Antique Arms & Militaria

A Fabulous Quality & Simply Beautiful Original Victorian Uniform Dolman Tunic of a Captain of the Pembrokeshire Hussars. An Hussar Regiment That Fought With Distinction In The Boer War.

blue cloth with white facings, silver bullion lace and braid trim including pointed ornamental cuffs, Austrian knot devices to back, 17 loops, with plain silver plated buttons to chest, shoulder cords with regimental buttons and 3 embroidered rank stars, white silk lining, pair matching overalls with double silver lace stripe. Good Condition, the lace generally bright overall. The officer who wore this superb uniform served alongside Col Cropper as a fellow Captain of the Pembrokeshire Hussars. As we know not this uniform's officer's name we show with the gallery the details of Col. Croppers distinguished career in the Zulu War and both Boer Wars. Hussar refers to a number of types of light cavalry. This type of cavalry first appeared in the Hungarian army of King Matthias Corvinus. The title and distinctive dress of these horsemen was subsequently widely adopted by light cavalry regiments in European and other armies. The hussars played a prominent role as cavalry in the Napoleonic Wars (1796-1815). As light cavalrymen mounted on fast horses, they would be used to fight skirmish battles and for scouting. Most of the great European powers raised hussar regiments. The armies of France, Austria, Prussia, and Russia had included hussar regiments since the mid-18th century. In the case of Britain, four light dragoon regiments were converted to hussars in 1806-1807.

Hussars were notoriously impetuous, and Napoleon was quoted as stating that he would be surprised for a hussar to live beyond the age of 30, due to their tendency to become reckless in battle, exposing their weaknesses in frontal assaults. The hussars of Napoleon created the tradition of sabrage, the opening of a champagne bottle with a sabre. Moustaches were universally worn by Napoleonic-era hussars; the British hussars were the only moustachioed troops in the British Army leading to their being taunted as being "foreigners", at times.

The French hussar of the Napoleonic period was armed with a brass-hilted sabre, a carbine and sometimes with a brace of pistols, although these were often unavailable. The British hussar was armed with, in addition to his firearms, the 1796-pattern light-cavalry sabre. British hussars also introduced the sabretache (a leather pouch hung from the swordbelt) to the British Army.

An extract from Chapter IX of the Historical Records of the Pembroke Yeomanry
The Pembrokeshire Hussars Yeomen, with the other 3 companies of the Welsh Yeomanry Battalion reached Cape Town on the 6th April, 1900, and were sent to Maitland camp, joining some 3,000 other yeomen, waiting their turn to go to the front. Stellenbosh and Wellington were the next places visited, and after some days of useful drilling the Pembrokeshire Yeomanry were ordered to join the Army at Bloemfontem.

On May 16th the Pembrokeshire and the two Montgomeryshire Companies of the Battalion, some 300 strong moved out to the North-west on a patrolling expedition, and after a week of this returned to Bloemfontein in time for the Queen's birthday parade. The Pembrokeshires. were given the place of honour in the van, and their smart appearance and soldier-like bearing, to quote his words, so pleased General Pretyman that he subsequently had the Yeomanry ranked past him in single file.

On May 27th the Pembrokeshire Squadron was ordered to Smithfield, Orange River Colony, Nos. 2 and 4 Troops being shortly afterwards sent to Rouxville, a small township nearer the Basuto Border, Nos. 1 and 3 Troops remaining at Smithfield under Major Cropper.

Leaving No. 1 Troop behind at Smithfield, under Captain Richardson the remaining three Troops of the Pembrokeshires on July 29th started on a three weeks' "trek," but nothing happened of interest, and after passing through Wepener and Dewetsdorp the company once more found itself at Bloemfontein.

On August 21st the company left by train for Ventersburg Weg, and with one of the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry Companies, and the Denbighshire Hussars formed part of Colonel White's column. On the 24th the advanced scouts of the column were in touch with the enemy, and next day the Pembrokeshire Yeomen exchanged their first shots with the Boers.

The Pembrokeshire Yeomanry, under Major Cropper, were forming the rearguard of the column which was moving back to Ventersburg, and had dispatched a troop under Lieutenants Jones and Blunt, to burn a farm from which the column had been fired upon.

The attacking troop, however, met with a hot reception, and Lieutenant Jones, whose horse was shot, had a narrow escape, and would have been captured but for the brave conduct of Trooper Atkinson, and Farrier Sergeant Williams, of Lampeter, who rode back to their officer's assistance.

