Antique Arms & Militaria

A Wonderful, Original, German 'Zweihander' Great Sword, 16th Century. Probably The Most Impressive And Largest Sword Ever Used in Historic Warfare. Following the Form of Sword Made Famous By The Scots in The Time Of Sir William Wallace

This Spectacular Original Great Sword, just a half inch under six feet long, is a simply stunning original antique artefact of history, that is also a remarkable 'statement' piece. It is taller than the average man, and worthy of a primary display position in any noteworthy location, wether albeit in a castle, an armoury, museum or a private home, this piece displays its dramatic form with grandeur and nobility alongside great beauty.

We consider ourselves very lucky indeed if we are able to acquire such a fabulous type of sword available on the collectors market today

Around 500 years old, this ‘Great Sword’ is a later example of their earliest most famous appearance in the great wars in Scotland against the English, during the reign of Edward Ist, the principle of the original design and use of the ‘Great Sword’ remained the same for around 300 years.

Effectively it is the weapon of the so called ‘berserker’ warrior, who was skilled at running full pelt at the enemy positions, with the spinning great sword rotating above his head, terrifyingly clearing a way through defensive pikemen and the such, in order for the offensive charge of his fellow infantry and cavalry warriors behind him to breakthrough the defensive enemies ranks.

This is a most incredible and stunningly beautiful example of its type, with a long early straight double-edged blade, tapering to a sharp point and formed with a pair of near full length fullers on each face, struck with a brass inlaid running wolf mark on one face (with small hairlines and overall a natural russetted surface) rectangular ricasso with engraved border, struck with a series of armourers' marks on each side including a Pi and cross and orb, and crowned head with running wolf in gold. The armourer’s mark representing the blade work of Johannes Wundes, and all of these armourers marks are indicative of his fine work. The sword is fitted with a later crescentic defensive hooked, iron cross-guard, comprising pair of drooping quillons with tightly scrolling terminals each with an additional lug front and back, formed en suite. An inner and outer ring-guard each filled with a fleur-de-lys, fluted globular pommel, decorated throughout with scrolls, and designed for the Landsknecht Mercenary Foot Knights, for use as a hugely effective, offensive sword, and, as we previously described, swung around the head in a fast rotational movement [in essence, just like a helicopter blade] to create a twelve foot circle of terror and destruction.

An experienced Landsknecht warrior could be designated a Doppelsoldner, an armoured foot soldier who served as the backbone for the armed formation in battle (and was paid double for it) and also, in addition to being armed with the pike, as more recent recruits, they could also be alternatively employed wielding a 6-to-8-foot-long (1.8 to 2.4 m) halberd or partisan, or, more famously, a Zweihander (literally: "Two-hander") such as this sword, a two-handed sword as long as 180 cm (6 ft). These great war swords could be swung in a great circular arc [somewhat akin to a helicopter motion] and thus, incredibly effectively, used to knock the forward pointed long pikes, held by enemy pikemen, aside, that were wielded by a phalanx of pikemen, thus creating disorder among the tightly-arranged enemy pikemen in order to break through their lines.

However, another primary use of the two-handed sword, would be to serve as the 'guard' for the standard bearer, for it is a weapon that allows for a few to oppose many.
The Swiss adversaries to the Landsknechts had specifically attempted to prohibit the use of these swords during the late 15th century, as they deemed them unsuitable for the constricted manner of pike warfare.

The handle grip, is now in appearance, showing just the narrow all steel blade tang, but, would originally been leather bound, over partial wood, and leathered right down to the cutting edge of the blade. The original leather and wooden grip would never survive intact for 500 years, being organic it has little ability to last for so many centuries.
52 1/8 in blade, 71.5 inches long overall  read more

Code: 21508

A Very Fine 18th Century Royal Naval Officer’s Sword of Hunting Sword Type

Gilt brass hilt with fluted wooden grip and finely engraved blade with maker mark and Solingen, and hunting scenes. Quillon block decorated with relief hunting horn and hunting devices. Acorn finials and fluted brass pommel.In the days of the early Royal Navy, officers carried short swords in the pattern of hunting swords, with both straight or curved blades, fancy brass mounted single knucklebow hilts with principally stag horn or reeded ebony grips. Although initially designed to protect the huntsman from a close quarter predatory attack, they were far more popular in England for use as naval officers swords, not as their initial design intended, as Britain had far fewer great wild beasts that might threaten a huntsman.
There are numerous portraits in the National Portrait Gallery and The National Maritime Musuem that show British Admirals [such as Benbow and Clowdesly Shovel] holding such swords, often originally made on the continent. 24.5 inches long overall.  read more

