. Unlike most firearms which have the hammer located off to the side of the pistol, a boxlock pistol had the hammer located directly on top of the pistol. They were called a boxlocks because all of the working mechanisms for the hammer and the trigger was located in a box or receiver directly below the top mounted hammer. While the hammer obstructed the aim of the user, this system had the advantage of making the gun more compact and concealable than other pistols. The first boxlock pistols were flintlock and where later made in percussion lock. Unlike modern firearms, these pistols were not mass produced, but were hand made in gunsmith's workshops. As with all our antique guns no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables  read more

Code: 18558

325.00 GBP

A Scarce English Transitional Revolver Circa 1840 By Cook of London

A Scarce English Transitional Revolver Circa 1840 By Cook of London

The stepping stone between the 1830's pepperbox revolver, and the later first double action revolver patented by London's Robert Adams in 1851. Some of the most ground breaking work in the early design and manufacture of revolvers was undertaken in England long before the world famous American revolver makers, such as Colt and Remington, became famous for their fine pistols. This most interesting piece is fully, and most finely engraved, on the frame and grip, with a highly detailed micro chequered walnut butt. Good operating action, several areas of old surface pitting intersperced with areas of no pitting at all. Trapdoor percussion cap container in the butt. Made by one of England's 19th century makers and innovators of fine revolver pistols, of London. A classic example of one of the earliest English cylinder revolvers that was favoured by gentleman wishing to arm themselves with the latest technology and improvement ever designed by English master gunsmiths. They were most popular with officers [that could afford them] in the Crimean War and Indian Mutiny. A picture in the gallery is of Robert Adams himself, loading his patent revolver for HRH Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's Consort. He was also manager for the London Armoury and he made many of the 19,000 pistols that were bought by the Confederate States for the Civil War. The US government also bought Adams revolvers from the London Armoury, at $18 each, which was $4.00 more than it was paying Colt for his, and $6.00 more than Remington.The action on this beautiful gun is good very nice, and tight, but the surface has areas of old corrosion. As with all our antique guns no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables  read more

Code: 22364

695.00 GBP

1st 2nd Century Romano British Ellipsoid Glass Ring Mount Depicting the Impressed Head of the Sky God of Thunder Taranis {Roman,Jupiter} or Mithras {Roman, Mars} Of the East of England Mithraic Cult. From the Era of 'King' Caratacus

1st 2nd Century Romano British Ellipsoid Glass Ring Mount Depicting the Impressed Head of the Sky God of Thunder Taranis {Roman,Jupiter} or Mithras {Roman, Mars} Of the East of England Mithraic Cult. From the Era of 'King' Caratacus

For a man of high status in Romano-British life, a status ring insert of the portrait bust of Taranis or Mithras, with his distinctive bearded profile. He was often found on Romano British brooches, discovered in archaeological digs in Britain, mounted upon his horse. This portrait could have once been set within a ring or a neck pendant. Naturally it could be set once more into a ring mount for current wear.

The wearing of an image of a god or goddess to ward off the evil eye can be traced back to Ancient Greece and the wearing of an image of the Gorgon or Medusa upon a ring or pendant. This practice travelled to Rome and indeed to Roman Britain

Archaeologist Michael Green says, ‘The enamelled brooch is a well-known type from the Catuvellaunian territory. It refers to the Mounted Sky God, whose Romano-Celtic name was probably Taranis {with his distinctive bearded profile}. He survived in local folk lore as Hiccafrith. The local war god was probably Camulos, after whom the Trinovantian capital of Camulodunum was named, at Colchester.’
Quite a few of horse and rider brooches depicting the Sky God Teranis or Mithras, have been found in the East of England, Ipswich, Thetford and one in Lincoln very similar to this portrait bust example, found near Ermine Street along which Roman cavalry travelled bound for Hadrian’s Wall. Two mounted, armed riders were also found as part of a hoard in Willingham Fen, Cambs (now in the Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology).

The Catuvellauni were a Celtic tribe or state of southeastern Britain before the Roman conquest, attested by inscriptions into the 4th century.

The fortunes of the Catuvellauni and their kings before the conquest can be traced through ancient coins and scattered references in classical histories. They are mentioned by Cassius Dio, who implies that they led the resistance against the conquest in AD 43. They appear as one of the civitates of Roman Britain in Ptolemy's Geography in the 2nd century, occupying the town of Verlamion (modern St Albans) and the surrounding areas of Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and southern Cambridgeshire.