Sergeant Williams, in his gallant act, was killed, and was buried in Ventersburg Cemetery, with the following epitaph on the little cross that marks his grave “Died whilst gallantly attempting to rescue his officer." Trooper Atkinson was recommended for the coveted Victoria Cross, but was only awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

As the Boer Commando, against which Colonel J White's Column was operating had managed to escape, the Yeomanry were entrained for Winburg, and after a reconnaissance had been made against Oliver's Commando in that neighbourhood the Pembrokeshire men were moved to Bloemfontein.

Next the Pembrokes were hurriedly moved to the rescue of Lady brand, White's column being attached to General Bruce-Hamilton's Brigade. After some sharp short skirmishes Ladybrand, with its plucky little garrison of the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry, was relieved.

One section of the Pembrokes was nearly cut off, and Trooper Atkinson had his horse shot, and was only saved by the gallantry of Sergeant Millett, who brought him out on his horse, covered by the rifles of a few Pembroke Yeomen.

Major Cropper's men assisted in driving a Boer Commando into the hands of General Hunter, and after another attempt to corner a Commando at Doornberg the Pembrokes were engaged in the Bethulie district assisting in re- organising and provisioning the neighbouring towns.

Meanwhile the Troop of the Pembrokeshire Yeomanry left under Captain Ernald Richardson at Rouxville had not been left idle and had been on duty garrisoning Fauresmith, Jagersfontein, and Pitensburg, three towns in a hotbed of Boerdom. At Fauresmith with two companies of HighlandIanders and Lovat's Yeomanry Scouts they were practically in a state of siege for two months. Hertzog's Commando joining the besieging force and here Trooper Stanley Thomas, of the company was killed, and another trooper (Greatorex) finding, on returning from picket duty, that he had left his bandolier outside, coolly clambered over the earthworks to get it. He, of course, drew the enemy's fire on him, and was badly hit.

Trooper Francis of the company made a famous ride with despatches from Fauresmith to Jagersfontein, and after being fired on by both friend and foe delivered his despatches and was rewarded with the rank of Corporal and the Distinguished Service Medal.

Captain Richardson's Troop, after Fauresmith was relieved, saw some active service with the columns in Cape Colony, and lost one or two wounded. The troop forming part of Colonel Hubert's column, and after several fights against Kritzerger eventually joined their squadron.

Major Cropper's three troops now took part in the relief of Phillipolis, and marched 60 miles in 24 hours - the Pembroke men out-distancing the other units of Colonel White's columns, and after rescuing the score of Nesbitt's Horse, who for a fortnight had held out against 600 men, repaired to Springfontein.

Reinforced by a squadron of the London Rough Riders, Colonel White's column moved out from Springfontein to clear the Boers from the line between and Bloemfontein. Three miles out from the town the Rough Riders, who were acting as scouts, were surprised in a narrow nek, and lost one killed and three wounded.

But the Pembrokes and some guns came to the rescue, and the dashing leadership of Major Cropper in the subsequent pursuit, earned the Pembrokeshire Yeomanry the commendation of their Column Commander.

In the early part of November, 1900 the Squadron, still with Colonel White's Column, were operating to the West of the Free State Capital, and had several' hot engagements with Hertzog and Brandt Commandoes, at one of which, with the 16th Lancers, near Aasvogel Kop the Pembroke men specially distinguished themselves.

News was now received that the Boer leader Haasbroek, who was marching down country to join De Wet, was expected to cross the Modder River between the Column and Bloemfontein. A hurried march brought the Column within touch of the Boers just after they had crossed the river, and after a hot fight the Commando was driven back, but not without heavy losses on both sides. The Pembroke Squadron dashing gallantly on this occasion was once more mentioned in despatches.

The Squadron now took part in the big Christmas drive of De Wet, who had close on 4,000 Boers under his command and despite the almost 4,000 Boers under his command and despite the almost perfect trap, De Wet and his men broke through the cordon.

But the chase was not given up, and the British Troops came on his rearguard, and after a hand to hand fight, in which the regular cavalry and Yeomanry specially distinguished themselves, darkness came and stopped the pursuit. The Boers lost 8 killed 33 wounded and 18 prisoners, and a large number of horses.

General Knox, the British Commander, followed De Wet right up the East side of the Orange Free State, occasionally hastening his movements with a few shells or a sharp skirmish. In all these latter fights the Pembroke Yeomen bore their part.

