Incredibly Rare Collectors Item. A Nuclear Warden's Helmet 1950-55. Named For "Area 13" in the Central Government War Headquarters Bunker, Codename 'Turnstile', 120 feet Underground In Wiltshire, A Complex Housing 4,000 People Incl. 60 Miles Of Roads

We first starting buying WW2 Tommy Helmets within a year of the wars end, and Cold War Civil Defence kit since the 1970's, yet this is the very first Nuclear Warden's helmet we have ever seen outside of a museum.

As can be plainly seen, this is a simple and purely functional helmet, with no elaborate decor or attractiveness at all, but, that was the very point, it was simply supplied to the wardens, with hand painted area designation, for an effective purpose, and without any frills or fancy badging required, or even used. Similar as to how camouflage was applied German combat helmets in WW1 and WW2

A WW2 manufactured, Tommy Helmet, aka the MKII Brodie pattern. Maker stamped dated 1939 Mk II maker stamped JSS. During World War II, the stamp J.S.S. stood for Joseph Sankey & Sons Ltd, a major metal-press and automotive parts manufacturer based at the Albert Street Works in Bilston, Staffordshire, England from 1938 to 1941. Re-purposed in 1950 for the Cold War, British, Nuclear Bunker Government Headquarters.

Original British Army green paint, with original, hand painted, naming of Nuclear Warden and Area 13 on the rear. Area 13 was the section for power and agricultural supply within the bunker complex.

The Civil Defence Corps (Established 1948)
Following the Civil Defence Act of 1948, the British government established the Civil Defence Corps to prepare for potential future conflicts, including the threat of nuclear attacks.
Volunteers were organized into localized sections, including a Warden Section.
These wardens were not divided into nationwide "nuclear warden areas" only the underground headquarters 'Turnstile, aka, Burlington', likely due to its massive size. Instead, they were organized locally by individual county and borough councils across the UK,

The massive underground complex was located 120 feet underground at Spring Quarry in Corsham, Wiltshire, known by codenames Burlington, Turnstile, or Chanticleer—was designed to act as the UK's emergency shadow government headquarters during a nuclear war.
While the quarry was used as an aircraft engine factory during World War II, the Cabinet Office did not take it over for nuclear civil defence planning until around 1950, with official commissioning happening in 1955. Within this underground city, Area 13 was a specific corridor inside the bunker that housed the power rooms and the agricultural supplies.

The history of 'Burlington' & 'Turnstile'

The Quarrying Era (19th Century)
The complex originated as a series of deep underground mines for Bath stone (Oolite limestone). The industry boomed in the 1840s following the construction of Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s famous Box Tunnel for the Great Western Railway. Quarrying excavated vast, pillar-supported subterranean chambers roughly 80 to 120 feet underground.
Beginning in 1938, sites like Tunnel Quarry were converted into the largest ammunition dump in the world , the Central Ammunition Depot (CAD). At its peak, it spanned 125 acres, stored 300,000 tonnes of munitions, and featured its own underground railway platform linked directly to the main line

As the threat of aerial bombardment escalated in the late 1930s, the British government requisitioned the quarries. They were developed into two distinct, massive wartime installations:

In 1940, the Ministry of Aircraft Production took over the 35-acre Spring Quarry. It was retrofitted into a bomb-proof, air-conditioned factory where the Bristol Aeroplane Company manufactured Centaurus aircraft engines safe from Luftwaffe raids

In 1954, following the dawn of the thermonuclear age, the government purchased Spring Quarry to build a hardened, secret bunker code-named Burlington (also known as Turnstile or Site 3). Commissioned under Prime Minister Anthony Eden
Built to operate in total isolation for up to three months, the grid-mapped bunker included 60 miles of underground roads, a hospital, industrial kitchens, water treatment facilities supplied by an underground lake, and a massive telephone exchange. It even featured a fully equipped BBC broadcasting studio to address the surviving population

The Subterranean City: The complex was designed to relocate 4,000 central government personnel, including the Prime Minister, the Cabinet Office, and an army of civil servants  read more

Code: 26384

An Important Volume From The Library of The Women's Retreat of Dr Octavia Wilberforce, Wilberforce Library, Backsettown. Dear Friend to Virginia Wolf, and Friend of The Bloomsbury Group, & Companion to American Actress Suffragette Elizabeth Robins.

Strickland's, Lives Of The Queens Of England, Volume II, Published in 1875. With Dr Octavia Wilberforce's, bookplate of her Wilberforce Library, Backsettown. Octavia's women's retreat near Henfield, Sussex. Virginia Woolf was driven to Brighton to visit Octavia just the day before her suicide in 1941. She put heavy stones in her pockets, and drowned herself in the River Ouse in Sussex. The River Ouse runs through the partners farm near Lewes.

