A Superb Near Mint French Gras Rifle Sword Bayonet. 450,000 Rifles and These Bayonets Were Sold To Russia For WW1 Eastern Front and Used In The Russian Revolution By The Bolshevik Red Guards & the Imperial White Russians From 1918-1921

The French Gras rifle was primarily used by France from its adoption in 1874 until it was replaced by the Lebel rifle in 1886. While it was the primary service rifle during this period, it also saw use in later conflicts, including World War I, primarily by the Imperial Russians and then both revolutionary armies, the royalist White Russians and Bolshevick Red Guards in the Russian Civil War. Matching serial numbers to scabbard and sword, and all the surviving Russian export Gras bayonets we have had in the past had matching numbers like this superb example, but the French service examples are usually 99/100 miss-matched.

Fully conserved by hand in our workshop.

The Russian Civil War (1918-21) was fought for control of Russia after the October Revolution. A conglomerate of anti-Bolshevik groups, loosely dubbed the Whites, sought to remove the Bolsheviks from power and restore at least some elements of the old order. Other groups not directly aligned with either the Bolsheviks or Whites fought for control or independence in their own regions. The Russian Civil War was a pervasive conflict that involved disparate political and military groups, nationalist movements and all classes of Russian society. Foreign nations opposed to the Bolshevik regime also contributed troops, weapons, supplies and intelligence. Like other internecine conflicts, the Russian Civil War would produce confusion, division, attack and retaliation, intense propaganda, war crimes and human suffering on catastrophic levels.



1874-1886: The Gras was the standard French infantry rifle, replacing the Chassepot and being the first French service rifle to use metallic cartridges.
Post-1886: The Lebel rifle began to replace it as the primary service weapon, but the Gras remained in use for training purposes.
World War I: The Gras was still in service in 1914 and was used for training in the early stages of the war. Some were even converted to fire the new 8mm Lebel cartridge.

Other uses: While not a primary combat weapon for France after the Lebel's introduction, the Gras rifle was also used by other nations, including the Greek army during World War II, and especially by the Russian Empire and Bolsheviks after France supplied them with 450,000 rifles in 1915 due to Russian arms shortages

We acquired two, but each will be offered separately after full hand conservation.

We show two Russian Civil war propaganda posters in the gallery for historical perspective only. One Red Russian, one White Russian  read more

Code: 25974

A Simply Beautiful Ancient Koto Katana, Sengoku Era, Circa 1530, Signed Fuchi with Artisans Kakihan of a Cursive Monogram and Signed Tsuba, And the Matsudaira Tokugawa Clan Mon Gold Habaki

Beautiful Koto blade with wonderful quality original Edo fittings of a signed fushi hilt mount of shakudo and pure gold, with a takebori samurai daimyo lord, in court dress, wearing his tachi.

Very good tsuba in iron, also signed. Menuki of cranes underneath the silk ito. Very beautiful blade with typical Koto period narrow straight hamon of fine simplicity. Engraved gilt habaki blade collar with Tokugawa clan mon of Aoi hollyhock leaves. Original utushi lacquer saya with small wear areas. Bound with dark red and white sageo.

Before the Edo period, there were 19 major branches of the Matsudaira clan: Takenoya (竹谷), Katanohara (形原),4 Ōgusa (大草), Nagasawa (長沢),5 Nōmi (能見),6 Goi (五井), Fukōzu (深溝), Ogyū (大給),7 Takiwaki (滝脇),8 Fukama (福釜), Sakurai (桜井), Tōjō (東条), Fujii (藤井),9 Mitsugi (三木), Iwatsu (岩津), Nishi-Fukama (西福釜), Yata (矢田), Udono (鵜殿), and Kaga (加賀). Each of these branches (with the exception of the Kaga-Matsudaira, which relocated to Kaga Province) took its name from the area in Mikawa where it resided. Also, many of the branches often fought with each other.

Matsudaira of Okazaki
It was the main Matsudaira line residing in Okazaki Castle which rose the highest during the Sengoku period. During the headship of Matsudaira Hirotada, it was threatened by the Oda and Imagawa clans, and for a time was forcibly brought into Imagawa service. After the death of Imagawa Yoshimoto and the fall from power of the Imagawa clan, Hirotada's son Matsudaira Motoyasu was successful in forming an alliance with Oda Nobunaga, the hegemon of Owari Province. Motoyasu is better known as Tokugawa Ieyasu, who became the first Tokugawa shōgun in 1603.
The Sengoku Period (Sengoku Jidai, 1467-1568 CE), also known as the Warring States Period, was a turbulent and violent period of Japanese history when rival warlords or daimyo fought bitterly for control of Japan. The period falls within the Muromachi period (Muromachi Jidai, 1333-1573 CE) of Japanese medieval history when the Ashikaga shogun capital was located in the Muromachi area of Heiankyo (Kyoto). The beginning of the Sengoku period witnessed the Onin War (1467-1477 CE) which destroyed Heiankyo. The fighting that followed over the next century would eventually reduce the warlords to only a few hundred in number as the country was effectively carved up into princedoms. Eventually, one warlord rose above all his rivals: Oda Nobunaga, who set Japan on the road to unification from 1568 CE.