Code: 22526

A Fine & Rare Celtic Iron Axe Head 1800 to 2300 Years Old. The Form of Axe Faced By The Legionnaires of Caesar in His Wars in Gaul

3rd century BC-2nd century AD. An iron axehead with rectangular-section socket, flared blade with gently curved cutting edge. Celtic armies first came to the attention of historians when the Gauls, led by their king Bran (Brennus), sacked Rome in 390 BCE, and again in 279 BCE when they looted Delphi as they passed through Greece on their way to Asia. The Celts attacked the Romans again in 225 BCE and were frequent mercenary allies of Carthage during the Punic Wars. The Celts thus gained a reputation with Latin and Greek writers for being fierce warriors and skilled horsemen who also fielded chariots in battle. Julius Caesar faced them when he invaded Gaul. They were light, pulled by two horses, and had an open front and back with double hoops at the sides. Containing two men they were used to attack enemy cavalry first by throwing javelins and then one man dismounted to fight on foot while the rider drove the chariot to a safe distance to await a retreat if necessary. Caesar describes them as driven with great skill and so were a highly manoeuvrable weapon of disruption and attack.

Celtic warriors were known for their long hair and imposing physique. They are depicted in Greek art with their distinctive long shields (wooden panels covered in decorated hide) and long swords. Such was the respect for Celtic warriors that Hellenistic kings who defeated Galatian armies were given the title of soter, meaning ‘saviour’. Although Galatian armies were almost always defeated by their more disciplined and better-equipped enemies in single battles, once conquered, they did fight successfully as mercenaries in many Hellenistic and Roman armies.156 grams, 82mm (3 1/4").  read more

Code: 23412

A Wonderful, & Most Rare New Zealand Maori Jade Large Hand Axe 13th-17th Century Pounamu Toki

Some of the most fascinating objects in British museum collections come from many far flung places all over the world. They arrived in their collections due to the explorers and travellers gathering trinkets and objects of curios during the 19th century. One such object is this Pounamu Toki or the Greenstone Axe from New Zealand. These axes were used as a tool for daily work as well as being employed in ceremonial form.

We have had several over the past 50 years but unfortunately, none of them have ever had their handles remaining. They retain considerable meaning for the Maori, as Greenstone is known as the God Stone, and to the Europeans, Jade. They are imbibed with mysticism and sacred power to the Maori. Greenstone is a sacred material and most rare. It occurs naturally in the South island of New Zealand and is found in several areas and has been discovered in rivers as boulders or pebbles or washed up on the coast.

Maori myth and legend is attached to the greenstone and its origins. The Ngati Waewae tribe tells of a legend about a fearsome Taniwha (sea monster) and a beautiful princess kidnapped by the Taniwha. The princess eventually gets turned to greenstone on the riverbed. This myth tells how the greenstone was created. 6.25 inches long x 3.5 inches wide.  read more

Code: 21861

Good Heavy Original Italian Infantry Papal Army Helmet Cabasset c.1570 From The Papal Armoury