An opportunity to own a volume from Dr Octavia Wilberforces library is a most rare event, as they appear very infrequently, and are incredibly sought after by followers and collectors, in regards to Virginia Woolf, the Bloomsbury Group and the earliest members of Womens Suffrage. Just the thought of who may have studied and enjoyed this historical volume at Backsettown, on early English Queens, is incredibly fascinating and most intriguing. See below for just a few of these incredible women

The Wilberforce Library was established by Dr. Octavia Wilberforce (1888–1963)—a pioneering English physician, close friend, and medical attendant to Virginia Woolf who famously advised rest shortly before Woolf's suicide in 1941.

About the Wilberforce Library

Founded by Dr. Octavia Wilberforce, who defied her parents to qualify as a doctor at the London School of Medicine for Women and practiced medicine in Brighton for decades.

Housed at Backsettown, a women's health convalescent home and retreat near Henfield, Sussex, which Dr. Wilberforce ran alongside her companion, the American actress and suffragette Elizabeth Robins. The American-born actress, playwright, and suffragist, lived much of her life in England, where she and Woolf developed a deep friendship during the interwar period
The library preserved rare and antiquarian volumes—such as historical essays on English songwriting and literature—some of which descended through historical estate provenances like Lavington House and were integrated into the intellectual and community life of Backsettown.

Dr. Wilberforce's extensive correspondence with Virginia Woolf (spanning 1940–1941) and Leonard Woolf (spanning 1941–1963) is preserved within the University of Sussex Library Special Collections

Octavia Wilberforce (1888–1963) was an English physician who made a medical career despite opposition from her parents, with support from Elizabeth Robins. She was in general practice in Brighton, and ran a women's shelter near Henfield. She treated Virginia Woolf's mental illness in the final years of Woolf's life. She was also friends with multiple members of the Bloomsbury Group.

Octavia Margaret Wilberforce was the daughter and eighth child of Reginald Garton Wilberforce (1838–1914), son of Samuel Wilberforce, and his wife, Anna Maria Denman (died 1938), daughter of Richard Denman; her great-grandfather was Thomas Denman, 1st Baron Denman. She was born at Lavington House, Petworth, Sussex, and had little formal education. She came out as a débutante in 1907

Wilberforce met world famous stage actress, and suffraget Elizabeth Robins in 1909. In 1910 she took one of the family's maids to hospital, and met Louisa Martindale, an influential contact. Her parents planned for her to marry Charles Buxton, son of Sydney Buxton, 1st Earl Buxton, but the match was against her wishes and she refused him. Instead, she entered the London School of Medicine for Women in 1913, beginning seven years of study and qualifying in 1920.

With her father refusing her financial support and disinheriting her, Wilberforce relied mainly on Robins and Lord Buxton. Upon qualifying, she worked as house physician to Wilfred Harris at St Mary's Hospital, London.

From 1923 Wilberforce was in general practice in Brighton, retiring in 1954.
Robins met Leonard and Virginia Woolf in 1928, at the award ceremony for the Femina - Vie Heureuse Prize, she had known Leslie Stephen, Virginia's father.
The Woolfs came to know Wilberforce, who lived with Robins in Brighton, on a social basis at this point.

A social call for tea by Wilberforce to the Woolfs at Monk's House, Rodmell on 9 December 1940 became a consultation when Leonard Woolf involved Wilberforce in her professional capacity. Wilberforce subsequently advised Virginia on the lines of her treatment of exhausted women at Backsettown, a farmhouse belonging to Robins.

On 27 March 1941 Leonard drove Virginia to consult Wilberforce in Brighton; she advised complete rest on the basis of a physical examination. Virginia Woolf died by suicide the following day.

Octavia Wilberforce died on 19 December 1963

Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury Group formed an influential collective of early 20th-century English writers, artists, and intellectuals who radically rejected strict Victorian conventions in favor of personal freedom, aesthetic appreciation, and liberal politics.

Formed around 1904–1905, the group started when Virginia and her sister, the painter Vanessa Bell, moved to 46 Gordon Square in the Bloomsbury district of London. They were joined by friends from Cambridge University, establishing regular Thursday evening salons and Friday Club discussions.

Alongside Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell, prominent members included Vanessa's husband Clive Bell, writer and publisher Leonard Woolf, economist John Maynard Keynes, writer E.M. Forster, biographer Lytton Strachey, and artists Roger Fry and Duncan Grant. Heavily influenced by philosopher G.E. Moore, the collective prioritized deep personal relationships, artistic creation ("art for art's sake"), and a skeptic view of orthodox morality and religion

Heavily influenced by philosopher G.E. Moore, the collective prioritized deep personal relationships, artistic creation ("art for art's sake"), and a skeptic view of orthodox morality and religion

The Hogarth Press: Founded by Virginia and Leonard Woolf in 1917, this independent publishing house gave Virginia complete creative independence from traditional commercial publishers and printed works by modern trailblazers.

The group championed Post-Impressionism in art, pacifism and conscientious objection during wartime, and progressive ideas regarding gender equality and sexuality Members frequently split their time between London and Sussex, gathering at iconic countryside locations like Monk's House in Rodmell (the Woolfs' home) and Charleston Farmhouse in Firle (Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant's home).