To many of us in the West, the movie image of the samurai in his fantastic armour, galloping into battle on his horse, his colourful personal flag, or sashimono, whipping in the wind on his back, has become the very symbol of Japan, the Empire of the Rising Sun. And, truly, to the samurai of real life, nothing embodied his warrior's code of Bushido more than his sword, considered inseparable from his soul.

Indeed, a sword was considered such a crucial part of a samurai's life that when a young samurai was about to be born, a sword was brought into the bedchamber during the delivery. When the time came for an old samurai to die and cross over into the White Jade Pavilion of the Afterlife his honoured sword was placed by his side. Even after death, a daimyo, or nobleman, believed he could count on his samurai who had followed him into the next world to use their keen blades to guard him against any demons, just as they had wielded their trusty weapons to defend him against flesh-and-blood enemies in this life. Shakudo is a billon of gold and copper (typically 4-10% gold, 96-90% copper) which can be treated to form an indigo/black patina resembling lacquer. Unpatinated shakudo Visually resembles bronze; the dark colour is induced by applying and heating rokusho, a special patination formula.

Shakudo Was historically used in Japan to construct or decorate katana fittings such as tsuba, menuki, and kozuka; as well as other small ornaments. When it was introduced to the West in the mid-19th century, it was thought to be previously unknown outside Asia, but recent studies have suggested close similarities to certain decorative alloys used in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome  read more

Code: 22207

A Beautiful Ancient Original Viking Broadsword, From The Era Of The Norsemen’s Raids in Northern France, Around 1150 Years Ago & Their Raids Upon England & Ireland Up To The 11th Century.

A fabulous new addition to our gallery of amazing original ancient artefacts, with an incredible cache of arms and artefacts that have just arrived, from the past 3400 years of warring history, from the Ancient empires of Greece, Macedonia and Rome period, and up to the Viking age of over 1000 years past.
A wonderful example piece, from the ancient Viking Norsemen age. It is said that the Viking sword occupied the highest rank of esteem in the forms of weaponry during the entire Viking age. It was certainly not a common weapon for the regular Viking warrior. Only the Viking's of superior rank, power or status could afford the finest craftsmanship as was found in the sword. The more usual weapons in the Viking warrior community, especially for the regular warrior were axes and spears.
This sword, that is codified as a Petersen type X, was popular and used predominantly from the mid to late 800's to the 11th century. The D shaped pommel, which acted as a counterweight to the blade, so that the sword balanced, could display inlays of precious metals or intricate patterns. The blade itself often had so called “blood grooves” or fullers, and this sword has a single fuller running along its middle. These fullers saved valuable metal and made the sword lighter. A sword might be the most expensive item that a man owned. The one sword whose value is given in the sagas (given by King Hákon to Höskuldur in chapter 13 of Laxdæla saga) was said to be worth a half mark of gold.

There is a near pair to this sword in the Paris Museum collection, as Northern France, Brittany and Normandy were some of the great areas of battle and conflict for the Viking Norsemen, with thousands eventually settling in Normandy to become what today is known as the Normans. The great seiges of Paris, and where the formidable Vikings looted and plundered the north of France are legendary, and from whence they gained massive tribute from the resident Kings of the Franks to bribe them to cease their sieges and destruction.
There were two famed Norse sieges of Paris. The first was in 845; and though a fairly minor affair in terms of battle, it had great symbolic significance. The second was roughly two generations later, in 885-886; was much larger (and deadlier); and had greater direct ramifications. Before the first siege, Viking raids were a new and growing problem for the peoples of Western Europe; but hitherto raids had been made by relatively small war bands bent on plunder. The Scandinavian adventurers might sack monasteries or villages, but would usually shun larger, better defended targets. However, success was making the Norsemen bolder.

Aware of this growing threat, the ageing emperor, Charlemagne, built a series of maritime defences to protect his coasts and rivers from these new dragon ships. For the first few decades, the defences worked; but the Vikings were growing in number, ability, and ambition and a new breed of leaders was coming to the fore. One of these leaders was a man the Frankish chroniclers call Reginheri; but who has since been widely equated with the semi-legendary figure Ragnar Lothbrok. Under Ragnar, Vikings were ready to step foot on the world stage. They were ready to capture the jewel of Western Europe, the city of Paris.


