A Delightful & Beautiful Early to Mid Edo Period 1598-1863 Samurai War Arrow Yanone (Arrow), With Togari-ya (Pointed Head) of Yanagi-ha ("Willow-Leaf"). WithYadake Bamboo Haft & Sea Eagle Flights & Traditional Tamagahane, In Incredibly Rare Full Polish

It is most rare to find original, antique samurai war arrows {ya} that still have beautifully polished tamagahane steel blades, that they would all have had originally, that often show the traditional hamon, the same as a traditional samurai sword would have had.
Acquired by us by personally being permitted to select from the private collection one of the world's greatest, highly respected and renown archery, bow and arrow experts. Who had spent his life travelling the world to lecture on archery and to accumulate the finest arrows and bows he could find. .

With original traditional eagle feathers, probably the large edge-wing feathers of a Japanese sea eagle. The armour piercing arrow tip, that is swollen at the tip to have the extra piercing power to penetrate armour and helmets {kabuto}, is a brightly polished, traditional tamagahane steel hand made, by a sword smith, long arrow head, originally hand made with folding and tempering exactly as would be a samurai sword blade, possibly signed on the tang under the binding but we would never remove it to see. The Edo period early eagle feathers are now slightly worn. It is entirely indicative of the Japanese principle that as much time skill and effort be used to create a single 'fire and forget' arrow, as would be used to make a tanto or katana. A British or European blacksmith might once have made ten or twenty arrows a day, a Japanese craftsman might take a week to make a single arrow, that has a useable combat life of maybe two minutes, the same as a simplest British long bow arrow.

The Togari-Ya or pointed arrowheads look like a small Yari (spear) were pointed arrowheads were used only for war and are armour piercing arrows . Despite being somewhat of a weapon that was 'fire and forget' it was created regardless of cost and time, like no other arrow ever was outside of Japan. For example, to create the arrow head alone, in the very same traditional way today, using tamahagane steel, folding and forging, water quench tempering, then followed by polishing, it would likely cost way in excess of a thousand pounds, that is if you could find a Japanese master sword smith today who would make one for you. Then would would need hafting, binding, and feathering, by a completely separate artisan, and finally, using eagle feathers as flights, would be very likely impossible. This is a simple example of how incredible value finest samurai weaponry can be, items that can be acquired from us that would cost many times the price of our original antiques in order to recreate today. Kyu Jutsu is the art of Japanese archery.The beginning of archery in Japan is pre-historical. The first images picturing the distinct Japanese asymmetrical longbow are from the Yayoi period (c. 500 BC – 300 AD).
The changing of society and the military class (samurai) taking power at the end of the first millennium created a requirement for education in archery. This led to the birth of the first kyujutsu ryūha (style), the Henmi-ryū, founded by Henmi Kiyomitsu in the 12th century. The Takeda-ryū and the mounted archery school Ogasawara-ryū were later founded by his descendants. The need for archers grew dramatically during the Genpei War (1180–1185) and as a result the founder of the Ogasawara-ryū (Ogasawara Nagakiyo), began teaching yabusame (mounted archery) In the twelfth and thirteenth century a bow was the primary weapon of a warrior on the battlefield. Bow on the battlefield stopped dominating only after the appearance of firearm.The beginning of archery in Japan is pre-historical. The first images picturing the distinct Japanese asymmetrical longbow are from the Yayoi period (c. 500 BC – 300 AD).
The changing of society and the military class (samurai) taking power at the end of the first millennium created a requirement for education in archery. This led to the birth of the first kyujutsu ryūha (style), the Henmi-ryū, founded by Henmi Kiyomitsu in the 12th century. The Takeda-ryū and the mounted archery school Ogasawara-ryū were later founded by his descendants. The need for archers grew dramatically during the Genpei War (1180–1185) and as a result the founder of the Ogasawara-ryū (Ogasawara Nagakiyo), began teaching yabusame (mounted archery) Warriors practiced several types of archery, according to changes in weaponry and the role of the military in different periods. Mounted archery, also known as military archery, was the most prized of warrior skills and was practiced consistently by professional soldiers from the outset in Japan. Different procedures were followed that distinguished archery intended as warrior training from contests or religious practices in which form and formality were of primary importance. Civil archery entailed shooting from a standing position, and emphasis was placed upon form rather than meeting a target accurately. By far the most common type of archery in Japan, civil or civilian archery contests did not provide sufficient preparation for battle, and remained largely ceremonial. By contrast, military training entailed mounted maneuvers in which infantry troops with bow and arrow supported equestrian archers.

Mock battles were staged, sometimes as a show of force to dissuade enemy forces from attacking. While early medieval warfare often began with a formalized archery contest between commanders, deployment of firearms and the constant warfare of the 15th and 16th centuries ultimately led to the decline of archery in battle. In the Edo period archery was considered an art, and members of the warrior classes participated in archery contests that venerated this technique as the most favoured weapon of the samurai. In the gallery is from an Edo exhibition of archery that shows a tagari ya arrow pierced completely through, back and front, an armoured steel multi plate kabuto helmet. Another photo shows an unmounted arrow head with the considerable length of the tang that is concealed by the haft.
In the gallery is from an Edo exhibition of archery that shows a tagari ya arrow pierced completely through, back and front, an armoured steel multi plate kabuto helmet. Another photo shows an unmounted arrow head with the considerable length of the tang that is concealed by the haft.