At Hammonia near Ficksburg a very stiff fight with the Boers took place. The enemy had surprised the Denbighshire Hussars, who were acting as an advance guard, and the Pembroke and Montgomeryshire Yeomanry were ordered up, and eventually drove the Boers off, clearing the ridge with their hot and sharp fire.

The company still in pursuit of De Wet spent its Christmas Day at Kaffir Kop, but hardly had the Christmas dinner been finished than scouts rode in to say that De Wet had again given the Troops the slip. On January 1st, 1901, the Pembrokes were again hot on De Wet's trail, and on the 3rd. at Kaffir Kop, the Pembrokes with the rest of the Welsh Yeomanry were ordered to make a flanking movement to dislodge the Boers, who had taken up some strong positions.

The Pembrokeshire Yeomanry some 30 strong, attempted to rush the enemy, who were lining a rocky kopje fronted by a deep donga. Down the slope which led to the enemy's position went the small troop, and as they galloped the fire grew fiercer. The few" Boers who were supposed to be there numbered apparently close on 500. Some twenty yards in front of his men was Major Cropper, till stopped by a precipitous descent of some 20 feet. No horseman could ride down it, and to dismount was to count certain death. Slowly Major Cropper, who had been twice hit while so gallantly leading his men, wheeled his horse round and pointed with his hand for them to retire, which was at once done. When Major Cropper reached the ridge he fell off his horse into the arms of Colonel Forbes, al- most senseless, gasping “Couldn't do it, sir."

He had been hit three times and had ridden grasping his saddle with both hands. The gallant Major was at once invalided home, and a few months afterwards died of his wounds. No one else was hit in this death ride, although several had their clothes riddled with bullets, and their horses wounded.

The remnant of the Pembrokes were now under the charge of Lieutenants Jones and Blunt.

The other Troop under Captain Richardson had by now rejoined the company, and after some hot work after De Wet in wild Karoo desert, found themselves in March, 1901, engaged in clearing the country south of Bloemfontein.

Then came more clearing of the rebel farms, and finally the new 30th (Pembrokeshire) Company of Yeomanry arrived to relieve them.

A few more weeks were spent with Colonel White's Column, and then orders were issued for the old company to proceed to Worcester, where remnants of the original 9th Battalion were to mobilise.

Another misfortune befell the Company ere its departure for home. Sergeant Major Prothero, after successfully resisting an attack of enteric fever, fell a victim to pneumonia, to the great regret of all ranks.

At last the company embarked for home, and on their arrival at Tenby were accorded a splendid reception, and the members of the Squadron later had the honour of receiving the medals from the King on that memorable day when His Majesty decorated some thousands of his Imperial Yeomen in London.  read more

Code: 22420

Ancient Chinese Pottery Figure of a Xianbei Warrior Around 1500 Years Old. A Stunning Ancient Chinese Antiquity That is A Beautiful, Historical Work of Art From Ancient China

Only the second example of such a fine example of an original ancient Xianbei warrior figure we have had in the past 20 years.
This figure is clad in the military uniform of the ancient Chinese Xianbei people; with a covered "wind hat", trousers, short upper tunic and a cape tied around the neck, the outfit was designed to protect one against the wind and dust. Northern Dynasties (A.D. 286 - 581). Figures, some known in Chinese as mingqi, were placed in the burial chambers of the elite, in the belief that the figures represented would become available for the service of the deceased in the afterlife. The more diverse the processional figures were, the more powerful the individual buried with these figures was
They were a significant Mongolic nomadic people residing in Manchuria, Inner Mongolia and eastern Mongolia. The Northern Wei (386-535), which was the first of the Northern Dynasties (386-581) founded by the Xianbei. Among the Xianbei peoples, and also at their descendants the Qi-Dans, women were quite equal with men. They rode horses and used bow and arrow just as good as men, an old poem says. Also during the following Tang Dynasty, women could do much the same as men. However, there were severe punishments for adultery.

