Antique Arms & Militaria

14 Million Year Old Meteorite Rock, Impactite (Suevite) of Nordlingen Ries Now Understood To Possibly Be The Closest Match to the Surface of Mars on Earth

From the Meteorite Strike Crater in Germany, collected by an official geological survey. The crater was caused by a binary asteroid that struck approximately 14 million years ago in the Meocene era. In that crater a German city was built millions of years later.

The incredible German town that sits in that asteroid crater, from whence this impactite came, is smothered in 72,000 tonnes of diamonds
The tiny diamonds were created by an asteroid smashing into the earth. So small though they are valueless.
Nördlingen featured in the 1971 film Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory

What a huge and magnificent conversational piece and collectors item, potentially the closest and most accurate example of the surface of Mars today, and since the Mars Rover sampling it is now believed by NASA and scientific research to be the very best and closest match to the surface of Mars on Earth, and certainly the best preserved from anywhere else on earth. This is a large 14 million year old meteorite strike rock that is also a simply stunning piece of art that would superbly compliment any decor, in any home, both vintage, antique or modern. It would look amazing on a display stand of any suitable material, such as glass, perspex, marble or wood. This is an unusually large piece of molten meterorite rock, the very few pieces we have had in the past of this type have all been small of just a few ounces. Suevite rock consisting partly of melted material, typically forming a breccia containing glass and crystal or lithic fragments, and often thousands of microscopic diamonds formed during an impact event. It forms part of a group of rock types and structures that are known as impactites. The Nordlinger Ries is an impact crater, large circular depression in western Bavaria, Germany, located north of the Danube in the district of Donau-Ries. The city of Nordlingen is located inside the depression, about 6 kilometers (3.7 mi) southwest of its centre. Recent computer modeling of the impact event indicates that the impactors probably had diameters of about 1.5 kilometers (4,900 ft) (Ries) and 150 meters (490 ft) (Steinheim), had a pre-impact separation of some tens of kilometers, and impacted the target area at an angle around 30 to 50 degrees from the surface in a west-southwest to east-northeast direction. The impact velocity is thought to have been about 20 km/s (45,000 mph). The resulting explosion had the power of 1.8 million Hiroshima bombs, an energy of roughly 2.4?1021 joules. This exceptionally large piece is 4.55 kilos. 13 inches x 11 inches x 3.5 inches As with all our items it complete complete with our Certificate of Authenticity, our unique lifetime guarantee of originality. Photo number 7 in the gallery is a clip from an article on the unique matching relation of this Suevite from Nordlingen Ries and the surface of Mars by
JULES BERNSTEIN in the University of California Science and Technology magazine  read more

Code: 21959

A Very Good Late Georgian Press-Gang Persuader Cosh

With a beautifully patinated turned walnut handle, rope linkage and turned walnut knob top. These scarce clubs are most attractive and extremely effective. The type used on press gangs and boarding raids by the boatswain. The persuader-cosh continued to be useful in all manner of areas right into and through the Victorian era, both on land and Sea. The Impress Service (colloquially called the "press-gang") was formed to force sailors to serve on naval vessels. There was no concept of "joining the navy" as a fixed career-path for non-officers at the time, since seamen remained attached to a ship only for the duration of its commission. They were encouraged to stay in the Navy after the commission but could leave to seek other employment when the ship was paid off. Impressment relied on the legal power of the King to call men to military service, as well as to recruit volunteers (who were paid a bounty upon joining, unlike pressed men). Seamen were not covered by Magna Carta and "failure to allow oneself to be pressed" was punishable by hanging, although the punishment became less severe over time.

In Elizabethan times a statute regulated impressment as a form of recruitment, and with the introduction of the Vagabonds Act in 1597 men of disrepute (vagrants) found themselves drafted into service. In 1703 an act passed limiting the impressment of men under 18 years of age to those who were not apprenticed. A further act in 1740 raised the maximum age to 55. Although no foreigner could normally be pressed, they lost their protection if they married a British woman or had worked on a British merchant ship for two years. Some governments, including Britain, issued "protections" against impressment which protected men had to carry on their person at all times; but in times of crisis the Admiralty would order a "hot press", which meant that no-one remained exempt.