Image in the gallery is our classic, original Japanese print 'The Last Stand of the Kusunoki Heroes at Shijo-Nawate 1851'. by Utagawa Kuniyoshi. The last original triptych example of this wonder that we had for sale sold for £3,450 {to a museum in the States}.

Please note, almost all the war arrows in the print are most similar to this one.

"The warrior in the vanguard of the three, Wada Shinbei Masatomo, is carrying a couple of decapitated heads – the one we can see so clearly is grinning even in death – swinging them out in front of him in a gesture of defiance. Their leader, Kusunoki Masatsura, the last of the three, pausing momentarily to lean against the corpse of a horse, is labouring under the weight of a dead body sprawled across his back, which may be that of his fallen younger brother. That corpse helps to shield him from the mighty, unstoppable spray of arrows. The central figure is driving forward beneath the inadequate protection of a woefully collapsing battle standard. Only the leader for the day forges ahead, eyes in a kind of trance-like engagement with those of the enemy, as he shakes those heads like a brandished fist."
Quoted from an article written in the Independant by Michael Glover May 2012

In the gallery is from an Edo exhibition of archery that shows a tagari ya arrow pierced completely through, back and front, an armoured steel multi plate kabuto helmet. Another photo shows an unmounted arrow head with the considerable length of the tang that is concealed by the haft.

Every item is accompanied with our unique, Certificate of Authenticity. Of course any certificate of authenticity, given by even the best specialist dealers, in any field, all around the world, is simply a piece of paper,…however, ours is backed up with the fact we are the largest dealers of our kind in the world, with over 100 years and four generation’s of professional trading experience behind us  read more

Code: 25843

A Simply Stunning Edo Period Mighty Samurai Armour and Helmet Piercer Tanto, Around 250 Years Old. An Absolute Beautiful Example of Samurai Sword Artistry & Skill

The blade is utterly amazing, with a great gunome hamon, superb grain in the hada, and powerful blade designed to pierce the strongest kabuto, iron plate war helmet, or even the strongest part of any gosuko armour, being an incredible 8 mm thick at the habaki.
Fully mounted with all its original Edo fuchi kashira decorated with takebori rabbits and reeds. Pure gold and silver rabbits on a shakudo nanako ground, with pure gold reeds. Pure gold menuki of shi shi lion dogs, under original edo black silk tsuka-itol.

It has a kozuka decorated on shakudo and gold of a herd of frolicking ponies . Original Edo period urushi lacquer ishime style, stone finish, lacquer saya with polished carved buffalo horn fittings. The only signs of age wear is on the lacquer saya, with three or four very small surface dings and slight blistering by the mid section on one side. The habaki is superb in shakudo. The tsuba is an iron tetsu oval inlaid with puer gold, with surface decoration of stylized serpent like beasts with gold stars both large and small with a pair of gold fronted seppa.

This would make a fabulous addition to any fine collection of original antique samurai weaponry or armour

Rabbits are one of the signs of the Japanese zodiac. They are considered lucky as the Japanese kanji used to write the word rabbit is similar to the kanji meaning "get rid of " or "make vanish". People believe that rabbits will make bad luck disappear! Rabbits are also known for jumping high. They can leap over nine feet! Rabbits symbolize everything going up in your life - improvement and success.

THE LANES ARMOURY, THE PREMIER HOME OF ORIGINAL AND AFFORDABLE ANCIENT ANTIQUITIES & ANTIQUE COLLECTABLES IN BRITAIN.

The Lanes Armoury, is world renown as Britain's favourite specialist collectors shop, and also a font of historical and educational information that is detailed with every single item. We detail each piece alongside its historical context, either generic or specific, for those that may wish to read, learn, or be informed, as opposed to simply acquire collectable items. We are probably one of the oldest companies of our kind in the whole of Europe and we have been established through generations, as specialists in armoury, military antiques, militaria collectables, and specialist books, since the early 1900’s, and thus we have continued to be one of the largest in the world today. The current partners were set on this path by their great grandfather, who while intrigued by historic antique arms and armour, was woefully under capitalised for his dream profession, so much so that even when starting his very small business, just after the first world war, he still kept up his original working class pre war trade as a scaffolder as his safety net in case his dreams folded. Just as well for his succeeding generations, he didn’t fail. However, true to his very old-fashioned working class ethics, every subsequent generation had to follow their own path, with no financial assistance whatsoever, with his son, grandson and great-grandsons having to make their own way, on their own skill and merits, whatever they may be.
We are also very pleased to know we are also studied and read by academics and students from hundreds of universities around the world, by those that are interested in not only British but worldwide history. Of course we are not perfect and errors can and will be made, but thanks to our viewers and visitors, errors can be corrected, and learnt from.
Our sacred principle is that every single country's history ought to be studied, and passed down, however good, or bad some of it may be. All history is knowledge, good, bad or indifferent.