So, in Spring of 845, 120 dragon ships carrying about 5000 Scandinavian warriors, broke through the late emperor’s defenses and surrounded the walled city of Paris. In the ninth century, Paris was already more than a thousand years old. It was wealthy from its position as a trading centre, and was the seat of one of Charlemagne’s three competing heirs, Charles the Bald. At this time, the heart of the city was confined to the islands in the centre of the Seine, the Île de la Cité where the cathedral of Notre Dame stands today. This position made Paris eminently defensible in the eyes of the Frankish elite that ruled there; but it made it easily surrounded by the ship-born Vikings.
Not a very good tactician at this time, Charles the Bald (Charlemagne’s grandson, who in all fairness, was only about 22 and new to his position as king) split his forces between the two banks of the Seine in order to better defend the nearby Abbey of Saint Denis. Ragnar’s Danes concentrated their attack on the forces on one bank of the Seine and easily defeated the Franks. They took 111 Frankish prisoners in the battle (this relatively small number further emphasises the Frank’s level of surprise and unpreparedness). In full view of the city and the army on the opposite river bank, the Vikings further terrified their foes by hanging all 111 prisoners as a sacrifice to Odin. The Vikings then moved on Paris and captured it with equal efficiency .

Faced with these appalling developments, Charles took a course of action that was as practical as it was controversial (both at that time and ever after). He offered Ragnar 7000 livres (more than 5600 pounds) in gold and silver to take his men and leave. This cash pay-out became the first of many, many Danegelds (roughly translated, “gold to the Danes” that the princes of Europe would offer Viking armies to leave them alone ). To pay such a tremendous sum to “heathen savages” must have been a brutal humiliation for the grandson of the man who united most of Western Europe under his implacable will; but Charles was already facing rebellion in Aquitaine and Brittany, and had no wish to risk his troops, the citizens of Paris, or the religious and cultural treasures of the several nearby abbeys in a prolonged battle he would likely lose. His hands were tied, and so he paid.

Swords were heirlooms. They were given names and passed from father to son for generations. The loss of a sword was a catastrophe. Laxdæla saga (chapter 30) tells how Geirmundr planned to abandon his wife Þuríðr and their baby daughter in Iceland. Þuríðr boarded Geirmund's ship at night while he slept. She took his sword, Fótbítr (Leg Biter) and left behind their daughter. Þuríðr rowed away in her boat, but not before the baby's cries woke Geirmundr. He called across the water to Þuríðr, begging her to return with the sword.

He told her, "Take your daughter and whatever wealth you want."
She asked, "Do you mind the loss of your sword so much?"
"I'd have to lose a great deal of money before I minded as much the loss of that sword."
"Then you shall never have it, since you have treated me dishonourably The Vikings placed such status on to their swords they often named them, due to the belief of their supposed magical qualities, heritage, and creator of remarkable events. Such evocative names as;

Gramr: Fierce. This was the name of the sword that hero Sigurd used to kill the dragon Fafnir
Gunnlogi: Battle Flame, War Flame
Leggbir: Leg bitter
Skrofnung: Gnawer
Keurnbut: Millstone-breaker
Naegling: Hole-maker
Fotbitr: Foot-biter.

Swords that had names were a treasure not only for their monetary value but also for the honour for the family and the clan.

This is in very good condition for age, and feels just as a fine top quality sword should, even today. It was likely used up to, and into, the 11th century British 'Battle of Hastings' era of 1066, known as the the Norman invasion period. Swords from the 10th to the 12th century of British history, used in the Battle of Hastings invasion period and into the earliest part of the new British Norman age, and it was used by the invading Norman knights who were settled Vikings, that ruled England after conquering the Anglo Saxon King Harold.
This fabulous, historical Viking sword, has the highly iconic, and typical fashion, double-edged broad sword, and hilt of Petersen Type X, with a tapering blade, shallow fullers, possible traces of pattern-welding to the blade, it has superb battle nicks to both cutting edges; an a. rectangular crossguard

See Petersen, J., De Norske Vikingsverd, Oslo, 1919; Peirce, I., Swords of the Viking Age, Suffolk, 2002; Hiardar K. and Vike, V., Vikings at war, Oxford-Philadelphia, 2016; the sword has good parallels with similar Viking age specimens published by Peirce (2002, pp.102-105), one in the British Museum and the other at the Universitetets Oldsaksamling, Oslo.
Footnotes
Viking swords of Type X are commonly found in Nordic countries and Europe, with a number found in Western Europe, France England and Ireland. In the gallery we show an original medieval painting of 11th century King Harald in combat at Stamford Bridge in 1066.

In the Church of Rønninge stands a rune stone bearing the text: “Sóti placed this stone in memory or Eileifr, his brother, Ásgautr Red-shield’s son”. Nearby lies the Rosenlund grave containing weapons and riding equipment, perhaps it was Ásgautr’s grave. We are familiar with Viking swords from various burials, which mainly date to the early Viking period. It was most often people of high status who were buried with swords in the Viking Age. Not all Viking warriors had a sword; they were prestige weapons. Swords were highly valued objects and could be handed down from generation to generation. They were also given as gifts to people of high status in order to stay on good terms with them.