Their territory was bordered to the north by the Iceni and Corieltauvi, to the east by the Trinovantes, to the west by the Dobunni and Atrebates, and to the south by the Regni and Cantiaci.

Caratacus is named by Dio Cassius as a son of the Catuvellaunian king Cunobelinus. Based on coin distribution Caratacus appears to have been the protégé of his uncle Epaticcus, who expanded Catuvellaunian power westwards most likely from his palace in Verulam, the heartland of the Catuvellauni, into the territory of the Atrebates. After Epaticcus died in about AD 35, the Atrebates, under Verica, regained some of their territory, but it appears Caratacus completed the conquest, as Dio tells us Verica was ousted, fled to Rome and appealed to the emperor Claudius for help. This was the excuse used by Claudius to launch his invasion of Britain in the summer of 43. The invasion targeted Caratacus' stronghold of Camulodunon (modern Colchester), previously the seat of his father Cunobelinus. Cunobelinus had died some time before the invasion. Caratacus and his brother Togodumnus led the initial defence of the country against Aulus Plautius's four legions, thought to have been around 40,000 men, primarily using guerrilla tactics. They lost much of the south-east after being defeated in two crucial battles, the Battle of the River Medway and River Thames. Togodumnus was killed (although both Miles Russell and John Hind argue that Dio was mistaken in reporting Togodumnus's death, that he was defeated but survived, and was later appointed by the Romans as a friendly king over a number of territories, becoming the loyal king referred to by Tacitus as Cogidubnus or Togidubnus) and the Catuvellauni's territories were conquered. Their stronghold of Camulodunon was converted into the first Roman colonia in Britain,

One can see the very same profile head upon a Romano-British brooch, from the same period, in the British Museum. It is the god Teranis or Mithras on horseback. Aka as Roman gods, Jupiter or Mars

https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/H_1915-1208-119

Size 14mm

Two pictures in the gallery, one a photo of Trajans column of the scene of the Roman Legion standard bearers at the Battle of the River Medway, and a painting of Caratacus and his Brother proceeding to battle the Romans at the River Medway.  read more

Code: 25494

295.00 GBP

A Most Scarce Early 17th century Jamdhar Katari Dagger From the Mountains of Nepal And the Hindu Kush,

A Most Scarce Early 17th century Jamdhar Katari Dagger From the Mountains of Nepal And the Hindu Kush,

An most early and rare Nepalese dagger classified as the Jamdhar Katari. 17th century, and developed as a fighting weapon in the 17th century. With a thin slightly swollen double edged blade 23.5cms long, painted with red devotional designs (sandlewood oil) on one side, iron hilt with swollen grip and slightly down-turned pommel and guard. Tip lacking. GC
For reference see Egerton Nos. 344 and 345 for similar.

Another very similar Jamdha Katari is in The Met Collection Fifth Ave. New York, [Accession Number:36.25.820] Donated to The Met by the legendary George Cameron Stone [Author of the seminal work A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor: in All Countries and in All Times, known as 'Stone's Glossary'] in 1935.

It was regarding another most similar example we had, about which Mark Hawkins engaged in a most interesting conversation with the now late US President Ronald Reagan [in the 1970's]. President Reagan displayed a knowledge of this particular weapon, in his conversation with Mark, that was surprisingly extensive and certainly impressive.  read more

Code: 22528

695.00 GBP

Super 1850's 'Crimean War' Russian Military Officer's Campaign Trunk

Super 1850's 'Crimean War' Russian Military Officer's Campaign Trunk

A wooden and steel strap banded military officer's campaign trunk from the Crimean war. Painted in faded pale Russian blue-grey. From family history, it was been used by an officer of the 17th Lancers after he acquired it from various kit and officers campaign equipment captured from a Russian baggage train in 1854 around Balaklava. The British officer then used it for his gun case and military kit during his campaign in the crimean, and later by his sons. Campaign furniture is an umbrella term for the portable items of furniture used by the military in the eighteenth, nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It is comprised of a huge number of objects, from chairs to chests, wardrobes to washstands and games tables to camp beds. A number of celebrated British furniture makers created pieces of campaign furniture, elevating it beyond its roots in functional, army-based design to desirable, collectible decor that continues to add a beautiful, innovative touch to homes today. The Crimean War started with Russia's invasion of the Turkish Danubian principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia (now Romania). Britain and France both wanted to prop up the ailing Ottoman Empire and resist Russian expansionism in the Near East.