Everyday we are contacted by historians that wish to make contributions to our detailed information for our pieces, and to thus add to our constant dedication to impart historical knowledge, that may be unknown to many of our millions of viewers.

As once told to us by an esteemed regular visitor to us here in our gallery, in order to view and study our Japanese edged weapons and armour gallery, and the same words that are repeated in his book;

“In these textures lies an extraordinary and unique feature of the sword - the steel itself possesses an intrinsic beauty. The Japanese sword has been appreciated as an art object since its perfection some time during the tenth century AD. Fine swords have been more highly prized than lands or riches, those of superior quality being handed down from generation to generation. In fact, many well-documented swords, whose blades are signed by their makers, survive from nearly a thousand years ago. Recognizable features of the blades of hundreds of schools of sword-making have been punctiliously recorded, and the study of the sword is a guide to the flow of Japanese history.”
Victor Harris
Curator, Assistant Keeper and then Keeper (1998-2003) of the Department of Japanese Antiquities at the British Museum. He studied from 1968-71 under Sato Kenzan, Tokyo National Museum and Society for the Preservation of Japanese Swords

Blade 12 inches long  read more

Code: 24380

A Very Good & Beautiful Shinto Long Katana Signed Chikanobu. Very Good, Unique Matsushiro Sinano Sinchu & Silver Line Koshirae. Gold and Shakudo Dragon Clutching The Pearl Of Wisdom Menuki. Circa 1680.

All original Edo period mounts and lacquer saya. Fine iron tsuba. With a very beautiful choji hamon to the blade is an absolute beauty, and fully polished.
Long kissaki. Dark blue silk tsukaito over traditional giant rayskin with gold and bronze menuki of dragons. Fully matching suite of sinchu and contrasting silver line mounts to the tsuka and saya, of the Matsushiro Sinano school. A well hammered rough surface...smooth rim though, Saotome Tembo tsuba with kakine kokuin stamps, udenuki-ana, lead ume, uchikaeshi mimi rim, boars eye piercing.
The first master of the Saotome school was Nobuyasu of Shimotsuke. Nobuyasu moved to Odawara in Sagami were the Saotome school itself was founded. Some of the early Saotome makers were Nobuyasu, Iyenori, Iyetsugu, Iyetada and Iyesada although there is some disagreement on the lineage of the school. There were many other generations working well into the late Edo period. The Saotome School gave rise to the Tembo School of tsubako.

The Tembo School (also spelled Tempo, Tenpo or Tenbo) also worked well into the Edo Period. They are most noted for the use of kokuin (hot stamps) on their plates,

This unique original mounting is called “Matsushiro” koshirae which was specially made in Matsuro-han in Shinano (Nagano) province in the edo period.

The samurai were roughly the equivalent of feudal knights. Employed by the shogun or daimyo, they were members of hereditary warrior class that followed a strict "code" that defined their clothes, armour and behavior on the battlefield. But unlike most medieval knights, samurai warriors could read and they were well versed in Japanese art, literature and poetry.
Samurai endured for almost 700 years, from 1185 to 1867. Samurai families were considered the elite. They made up only about six percent of the population and included daimyo and the loyal soldiers who fought under them. Samurai means ?one who serves."

Samurai were expected to be both fierce warriors and lovers of art, a dichotomy summed up by the Japanese concepts of to stop the spear exanding into bushido (the way of life of the warrior) and bun (the artistic, intellectual and spiritual side of the samurai}. Originally conceived as away of dignifying raw military power, the two concepts were synthesized in feudal Japan and later became a key feature of Japanese culture and morality.The quintessential samurai was Miyamoto Musashi, a legendary early Edo-period swordsman who reportedly killed 60 men before his 30th birthday and was also a painting master. Members of a hierarchal class or caste, samurai were the sons of samurai and they were taught from an early age to unquestionably obey their mother, father and daimyo. When they grew older they were trained by Zen Buddhist masters in meditation and the Zen concepts of impermanence and harmony with nature. The were also taught about painting, calligraphy, nature poetry, mythological literature, flower arranging, and the tea ceremony.

As part of their military training, samurai were taught to sleep with their right arm underneath them so if they were attacked in the middle of the night and their the left arm was cut off the could still fight with their right arm. Samurai that tossed and turned at night were cured of the habit by having two knives placed on either side of their pillow.

Samurai have been describes as "the most strictly trained human instruments of war to have existed." They were expected to be proficient in the martial arts of aikido and kendo as well as swordsmanship and archery---the traditional methods of samurai warfare---which were viewed not so much as skills but as art forms that flowed from natural forces that harmonized with nature.
An individual didn't become a full-fledged samurai until he wandered around the countryside as begging pilgrim for a couple of years to learn humility. When this was completed they achieved samurai status and receives a salary from his daimyo paid from taxes (usually rice) raised from the local populace. Swords in Japan have long been symbols of power and honour and seen as works of art. Often times swordsmiths were more famous than the people who used them.
likely details on the Chikanori nobu. Slight name change here, he was then actually signing Chikanobu as he did on this blade, appears in kanji reference notes as nori, nobu is next to nori, and thus often confused . He also used to be known as Shigechika

Chikanobu, previously known as Shigechika, studied under 1st generation Aizu Kanetomo, circa 1660.