Photo in the gallery of Octavia's companion Elizabeth Robins,
With pinned back chestnut hair and piercing blue-grey eyes, few could resist the intensity of the gaze - nor the personality to match - of Miss Elizabeth Robins. Actress, writer, suffragist and feminist, in her time a darling of the London literati, a friend of Oscar Wilde, Bernard Shaw and Henry James, she was known in this country as the 'High Priestess of Ibsen'.


Just a few of the notable women who may well have enjoyed this superb volume at Backsettown.

Vita Sackville-West. An aristocratic poet, novelist, and gardener. She and Woolf shared a passionate romantic affair and lifelong friendship; Sackville-West famously served as the inspiration for Woolf's gender-bending novel Orlando.

Vanessa Bell: Woolf’s sister and a foundational post-impressionist painter. They were core members of the avant-garde Bloomsbury Group and maintained an intense, lifelong creative alliance.
Katherine Mansfield. The prominent Modernist short-story writer. Mansfield and Woolf shared a complex "love-hate" friendship characterized by a fierce creative rivalry and a deep mutual respect for each other’s literary innovations.

Lady Ottoline Morrell. A flamboyant and influential literary hostess who patronized the Bloomsbury Group, bringing together the era's most famous writers and artists at her Garsington Manor estate.

Emmeline and Christabel Pankhurst. The famous mother-daughter leaders of the suffragette movement (the Women's Social and Political Union). Robins was a staunch ally, using her writing to support their cause and once even hiding a Pankhurst family member from the police at her Sussex home.

Lady Florence Bell. A prominent upper-class writer and playwright. Despite Bell being an anti-suffragist, she and Robins shared a deep creative "sisterhood," translating plays together and co-authoring the anonymous protest play Alan's Wife.

Marion Lea. An American actress who teamed up with Robins in the 1890s to break into theater management. Together, they successfully bought the rights to and produced Henrik Ibsen's Hedda Gabler in London, creating complex, realistic roles for women on stage.

Dame Sybil Thorndike. One of the most celebrated British actresses of the 20th century. She collaborated with Robins through the Actresses' Franchise League and remained a mutual friend of both Robins and the Woolfs later in life.  read more

Code: 26388

An Original, Zulu War Period, Antique Zulu King's 'Prestige Sceptre', Dating For The Reign of the 1879 Anglo-Zulu War King, Cetshwayo. Said To Have Belonged To Cestshwayo. A Fabulous Carved Ubhejane Royal Sceptre Knopkerrie, Circa 1860's to 1870

A very special item indeed, hand carved from blonde rhino horn, possibly one of the most important historical pieces from the Zulu War, showing amazing age patination, beautiful golden yellow colouring, and for those with serious interest in original and unique Zulu War artefacts. One of the royal sceptres of King Cetshwayo.

Over the decades since 1921 we have had pass through our hands, hundreds of Martini Henrys and bayonets, similar numbers of Zulu spears and shields {all original Zulu war period} but in the past 20 years we have only had two carved Rhino horn 'royal sceptres', both very distingushable and naturally most similar in size and appearence, as one would expect. The first, we knew not any of its history, it just appeared one day across our threshold, and of course it was also a 19th century Zulu Kings sceptre, but without any history known at all, however, this one, we know its amazing verbal history.

The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom. Following the passing of the British North America Act of 1867 forming a federation in Canada, Lord Carnarvon thought that a similar political effort, coupled with military campaigns, might succeed with the African Kingdoms, tribal areas and Boer republics in South Africa. In 1874, Sir Bartle Frere was sent to South Africa as High Commissioner for the British Empire to effect such plans. Among the obstacles were the armed independent states of the South African Republic and the Kingdom of Zululand.

Frere, on his own initiative, sent a provocative ultimatum on 11 December 1878 to the Zulu king Cetshwayo and upon its rejection sent Lord Chelmsford to invade Zululand.The war is notable for several particularly bloody battles see below, including an opening victory of the Zulu at the Battle of Isandlwana, followed by the defence of Rorke's Drift by a small British force from attack by a large Zulu force. The British eventually won the war, ending Zulu dominance of the region.

Battle of Isandlwana; the battle fought on 22nd January 1879, at which the Zulus wiped out a substantial British force, including the 1st Battalion, 24th Foot and rocked Victorian society.

Battle of Rorke’s Drift; the iconic defence of the mission station in Natal on 22nd January 1879, by a small force of British and colonial troops; winning a record number of Victoria Crosses and inspiring Victorian Britain.

Battle of Khambula; the defeat by Colonel Evelyn Wood of a Zulu army on 29th March 1879, in the opening stages of the Zulu War.

Battle of Gingindlovu; the battle fought on 2nd April 1879, where Lord Chelmsford defeated a Zulu army on his route to overwhelming the Zulu nation at Ulundi.

Battle of Ulundi: The final battle of the Zulu War, fought on 4th July 1879, where Lord Chelmsford’s troops destroyed the army of the Zulu King Cetshwayo.