Viking swords were also used in another way. This was the tradition of sacrificing the valuable swords in lakes and bogs. Many swords, spears and lances from the Viking and early medieval periods have also been found near fords crossing rivers and in wetlands. Perhaps the weapons were left at such locations as an offering, or else they were simply dropped and lost during the attempt to cross the water. Almost every weapon that has survived today from this era is now in a fully russetted condition, as is this one, because only very very few of the swords of kings, that have been preserved in national or Royal collections are today still in a relatively good state and condition We will include for the new owner a complimentary wooden display stand, but this amazing ancient artefact of antiquity would also look spectacular mounted within a bespoke case frame, or, on a fine cabinet maker constructed display panel. Extremely similar to a pattern-welded sword found with a large number of other objects, at Camp de Péran, Côtes-d'Armor, France, in a 10th century context, probably linked with the early Norman settlers in Normandy or Norman raids in Brittany (Roesdhal, Wilson, 1992, p.321, cat. n.359; Renaud, 2000, p.100).

Overall length 36.25 inches {925mm} 30.5 inches {770mm} crossguard 5 inches {128mm}

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

Code: 24770

Trollope 1st Edition Summer in Western France, 1st edition, 2 vols, 1841 Beautifully Fully Bound in Fine Calf with Gilt Decoration 10 Etched Plates by A. Hervieu, Presented to Colonel Lord Brownlow Thomas Montagu Cecil {Colonel of the Scots Guards}

One of our most popular purchases from The Lanes Armoury, for gifting at Christmas, will always be our finest novels, by iconic authors. An heirloom for generations to come, that combines to be a fabulous read as well as an antiquarian joy of considerable beauty.

A very handsome pair of beautiful, antique, fully calf leather bound 1st edition leather volumes, in super condition for age, from one of the of the most highly rated family of English authors, the Trollope's of Kepple Street, London. Frances, Thomas and Anthony

A Summer in Western France, 1st edition, 2 vols, Thomas Adolphus Trollope, with 5 etched plates by A. Hervieu, 2 hand-coloured lithograph frontis., and etched title-page vignettes, gilt tooled red morocco, spines Henry Colburn, London, 1841,

Presented to Colonel Lord Brownlow Thomas Montagu Cecil {Colonel of the Scots Guards} in 1844 upon his graduation from Eton, by John Marjoribanks

This is Thomas Trollope's account of his experiences during a Summer spent in Western France with detailed topographical & historical recordings as well as the interesting diversions into the folklore & mythology of this region of France. It has been edited by Frances Trollope, celebrated author of 'Domestic Manners of the Americans.'

Trollope was born in Bloomsbury, London on 29 April 1810, the eldest son of Thomas Anthony and Frances Milton Trollope. (A younger brother was Anthony Trollope, the novelist.) He was educated at Harrow School and Winchester College. He first started writing before he went to Oxford University after a trip to New York with his father. He matriculated at St Alban Hall, Oxford, in 1829, aged 19, and graduated B.A. from Magdalen Hall, Oxford, in 1835. He taught briefly at Birmingham's King Edward's Grammar School, before he gave in to his mother's idea of forming a writing partnership. They travelled to Italy, which gave rise to some of the material for the 60 volumes of travel writing, history and fiction that he wrote that decade. This was in addition to a large amount of periodical and journalistic work.

Trollope married twice: his first wife was the writer Theodosia Garrow who was staying with his mother, Fanny Trollope, in Florence. The newly married couple had one daughter, Beatrice. Their home was visited by travelling British intelligentsia as well as by leading Italian nationalist figures. They lived at the Villino Trollope on the square that was then called the Piazza Maria Antonio, now the Piazza dell'Indipendenza, in Florence. Their house was decorated with carved furniture, inlaid walls, majolica ceramics, marble floors and pillars, suits of armour and a 5,000-book library.

Their new villa was bought in part with Theodosia's inheritance. Their house was considered the centre of the expatriate society in Florence. Theodosia was known for her poetry, her translations and her articles on household matters, and she also contributed letters to the Athenaeum advocating freedom for Italy.

The Trollopes' daughter played with Pen, the son of Robert and Elizabeth Browning, when they too became part of the Anglophone society in 1847. Comparisons of the two households showed the Browning household as more intense, with the Trollopes more carefree. All of her guests were in danger of appearing, in some disguised way, in his mother's novels.

His second wife was the novelist Frances Eleanor Ternan, whom he married on 29 October 1866: they then lived at the Villa Ricorboli. From 1873 the new couple again created a house known for its hospitality, but this time in Rome. Trollope lived in Italy for most of his adult life, but retired to Devon, England, in 1890. He died at Clifton, near Bristol, on 11 November 1892. His memoirs, What I Remember, were published in three volumes between 1887 (vols. 1 & 2) and 1889 (vol. 3).  read more

Code: 25973

Trollope 1st Edition a Summer in Brittany 2 Vols. 1840 Beautifully Fully Bound in Fine Calf with Gilt Decoration 10 Etched Plates by A. Hervieu, Presented to Colonel Lord Brownlow Thomas Montagu Cecil {Colonel of the Scots Guards}

One of our most popular purchases from The Lanes Armoury, for gifting at Christmas, will always be our finest novels, by iconic authors. An heirloom for generations to come, that combines to be a fabulous read as well as an antiquarian joy of considerable beauty.