Chikanobu received the name nobu from Kanetomo as an honour to therefore thus change his name.

Kanetomo also used to be known as another name once, Kanenobu and thus passed the nobu name to Shigechika as an honour, who thus changed his name to Chikanobu  read more

Code: 23063

A Beautiful Original Roman 1st to 2nd Century A.D. Modius or Fire Alter Status Seal Ring. Worn From The Reigns Of Emperor Augustus Through To Emperor Flavian. Recovered at a Dig in the 1830's by Hadrian's Wall, by the 10th Duke of Hamilton

Hamilton was a well-known dandy of his day. An obituary notice states that "timidity and variableness of temperament prevented his rendering much service to, or being much relied on by his party ... With a great predisposition to over-estimate the importance of ancient birth ... he well deserved to be considered the proudest man in England." He also supported Napoleon and commissioned the painting The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries by Jacques-Louis David.

Hamilton had a strong interest in antiquities, especially Ancient Egyptian mummies, and was so impressed with the work of mummy expert Thomas Pettigrew that he arranged for Pettigrew to mummify him after his death. He died on 18 August 1852 at age 84 at 12 Portman Square, London, England and was buried on 4 September 1852 at Hamilton Palace, Hamilton,Scotland. Agreed by many, in its day, to have been one of the the most spectacular palaces in all Europe, and certainly the largest in Scotland, but sadly demolished in 1921. See picture 7 of the former Hamilton Palace in the gallery, picture 8 the10th Duke painted by Henry Raeburn, and picture 9 is the Hamilton Mausoleum today,

In accordance with his wishes, Hamilton's body was mummified after his death and placed in a sarcophagus of the Ptolemaic period that he had originally acquired in Paris in 1836 ostensibly for the British Museum. At the same time he had acquired the sarcophagus of Pabasa, an important nobleman which is now in the Kelvingrove Museum. In 1842 Hamilton had begun construction of the Hamilton Mausoleum as repository for the overcrowded family vault at the Palace. He was interred there with other Dukes of Hamilton, from the 1858 completion of the Mausoleum until 1921 when subsidence and the subsequent demolition of the Palace forced removal of the bodies to the Bent Cemetery in Hamilton, where he still lies buried in his sarcophagus.

“The destruction of Hamilton Palace… was one of the greatest losses to national heritage ever to happen in this country,” writes National Museums Scotland.

Once one of the most influential families in Scotland, the family heirlooms were unceremoniously sold off to the highest bidder, and the grand mansion torn down.

The end came for the palace in 1921; after almost four decades of neglect, it was demolished and erased from the landscape forever

His collection of paintings, objects, books and manuscripts was sold for £397,562 in July 1882, the equivalant today of around £62,000,000. The manuscripts were purchased by the German government for £80,000. Some were repurchased by the British government and are now in the British Museum.

Lord Lamington, in The Days of the Dandies, wrote of him that 'never was such a magnifico as the 10th Duke, the Ambassador to the Empress Catherine; when I knew him he was very old, but held himself straight as any grenadier. He was always dressed in a military laced undress coat, tights and Hessian boots, &c'. Lady Stafford in letters to her son mentioned 'his great Coat, long Queue, and Fingers cover'd with gold Rings', and his foreign appearance. According to another obituary in The Gentleman's Magazine, he had 'an intense family pride'.

The Julian Dynasty
Augustus (also known as Octavian, he was the first official emperor, reigning from 27 BC to AD 14)
Tiberius (reigned from AD 14 to 37)
Caligula (reigned from AD 37 to 41)
Claudius (reigned from AD 41 to 54)
Nero (reigned from AD 54 to 68)
The year of the 4 emperors, preceded by reign dates.
June 68 - Jan 69: Galba
Jan 69 - Apr 69: Otho
Apr 69 - Dec 69: Vitellius

The Flavian Dynasty
69 - 79: Vespasian
79 - 81: Titus
81 - 96: Domitian

The Nerva-Antonine Dynasty
96 - 98: Nerva
98 - 117 a.d.: Trajan


Henig type Xb. Wide oval bezel affixed to flattened shoulders engraved copper alloy. Almost identical to another one found in Britain near Hadrian's Wall. Engraved to either to represent the Zaroastrian fire altar, or vessel of sprouting grains. The engraved intaglio seal ring was important for displaying the Roman's status.