In 534, the Northern Wei split into an Eastern Wei (534-550) and a Western Wei (535-556) after an uprising in the steppes of Northern China inhabited by Xianbei and other nomadic peoples. The former evolved into the Northern Qi (550-577), and the latter into the Northern Zhou (557-581), while the Southern Dynasties were pushed to the south of the Yangtze River. In 581, the Prime Minister of Northern Zhou, Yang Jian, founded the Sui Dynasty (581-618). His son, the future emperor Yang Guang, annihilated the Southern Chen (557-589), the last kingdom of the Southern Dynasties, thereby unifying northern and southern China. After the Sui came to an end amidst peasant rebellions and renegade troops, his cousin, Li Shimin, founded the Tang Dynasty (618-907); Li led China to develop into one of the most prosperous states in history. Sui and Tang dynasties were founded by Han Chinese generals who also served the Northern Wei Dynasty. Through these political establishments, the Xianbei who entered China were largely merged with the Han, examples such as the wife of Emperor Gaozu of Tang, Duchess Dou and Emperor Taizong of Tang's (Li Shimin's) wife, Empress Zhangsun, both have Xianbei ancestries, while those who remained behind in the northern grassland emerged as later. The figure is in very good condition for age, with a small chip on the front foot and on the rear trouser bottom, possibly contemporary. 9.5 inches high. As with all our items, it comes complete with it's Certificate of Authenticity.  read more

Code: 22395

A Superb 17th Century Kora of the Gurkhas of Nepal

The blade has an unusual shaped tip, inlaid with brass cross devices within fine engraved borders and bands, twin disc guards, iron grip, stupa-shaped pommel. The Kora is possibly the oldest form of sword of the Gurkhas and it may well be that their phenomenal military success was largely due to their possession of such a terribly effective weapon." 'Kora,' has an inner cutting edge, with which those who use it skilfully are enabled to cut a foe in two at a single blow." Its appearance reminds of the European Sabre but instead of curving upwards (back) it has a wide tip, a forward curved blade, single edged on its concave side, the latter two characteristic sit shares with the Kukri knife. When used correctly the forward curved blade concentrates the power/energy of the strike to the curved area thus allowing more force to be utilised at the point of contact in each blow. It is designed with its practical application in mind, to chop/slash and not for Classical fencing, yet its usually light enough if the need arises. Like Nepal, the Kora & Kukri are strongly associated with the Gurkhas and was firstly illustrated in Col. William Kirkpatrick's work "An Account of the kingdom of Nepal?" published in London, 1811 based on his travels in 1793 to Nepal. There both the Kukri and Kora is for the first time illustrated to the wider worlds public. The Kora was traditionally used warfare and personal protection, but also played and still plays a function in the religious sphere where it is used to behead sacrificial animals in one blow, otherwise believed to bring bad fortune and the sacrifice is considered useless. Thus both a skilled man and a formidable blade is needed, the Kora certainly passes the criteria!.

Photo 9 in the gallery of the Bagbhairab Temple, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal. they are Koras used from the battle of Kirtipur during the 1760`s.

Blade 55cms, overall 70.5cms. Jolly nice condition for age.  read more

Code: 21790

A Personalised & Named Naval Sword of an 1804 Naval Hero Commodore of a British East Indiaman Fleet & His Original Framed Portrait

One of the great naval war heroes of the Napoleonic Wars, who won a commanding victory over a far superior French battle fleet in 1804. A super sword personally named to him. He was a famous King George IIIrd period naval fleet commander hero of the wars with Napoleon. His greatest achievement came during the Napoleonic Wars, in 1804, when having been appointed commodore of the Royal East India Volunteers and one of the company's fleets, that was carrying in today’s value almost a billion pounds sterling of cargo. He came across a far superior armed fleet, a French heavily armed battle squadron under Rear-Admiral Comte de Linois, which was raiding British shipping in the area.

Through simply remarkable and skillfull seamanship, and exemplary aggressive tactics, he fooled the French commander into thinking that the British convoy was escorted by powerful naval forces, instead of very lightly armed East Indiamen, and the French Admiral, horrified by what he assumed were a few, British, Royal Naval armed escort ships, decided not to risk attacking the convoy, and fled.The commodore skilfully compounded the deception by taking his lightly armed merchants and chasing the French away, despite the considerable disparity of force. Having saved the convoy from almost certain destruction, he was hailed as a hero throughout the kingdom, lavishly rewarded with praise, money, and a knighthood, and thus spent the last years of his life in most comfortable and well deserved retirement.