A very handsome pair of antique, fully bound 1st edition leather volumes, in super condition for age, from one of the of the most highly rated families of English authors, the Trollope's of Kepple Street, London. Frances, Thomas and Anthony

Trollope, Thomas Adolphus - A Summer in Brittany, edited by Frances Trollope, 1st edition, 2 vols., with 10 etched plates by A. Hervieu, 2 hand-coloured lithograph frontis., etched title-page vignettes, gilt-decorated calf, Henry Colburn, London,1840,

Presented to Colonel Lord Brownlow Thomas Montagu Cecil {Colonel of the Scots Guards} in 1844 upon his graduation from Eton, by Philip Crawley.

This is Thomas Adolphus Trollope's account of his experiences during a Summer spent in Brittany with detailed topographical & historical recordings as well as the interesting diversions into the folklore & mythology of this fiercely independent region of France. It has been edited by Frances Trollope, celebrated author of 'Domestic Manners of the Americans.'

Trollope was born in Bloomsbury, London on 29 April 1810, the eldest son of Thomas Anthony and Frances Milton Trollope. (A younger brother was Anthony Trollope, the novelist.) He was educated at Harrow School and Winchester College. He first started writing before he went to Oxford University after a trip to New York with his father. He matriculated at St Alban Hall, Oxford, in 1829, aged 19, and graduated B.A. from Magdalen Hall, Oxford, in 1835. He taught briefly at Birmingham's King Edward's Grammar School, before he gave in to his mother's idea of forming a writing partnership. They travelled to Italy, which gave rise to some of the material for the 60 volumes of travel writing, history and fiction that he wrote that decade. This was in addition to a large amount of periodical and journalistic work.

Trollope married twice: his first wife was the writer Theodosia Garrow who was staying with his mother, Fanny Trollope, in Florence. The newly married couple had one daughter, Beatrice. Their home was visited by travelling British intelligentsia as well as by leading Italian nationalist figures. They lived at the Villino Trollope on the square that was then called the Piazza Maria Antonio, now the Piazza dell'Indipendenza, in Florence. Their house was decorated with carved furniture, inlaid walls, majolica ceramics, marble floors and pillars, suits of armour and a 5,000-book library.

Their new villa was bought in part with Theodosia's inheritance. Their house was considered the centre of the expatriate society in Florence. Theodosia was known for her poetry, her translations and her articles on household matters, and she also contributed letters to the Athenaeum advocating freedom for Italy.

The Trollopes' daughter played with Pen, the son of Robert and Elizabeth Browning, when they too became part of the Anglophone society in 1847. Comparisons of the two households showed the Browning household as more intense, with the Trollopes more carefree. All of her guests were in danger of appearing, in some disguised way, in his mother's novels.

His second wife was the novelist Frances Eleanor Ternan, whom he married on 29 October 1866: they then lived at the Villa Ricorboli. From 1873 the new couple again created a house known for its hospitality, but this time in Rome. Trollope lived in Italy for most of his adult life, but retired to Devon, England, in 1890. He died at Clifton, near Bristol, on 11 November 1892. His memoirs, What I Remember, were published in three volumes between 1887 (vols. 1 & 2) and 1889 (vol. 3).  read more

Code: 25972

The African Queen First Edition by Cecil Louis Troughton Smith, Known As Cecil Scott "C. S." Forester,

FORESTER, C.S. The African Queen

Heinemann, 1935.

First edition. Original brown cloth with gilt titles to the spine. A nice original copy with wear to the spine ends.

One of our most popular purchases from The Lanes Armoury, for gifting at Christmas, will always be our finest novels, by iconic authors. An heirloom for generations to come, that combines to be a fabulous read as well as an antiquarian joy of considerable beauty.
The African Queen is a 1935 novel written by English author C. S. Forester. It was adapted into the 1951 film of the same name.

As World War I reaches the heart of the African jungle, Charlie Allnutt and Rose Sayer, a dishevelled trader, and an English spinster missionary, find themselves thrown together by circumstance in German Central Africa. Fighting time, heat, malaria, and bullets, they make their escape on the rickety steamboat The African Queen... and hatch their own outrageous military plan. Originally published in 1935, The African Queen is a tale replete with vintage Forester drama - unrelenting suspense, reckless heroism, impromptu military manoeuvres, near-death experiences - and a good old-fashioned love story to boot.


Cecil Louis Troughton Smith (27 August 1899 – 2 April 1966), known by his pen name Cecil Scott "C. S." Forester, was an English novelist known for writing tales of naval warfare. He is most remembered for his 12-book Horatio Hornblower series, depicting a Royal Navy officer during the Napoleonic wars; indeed, Hornblower has become embedded in the consciousness of generations growing up in the earlier part of the 20th century.