For example Tiberius, who was after all left-handed according to Suetonius, thus displays a ring in his bronze portrait as the Pontifex Maximus: The complete Roman Empire had around a 60 million population and a census more perfect than many parts of the world (to collect taxes, of course) but identification was still quite difficult and aggravated even more because there were a maximum of 17 men names and the women received the name of the family in feminine and a number (Prima for First, Secunda for Second…). A lot of people had the same exact name.
So the Roman proved the citizenship by inscribing themselves (or the slaves when they freed them) in the census, usually accompanied with two witnesses. Roman inscribed in the census were citizens and used an iron or bronze ring to prove it. With Augustus, those that could prove a wealth of more than 400,000 sesterces were part of a privileged class called Equites (knights) that came from the original nobles that could afford a horse. The Equites were middle-high class and wore a bronze or gold ring to prove it, with the famous Angusticlavia (a tunic with an expensive red-purple twin line). Senators (those with a wealth of more than 1,000,000 sesterces) also used the gold ring and the Laticlave, a broad band of purple in the tunic.

So the rings were very important to tell from a glimpse of eye if a traveller was a citizen, an equites or a senator, or legionary. People sealed and signed letters with the rings and its falsification could bring death.
The fugitive slaves didn’t have rings but iron collars with texts like “If found, return me to X” which also helped to recognise them. The domesticus slaves (the ones that lived in houses) didn’t wore the collar but sometimes were marked. A ring discovered 50 years ago is now believed to possibly be the ring of Pontius Pilate himself, and it was the same copper-bronze form ring as is this one. Comes in a complimentary box  read more

Code: 26404

A Beautiful Koto Wakazashi, In Superb Original Edo Fittings and Tsuba With a Masamune Signed Blade. The Koto Era Was From 900 to 1595. Just Returned Today from Full Blade Conservation and it Looks Amazing

Photos of the now finished stunning polished blade, with fine hamon and hada etc. have just been added.

A delightful sword, with a stunning hamon and hada bearing the signature Masamune, associated by legend as the finest samurai sword maker in all history.

Masamune is generally regarded as the greatest swordsmith in the history of the Japanese sword. His blades, mostly daggers (‘tanto’), were both strong and beautiful and could cut extremely efficiently. Many of the technological advances accredited to Masamune were practical ones brought about by experience gained during the invasions of Japan by the Mongols in 1274 and 1281
Currently, photo 5 in the gallery, is the Masamune blade signature in the Victoria and Albert Museum. Photo 6 is of the President Truman Masamune wakazashi. Photo 7 is the Victoria and Albert Masamune signature next to our sword's signature. Photos shown for educational purposes only, The museum Masamune's sword sgnature is somewhat similar to our blades signature.

However, we believe its fair to say our beauty is unlikely to have been made by 'the' Masamune, otherwise it would be absolutely priceless, which naturally, it isn't.

The wakazashi is beautifully presented with fine original Edo mounts and fittings, including, a delightful iron plate tsuba decorated with shallow takebori chisseling of a samurai helmet kabuto, embellished with pure gold and silver, and a samurai armour arm piece, a sode. The reverse side of the tsuba is chisselled with a samurai war bow and an arrow, also embellished with pure silver. The kashira is patinated shakudo with a gold seated samurai holding a kusari, a sickle form weapon, observing a hawk in flight. The fuchi, is also shakudo, with takebori sheaths of wheat next to a flowing river. The menuki, bound beneath gold silk tsukaito, are patinated shakudo of deep takebori in the form of bundles of flower stems, with pure gold decorated flower heads and fruits, and set upon the traditional samegawa giant rayskin. The Edo Period Was From 1603 to 1868

The saya is ishime lacquer in a beautifully rich, russet colour, with polished carved black buffalo horn fittings and a kozuka pocket holding a shakudo kozuka with a deep takebori gold dragon on a nanako ground. The blade has an old, aged polish, showing a fine suguha hamon and near flawless without any trace of combat damage, with a double copper double interlocking habaki {always a nice indicative sign of quality}.

Yet, is it not a wonderful thing to say one owns a Masamune wakazashi, without any of the incredible expense and heaviest of burdens, of having to pay an insurance premium, of around £500,000 a year, for the priveledge of owning an original and real Masamune.

The complete Kyoho Meibutsu Cho (including the two addendum books) list 61 authenticated Masamune being in existence in the 1700s. Surely some unauthenticated swords by him exist/existed, but it can only be hopeful conjecture. It is now believed less than 20 of his masterworks are likely to still exist.

The USA has two (potentially). One in the Truman Library, presented to President Truman by Gen. Walter Krueger, who was in turn gifted the sword by a Japanese noble (likely to gain favour). The Truman Masamune is possibly the "Mori Masamune" wakizashi, just by looking at the dimensions and photographs. The other (if it still exists) is the legendary Honjo Masamune, which was voluntarily surrendered from a private collection to the Japanese police by a member of the Tokugawa family (who chose to give them up instead of register them). It was then handed off to US occupation forces by the Japanese police and it's whereabouts are unknown currently.

Another exists in Austria, which was gifted to Albrecht von Roretz as part of a lot of swords for working to establish modern hospitals in Japan during the late 1800s.

These are the only ‘recorded’ Masamune blades to leave Japan, and none were battlefield trophies.

The British Museum list that they have a sword signed Masamune in their collection, however it is not photographed, so it is felt it is not an original, and thus, like ours that also isnt.