The Naval Chronicle declared at the time;

‘We cannot sufficiently express our opinion of the coolness, intrepidity, and skill, with which the Commander of this Fleet, unaccustomed as he was to the practice of naval engagements, provided against every emergency, and prepared his plans, either for attack or defence, as the manoeuvres of the French Admiral might render it expedient for him to adopt either the one of the other. His conduct was worthy of the experience and science of our most approved and veteran Admirals, while the ardour and promptitude with which his orders were obeyed and his plans executed by the several Captains under his command, may have been rivalled, but can scarcely be exceeded in the most renowned of our naval exploits. ‘
See the last photos in the gallery of famous paintings of the time depicting his battle and victory His near life size portrait accompanies his sword. The pictures in the gallery will show the brass sword hilt has been battle repaired, for the commodore, with immense skill on the shell guard and knuckle bow. The picture frame has some small areas of gesso and gilt the bottom that are missing, the blade has no scabbard.

Commodore Nathanial Dance was also awarded a £100 Lloyds Patriotic Fund Sword, today such a sword could be worth up to £200,000.  read more

Code: 23559

19th Century Oil Portrait of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke Of Wellington, The Iron Duke, The Victor Of Napoleon’s Waterloo in 1815, With Marshal Blucher.

After Sir Thomas Lawrence

Portrait of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, K.G., K.B., M.P. (1769-1852), bust-length, in civilian clothes with a military cloak, wearing the insignia of the Order of the Golden Fleece
Oil on canvas, nicely framed.
Lawrence was specially commissioned by George IV to paint a pantheon of military heroes, diplomats and powerful heads of state responsible for the defeat of Napoleon initially in 1814 and ultimately (after his escape from Elba) at the Battle of Waterloo on 18 June 1815. These paintings were initially proposed for Carlton House, but George IV’s plans for Windsor Castle latterly came to include a new room specially created for the display of Lawrence’s portraits: the Waterloo Chamber. The similar posed drawing of Wellington pictured in our gallery was purchased by Sir Henry Russell in 1842 was once believed to be Lawrence's original study for the subsequent oils he painted on which our portait that we offer here is based and it could have been drawn as early as 1814 when Farington noted Wellington's first visit to Lawrence's studio, however, Sir Henry Russell would have been naturally optimistic about his drawing and it was not Lawrence's usual practice to begin a sitting with this type of sketch. It has more the air of being a pencil copy made later from one of the oils and kept in the studio possibly as a reminder or for a present or even made expressly for Lewis's engraving published eventually long after Lawrence's death. The head is similar to that in the Apsley House oil of c.1815-16 but the high collar resembles its later variant painted for Charles Arbuthnot MP, exhibited RA 1822 and multiplied in numerous studio copies. Our painting is 19th century, an oil on canvas, framed in a 20th century gilt and black wooden frame. Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS (1 May 1769 ? 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as Prime Minister. He ended the Napoleonic Wars when he defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

Wellesley was born in Dublin into the Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland. He was commissioned as an ensign in the British Army in 1787, serving in Ireland as aide-de-camp to two successive Lords Lieutenant of Ireland. He was also elected as a Member of Parliament in the Irish House of Commons. He was a colonel by 1796 and saw action in the Netherlands and in India, where he fought in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War at the Battle of Seringapatam. He was appointed governor of Seringapatam and Mysore in 1799 and, as a newly appointed major-general, won a decisive victory over the Maratha Confederacy at the Battle of Assaye in 1803.

Wellesley rose to prominence as a general during the Peninsular campaign of the Napoleonic Wars, and was promoted to the rank of field marshal after leading the allied forces to victory against the French Empire at the Battle of Vitoria in 1813. Following Napoleon's exile in 1814, he served as the ambassador to France and was granted a dukedom. During the Hundred Days in 1815, he commanded the allied army which, together with a Prussian Army under Blucher, defeated Napoleon at Waterloo. Wellington's battle record is exemplary; he ultimately participated in some 60 battles during the course of his military career.

Wellington is famous for his adaptive defensive style of warfare, resulting in several victories against numerically superior forces while minimising his own losses. He is regarded as one of the greatest defensive commanders of all time, and many of his tactics and battle plans are still studied in military academies around the world. After the end of his active military career, he returned to politics. He was twice British prime minister as a member of the Tory party: from 1828 to 1830, and for a little less than a month in 1834. He oversaw the passage of the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829, but opposed the Reform Act 1832. He continued as one of the leading figures in the House of Lords until his retirement and remained Commander-in-Chief of the British Army until his death. Portrait by an unknown artist. However, original late Georgian to Victorian copies of this portrait are extremely popular and in 2014 another copy was estimated to sel at £2,000-£4,000 eventually achieved £27,500.