This fabulous sceptre would have been made only for the use of the Zulu king during the 1860’s and 1870’s, and would have been both prestigious and also powerful; the strength of the animal from which it was taken gave it enormous potency and therefore only a King, a great medicine man, could own it.

Sceptres with heads of this size were outlawed in the Victorian era by the government who passed a law stating that the diameter of the head had to be of a size small enough to fit into the owner's mouth. This one won’t fit in most mouths

Gifted to the previous current owner by a Zulu Prince in the 1960’s, probably the most significant piece from the Zulu War we have seen.
Approx 23 inches long

Sold with approval of worked item (EC Regulation 865/2006, Article 62(3) - 453-11/12. Therefore this club can be legally traded in the UK without the need for further CITES certification.

Not suitable to export outside of the UK. Worked pre-1947 rhincoceros horn does not require a CITES permit to be sold within the UK  read more

Code: 24574

Original Japanese WWII Type 93 Non-Commissioned Officer 4x10 Binoculars, with JES ねぢ Mark, Nippon Kōgyō Kikaku, in Original Leather Case & Strap, And His NCO's Service Uniform Twin Piece Interlocking Belt Buckle

These are a very nice pair of Japanese WWII Non-Commissioned Officer's (NCO) Type 93 binocular field glasses. Known in Japanese as the 93式双眼鏡 (93-Shiki sōgankyō), these were intended as a smaller more portable version of binocular field glasses that could be used by NCO's in the field. Lightweight and small, they were well designed for their task. JES Mark: Stamped on the prism plate, JES stands for Japanese Engineering Standards (Nippon Kōgyō Kikaku). This regulatory standard was formally introduced in 1939 to standardize production quality and optimize material supply lines during the war.
JES ねぢ (JES Negi / Neji): The characters immediately following "JES" read ねぢ in historical Japanese hiragana (modern: ねじ / neji), which means "screw" or "screw thread". This specifically denotes that the hardware, fittings, and threads on the optics adhere to unified standard industrial screw specifications


Field glasses have no internal prisms that can be knocked out of alignment so their main advantage is that they are durable, making them a good choice for file combat operations. These binoculars measure 3.5” L x 5” W and are marked with a magnification factor of 4x10°. The binoculars are in good shape, with both lenses clear.

The included original leather case is in great condition, with company stamp within the fine soft leather lid lining.The original carry strap is present and functional with all the rest of the leather components present.

His very scarce service issue Rising Sun uniform, cast brass, twin piece belt buckle is complete with it. It is also the pattern of buckle also used by regular officer's.  read more

Code: 26380

A Pair of Super & Historical 'Doppelfernrohr', WW2 Third Reich Binoculars Very Scarce SS Panzer Commander's Type 10 x 50 Binoculars. Third Reich Maker Code 'bmj' for Hensoldt & Sohne. In Its Original, Bespoke, Military Leather Carrying Case

10 x 50 with serial number. In original military bespoke leather case and neck strap. A distinctive characteristic of the Panzer manufacturer supplied synthetic outer body covering. They are in superb condition, with very good optics, although the left eye focus adjuster slips. The case has fascinating early post war touring labels attached from a German Hotel in Cologne and a Finnish Hotel.

Although a souvenir of WW2, they are not just a simple war trophy or a 'Tommies bring-back' item, these binoculars are very special with great combat service history..

The company was bought by Carl Zeiss in 1928, but the company {Zeiss} still continued using the company name of Hensoldt & Sohne

Panzer commanders relied on 10x50 Dienstglas binoculars (often made by manufacturers like Hensoldt Wetzlar with code bmj) for high-magnification reconnaissance and target identification from the hatch of their armored vehicles.

The 10x magnification allowed commanders to spot enemy anti-tank guns, infantry positions, and rival armor at much greater distances A 50mm objective lens diameter ensured a bright image even in low-light or dusty conditions, which was vital in environments like the Russian Front or North Africa
Unlike heavy tripod-mounted flak optics, the handheld 10x50 configuration struck a balance of power and portability, making them easier to maneuver inside a cramped turret.
Photo in the gallery show an Heer Panzer with a Panzer Commander, with the highly distinctive Panzer binoculars being worn, a superb photo from the bundesarchive of a closeup of a Tank commander with his binoculars in good detail


Also in the gallery, a photo of Heinrich Himmler with his 10 x 50 panzer binoculars, standing next to Hitler, and an SS-Panzer grenadier-Regiment 25 (12. SS-Panzer-Division "Hitlerjugend") at the Ardennes Abbey/Normandy, late June 1944. On the left is regimental commander SS-Obersturmbannführer Heinz Milius, in the centre (with compact close quarter use binoculars) and standing to his left and slightly behind, his subordinate officer, carrying, over his left shoulder, his 10 x 50 SS SS panzer tank commander binoculars, and lastly a U-Boot commander using his at sea. Photos for information only  read more

Code: 26381

A Fine & Most Rare, French Napoleonic Wars Consulat To Empire Period Early 19th Century Flintlock Officer's Pistol From 1801, Manufacture St Etienne, Lock Interior Marked Duran, Identical To Another Sold By the Smithsonian Institution Of New York in 1996

Lock marked St Etienne, and the barrel marked RS, the identical marking as on the Smithsonian Institutes pistol. Likely the version used by L'officier de marine, such as at Trafalgar in 1805, it was also an option for the L'officier Gendarmerie. It was the pattern designed to be used in most cavalry of the Consulat and during the early years of the Empire, as well as in the Navy. The cavalry examples were usually 3cm longer. They were produced until 1808

The modèle An IX replaced the modèle 1777, which had been criticized to the point where the older modèle 1763 had been brought back into service.