Another is in the Victoria and Albert Museum, acquired in 1912, it is photographed and also bears an attribution by the Ho’nami family of sword appraisers as being by Masamune, however although it is reasonably believed by many to be ‘the’ Masamune, it may be just of the period.

At a friendly chat we had with Chris Fox and Victor Harris {of the British Museum} in our gallery some years ago, in regards to how much an original would achieve if it appeared on the open market, and importantly, was agreed throughout to be genuine, the theoretical sum of 100 million pounds plus was considered as realistic.

https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/photograph-records/64-131

https://www.militaria.co.za/nmb/topic/36521-truman-library-sword/

Victoria and Albert collection, sword accession number M.20:1 to 4-1912. Although not on display.  read more

Code: 26342

A Most Interesting & Beautiful Quality Victorian Walking Cane. With a Florid Repousse Silver Top, Carved Spiral Haft With Carved Bullet Inlays

Carved spiral twist body with a cross-hatched top section. 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. 31.5 inches long  read more

Code: 23242

A Most Scarce Edwardian Hampshire Yeomanry Carabiniers Regimental Silver Place Badge With 'Battle Honour' Scroll, South Africa 1900-1901

The Hampshire rose to the centre of a crowned oval bearing the title, Hampshire Yeomanry, backed by a pair of crossed rifles, with the 'Carabiniers' scroll across the rifle butts and surmounted by Edward VIIth's King's crown, with the regimental 'Battle Honour' scroll of South Africa 1900-1. Tension sprung silver half hoop at the rear to insert a card, menu or regimental seating place name. In very good condition for age.

Between 1794 and 1803, a large number of cavalry units such as the North Hampshire Yeomanry Cavalry, the New Forest Volunteer Cavalry, the Fawley Light Dragoons and the Southampton Cavalry were raised in southern England as independent groups of Yeomanry. The Prime Minister, William Pitt the Younger, proposed that the English Counties form a force of Volunteer Yeoman Cavalry that could be called on by the King to defend the country against invasion or by the Lord Lieutenant to subdue any civil disorder within the country. These units were brought together under the collective title of North Hampshire Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry in 1834, renamed Hampshire Regiment of Yeomanry Cavalry by 1848. The Regiment adopted the title 'Carabiniers' in 1887.

On 13 December 1899, the decision to allow volunteer forces serve in the Second Boer War was made. Due to the string of defeats during Black Week in December, 1899, the British government realized they were going to need more troops than just the regular army, thus issuing a Royal Warrant on 24 December 1899. This warrant officially created the Imperial Yeomanry. The Royal Warrant asked standing Yeomanry regiments to provide service companies of approximately 115 men each. In addition to this, many British citizens (usually mid-upper class) volunteered to join the new regiment.

The first contingent of recruits contained 550 officers, 10,371 men with 20 battalions and 4 companies, which arrived in South Africa between February and April, 1900. Upon arrival, the regiment was sent throughout the zone of operations. The Hampshire Yeomanry raised the 41st Company, 12th Battalion, and the first company left Southampton on 31 January 1900, bound for Cape Town  read more

Code: 25190

An Original French 1915 'Trench Raiders' Fighting Knife, the So Called WW1 French Army 'Butchers' Bowie Knife In Original Military Issue Scabbard

French WWI close combat trench knife aka the 'Butcher Knife', in original leather scabbard

At the start of WW1 French soldiers were not issued knives, and were supposed to rely on their bayonets, but as soon as trench warfare set in the long rifles with bayonets proved unwieldy in the confined space of the trenches. In the beginning of 1915, the French Army starts distributing large numbers of civilian knives in many variations, the most common being the so-called Butcher's Knives with Bowie blades


A photo in the gallery of an original French “Trench Raider” during WW1. All sides had them, British trench raiders during World War I were specialized assault groups that carried out small-scale, violent night-time incursions into enemy lines on the Western Front. Capturing enemy soldiers ("tongues") for interrogation, mapping trenches, and seizing documents or orders. Inflicting casualties, destroying machine-gun nests, and demolishing enemy dugouts with explosives. Keeping an active, aggressive offensive spirit in the stagnant conditions of trench warfare. Establishing tactical dominance in the dark spaces between opposing trench systems

In Germany they were called 'Shock Troops' {Sturmtruppen or Stoßtruppen} and they were sent in small groups where they infiltrated into forward enemy trenches. With Infiltration tactics, Instead of attacking every part of an enemy line, shock troopers bypassed heavily fortified strongpoints ("strongpoints") and struck at weak gaps.They pushed deep into the enemy's rear to knock out command posts, artillery batteries, and supply lines. Once the line was breached and thrown into confusion, regular German infantry moved up to clear out remaining resistance. They played a central role in the German Spring Offensive (Kaiserschlacht) in March 1918, achieving massive initial territorial gains before the army exhausted its supplies

Armed with a revolver, knives and grenades, and the American's had brass or steel hilted knuckleduster knives, but this was just in the the last year of the war, that the American's fought in the trenches in WW1. It was normally a fully volunteer position.  read more