In frame; 14 inches x 18.25 inches  read more

Code: 23074

Original Ancient 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 47mm x 22mm [not incuding pin] 68mm long x 22mm including the pin extended  read more

Code: 23985

Another Reason To Visit Brighton-by-the-Sea This Summer. To Visit the Magnificent Pavilion Palace & View ‘The Encampment At Brighton’, by Francis Wheatley, RA, 1747-1801. Which We Were Most Proud To Assist & Enable It’s Donation to Brighton 50 Years Ago

Two years ago we celebrated the completion of a multi million pound three year restoration of the main saloon in the Royal Pavilion palace in Brighton, and we are continually humbled to know that our family donation enabled the premier work of art, of a depiction of an hussars regiment, encamped in the hills above Brighton, by Francis Wheatley RA, and thus to be saved for posterity for the Brighton Museum collection.
Possibly their most famous work of art, certainly one of their best. 'The Encampment at Brighton', is a major work by Francis Wheatley RA (1747?1801). (b London, 1747; d London, 28 June 1801). A most fine English painter of his day in the reign of King George IIIrd. His early works were mainly small full-length portraits and conversation pieces in the manner of Zoffany. In 1779 he moved to Dublin to escape creditors, and after his return to London in 1783 his work broadened in scope. It included landscapes, history paintings, and life-size portraits, but he is best known for works produced to be engraved for the Georgian print market. His works now reside in the government collection, the Royal Collection and many of the finest museums and collections around the country.
We were delighted to have enabled its acquisition, back in 1973, and over the past few decades we have been pleased to know of its permanent presence in the City collection, saved for posterity and enabling the museums visitors to view this magnificent work based and painted in Brighton in the 1790's.
Any visitors to Brighton this summer, who make a visit to our world famous store, The Lanes Armoury, ought to consider visiting Brighton Museum as part of your visit, in order to view its superb collection, and especially visit our magnificent Royal Pavilion, former summer palace of King George IVth, {former the Prince Regent} donated to Brighton by Her Majesty Queen Victoria, and considered today, by many, to be the most wonderful palace of its kind in the world.

A joyous combination of Indo-Chinese architecture and fine art. A magnificent example of the Royal Family’s diversity, 200 years before the word even became known, and as so significant as it is today.

Brighton has been for centuries a long exponent of diversity, and without doubt certainly one of the best most loved and diverse cities in the entire world. For example, during World War I, the Royal Pavilion palace’s royal stables, that later became the world famous Dome Theatre, was turned over to become a hospital for the desperately wounded, heroic, Indian, volunteer soldiers, it is said that many Indian soldiers when they recovered consciousness and awoke in the palace, believed they had died and gone to heaven, which was a recreation of an Indian Palace.
It was almost 60 years later The Dome Theatre was the host venue of ABBA’s very first public explosion on to the world stage, in fact Mark, {the Lanes Armoury’s elder partner} was coincidentally there in person, just outside the stage area, listening to their very first hit, Waterloo, {somewhat ironic with our Waterloo interest} at the Eurovision Song Contest over 50 years ago.

The Royal Pavilion contains some of the finest and most magnificent Chinoiserie works of art to seen anywhere in the world. Some of the original Prince’s treasures were, very recently, just returned from the Buckingham Palace Royal Apartments, to be once more placed on display in the Royal Pavilion in Brighton, as one of the last, and personal benevolent instructions of Her Late Well Beloved Majesty Queen Elizabeth IInd. In order that once more, our city, and it’s millions of visitors, can enjoy the fabulous royal treasures in their original, former, location, the magnificent home of the Prince Regent.

Somewhat like us at The Lanes Armoury, the Royal Pavilion is certainly not one of the largest of the world’s Royal Palaces, in fact, it is possibly one of the smallest, but it is considered, by many, to be the very best.

We also show in the gallery a painting by Richard {Dickie} Compton, commissioned by our family from the artist, of our Holland & Holland, London to Bath and Wells, Royal Mail Road Coach, passing in front of the statue of The Prince Regent, which itself is in front of the Royal Pavilion. The road coach, later photographed, still in use in 1969, outside of the gates to the Royal Pavillion, and the oil painting are part of the late Camilla Hawkins Collection.