This pistol is superficially similar in appearance to the well respected Pistolet modèle 1763/66 pattern. The Pistolet modèle An IX is in effect the same in terms of changes made to the musket pattern of the same year, but when compared to the modèle 1777/1786 had the spring and brass barrel bands of its predecessor restored to make it much easier to service.

The Battle of Trafalgar, (October 21, 1805), was a naval engagement of the Napoleonic Wars, which established British naval supremacy for more than 100 years; it was fought west of Cape Trafalgar, Spain, between Cádiz and the Strait of Gibraltar. A fleet of 33 ships (18 French and 15 Spanish) under Admiral Pierre de Villeneuve fought a British fleet of 27 ships under Admiral Horatio Nelson.

Nelson was outnumbered, with 27 British ships of the line to 33 allied ships including the largest warship in either fleet, the Spanish Santísima Trinidad. To address this imbalance, Nelson sailed his fleet directly at the allied battle line's flank, hoping to break the line into pieces. Villeneuve had worried that Nelson might attempt this tactic but, for various reasons, had made no plans for this eventuality. The plan worked almost perfectly; Nelson's columns split the Franco-Spanish fleet in three, isolating the rear half from Villeneuve's flag aboard Bucentaure. The allied vanguard sailed off while it attempted to turn around, giving the British temporary superiority over the remainder of their fleet. In the ensuing fierce battle 20 allied ships were lost, while the British lost none.

Nelson's own HMS Victory led the front column and was almost knocked out of action. Nelson was shot by a French musketeer during the battle, and died shortly before it ended. Villeneuve was captured along with his flagship Bucentaure. He attended Nelson's funeral while a captive on parole in Britain. The senior Spanish fleet officer, Admiral Federico Gravina, escaped with the remnant of the Franco-Spanish fleet (a third of the original number of ships); he died five months later of wounds sustained during the battle.

The victory confirmed the naval supremacy Britain had established during the course of the eighteenth century, and was achieved in part through Nelson's departure from prevailing naval tactical orthodoxy.  read more

Code: 25387

A Superb, Deluxe Engraved, English, 1850's ‘Adams’ Transitional Revolver With Most of its Original Barrel Blue & Fine Engraving.

6 shot .36 cal. Probably by Robert Adams, though un-named. Some of the most ground breaking work in the early design and manufacture of revolvers was undertaken in England long before the world famous American revolver makers, such as Colt and Remington, became famous for their fine pistols. This most attractive piece is fully, and most finely engraved, on the frame and grip, with a highly detailed micro chequered walnut butt. Circa 1850. A classic example of one of the earliest English cylinder revolvers that was favoured by gentleman wishing to arm themselves with the latest technology and improvement ever designed by English master gunsmiths. They were most popular with officers that could afford them in the Crimean War and Indian Mutiny, as this one was used.

A picture in the gallery is of Robert Adams himself, loading his patent revolver for HRH Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's Consort. He was also manager for the London Armoury and he made many of the 19,000 pistols that were bought by the Confederate States for the Civil War. The US government also bought Adams revolvers from the London Armoury, at $18 each, which was $4.00 more than it was paying Colt for his, and $6.00 more than Remington.The action on this beautiful gun is perfect, very nice, and tight, but the trigger return spring is weak. In good blue finish with some original 'mirror' blue finish remaining. Revolving cylinder operates sporadically.

As with all our antique guns no license required and they are all unrestricted antique collectables

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury, Britain's famous, favourite, and oldest original Armoury Antique store, 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, and thus, it is a lifetime guarantee.  read more

Code: 22431

A Shinto Samurai Naganata Naoshi Wakizashi With Shakudo Edo Fittings & Full Edo Traditional Polish

Just returned from a year of expert artisan conservation polish of the original Edo polish blade and cleaning. Now looking superb, the unokubi zukuri bo-hi blade with a vivid toran great wave hamon, is mounted with all original Edo shakudo koshirae of fuchigashira, decorated with takebori drinking gourd and woodsman’s axe, flower basket menuki and kozuka, which is decorated shakudo with gold birds in flight over the sea. With an iron and copper and gold onlay mokko form tsuba decorated with a seated figure in a gold patterned robe, alongside the river below Mount Fuji.
Beautiful urushi spiral lacquer pattern saya, The original Edo period urushi lacquer on the saya is in simply excellent condition and shows most elegant simplicity, it reveals within that simplicity the finest craftsmanship and beauty worthy of a master of the art of urushi decor. Japanese lacquer, or urushi, is a transformative and highly prized material that has been refined for over 7000 years.

