An Original, Incredibly Rare 'Damascus' Presentation Sword, Presented to the German Fuhrer of 1898, An Imperial German, Damascus Steel, Blue & Gilt, Presentation Fuhrer's Sword. Set With Genuine Rubies and Silver Crossed Cannon

This is a magnificent example of one of the rarest most desirable and valuable German swords made in 200 years. The highest grade possible of German military sword to be commissioned during the 19th and 20th centuries, encompassing the Imperial, Weimar and Third Reich eras of Germany.

This fabulous sword was presented to the ‘Fuhrer’ of 1898, but that was not the last, far more infamous German ‘Fuhrer’ who achieved that title, the notorious Adolf Hitler. After Hitler, the title Fuhrer, as an esteemed German rank of status and unlimited authority, became forever tainted, and thus it died with him, never to be used again (although, it was said, that Angela Merkel’s bodyguard referred to her as this (allegedly) in private. but, likely as a term of comedic endearment). Before his death in 1945, the highest level of ‘Fuhrer’ represented a highly respected and revered military and political rank in all Germany.

A 'Grosse Degan', translates to the ‘great size sword’ is around 50% heavier, wider and substantial, and a far superior quality than the regular officer’s sword of the day. Presented in the late 19th century, these significant and important Damascus swords were effectively, the swords of Kings, worn by the highest ranking officers Generals, Field Marshals, Dukes and Kings right through WW1 and also WW2. For example we show in the gallery Field Marshal von Kleist with his identical family sword, that was also an antique Imperial sabre, but worn by him in WW2.

Also, a photograph of His Majesty King George Vth the Queen's grandfather and Kaiser Wilhelm of Prussia King George's cousin in their ceremonial Colonel-in-Chief uniforms. King George Vth is in his full dress ‘honorary’ Imperial German uniform with pickelhaub helmet and also wearing his identical grade of ‘Fuhrer’ sword to ours. Before WW2 it was common for foreign kings to be made honorary colonels to other countries regiments. For example until WW1 Kaiser Willhelm was an honorary colonel of a British regiment, the Kaiser’s Own.

The presentation inscription on the sword’s highest grade elite Damascus blade approximately translates to

"Given By The War Veterans of Stade to it's Beloved Fuhrer"

Super quality hilt with fine detailed chiselling of a lion's head pommel with genuine rubies for eyes the rubies were examined and confirmed by our gemologist. The quillon terminal is a further head of a lion, and the langet is mounted with a wreathed pair of crossed cannon. Silver wire bound horn grip and the knucklebow bears a portrait bust of the German Kaiser, Queen Victoria’s grandson.

The blade is further marked ‘Damast’. Damascus steel swords were the rarest and most highly prized swords ever made in Germany. A method of creating the finest possible steel, a method that was almost lost after WWI however, Reichmarshall Herman Goring made it his personal task, in the 1930’s, to find the finest blade smiths in Europe and to recreate the lost art of Damascus steel for his finest blades. He succeeded, and those surviving German Damast steel edged weapons, also embellished with gold, such as this sword, are now some of the most valuable ever produced during the 20th century.

Wilhelm II or William II (German: Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht von Preu?en; Frederick William Victor Albert of Prussia; 27 January 1859 4 June 1941) was the last German Emperor (Kaiser) and King of Prussia, ruling the German Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia from 15 June 1888 to 9 November 1918. Wilhelm was born on 27 January 1859 at the Crown Prince's Palace in Berlin to Prince Frederick William of Prussia (the future Frederick III) and his wife, Victoria, Princess Royal, the eldest daughter of Britain's Queen Victoria. At the time of his birth, his great-uncle Frederick William IV was king of Prussia, and his grandfather and namesake Wilhelm was acting as Regent. He was the first grandchild of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, but more importantly, as the first son of the Crown Prince of Prussia, Wilhelm was from 1861 second in the line of succession to Prussia, and also, after 1871, to the newly created German Empire, which, according to the constitution of the German Empire, was ruled by the Prussian King.