The Royal Navy also impressed seamen from inbound British merchant ships at sea, though this was done by individual warships, rather than by the Impress Service. Impressment, particularly press gangs, became consistently unpopular with the British public (as well as in the American colonies), and local officials often acted against them, to the point of imprisoning officers from the Impress Service or opposing them by force of arms. The cord linkage is present but now a little frayed at the handle join  read more

Code: 17644

A Spectaular Looking, Rare & Super Example of a 17th -18th Century Matchlock Musket

A rare, antique 17th century Turkish Ottoman Empire matchlock musket. The musket has an octagonal Damascus steel barrel struck with the makers mark, and a figured Circassian walnut stock extensively banded in brass. Only a few Ottoman matchlock muskets of this type survive in Turkey, most can be seen outside of Turkey at museums in Poland and Ukraine as the muskets were taken from the Turks as booty by the Poles and the Cossacks during the 17th century wars with the Ottoman Empire.

Similar guns are published in the Turkish catalogue of Ottoman Firearms at the Askeri Military Museum Harbiye Istanbul. " Askeri Muze Osmanli Ve Cumhuriyet Donemi ATESLI SILAHLAR katalogu"by Aysel Cotelioglu.

These types of Turkish guns were very popular and widely used by Zaporozhian and Don Cossacks during the 17th century. The Zaporozhian Cossacks, Zaporozhian Cossack Army, Zaporozhian Host were Cossacks who lived beyond the rapids of the Dnieper River, the land also known under the historical term Wild Fields in today's Central Ukraine. Today much of its territory is flooded by the waters of Kakhovka Reservoir.

The Zaporozhian Sich grew rapidly in the 15th century from serfs fleeing the more controlled parts of the Polish?Lithuanian Commonwealth. It became established as a well-respected political entity with a parliamentary system of government. During the course of the 16th, 17th and well into the 18th century, the Zaporozhian Cossacks became a strong political and military force that challenged the authority of the Polish?Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Tsardom of Russia, and the Crimean Khanate.

The Host went through a series of conflicts and alliances involving the three powers, including supporting an uprising in the 18th century. Their leader signed a treaty with the Russians. This group was forcibly disbanded in the late 18th century by the Russian Empire, with most of the population relocated to the Kuban region in the South edge of the Russian Empire. The Cossacks served a valuable role of conquering the Caucasian tribes and in return enjoyed considerable freedom granted by the Tsars. As with all our antique guns, no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables  read more

Code: 22112

A Wonderful Georgian ‘Grand Tour’ or Campaign Travelling Miniature Foldaway Corkscrew and Hook

In delightfully blued steel and only 3.25cm long when folded. Made to be used with very small, corked, glass bottles containing everything from gun oil, for gun cases, to writing ink, poisons or colognes. And as a button hook for shoes, riding boots or gaiters. It could be contained in a travelling officer and gentleman’s gun case, campaign toilette case, sabretache or even waistcoat pocket. It would make a delightful additional accessory for a cased set of duellers, a single pistol or hunting guns. Circa early 1800’s  read more

Code: 17412

A Very Good Pair of Early Victorian Crimean War, British Dragoon Tunic Shoulder Scales

Epaulette is a type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia of rank by armed forces and other organizations. Epaulettes bear some resemblance to the shoulder pteruges of ancient Roman military costumes. However their direct origin lies in the bunches of ribbons worn on the shoulders of military coats at the end of the 17th century, which were partially decorative and partially intended to prevent shoulder belts from slipping. These ribbons were tied into a knot which left the fringed end free. This established the basic design of the epaulette as it evolved through the 18th and 19th centuries.