Cherished for its infinite versatility, urushi is a distinctive art form that has spread across all facets of Japanese culture from the tea ceremony to the saya scabbards of samurai swords

Japanese artists created their own style and perfected the art of decorated lacquerware during the 8th century. Japanese lacquer skills reached its peak as early as the twelfth century, at the end of the Heian period (794-1185). This skill was passed on from father to son and from master to apprentice.

Tōran-ba is a hamon which looks like as if surging waves are rolling back and forth. It was created by a swordsmith in Settsu (Osaka prefecture), Sukehiro, in the early Edo period. It is the very first pictorial hamon which showed “a hamon as an expression”. It had a great influence on many swordsmiths over time. It is an innovative hamon which is copied on some swords made from the Bakumatsu.
A very few minuscule blade age marks..  read more

Code: 24707

Fabulous Museum Grade Sword 18th Century Damascus Wootz Steel, Mohammed's Ladder Pattern, & Stunning Solid Silver & Enamel Makara Hilt, The 'Palace of the Nawab of Lucknow’. Probably One of The Most Beautiful & Finest Indian Princely Royal Swords

This fabulous royal grade solid silver and enamel sword, with Lucknow distinctive enamel work of flowering plants interspersed with architectural vignettes, has just returned from a museum grade blade polish to reveal its obscured {through natural age} finest, crucible steel wootz Damascus blade, in the pattern of Mohammed's Ladder. Unsurprisingly, it now looks as fine and beautiful as it was when last used in the 18th & 19th century by such as the King of Oudh {Lucknow} Ghasi-ud-din, Haidar Shah.

Its near pair is part of the Getty Museum Collection in California. One of the most important museums of finest art, antiques and antiquities in the world.

The ‘Mohammed’s Ladder’ Kirk Narduban Crucible ‘Wootz Damascus’ steel blade is truly breathtaking.
The Ladder of Mohammed is said to have enabled Mohammed to travel through the heavens, meeting various prophets and gaining access to the different levels of paradise. Muhammad's ladder thus symbolizes the connection between the terrestrial and spiritual worlds, representing spiritual elevation and proximity to God.
Which ultimately means, to many, this is the most desirable and likely rarest of all the early Indo-Persian crucible wootz Damascus steel blade designs, being of such a spiritual significance, as well as stunningly beautiful. Intriguingly it is still contentious, to specialist academics, as to how it was even made, as there is no clear agreed evidence or knowledge as to its extraordinary construction. There are two trains of thought but no undeniable agreement..

The museum grade conservation polish goes up to the gold cartouche, at the base of the hilt, and around the hilt langets. The small area of the gold cartouche has been left ‘as is’ intentionally. The potential very high risk of damage being created to the gold calligraphy by attempting to polish within the gold seal would be extremely dangerous to its integrity. It is only responsible to not take any even remote chance of damage to this fabulous and historical rare treasure.

A near identical pair to our sword, is another magnificent and rare example, Makara enamel hilted crucible steel bladed sword, is an exhibit in the world renown Getty Museum Collection in America {see a photo of the pair together side by side by comparison in the gallery}. Occasionally, surviving Lucknow swords of the silver and enamel Goat Head pattern can be found, used by lesser nobles of the Shah's court, but the mythical Makara silver and enamel hilted swords, apparently, were reserved for the Shah's sole and personal use, especially with the Mohommed's ladder blade.

A magnificent work of art, and the sword of a prince or king. It has a fabulous vibrant hues of brilliant blue and green through a painstaking champlevé and basse-taille enameling process. This process involves fusing coloured glass to metal at extraordinarily high temperatures to create a striking and durable outer layer that can withstand the test of time. This distinctive usage of blues and greens on the piece reinforces its origins in Lucknow, a renowned centre for the production of such sophisticated enamel artifacts. The fabulous wootz Mahommed's Ladder Kirk Narduban pattern Damascus blade, with a gold inscription and gold cartouches. In very good condition for age, the polychrome enamels are inlaid into the solid silver hilt, that is further decorated with three heads of the mythical beast, the Makara, including the pommel and both quillon ends, with just very minor enamel surface losses. One of the finest Lucknow Damascus swords you could find today, from the one time rulers of Lucknow, and most likely originated from the palace of the Nawab of Lucknow.
A Nawab was a Sovereign Prince and Governor of the Moghul Empire. An almost identical princely form of Lucknow Makara enamel silver hilted sword is in the Getty Research Institute, in LA, California. Centuries ago Lucknow emerged as one of the most important centres in the world for courtly crafts such as fine enamelling on silver.
It was the capital of the state of Oudh which was established in 1750. The flourishing arts scene was largely on account of the patronage of the local, supremely wealthy Nawabs of Oudh. By the mid-19th century, Lucknow was India's largest and wealthiest city. Lucknow Moghul daggers and swords, especially with Damascus blades, are considered to be some of the most valuable and desirable in the world of antique weaponry art. Representations of such are in the finest collections, such as the British Royal Collection, The British Museum and the Getty Museum.