One of the author's most sought books, as a consequence of the classic John Huston film of 1951 starring Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn. Photo in the gallery of the early The African Queen movie poster {for information only}  read more

Code: 25971

A Beautiful & Very Unusual Large Antique Tibetan Buddhist Ceremonial Ritual Kukri With Decor of Dragon Chinese Foo Lion Dog's. Turqoise and Coral Bead Inset

The fine steel blade is inlaid with profuse gold alloy inlay of geometric patterning and flowers.

A most rare Tibetan Buddhist ritual kukri, by far the most famous type is the famous Gurkha's kukri, his inimitable weapon of war. However this is a stunning antique type from Nepal, very rarely seen in the west, most likely a ceremonial piece used by a Tibetan noble.

The kukri came to be known to the Western world when the East India Company came into conflict with the growing Gorkha Kingdom, culminating in the Gurkha War of 1814–1816.
It gained literary attention in the 1897 novel Dracula by Irish author Bram Stoker. Despite the popular image of Dracula having a stake driven through his heart at the conclusion of a climactic battle between Dracula's bodyguards and the heroes, Mina's narrative describes his throat being sliced through by Jonathan Harker's kukri and his heart pierced by Quincey Morris's Bowie knife. In the hands of an experienced wielder Khukuri or Kukri is about as formidable a weapon as can be conceived. Like all really good weapons, Khukuri's or Kukri's efficiency depends much more upon skill than the strength of the wielder. And thus so that it happens, that a diminutive Gurkha, shorter and slight in regards to his stature, could easily cut to pieces a gigantic adversary, who simply does not understand the lightly built Gurkha's mode of attack and fearsome skill. The Gurkha generally strikes upwards with his Kukri, possibly in order to avoid wounding himself should his blow fail, and possibly because an upward cut is just the one that can be least guarded against however strong his opponent.
In the 20th century through the WW1 and WW2 period they continued to make silver or plated mounts presentation kukri, but slightly shorter and wider blades and the criteria for presentation became more flexible.  read more

Code: 25965

Beautiful Koto Wakazashi, 16th Century, Soten School Fuchgashira, Goto Shishi Lion Dog Kozuka, Silver Urushi Aoi Leaf Lacquer Decor Saya, Hira-zogan Tetsu Shinto Tsuba Inlaid With Kinko Weeping Willow

Blade just returned from a no expense spared fabulous & traditional, fine, hand polish, showing an excellent gunome hamon. All original Edo period finest koshirae, with Edo saya and urushi lacquer.

The round tsuba is hira-zogan iron tetsu inlaid with flat kinko, and a pair of menuki of Okinawa Goldlined Spinefoot fish over traditional samegawa, and under the traditional blue silk tsuka-ito hilt binding. Soten fushigashira in takebori shakudo, pure gold and silver overlay, of Laozi riding a water buffalo, in a gold robe and matching cap, holding a gold fan. Beneath him is a water buffalo and flowing water, and the fuchi of takebori gold flower heads, in turbulent waves.

Laozi riding a water buffalo is a popular depiction in Chinese art, rooted in a legend where he left China for the west on a water buffalo, writing down his wisdom at the border. The water buffalo symbolizes strength, nature, and the journey of the sage, representing his philosophy of living in harmony with the natural flow of things

Wakizashi have been in use as far back as the 15th or 16th century. The wakizashi was used as a backup or auxiliary sword; it was also used for close quarters fighting, and also to behead a defeated opponent and sometimes to commit ritual suicide. The wakizashi was one of several short swords available for use by samurai including the yoroi toshi, the chisa-katana and the tanto. The term wakizashi did not originally specify swords of any official blade length and was an abbreviation of "wakizashi no katana" ("sword thrust at one's side"); the term was applied to companion swords of all sizes. It was not until the Edo period in 1638 when the rulers of Japan tried to regulate the types of swords and the social groups which were allowed to wear them that the lengths of katana and wakizashi were officially set.

Kanzan Sato, in his book titled "The Japanese Sword", notes that the wakizashi may have become more popular than the tanto due to the wakizashi being more suited for indoor fighting. He mentions the custom of leaving the katana at the door of a castle or palace when entering while continuing to wear the wakizashi inside. Wakizashi were worn on the left side, secured to the obi waist sash. The Sengoku period Sengoku Jidai, "Warring States period") is a period in Japanese history of near-constant civil war, social upheaval, and intrigue from 1467 to 1615, straddling the end of the Koto era and into the early Shinto.
20.3 inches overall in saya, 13.5 inch blade tsuba to tip blade Overall in very nice condition, natural aging wear to the tsukaito, usual age wear to fuchigashira. Saya and blade excellent.