Code: 26402

Victorian Silver Very Scarce Canadian Officer's Badge of the 38th Dunfferin Rifles

The ‘Canadian Militia 38th Dufferin Rifles Cap Badge’ is a significant historical artifact that embodies the heritage and legacy of a distinguished regiment. Originating in the late 19th century, the 38th Dufferin Rifles were an integral part of Canada’s early military framework. This cap badge is meticulously crafted, typically featuring intricate design elements such as a crown, the regiment’s name, and emblematic symbols signifying its martial prowess and dedication. Worn as part of the uniform, it served as a symbol of unity, pride, and identity for the soldiers of the 38th Dufferin Rifles. Collectors and historians alike treasure these badges not only for their aesthetic appeal but also for their rich historical significance, providing insight into the early Canadian Militia’s role in national defense and community heritage. Preserving these badges helps keep alive the stories of those who served in the regiment, reflecting their bravery and commitment

In superb crisp order. A mighty rare badge. Originated 28 September 1866 in Brantford, Ontario as the 38th "Brant Battalion of Infantry"
Redesignated 30 November 1866 as the 38th "Brant" Battalion of Infantry
Redesignated 24 March 1871 as the 38th "Brant" Battalion of Rifles
Redesignated 3 July 1874 as the 38th "Brant" Battalion or "Dufferin Rifles"
Redesignated 28 September 1883 as the 38th Battalion "Dufferin Rifles of Canada"
Redesignated 8 May 1900 as the 38th Regiment "Dufferin Rifles of Canada"
Redesignated 1 May 1920 as The Dufferin Rifles of Canada
Amalgamated 15 December 1936 with The Haldimand Rifles and C Company of the 3rd Machine Gun Battalion, CMGC
The 125th Battalion (1st Overseas Battalion of 38th Regiment Dufferin Rifles), CEF was a unit in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. Based in Brantford, Ontario, the unit began recruiting in late 1915 throughout Brant County. 43mm x 70mm  read more

Code: 18826

A Fine Kugyō Daisho, Koto to Early Shinto Era, Of A Daito & Shoto. Daito Signed Bishu ju Munemitsu. Shoto Signed Fujiwara Rai Kinmichi Yamashiro. This Daisho Is One Of The Most Beautiful Pairs Of Original Edo Period Fitted Samurai Swords We Have Seen

A fabulous daisho likely of the highest ranks of the samurai nobility of ancient and feudal times, they held the highest status of samurai in Japan and the rank of Kugyō. The samurai lords and controllers the Shogun’s court of the bakufu, only ranking below the shogun himself

The blades and saya have now returned from no expense spared *museum grade conservation, so we show them now after it has been completed. The perfectly colour matching brown and gold silk sageo tied around the daito saya, that we have been saving for just such a deserving sword as this, after we acquired it from Victor Harris decades ago, looks absolutely incredible.

The Daito {long sword} bears the signature: Bishu ju Munemitsu, Bizen Province, Late Mihara school, circa 1575, Gunome hamon Masame hada

The Shoto {short sword} is signed: Fujiwara Rai Kinmichi, Yamashiro School, {circa 1624}, Sudareba hamon, Masame hada. A beautiful suite of daisho fuchgashira of takebori insects and catydids in gold and shakudo, possibly by Mitsunaka (光仲) of Mino who was a Japanese metalworker, mostly known for his sword mounts in the Mino-bori (美濃彫) or "Mino carving" style, and a pair of fabulous iron plate maru-gata tettsu tsuba inlaid with takebori flower heads in soft metals. The kozuka is Kaga-Goto School 加賀後藤派
Kaga Goto Five Shishi {lion dogs} Kozuka and its steel blade, kozukatana is also signed

The daisho have finest original Edo saya, of urushi lacquer decorated with kamon of multiple clans, this suggests affiliations and allegiance to those clans, and they are multiples of mon applied, on a ground of gold-nashiji, of gold-ikakeji. This form of highest superior work was restricted, in feudal times, to san mi 三位, samurai owners, of the third court-rank, or possibly even higher, such as 一位, Ichii, First rank, or, 二位, Nii, second rank. These samurai nobles of the third to higher ranks were called kugyō when these two swords was made and carried in the early Edo period of the Tokugawa shogunate.

First Rank (一位, Ichii): The highest court rank, reserved for individuals of exceptional merit and influence.
Second Rank (二位, Nii): A higher rank, often associated with those in positions of authority.
Third Rank (三位, Sanmi) and Fourth Rank (四位, Shii): These ranks denoted important positions in the court system

In feudal Japan, court ranks, known as mibun, were a hierarchical system defining the status and duties of individuals, particularly within the samurai class. These ranks influenced everything from a samurai's attire and position to their ability to request audiences with the Shogun. The system was a complex tapestry of colors, symbols, and titles, signifying one's place in the social order.

In the Tokugawa shogunate each of the First to Third Ranks is divided into Senior (正, shō) and Junior (従, ju). The Senior First Rank (正一位, shō ichi-i) is the highest in the rank system. It is conferred mainly on a very limited number of persons recognized by the Imperial Court as most loyal to the nation during that era.