The mythical Makara;
Dwelling in the Indian Ocean, the Makara is traditionally looked upon as a powerful deity, which was capable of harming or guarding seafarers, depending upon its whims. Many scholars naturally assume that the tales of the Makara are nothing more than myths based upon ancient eyewitness accounts of Indian elephants swimming off the coast of India, as they are sometimes known to do. Until 1719, the subah of Awadh was a province of the Mughal Empire administered by a Governor appointed by the Emperor. Persian adventurer Saadat Khan, also known as Burhan-ul-Mulk, was appointed Nizam of Awadh in 1722 and established his court in Faizabad, near Lucknow.

Many independent kingdoms, such as Awadh, were established as the Mughal Empire disintegrated. The third Nawab, Shuja-ud-Daula (r. 1753-1775), fell out with the British after aiding the fugitive Nawab of Bengal, Mir Qasim. Roundly defeated at the Battle of Buxar by the East India Company, he was forced to pay heavy penalties and surrender parts of his territory. Awadh's capital, Lucknow rose to prominence when Asaf-ud-Daula, the fourth Nawab, shifted his court to the city from Faizabad in 1775. The British East India Company appointed a resident (ambassador) in 1773 and by early 19th century gained control of more territory and authority in the state. They were, however, disinclined to capture Awadh outright and come face to face with the Maratha Empire and the remnants of the Mughal Empire. In 1798, the fifth Nawab Wazir Ali Khan alienated both his people and the British and was forced to abdicate. The British then helped Saadat Ali Khan take the throne. He became a puppet king, and in a treaty of 1801, yielded large part of Awadh to the East India Company while also agreeing to disband his own troops in favour of a hugely expensive, British-controlled army. This treaty effectively made the state of Awadh a vassal of the East India Company, although it continued to be part of the Mughal Empire in name until 1819. The treaty of 1801 proved a beneficial arrangement for the East India Company as they gained access to Awadh's vast treasuries, repeatedly digging into them for loans at reduced rates. In addition, the revenues from running Awadh's armed forces brought them useful returns while the territory acted as a buffer state. The Nawabs were ceremonial kings, busy with pomp and show. By the mid-nineteenth century, however, the British had grown impatient with the arrangement and demanded direct control over Awadh.

In 1856 the East India Company first moved its troops to the border, then annexed the state for alleged maladministration. Awadh was placed under a chief commissioner Sir Henry Lawrence. Wajid Ali Shah, the then Nawab, was imprisoned, then exiled by the East India Company to Calcutta. In the subsequent Indian Rebellion of 1857, his 14-year-old son Birjis Qadra, whose mother was Begum Hazrat Mahal, was crowned ruler. Following the rebellion's defeat, Begum Hazrat Mahal and other rebel leaders sought asylum in Nepal. Ghazi-ud-Din Haidar Shah became Nawab Wazir of Oudh on 11 July 1814 after the death of his father. In 1818, under the influence of Warren Hastings, the British Governor of the Presidency of Fort William (Bengal), he declared himself as the independent Padshah-i-Awadh (King of Oudh). This sword would likely have been part of his treasure.

The story of the the wonders of the creating of these blade goes back at least 2400 years. The possibly first indirect reference to crucible steel appears in the writing of Ctesias of Cnidu, a Greek physician at the court of the Persian King Artaxerxes II (404 BC - 398/397 BC) he wrote several (lost) books about Persia and India. St. Photios the Great (Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 858 to 867 and from 877 to 886) quoted from Ctesias books in the 9th century AD or about 1300 years later. From this we know of two wonderful if not magical swords of (maybe) Indian iron that Artaxerxes gave to Ctesias.
Going back 1700 years. Such as was written by Zosimos (a. 350 AD - ca. 420 AD) who was born in Panoplis (present-day Akhmim in the south of Egypt). He worked as an early alchemist in Alexandria and has written in fine detail. Some of his writings have survived. As far as crucible steel is concerned, he states:
"The tempering of Indian Iron: Take 4 pounds of soft iron, and the skins of myrobalans, called elileg, 15 parts; belileg, 4 parts; and two parts of glassmakers magnesia. Then place it into a crucible amd make it level. .... Put on the charcoal and blow the fire until the iron becomes molten and the ingredients become united with it. ... Such is the premier and royal operation, which is practiced today and by means of which they make marvellous swords. It was discovered by the Indians and exploited by the Persians".
Two paintings in the gallery {for historical information only};

1} Ghasi-ud-din, Haidar Shah Nawab of Oudh (in power from 1814 to 1818), and was subsequently made the first King of Oudh (1818-27). Its possible he may be holding this sword when he sat for this portrait in 1818

2} The Procession of Ghazi ud-Din Haider Shah through Lucknow
No scabbard.  read more