As like many Brightonians, our personal family connections to the palace go back since it was first built, over two hundred years ago. Our family used to supply shellfish from the shores off Brighton for His Majesty’s table {we held the shellfish concession for many decades in the 18th and 19th century}. A family member worked in the staff -a very lowly position naturally, bearing in mind, our family history, always was, and still is, in ‘trade’, once considered by 19th century ‘society’ to be, at the time, as not particularly in much higher regard than *coster mongers-. We later owned the annex of the Royal Stables, a stable yard around 100 yards from the palace, now demolished and on the site of the current My Hotel in Jubilee Street. And in the early 1970’s Mark purchased from an elderly farmer in the North, the original huge pump organ made for the Prince Regent’s music room in the palace. But it was either never installed, or, if it was, it was not much later removed by Queen Victoria, and sold off. When Mark bought it, it had the original schematic and plans for installation, which were magnificent in their beauty and detail, somewhat like the architects plans much have been for the original palace. We offered to donate it to the Palace Trustees in the 1970’s, but it was refused as impractical to re-install, unless we paid for its installation, but the cost involved would have been prohibitively astronomical. So, we sold it to an Australian diocese instead, and apparently it was installed not much later in an Australian Cathedral.

* coster monger or hawker, A costermonger, coster, or costard was a street seller of fruit and vegetables, sometimes fish, in British towns. The term is derived from the words costard (a medieval variety of apple) and monger (seller), and later came to be used to describe hawkers in general. In fact our family name, Hawkins, was a medieval derivative from Hawker, which would therefore, have been our family trade and social position in the post Roman occupation era. Pretty low down the social scale, before our family moved to Plymouth, and our seafaring nature brought some element of success, and thus the elevation with a knighthood for Sir John Hawkins, and Sir Francis Drake, his cousin, who was later Admiral for Queen Elizabeth Ist. Drake was John’s cousin due to being adopted by William Hawkins, famed seafarer of Plymouth, and thought to have been adopted, as possibly being his bastard son.
Sir Francis Drake's heraldic achievement and coat of arms contains the motto, Sic Parvis Magna, which means: "Great achievements from small beginnings". Drake became the first Englishman to navigate the Straits of Magellan, a sea route at the southern tip of South America linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans  read more

Code: 21652

A Most Elegant Equestrian Walking Stick Cum Dandy Cane

Finely carved handle of a horses hoof and fetlock. The stick is a superb close grain hardwood. Overall in super condition. Every other portrait of a Georgian, Victorian, or Edwardian gentleman, shows some nattily dressed fellow with a walking stick pegged jauntily into the ground or a slim baton negligently tucked under the elbow. The dress cane was the quintessential mark of the dandy for three centuries, part fashion accessory, part aid to communication, part weapon, and of course, a walking aid. A dandy, historically, is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies, pursued with the appearance of nonchalance in a cult of self. A dandy could be a self-made man who strove to imitate an aristocratic lifestyle despite coming from a middle-class background, especially in late 18th- and early 19th-century Britain.

Previous manifestations of the petit-maitre (French for "small master") and the Muscadin have been noted by John C. Prevost, but the modern practice of dandyism first appeared in the revolutionary 1790s, both in London and in Paris. The dandy cultivated cynical reserve, yet to such extremes that novelist George Meredith, himself no dandy, once defined cynicism as "intellectual dandyism". Some took a more benign view; Thomas Carlyle wrote in Sartor Resartus that a dandy was no more than "a clothes-wearing man". Honore De Balzac introduced the perfectly worldly and unmoved Henri de Marsay in La fille aux yeux d'or (1835), a part of La Comedie Humaine, who fulfils at first the model of a perfect dandy, until an obsessive love-pursuit unravels him in passionate and murderous jealousy.

Charles Baudelaire defined the dandy, in the later "metaphysical" phase of dandyism, as one who elevates esthetics to a living religion, that the dandy's mere existence reproaches the responsible citizen of the middle class: "Dandyism in certain respects comes close to spirituality and to stoicism" and "These beings have no other status, but that of cultivating the idea of beauty in their own persons, of satisfying their passions, of feeling and thinking Dandyism is a form of Romanticism. Contrary to what many thoughtless people seem to believe, dandyism is not even an excessive delight in clothes and material elegance. For the perfect dandy, these things are no more than the symbol of the aristocratic superiority of mind."