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  read more

Code: 25967

A Wonderful Shinto 'Shishi' Katana With All Original Edo Period Koshirae of Exemplary Museum Grade Fittings based on The Mythical Protectors of The Shinto Shrines, the Shishi Lion-Dogs

A typical example of a very fine katana of a seieibushi (elite samurai) traditionally the Highest rank of elite samurai. Circa 1670, with a most fine hon-zukuri blade form with suguha hamon, mumei; and a wonderful iron sumiiri kakugata tsuba with shishiaibori decoration of a shishi lion dog below a waterfall, with complimentary matching mino-goto fuchi, fabulous large shishi lion-dog menuki in shakudo with pure gold inlay highlights; set within its original beautiful Edo period saya of a combination of ribbed and lobster-scale urishi lacquer. The fuchi is Goto school of deep takebori of gold and shakudo catydids and insects, with a carved polished buffalo horn kashira. Tradition black tsuka Ito wrapped over the fabulous menuki on the samegawa {giant rayskin}

Shishi (or Jishi) is translated as "lion” but it can also refer to a deer or dog with magical properties and the power to repel evil spirits. A pair of shishi traditionally stand guard outside the gates of Japanese Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, although temples are more often guarded by two Nio Protectors. The Shishi (like the Nio) are traditionally depicted in pairs, one with mouth open and one with mouth shut. The opened/closed mouth relates to Ah (open mouth) and Un (closed mouth). “Ah" is the first sound in the Japanese alphabet, while "N" (pronounced "un") is the last. These two sounds symbolize beginning and end, birth and death, and all possible outcomes (from alpha to omega) in the cosmic dance of existence. The first letter in Sanskrit is "Ah" as well, but the last is "Ha." Nonetheless, the first and last sounds produced by the mouth are "Ah" and "M." The Sanskrit "m" and the Japanese "n" sound exactly the same when hummed with mouth closed. The spiritual Sanskrit terms AHAM and AUM thus encapsulate the first letter-sound (mouth open) and the final sound (mouth closed). Others say the open mouth is to scare off demons, and the closed mouth to shelter and keep in the good spirits. The circular object often shown beneath their feet is the Tama 玉, or sacred Buddhist jewel, a symbol of Buddhist wisdom that brings light to darkness and holds the power to grant wishes.
The Incredible Story of Japanese Lacquer on Samurai Swords Scabbards, called Saya

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.

Some provinces of Japan were famous for their contribution to this art: the province of Edo (later Tokyo), for example, produced the most beautiful lacquered pieces from the 17th to the 18th centuries. Lords and shoguns privately employed lacquerers to produce ceremonial and decorative objects for their homes and palaces.
The varnish used in Japanese lacquer is made from the sap of the urushi tree, also known as the lacquer tree or the Japanese varnish tree (Rhus vernacifera), which mainly grows in Japan and China, as well as Southeast Asia. Japanese lacquer, 漆 urushi, is made from the sap of the lacquer tree. The tree must be tapped carefully, as in its raw form the liquid is poisonous to the touch, and even breathing in the fumes can be dangerous. But people in Japan have been working with this material for many millennia, so there has been time to refine the technique!
Flowing from incisions made in the bark, the sap, or raw lacquer is a viscous greyish-white juice. The harvesting of the resin can only be done in very small quantities.
Three to five years after being harvested, the resin is treated to make an extremely resistant, honey-textured lacquer. After filtering, homogenization and dehydration, the sap becomes transparent and can be tinted in black, red, yellow, green or brown.
Once applied on an object, lacquer is dried under very precise conditions: a temperature between 25 and 30°C and a humidity level between 75 and 80%. Its harvesting and highly technical processing make urushi an expensive raw material applied in exceptionally fine successive layers, on objects such as bowls or boxes.After heating and filtering, urushi can be applied directly to a solid, usually wooden, base. Pure urushi dries into a transparent film, while the more familiar black and red colours are created by adding minerals to the material. Each layer is left to dry and polished before the next layer is added. This process can be very time-consuming and labor-intensive, which contributes to the desirability, and high costs, of traditionally made lacquer goods. The skills and techniques of Japanese lacquer have been passed down through the generations for many centuries. For four hundred years, the master artisans of Zohiko’s Kyoto workshop have provided refined lacquer articles for the imperial household

Blade 28.5 inches long from tsuba to tip. Overall 40.5 inches long in saya.

As once told to us by an esteemed regular visitor to us here in our 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

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  read more

Code: 25304

Fabulous 6 Leather Bound Volumes By The Great Sporting Author R. S. Surtees. William Morris Considered Him "A Master of Life" Ranked With Charles Dickens By Thackeray, Kipling, Arnold Bennett, Siegfried Sassoon & President Theodore Roosevelt

Hand Coloured Plates By Leech & H.K.Browne {aka Phiz}.
Dickens novel 'The Pickwick Papers', was originally intended as mere supporting matter for a series of sporting illustrations to rival Surtees iconic hunting character, Mr Jorrocks.

A fabulous set of six wonderful Victorian comedic and satirical volumes of the ever popular and iconic, British, Sporting & Country life pursuits. Absolutely perfect for those that enjoy such passions as much today as was prevalent in the 19th century.

One of our most popular purchases from The Lanes Armoury, for gifting at Christmas, will always be our finest novels, by iconic authors. An heirloom for generations to come, that combines to be a fabulous read as well as an antiquarian joy of considerable beauty.