Although Russia fought a largely successful war against the Turks in Armenia, and British and French fleets operated in the Baltic Sea, it was the events in the Crimea that had the biggest impact on Britain. In September 1854 the allies landed troops in Russian Crimea, on the north shore of the Black Sea, and began a yearlong siege of the Russian fortress of Sevastopol. Major engagements were fought at the Alma River on September 20, at Balaklava on October 25 (commemorated in ?The Charge of the Light Brigade? by English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson), and at Inkerman on November 5. On January 26, 1855, Sardinia-Piedmont entered the war and sent 10,000 troops. Finally, on September 11, 1855, three days after a successful French assault on the Malakhov, a major strongpoint in the Russian defenses, the Russians blew up the forts, sank the ships, and evacuated Sevastopol. Secondary operations of the war were conducted in the Caucasus and in the Baltic Sea. The last picture shows the bottom rear strap loops for mounting the trunk on the rear of a horse drawn baggage coach. 13 inches deep x 21.5 inches wide x 11.5 inches high.  read more

Code: 22604

675.00 GBP

A Most Rare Early19th Century, Georgian to William IVth Irish, Crum Castle Infantryman's Large Shako Helmet Plate

A Most Rare Early19th Century, Georgian to William IVth Irish, Crum Castle Infantryman's Large Shako Helmet Plate

This is a super, and incredibly desirable large Bell-Top Shako helmet plate, from one of the small Irish Militia of the early 19th century. Their motto was 'Rebels Lie Down'. Surviving artefacts of this militia are so scarce that we know of only one other surviving piece of early uniform militaria, a shoulder belt plate, regimentally named and also bearing their motto.
Early 19th century Irish Militia helmet plates are incredibly rare, highly prized and very collectable indeed.

Crum Castle was the alternative old spelling of Crom Castle, County Fermanagh. Although the Yeomanry’s official existence ended in 1834, the last rusty muskets were not removed from their dusty stores till the early 1840s. With unintentional but obvious symbolism, they were escorted to the ordnance stores by members of the new constabulary. Although gone, the Yeomen were most certainly not forgotten. For one thing, they were seen as the most recent manifestation of a tradition of Protestant self-defence stretching back to plantation requirements of armed service from tenants then re-surfacing in different forms such as the Williamite county associations, the eighteenth-century Boyne Societies, anti-Jacobite associations of 1745 and the Volunteers. Such identification had been eagerly promoted. At the foundation of an Apprentice Boys’ club in 1813, Colonel Blacker, a Yeoman and Orangeman, amalgamated the siege tradition, the Yeomanry and 1798 in a song entitled The Crimson Banner:

Again when treason maddened round,
and rebel hordes were swarming,
were Derry’s sons the foremost found,
for King and Country arming.

Moreover, the idea of a yeomanry remained as a structural template for local, gentry-led self-defence, particularly in Ulster. When volunteering was revived in Britain in 1859, northern Irish MPs like Sharman Crawford tried unsuccessfully to use the Yeomanry precedent to get similar Irish legislation. Yeomanry-like associations were mooted in the second Home Rule crisis of 1893. The Ulster Volunteer Force of 1911-14—often led by the same families like Knox of Dungannon—defined their role like Yeomen, giving priority to local defence and exhibiting great reluctance to leave their own districts for training in brigades. Two loop mounts [one with old re-bedding] 6.25 inches high.  read more

Code: 23283

1895.00 GBP

An Incredible & Substantially Formidable, Around 1,100 Year Old Viking War-Hammer-Axe. An Impressive, Beautiful, and Most Powerful War Axe and Hammer, Combined.

An Incredible & Substantially Formidable, Around 1,100 Year Old Viking War-Hammer-Axe. An Impressive, Beautiful, and Most Powerful War Axe and Hammer, Combined.