The linkage of clothing with political protest had become a particularly English characteristic during the 18th century. Given these connotations, dandyism can be seen as a political protest against the levelling effect of egalitarian principles, often including nostalgic adherence to feudal or pre-industrial values, such as the ideals of "the perfect gentleman" or "the autonomous aristocrat". Paradoxically, the dandy required an audience, as Susann Schmid observed in examining the "successfully marketed lives" of Oscar Wilde and Lord Byron, who exemplify the dandy's roles in the public sphere, both as writers and as personae providing sources of gossip and scandal. Nigel Rodgers in The Dandy: Peacock or Enigma? Questions Wilde's status as a genuine dandy, seeing him as someone who only assumed a dandified stance in passing, not a man dedicated to the exacting ideals of dandyism. 36.5 inches long  read more

Code: 23211

A Beautiful & Fine Quality Early Post Medieval to Early 17th Century Renaissance Wrought Iron Chest or Door Lock, German

From a Norman or Gothic carved wooden chest. Superbly crafted and engraved. We show in the gallery the types of chest to which it could have been fitted in order to make them secure. The decoration of Gothic iron locks and keys was often elaborate and of the highest standard of workmanship. The motifs were frequently drawn from Gothic architecture, reproducing on a miniature scale complicated tracery patterns and even tiny statuettes. A number of these tiny locks were compound, with some of the mechanisms concealed from view, and required two or even three keys used in sequence to open them. It has been suggested that the greatly expanded use of locks on doors, or coffrets and other types of storage chests was a result of the increasing urbanization of life and the new emphasis on material wealth and private ownership which developed in the late Middle Ages. From the 15th century on, locksmiths gained a privileged status in society. They had advanced technical skills and were master craftsmen in decoration techniques. Their main clients were town burghers, the clergy, nobility who built castles and other large residences, and the Royal Family. Ever since the Viking era (the 9th to the 11th centuries), chests and small boxes have been important personal storage places in all levels of Swedish society – from the common people to the royal families. Locks made storage more secure. The Oseberg ship was discovered and excavated in the early 1900s in Vestfold, Norway. The ship was built in the first half of the 9th century. Many items were found on board – including storage chests. Chests were generally used by the crews of the Viking ships, who sat on them to row, as well as storing things in them.

In 1936, a Viking wooden tool chest was discovered during the plowing of a field at Mästermyr on Gotland. Over two hundred iron objects were found inside and around the chest, which is 90 cm long and 24 cm high. Of particular interest in the present context is the fact that these objects included blacksmith tools as well as two large keys, lock parts, other lock hardware and three small padlocks.

King Louis XVI of France proved to be a man of very few interests and pleasures in the midst of the whirlwind of entertainment that was Versailles. One was the hunt and the other was his amateur blacksmithing.

A small forge was installed above his private library to indulge the King in his pursuit of this particular hobby. Here there were two anvils and every tool that could possibly be needed was available. As it happened, locks were of a particular interest to Louis. The room was filled with all kinds of locks: common locks, hidden locks and elaborately gilded locks. The château's blacksmith by the name of Gamin was employed to teach the King all he knew - probably in all secrecy . When he was not with the King he was in charge of all the locks at Versailles. From him we know that Louis was eager to conceal this hobby from his courtiers and his Queen which resulted in the two coming up with countless stratagems for removing and bringing in the anvils. Sadly, Gamin would eventually betray Louis during the revolution.

The court was not very approving of their King's hobby. It was thought to be a profession for the lower classes - not a a hobby for a King. Even Marie Antoinette had the occasional complain about this hobby but for a far more practical reason: the work left the King's hands blackened and he would often visit her without washing them first much to the damage of her furniture.
Louis XVI seemed to have paid them little mind. Instead, he agreed with Rousseau that every man should know a manual craft. Meanwhile, the pamphleteers had a field day making the King's interest in keys and locks a fitting symbol of his ... marital problems. This would look stunning mounted or framed. Size 22.5 x 20 cm some photos appear to show its colour as greenish, this is a photographic lighting optical illusion it is in fact blackened with age  read more

Code: 23389

Scarce, Victorian, 3rd City of London Silvered Shako Helmet Plate

An extremely fine example in silver plate being a crowned eight pointed star with overlays of oak sprays and central strap 'Domine Dirige Nos' enclosing a number 3
bearing the arms of the City, over a shield and London. A rare and most collectable piece of Victorian militaria. Two loop fasteners very good condition. 4.75 inches x 3.85 inches  read more

Code: 18441