Good Heavy Italian Infantry Helmet Cabasset c.1570, hammered steel raised from a single plate, medial ridge with pear stalk finial, border retains its original brass rosettes (2 missing) each embossed with a ring of 6 stars, stepped flared brim with turned over edge, retaining original linen lining band inside. 19cms tall. Good condition. Provenance: The
Papal Armoury; and London dealers Fenton & Sons Ltd. Fenton and Sons, Antique Arms and Armour, traded in London from 1894-1927. and supplied, amongst others, the British Museum. [Interesting aside, we used to supply them, [Fentons] in the 1920's]. This and a few others were acquired by Fentons in 1919 and were listed in their catalogue. They were all from the Papal Armoury in Rome made for the Barberini family.
The Barberinis supplied the armour and cabassets for the papal army in the late 16th century, a period fraught with anarchy and bandits and direct attacks on papal territories by Parma. The close association led to Maffeo Barberini becoming Pope Urban VIII. His brother Taddeo was made Supreme Commander of the Papal Army. The helmets, including this one, were from the papal armoury and served through the papal wars. It is estimated that about 4500 men served the papal army and most would have worn cabassets, making the original number of the group well over 4000. Others from the group are now in the Musio Storico Vaticano the Old Papal armoury now in the Vatican Historical Museum in the Lateran Palace, Rome. The Papal Army was the loosely-construed army of volunteers and mercenaries in the service of the Italian Papal States, active from the 8th century until the capture of Rome by Italy in 1870. The Papal States maintained a sizeable military during the Middle Ages, using it to fight against the Holy Roman Empire and its Ghibelline allies. During the 1300s, the Papal States began to employ the services of condottieri, mercenaries who sold their services to the extremely wealthy Catholic Church. These forces would be instrumental to the defence of the Pope during the Italian Wars of the 15th and 16th centuries, with Cesare Borgia leading the Papal Army on a campaign of conquest that added several new city-states and regions to the Papal States' territories. Painting in the gallery of the Massacre of San Bartolome in the Catholic-Protestant Religious Wars, where the French crown aided by Queen Catherine de Medici, mother of the French King, with the Pope's blessing, slaughtered ten of thousands of Huguenots what is considered the second deadliest religious war in European history (surpassed only by the Thirty Years' War, which took eight million European lives) The pope was so delighted with the massacre he ordered a Te Deum to be sung as a special thanksgiving (a practice continued for many years after) and had a medal struck with the motto Ugonottorum strages, (Latin: " slaughter of the Huguenots 1572"  read more

Code: 23583

A Fabulous 18th Century Carved Spiral Hilted Royal Naval Officer’s Short Sword

With spiral carved green stained bone hilt. Long slender blade with GR crown stamp. Brass S quillon crossguard with dome top brass pommel. Made in the 1770's, and used by a Royal Naval midshipman and officer right through to the end of the Napoleonic Wars era. A most beautiful Royal Naval officer's sword/long dirk of very nice quality indeed. hilted swords stained green became ultra high fashion in the mid to third quarter of the 18th century, in fact General George Washington carried a green stained spiral hilted sword in his role as commander-in-chief of the American Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. In the National Maritime Museum is a most similar S quillon carved hilted short sword dirk that is inscribed to the reverse of the locket, and engraved with the words 'GIVEN TO MID HORATIO NELSON R.N. H.M.S. RAISONNABLE BY MAURICE SUCKLING R.N. 1770'. According to a label attached to this dirk, until 1878, it was in the possession of Mrs Earwater, wife of Mr Thomas Earwater, solicitor of Somerset House, and aunt of the late Admiral S.V.Y. de Horsey, son of Admiral Sir Algenon de Horsey. As a boy, William Westley Manning often saw the dirk, which was displayed in Mrs Earwater's drawing room at Carlton Vale, St John's Wood, London. He purchased the dirk on the 20th May 1936 and after his death it was offered for sale as a genuine Nelson relic. It is likely that the dirk may have been made as early as 1770 and could therefore have belonged to Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805). See the sword given to Nelson in the gallery photo 9.

We show original paintings of naval officers wearing this very type of edged weapon. One is of Captain William Rogers capturing the 'Jeune Richard', on the 1st October 1807, the sword at his waist belt appears to be a near identical dirk/sword. There are several other near identical examples, in the National Maritime Collection, and practically every officer from Nelson down to his midshipmen carried one similar at some time or another during their naval career, in combat service, in the late 18th to early 19th century. It would be an amazingly effective close combat weapon, both offensive or defensive, and would certainly do any eminently suitable job as was demanded of it. Although traditionally known as midshipman's dirks or swords these useful edged weapons were also worn at the time by officer's of all ages and rank while serving and in combat [see picture in the gallery]. The rank of midshipman originated during the Tudor and Stuart eras, and originally referred to a post for an experienced seaman promoted from the ordinary deck hands, who worked in between the main and mizzen masts and had more responsibility than an ordinary seaman, but was not a military officer or an officer in training. The first published use of the term midshipman was in 1662. The word derives from an area aboard a ship, amidships, but it refers either to the location where midshipmen worked on the ship, or the location where midshipmen were berthed.