Code: 22605

A Fabulous Royal Bronze Battle Mace From 2,500 to 3,200 Years Old. From the Era of Rameses the Great of Egypt, to Darius, King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire. As Used By The Shardanas Warriors from Sardinia Who Fought for Rameses II Against the Hittite

13th-6th century BC. This is a classic style royal baton mace head of the ancient Bronze Age culture. Examples of this mace can be seen in several of the world's finest ancient Near Eastern bronze collections. The shaft is elaborately decorated with raised striking knobs of a herringbone design. This was an effective striking weapon likely used by high-ranking soldiers or royal subjects due to its extremely decorative design. In battle, maces like this were often used by commanders to display rank when giving orders in battle and leading soldiers, inspiring leadership and power. A substantial bronze cudgel and mace with tubular body, ribbed collar, flared rim and panels of raised herringbone ornament. Ist to 2nd Millennium B.C. In use it would have slotted onto a wooden haft. Items such as this were oft acquired in the 18th century by British noblemen touring the Middle East, Northern France and Italy on their Grand Tour. Originally placed on display in the family 'cabinet of curiosities', within his country house upon his return home. A popular pastime in the 18th and 19th century, comprised of English ladies and gentlemen traveling for many months, or even years, throughout classical Europe, and the Middle East, acquiring antiquities and antiques for their private collections. The use of the stone headed mace as a weapon and a symbol od status and ceremony goes back to the Upper Palaeolithic stone age, but an important, later development in mace heads was the use of metal for their composition. With the advent of copper mace heads, they no longer shattered and a better fit could be made to the wooden club by giving the eye of the mace head the shape of a cone and using a tapered handle.

Ramesses the Great, was the third pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt. Along with Thutmose III he is often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the New Kingdom, itself the most powerful period of Ancient Egypt.

The Shardanas or warriors from Sardinia who fought for Ramses II against the Hittities were armed with maces, exactly as this fabulous example, consisting of rounded wooden hafts with the bronze mace heads slotted upon the hafts. Many bronze statuettes of the times show Sardinian warriors carrying swords, bows and original maces.

Darius the Great, was a Persian ruler who served as the third King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire, reigning from 522 BCE until his death in 486 BCE. He ruled the empire at its territorial peak, when it included much of Western Asia, parts of the Balkans (Thrace–Macedonia and Paeonia) and the Caucasus, most of the Black Sea's coastal regions, Central Asia, the Indus Valley in the far east, and portions of North Africa and Northeast Africa including Egypt (Mudrâya), eastern Libya, and coastal Sudan.

Darius ascended the throne by overthrowing the legitimate Achaemenid monarch Bardiya, whom he later fabricated to be an imposter named Gaumata. The new king met with rebellions throughout his kingdom and quelled them each time; a major event in Darius' life was his expedition to subjugate Greece and punish Athens and Eretria for their participation in the Ionian Revolt. Although his campaign ultimately resulted in failure at the Battle of Marathon, he succeeded in the re-subjugation of Thrace and expanded the Achaemenid Empire through his conquests of Macedon, the Cyclades and the island of Naxos as well as the sacked Greek city of Eretria.

Persians used a variety of maces and fielded large numbers of heavily armoured and armed cavalry (cataphracts). For a heavily armed Persian knight, a mace was as effective as a sword or battle axe. In fact, Shahnameh has many references to heavily armoured knights facing each other using maces, axes, and swords. The enchanted talking mace Sharur made its first appearance in Sumerian/Akkadian mythology during the epic of Ninurta. Roman though auxiliaries from Syria Palestina were armed with clubs and maces at the battles of Immae and Emesa in 272 AD. They proved highly effective against the heavily armoured horsemen of Palmyra. Photos in the gallery of original carvings from antiquity in the British Museum etc.; Ashurbanipal at the Battle of Til-Tuba, Assyrian Art / British Museum, London/ 650-620 BC/ Limestone,, An Assyrian soldier waving a mace escorts four prisoners, who carry their possessions in sacks over their shoulders. Their clothes and their turbans, rising to a slight point which flops backwards, are typical of the area; people from the Biblical kingdom of Israel, shown on other sculptures, wear the same dress, on a gypsum wall panel relief, South West Palace, Nimrud, Kalhu Iraq, neo-assyrian, 730BC-727BC.
A recovered tablet from Egypt's Early Dynastic Period (3150-2613 BC) shows a Pharaoh smiting his foe with a war mace. Part of an original collection we have just acquired, of antiquities, Roman, Greek, Middle Eastern, Viking and early British relics of warfare from ancient battle sites recovered up to and around 220 years ago.

Last picture in the gallery; Ramses II A larger-than-life Ramses II towering over his prisoners and clutching them by the hair. Limestone bas-relief from Memphis, Egypt, 1290–24 BCE; in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo

As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity.


This wonderful piece would have been made and traded throughout the Western Asiatic region. 551 grams, 24cm (9 1/4").  read more

Code: 23421