The Junior First Rank (従一位, ju ichi-i) is the second highest rank, conferred in many cases on the highest ministers, premier feudal lords, and their wives.

Nobles with the Third Rank or upper were called kugyō.

Successive Tokugawa shoguns held the highest or near-highest court ranks, higher than most court nobles. They were made Shō ni-i (正二位, Senior Second Rank) of court rank upon assuming office, then Ju ichi-i (従一位, Junior First Rank), and the highest rank of Shō ichi-i (正一位, Senior First Rank) was conferred upon them upon their death. The Tokugawa shogunate established that the court ranks granted to daimyo by the imperial court were based on the recommendation of the Tokugawa shogunate, and the court ranks were used to control the daimyo.

Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi were Shō ni-i (正二位, Senior Second Rank) and Ju ichi-i (従一位, Junior First Rank) respectively, but both were elevated to Shō ichi-i (正一位, Senior First Rank) in the Taisho era, about 300 years after their deaths.

The no expense spared museum grade conservation including blade polish conservation and cleaning, has yielded fabulous results. We undertook it for two specific reasons, firstly, it deserves to be returned to as close to its original condition as possible, yet, still showing it age, and, externally regarding the tsuka-ito and urushi lacquer, showing all its natural wear, and secondly, to honour its previous owner, who, for several decades, was a seasoned practitioner of the Japanese martial art forms {not using these swords of course}, and he was a friend of many in the Japanese nihonto world, such as Victor Harris, former Curator of Japanese swords at the British Museum. It has thus been undertaken with immense care. For example all the original urushi nashiji lacquer is being left, just, ‘as is’ after it has been hand cleaned and conserved, in order to show all its natural beauty, quality yet natural aging, with its colour somewhat darkening from the past few hundred years.

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of our family’s trading, as Britain’s oldest established, and favourite, armoury and gallery.

THE LANES ARMOURY, THE PREMIER HOME OF ORIGINAL AND AFFORDABLE ANCIENT ANTIQUITIES & MILITARY ANTIQUE COLLECTABLES IN BRITAIN.

The Lanes Armoury, is world renown as Britain's favourite specialist collectors shop, and also a font of historical and educational information that is detailed with every single item. We detail each piece alongside its historical context, either generic or specific, for those that may wish to read, learn, or be informed, as opposed to simply acquire collectable items. We are probably one of the oldest companies of our kind in the whole of Europe and we have been established through generations, as specialists in armoury, military antiques, militaria collectables, and specialist books, since the early 1900’s, and thus we have continued to be one of the largest in the world today. The current partners were set on this path by their great grandfather

We are also very pleased to know we are also studied and read by academics and students from hundreds of universities around the world, by those that are interested in not only British but worldwide history. Of course we are not perfect and errors can and will be made, but thanks to our viewers and visitors, errors can be corrected, and learnt from.
Our sacred principle is that every single country's history ought to be studied, learnt, and passed down to future generations, however good, or even bad, some of it may be. All history is knowledge, be it good, bad, or indifferent.

Everyday we are contacted by historians that wish to make contributions to our detailed information for our pieces, and to thus add to our constant dedication to impart historical knowledge, that may be unknown to many of our millions of viewers.

As once told to us by an esteemed regular visitor to us here in our gallery, in order to view and study our Japanese edged weapons and armour gallery, and the same words that are repeated in his book;

“In these textures lies an extraordinary and unique feature of the sword - the steel itself possesses an intrinsic beauty. The Japanese sword has been appreciated as an art object since its perfection some time during the tenth century AD. Fine swords have been more highly prized than lands or riches, those of superior quality being handed down from generation to generation. In fact, many well-documented swords, whose blades are signed by their makers, survive from nearly a thousand years ago. Recognizable features of the blades of hundreds of schools of sword-making have been punctiliously recorded, and the study of the sword is a guide to the flow of Japanese history.”
Victor Harris
Curator, Assistant Keeper and then Keeper (1998-2003) of the Department of Japanese Antiquities at the British Museum. He studied from 1968-71 under Sato Kenzan, Tokyo National Museum and Society for the Preservation of Japanese Swords.

* Museum grade conservation is encouraged for fine and rare artefacts in order to conserve and create pieces as much as is possible without creating an ‘as new’ appearance. It is extremely important to retain as must original patina as possible, and natural aging, so as to beautifully improve their current condition as much as possible, without removing historical context. Such as the great priceless treasures, the Roman Portland vase, and the Anglo Saxon Sutton Hoo helmet, associated with King Rædwald of East Anglia, now both exhibited in the British Museum

The original lacquer saya on the shoto has small areas of line opening near the throat due to its past hundreds of years old wear, yet it is still in a fine condition otherwise. Its hand carved and polished black buffalo horn fittings and kurikata are are now hand repolished and superb throughout the daito saya. This overall museum grade conservation project we have undertaken, involving hundreds of hours of expert attention and skill, we would like to think, is just the kind of result that our friend, Victor Harris, formerly of of the British Museum, would have been proud.  read more

Code: 25805