In superb condition for it's age, and stunningly conserved. The front has a fine blade, with the reverse made into a flat, helmet smashing hammer. For combat, as a middle-heavyweight axe, it could have been mounted with a single or double handed haft. In a discussion on axes from the medeavil age we had together with Howard Blackmore {deputy curator at the Tower}, and Dennis Ottrey {our former gun and armour smith of over 40 years} the service of the war axe in hand to hand combat was critical in all the major battles for over a millennia. The lighter wide bladed axe, perfect for deep slicing and cutting, the heavy axe, for smashing and crushing, but often the most formidable, like the hand and a half sword in the world of long edged weapons, aka the bastard sword, the middle weight axe was the most functional. At home set in either a single handed short or two handed long haft, it was almost ideal for all purposes, and like the ‘bastard’ sword, it was perfect {in the right hands} for all fighting conditions. The hand-and-a-half sword was known as the ‘bastard’ sword because in trained hands it was far more powerful than the shorter, knightly cruciform sword, and much faster than the considerably longer zweihander {two handed} sword. Thus the middle-heavyweight axe could well have been classified as the ‘bastard’ axe. Although in hand-to-hand combat the only ideal defence against the war axe was the shield {or, possibly, superior agility} not another axe, unlike sword-to-sword combat, where the best defence against the sword, was another sword.

Knowledge about the arms and armour of the Viking age is based on archaeological finds, pictorial representation, and to some extent on the accounts in the Norse sagas and Norse laws recorded in the 13th century. According to custom, all free Norse men were required to own weapons and were permitted to carry them all the time. These arms were indicative of a Viking's social status: a wealthy Viking had a complete ensemble of a helmet, shield, mail shirt, and sword. However, swords were rarely used in battle in the same quantity as axes, as few Vikings were of the status to own or carry a sword, A typical bondi (freeman) was more likely to fight with a spear, axe, with shield and most also carried a seax as a utility knife and side-arm. Bows were used in the opening stages of land battles and at sea, but they tended to be considered less "honourable" than a melee weapon.

The warfare and violence of the Vikings were often motivated and fuelled by their beliefs in Norse religion, focusing on Thor and Odin, the gods of war and death. In combat, it is believed that the Vikings sometimes engaged in a disordered style of frenetic, furious fighting known as berserkergang, leading them to be termed berserkers. Such tactics may have been deployed intentionally by shock troops, and the berserk-state may have been induced through ingestion of materials with psychoactive properties, such as the hallucinogenic mushrooms, Amanita muscaria, or large amounts of alcohol. Perhaps the most common hand weapon among Vikings was the axe swords were more expensive to make and only wealthy warriors could afford them. The prevalence of axes in archaeological sites can likely be attributed to its role as not just a weapon, but also a common tool. This is supported by the large number of grave sites of female Scandinavians containing axes. Several types of larger axes specialized for use in battle evolved, with larger heads and longer shafts.

Vikings most commonly carried sturdy axes that could be thrown or swung with head-splitting force. The Mammen Axe is a famous example of such battle-axes, ideally suited for throwing and melee combat.
An axe head was mostly wrought iron, possibly with a steel cutting edge. This made the weapon less expensive than a sword, and was a standard item produced by blacksmiths, historically.

Like most other Scandinavian weaponry, axes were often given names. According to Snorri Sturluson's Prose Edda, axes were often named after she-trolls. A bearded 10th century Viking battle axe that could double as a throwing axe from the time of the last Viking, English King, Eric Bloodaxe, King of Northumbria. Probably the eldest son of King Harald Finehair The first King of all Norway. Eric's name probably derives from the legend that he murdered most of his 20 brothers, excepting Hakon. This was an unfortunate error as, upon Haralds death, Hakon returned to Norway from Britain to claim Harald's throne, and removed Eric from his Kingship. His elder brother Eric then fled Norway to Britain and to King Athelstan, an old friend of his father's, whereupon he took the Kingdom of Northumbria in around 947 a.d. While the sagas call him 'Bloodaxe', one of the Latin texts calls him fratris interfector (brother-killer), but, for whatever reason his name was derived, it was certainly a fine example of the descriptive titles the Viking warriors had, and that we are told of in the Viking sagas.


Weighing just under 2.5 pounds, 6.75 inches x 2.75 inches  read more

Code: 25472

1295.00 GBP