By the 18th century, four types of midshipman existed: midshipman (original rating), midshipman extraordinary, midshipman (apprentice officer), and midshipman ordinary. Some midshipmen were older men, and while most were officer candidates who failed to pass the lieutenant examination or were passed over for promotion, some members of the original rating served, as late as 1822, 23 This The blade bears an official ordnance Crown GR stamp of King George IIIrd. It has a small hairline crack to one side of the hilt. Overall 28.5 inches long 24 inch blade  read more

Code: 21978

A Most Charming Napoleonic Wars King George IIIrd Royal Scot's Greys Officer's Carved Horn, Campaign Drinking Cup

In carved horn used from the 1790's by a British Napoleonic Wars officer in the Royal Scot's Greys, then by his grandson in the Crimean war. A super Napoleonic Wars collectable.

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 leatherwork, knives and forks, flasks, drinking vessels, chairs to chests, wardrobes to washstands and games tables to camp beds. 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, collectable decor that continues to add a beautiful, innovative touch to homes today.  read more

Code: 14799

A Most Scarce and Beautiful African Congo Tribal Warrior's Shield, of the Mongo Tribe.

Long ovoid form shield with stunning geometric pattern decoration. Carved wood with rattan bound edging.

The Mongo are one of the Bantu groups of Central Africa, forming the second largest ethnic group in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They are a diverse collection of peoples living in the equatorial forest, south of the main Congo River bend and north of the Kasai and Sankuru Rivers. This area is in the south of the province of Equateur and the north of Bandundu Province.

The Mongo speak either the Mongo language (also called Nkundo) or one of the related languages in the Bantu Mongo family. The Lingala language, however, often replaces Mongo in urban centers. Along with the Luba and the Kongo, they are the three largest ethnic groups in the country.

The Mongo ethnic group is divided into several tribes including Bolia, Bokote, Bongandu, Iyaelima, Konda, Mbole, Nkutu, Ntomba, Sengele, Songomeno, Dengese and Tetela-Kusu, Bakutu, Boyela.

Antique & Vintage original African tribal art is now some of the most desirable and sophisticated decor for national and international interior decorators.

Fine tribal artefacts have always been highly popular and in regards to interior decor, the height of sophistication, but recently it has become absolutely 'the' collectable art of the moment. As to be seen from far afield interiors such as in the 8th Arrondissement, in Paris particularly Avenue Montaigne, to Park Avenue New York, to Kensington Palace Gardens in London or the Piazza di Spagna, Via Condotti and Via del Babuino in Rome. All of the above we have had clients for such African tribal art and weaponry, as a statement focal point for their interior decor.

Super colour contrasts and design incorporating red ochre, cobalt blue, black and white. Red ochre is one of the very earliest pigments used by man, dating back to prehistoric times where it’s use is the basis of many Stone Age cave paintings

Overall in very good condition for age.

16 inches x 35 inches  read more

Code: 18653

A Beautiful Pair of Original & Extraordinarily Beautiful Antique American Wild West Frontier Riding Gauntlets. Made for The Settlers and Trade Market of The American Frontiersmen, Such As Army Scouts, Pony Express Riders & Buffalo Hunters.

A stunning pair of simply captivating gauntlets, of the 19th century, from the early 'Wild West Frontier' period.

Likely traditional North American Indian brain tanned and smoked leather to enable the surface to be more waterproof. To ensure a long-lasting resilience of the leather, it was traditionally stored in a special tent over wood smoke, which gave the skin a darker brown tone and also made it waterproof, thus achieving better protection. Without this process, the leather turns out to be whitish and water-sensitive

All the embroidery is incredibly technical micro stitching of amazing beauty and intricacy. These stunning and fringed gauntlets are beautifully embroidered with flowers, florid patterns and a western monogram. They were possibly traded in the 1840's from the Cree, or the Lakota Sioux tribes of North and South Dakota, but theirs is often decorated with beadwork as opposed to this very fine stitched embroidery, which may better indicate Huron or [according to a most kind lady from the region who knows tribal art very well] Metis craftsmanship.

The most famous members of the Lakota Sioux were Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. In yellow hide [likely deer buckskin] with typical long fringing. Excellent condition, with a small split in base of one finger. The style of Gauntlets worn by 'Kit Carson' and his contemporaries. Superbly beautiful, charming and highly collectable pieces from the old, American, Wild West Frontier.