From the 18th century on, epaulettes were used in the French, British and other armies to indicate rank. The rank of an officer could be determined by whether an epaulette was worn on the left shoulder, the right shoulder or on both. Later a "counter-epaulette" (with no fringe) was worn on the opposite shoulder of those who wore only a single epaulette. Epaulettes were made in silver or gold for officers, and in cloth of various colours for the enlisted men of various arms. By the early eighteenth century, epaulettes became the distinguishing feature of an officer, leading to officers of military units without epaulettes to petition their government for the right to wear epaulettes, to ensure that they would be recognized as officers. Certain cavalry specialties wore flexible metal epaulettes referred to as shoulder scales such as these. During the Napoleonic Wars and subsequently through the 19th century, grenadiers, light infantry, voltigeurs and other specialist categories of infantry in many European armies wore cloth epaulettes with wool fringes in various colours to distinguish them from ordinary line infantry. "Flying artillery" wore "wings", similar to an epaulette but with only a bit of fringe on the outside, which matched the shoulder seam. Heavy artillery wore small balls representing ammunition on their shoulders.  read more

Code: 18972

A Scarce Pattern, Edwardian Army Service Corps Helmet Plate

This is not the standard type used from 1902 as they are gilt and have an upright capitalised type font. The Canadian version is very similar but with the word Canada below within asmall scroll, and again, gilt, whereas this example is white metal. Two lugs remaining. The officers and men of the ASC ? sometimes referred to in a joking way as Ally Sloper?s Cavalry ? were the unsung heroes of the British Army in the Great War. Soldiers can not fight without food, equipment and ammunition. They can not move without horses or vehicles. It was the ASC?s job to provide them. In the Great War, the vast majority of the supply, maintaining a vast army on many fronts, was supplied from Britain. Using horsed and motor vehicles, railways and waterways, the ASC performed prodigious feats of logistics and were one of the great strengths of organisation by which the war was won. The largest element of the ASC was the Horse Transport section.

Most Horse Transport Companies were under orders of Divisions, with four normally being grouped into a Divisional Train. Others were part of the Lines of Communication where they were variously known by subtitles as Auxiliary Supply Companies or Reserve Parks.

Soldiers who served in the Horse Transport usually had the letter T as a prefix to their number. The British Army was already the most mechanised in the world when the Great War began, in terms of use of mechanical transport. It maintained that leadership, and by 1918 this was a strategically important factor in being able to maintain supply as the armies made considerable advances over difficult ground.

All Mechanical Transport Companies were part of the Lines of Communication and were not under orders of a Division, although some (unusually known as Divisional Supply Columns and Divisional Ammunition Parks) were in effect attached to a given Division and worked closely with it. Those in the Lines of Communication operated in wide variety of roles, such as being attached to the heavy artillery as Ammunition Columns or Parks, being Omnibus Companies, Motor Ambulance Convoys, or Bridging and Pontoon units.

Soldiers who served in the Mechanical Transport usually had the letter M as a prefix to their number.  read more

Code: 20295

An Original Edwardian English Lord Lieutenant's Tunic Circa 1902

Superb silver bullion eppaulettes, collar, and cuffs. Gilt crown buttons red melton wool cloth, with gold bullion sash. To have a current Lord Lieutenant's tunic bespoke mde today by a Saville Row tailor would cost around £4,600 with an additional £750 for the sash. In England and Wales and in Ireland, the lord lieutenant was the principal officer of his county. The office's creation dates from the Tudors. The cloth has various small moth and liner incomplete

Lieutenants were first appointed to a number of English historic counties by Henry VIII in the 1540s, when the military functions of the sheriff were handed over to him. He raised and was responsible for the efficiency of the local militia units of the county, and afterwards of the yeomanry, and volunteers. He was commander of these forces, whose officers he appointed. These commissions were originally of temporary duration, and only when the situation required the local militia to be specially supervised and well prepared often where invasion by Scotland or France might be expected. Tunic in average condition for age, but tiny moth holes and very little inner liner remaining. Ideal for collection or display  read more

Code: 17833

A Rare, Victorian, British Royal Engineer's Sword, Prussian Designed, British Army Issue, Experimental Sword of The Royal Engineers, The Driver's Sword, Model of 1850