A simply fabulous and beautiful, finely, full leather bound set of 6, with stunning gilt embellishments, panelled spines, and each volume brimming with fabulous engravings by Leech or 'Phiz', and wonderfully hand coloured

Surtees,R.S - Sporting Novels, subscriber's edition, full leather deluxe binding in red calf, 6 vols. hand coloured title vignettes and num. hand coloured plates (by John Leech & H.K. Browne, aka. Phiz); contemp. gilt pictorial, decorated and ruled red calf, panelled spine.

Ask Mama {or the Richest Commoner in England.},
Plain or Ringlets,
Mr. Facey Romford's Hounds,
Hawbuck Grange,
Mr. Sponge's Sporting Tour,
Handley Cross {or Mr Jorrock's Hunt}.

Printed during the reign of Queen Victoria for Subscribers from the plates of the Original Edition issued by Bradbury, Agnew & Co. Bouverie St. London.

His work lacked the self-conscious idealism, sentimentality and moralism of the Victorian era; the historian Norman Gash asserted that "His leading male characters were coarse or shady; his leading ladies dashing and far from virtuous; his outlook on society satiric to the point of cynicism."

Robert Smith Surtees (17 May 1805 – 16 March 1864) was an English editor, novelist and sporting writer, widely known as R. S. Surtees. He was the second son of Anthony Surtees of Hamsterley Hall, a member of an old County Durham family. He is remembered for his invented character of Jorrocks, a vulgar but good-natured sporting cockney grocer.


Surtees attended a school at Ovingham and then Durham School, before being articled in 1822 to Robert Purvis, a solicitor in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Surtees left for London in 1825, intending to practise law in the capital, but had difficulty making his way and began contributing to the Sporting Magazine. He launched out on his own with the New Sporting Magazine in 1831, contributing the comic papers which appeared as Jorrocks' Jaunts and Jollities in 1838. Jorrocks, the sporting cockney grocer, with his vulgarity and good-natured artfulness, was a great success with the public, and Surtees produced more Jorrocks novels in the same vein, notably Handley Cross and Hillingdon Hall, where the description of the house is very reminiscent of Hamsterley. Another hero, Soapey Sponge, appears in Mr Sponge's Sporting Tour, possibly Surtees's best work. All Surtees's novels were composed at Hamsterley Hall, where he wrote standing up at a desk, like Victor Hugo.

In 1835, Surtees abandoned his legal practice and, after inheriting Hamsterley Hall in 1838, devoted himself to hunting and shooting, meanwhile writing anonymously for his own pleasure. He was a friend and admirer of the great hunting man Ralph Lambton, who had his headquarters at Sedgefield, County Durham, the "Melton of the North". Surtees became Lord High Sheriff of Durham in 1856. He died in Brighton in 1864, and was buried in Ebchester church.

Though Surtees did not set his novels in any readily identifiable locality, he uses North East place-names like Sheepwash, Howell (How) Burn, and Winford Rig. His memorable Geordie James Pigg, in Handley Cross, is based on Joe Kirk, a Slaley huntsman. The famous incident, illustrated by Leech, when Pigg jumps into the melon frame was inspired by a similar episode involving Kirk in Corbridge.

As a creator of comic personalities, Surtees is still readable today. William Makepeace Thackeray envied him his powers of observation, while William Morris considered him "a master of life" and ranked him with Charles Dickens. The novels are engaging and vigorous, and abound with sharp social observation, with a keener eye than Dickens for the natural world. Perhaps Surtees most resembles the Dickens of The Pickwick Papers, which was originally intended as mere supporting matter for a series of sporting illustrations to rival Jorrocks.

Most of Surtees's later novels, were illustrated by John Leech. They included Mr Sponge's Sporting Tour (1853), Ask Mamma (1858), Plain or Ringlets? (1860) and Mr Facey Romford's Hounds (1865). The last of these novels appeared posthumously.

His sharp, authentic descriptions of the hunting field have retained their popularity among fox-hunters.... Among a wider public his mordant observations on men, women, and manners; his entertaining array of eccentrics, rakes, and rogues; his skill in the construction of lively dialogue (a matter over which he took great pains); his happy genius for unforgettable and quotable phrases; and above all, his supreme comic masterpiece, Jorrocks, have won him successive generations of devoted followers. Although his proper place among Victorian novelists is not easy to determine, his power as a creative artist was recognized, among professional writers, by Thackeray, Kipling, Arnold Bennett, and Siegfried Sassoon, and earned the tributes of laymen as distinguished and diverse as William Morris, Lord Rosebery, and Theodore Roosevelt.

In 1841, Surtees married Elizabeth Jane Fenwick (1818–1879), daughter of Addison Fenwick of Bishopwearmouth, by whom he had one son Anthony (1847–1871) and two daughters. His younger daughter Eleanor married John Vereker, afterwards 5th Viscount Gort. Their son was Field Marshal Lord Gort, commander of the BEF in France in 1940.  read more

Code: 25970