Gauntlets are protective gloves that distinctively have a flared protective cuff. For centuries, these cuffs protected European and Asian bow hunters and military archers from being snapped on the wrist by their bowstrings. Medieval soldiers and knights began wearing chain-mail gauntlets during the 1300s, and armoured gauntlets appeared in Europe during the 1400s. Four hundred years later and halfway around the world, leather gauntlets appeared in the American West as military uniform accessories. They were soon appropriated by Indian artists, embellished with diverse ornaments, and incorporated into the civilian wardrobe. Here they became intrinsically linked with Western people, history, and landscape, and a symbol of the frontier. The original European form was reworked with a wild American veneer. Former mountain men -- Jim Bridger and Kit Carson among them -- occasionally worked guiding emigrant trains and military units through little-known country. They also helped track renegades of diverse stripes. These scouts were colourful characters, highly skilled, and not required to maintain a military dress code. Their attire was subsequently functional, comfortable, and drawn from a variety of media and cultural sources. By the 1870s, long and abundant fringe was in style and pinked edges provided decorative flair to leather clothing that was by nature quite showy. A similar pair of gauntlets [though later] of the Lakota Sioux can be seen in the Eugene and Clare Thaw Collection of American Indian Art in the Fenimore Art Museum NY.

The inner lining of our gauntlets is some kind of fine quilted cloth.

These stunning gauntlets would superbly compliment any Wild West collection of original American revolvers, and would look amazing case framed. We offer a highly recommended bespoke case framing service accomplished by one of our local expert artisans.

Such original and rare items of Native American art and artefacts are new very rare in Europe, and thus most valuable to collectors, as they are almost always not permitted to be exported from North America any longer

The last photo in the gallery is of the Teton Sioux Lakota gauntlets in the Fenimore Museum, however, the embroidery on our gauntlets is very much like earlier Huron work  read more

Code: 20890

Original Ancient Imperial Roman ‘Cross-bow” Fibula Bronze Toga Pin Military Issue, Fine Piece For Higher Ranking Figures in the Legion, Such As a Centurion or Tribune

Bow Fibula with a folded or rolled sleeve hinge, c. Early Imperial - Beginning of 2nd Century. We acquired a very small collection of roman toga pins, from super, small collection of original, historical, Imperial Roman and Crusader's artefacts
Shaped in the form of a roman military crossbow fibula, in bronze.
It became the most popular form of closure for Roman fibulae, and is characteristic of the bow brooches from the early imperial times to the beginning of the 2nd century. Outside the Roman Empire and after that time, this type of hinge was seldom used. The sleeve hinge consists of a small sleeve at the top of the head which is forged from a square sheet metal plate and then rolled up. In a center-cut slot, the spiked needle is inserted and held by a shaft (usually iron) passing through the whole sleeve. At the ends of each of the Aucissa fibulae and their early successors were buttons holding the hinge axis; later, the hinge axis was clamped in the sleeve and needed no buttons. The needle always carries a thorn-like projection on its perforated oval plate, which beats against the head of the fibula and, by virtue of this resistance, causes the suspension to spring forth. The sleeve hinge is used exclusively in bow fibulae. The needle is primarily rectilinear, but bends hand in hand with the flattening of the bow to the outside to continue to leave enough space between the bracket and needle. The sleeve hinge is considered a typical Roman construction. The paludamentum was usually worn over one shoulder and fastened with a fibula (ancient version of a safety pin). Arguments abound over what shoulder was exposed, but it seems fairly clear that the garment was fastened loosely enough to move around, The paludamentum was a cloak that was specifically associated with warfare. A general donned one for the ceremonial procession leading an army out of the sacred precinct of the city of Rome and was required to remove it before returning to the city…a sign that he was no longer a general, but a common citizen. The paludamentum or sagum purpura (purple cloak) was the iconic red cloak worn by a Roman general (Legatus) and his staff officers. Originally, it’s distinctive red/purple color clearly delineated between these officers and the rest of the army, which sported the sagum gregale (cloak of the flock). Although the sagum gregale, worn by the rank and file, started out the color of the flock (i.e. undyed wool), it seems likely to have transitioned to a coarser version of the sagum purpura by the imperial period (27BCE – 476CE). Outfitting the entire army in red garments would have been a mark of the great wealth of Rome – well, that and the fact that the Romans controlled the source of purple dye by then.The pin is now frozen through two millennia in a fixed position. Fibula 58mm x 28mm not including pin , pin is now rigid in position.  read more

Code: 24610