Used in the Crimean War, and for sale as a very, very inexpensive rare Royal Engineers sword, due to its pitted surface. This sword was originally a Prussian experimental cavalry sword that was once issued for testing, to a limited number of Prussian Hussar regiments, in 1850. It was in fact not actually finally approved by the Prussians, but it's form was continued and developed until it's successor sword eventually evolved to become the Prussian Model of 1852 Cavalry Hussar Sabre. Those experimental 1850 swords were withdrawn from service by the Prussian Cavalry, and they were placed in storage in Liege in Belgium for disposal.
There was an article published in the "Deutsches Waffen Journal" about this sword. On the sword they had, it had on the guard, the regimental marking of the 4th squadron, Prussian Garde-Husaren regiment and on the spine of blade a crowned FW 50 and German D mark. This confirms it was the Prussian Hussar experimental issue of 1850. On the ricasso was an S&K marking with Crowned L 8 and two British Ordnance broad arrows to show that this pattern of sword was thus purchased and re-issued to the British army. So, these very rarely seen swords are recorded as the Royal Engineers 1850 Driver's pattern swords, but they were originally known as the Prussian experimental Hussar sword, that after disapproval were then removed to Liege and later sold to the British Ordnance through the Liege armourers. It came from the descendant family of a Crimean War Royal Engineer. Our example is certainly age worn, in fact none of it's original markings are now still visible unfortunately. However, it is a most rare and fascinating piece. To collectors of British [and Prussian] swords this would make a most fascinating addition, especially, that if particularly searched for, it may take many years to find another, if at all. The condition is certainly not good, but its rarity and significance is considerable. All over russetted, no scabbard, damaged grip. There used to be an example identical to this one in the Royal Small Arms Factory Enfield. Pattern Room  read more

Code: 14569

A Most Beautiful and Intriguing, Early, Possibly 17th Century, Carved Lion Head Hilted, Tail-Bladed Knife

Traces of an early armourer's stamp at the ricasso of the blade, carved hardwood hilt in the form of a Sinhalese simha [lion]. The hilt has a pair of rivets through which the blade tang is held in place, and the rivet heads have copper rosette collars, very similar to the rosettes found on 17th century cabassat helmet rivets. A wide blade with an unusual recurved tail, and a single cutting edge. It is of a most unusual form and may for sacrificial purposes, or, a ceremonial implement of another function entirely. We feel it may be Sinhalese, by the hilt design, possible even loosely based on a very large piha kaetta knife.

Curiously it is incredibly similar to artefacts of the early pre-Colombian Central American period, such as Incan or Mayan. 13.5 inches long overall.  read more

Code: 22539

A n Original 1870's Victorian 9th Voltiguers De Quebec Shako Plate

A very good scarce badge of the Canadian Light Infantry volunteers. 3 loop pin mounting posts. In superb condition. the '9' unit mark denotes issue to the 9th Battalion Volunteer Militia Rifles of Canada (Voltigeurs de Quebec). They were one of the units mobilized and sent out west during the 1885 North West Rebellion. The unit was established in 1862. The North-West Rebellion (or the North-West Resistance, Saskatchewan Rebellion, Northwest Uprising, or Second Riel Rebellion) of 1885 was a brief and unsuccessful uprising by the Metis people under Louis Riel, and an associated uprising by First Nations Cree and Assiniboine, of the District of Saskatchewan against the government of Canada. During a time of great social change in Western Canada, the Metis believed that the Canadians had failed to address the protection of their rights, their land and their survival as a distinct people. Despite some notable early victories at Duck Lake, Fish Creek and Cut Knife, the rebellion ended when the Metis were defeated at the siege of Batoche, Saskatchewan, the eventual scattering of their allied Aboriginal forces and the trial and hanging of Louis Riel and eight First Nations leaders. Tensions between French Canada and English Canada increased for some time. Due to the role that the Canadian Pacific Railway played in transporting troops, political support for it increased and Parliament authorized funds to complete the country's first transcontinental railway. 4 inches high.  read more

Code: 18971