Crowned in 1888, he dismissed the Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck, in 1890 and launched Germany on a "New Course" in foreign affairs that culminated in his support for Austria-Hungary in the crisis of July 1914 that led in a matter of days to the First World War. No Scabbard.  read more

Code: 22370

A Most Rare Antique Museum Piece. A Glorious Victorian 'Albert Pattern' Helmet Of The First Hertfordshire Light Horse Volunteers, Formed in 1862. Only 98 Of These Helmets Were Ever Made & And It Is Likely Barely a Handfull Still Survive Intact Today

Formerly, from one of the most important, private, original, antique helmet collections in the country. {Details provided for the next owner}

The Hertfordshire Light Horse, more formally the Hertfordshire Yeomanry, was a yeomanry cavalry regiment of the British Army with a long history dating back to the late 18th century, the "Light Horse" name refers to Victorian volunteer unit the First Hertfordshire Light Horse Volunteers formed in 1862. Very rare helmet indeed, in that only 98 of these amazing helmets of this Victorian cavalry regiment were ever made between 1862 to around 1878. This incredible example is in singulary fine museum quality condition. Especially so as it is around 165 years old, and despite the Hertfordshire cavalry has a long and distinguished history, their distinctive, name the Hertfordshire {Herts for short} Light Horse, only lasted for around 16 years. Hence the incredible rarity of this amazingly beautiful helmet.

The Albert helmet is a type of dragoon helmet introduced by the British military in the 19th century. The helmet was developed by queen Victorias husband, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1842, and was first introduced for service with the Household Cavalry in 1843. The helmet was introduced to other heavy cavalry units in the British Empire in 1847.

The Albert helmet was developed by, and named for, Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria in 1842. It was a metal helmet based on those worn by cavalry in the Prussian Army. It was adopted by the Household Cavalry, where it replaced the bearskin-crested 1822 pattern helmet, from 1843 and by other heavy cavalry regiments from 1847.

The Albert helmet was metal (gilt with silver fittings for officers and brass with white metal fittings for other ranks). It was surmounted with a spike from which a hair plume was attached. The plumes varied.

The Hertfordshire Yeomanry served in numerous conflicts, including the Second Boer War, the First World War (notably in Gallipoli and Palestine), and the Second World War. Its lineage continues today within the British Army's Royal Anglian Regiment and Royal Artillery through units like 201 (Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Yeomanry) Battery.

The 1/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry was the active service unit formed by the Hertfordshire Yeomanry during World War I. It was sent to garrison Egypt and then served dismounted in the Gallipoli Campaign. On return to Egypt it was engaged in the Senussi Campaign in the Western Desert. The regiment was then split into independent squadrons acting as divisional cavalry to different infantry divisions. These served in Palestine, on the Western Front and in Mesopotamia, where one of its squadrons were the first troops to enter Baghdad. Later in the war two of the squadrons fought alongside each other in XXI Corps Cavalry Regiment during the final victory in Palestine and the advance into Syria, while the other operated with the North Persia Force and on peacekeeping duties in India.

In WW1 the Herts Cavalry fought between 31 August 1914–August 1919 at Gallipoli and including the specific battles at:
Raid on the Suez Canal
Battle of Scimitar Hill
Senussi Campaign
Battles of Gaza
Second Battle of Kut
Capture of Baghdad
Battle of Megiddo
Battle of Sharon
Advance into Syria
North Persia

Some section fought mounted, others, dismounted

Photos in the gallery of the Herts cavalry volunteers in the Victorian period, and one of the Herts in the Sinai in 1915 the Bikarner Camel Corps.

A few minor bruises to the silvered skull.  read more

Code: 25888

A Yemeni Jambiya A Stunning WW1 Yemeni 'Lawrence of Arabia's' Favoured Pattern of Jambiya

Just returned from over 30 hours of specialist hand conservation to clean and conserve the whole dagger, and a remarkable result has been achieved, but it was simply a labour of love, as it's stored condition was most sad indeed. Likely this intriguing piece was acquired from a souk in Arabia sometime after the war.
Very similar to Lawrence of Arabia's jambiya when he was serving in WW1 in the Turkish Campaign in Arabia. The word jambiya actually means “something worn at one’s right side” (from the triliteral root j-n-b). Lawrence of Arabia had several very similar ones presented to him, they were his favourite dagger, and he was frequently photographed wearing them. One picture is a portrait of Lawrence with his Jambiya, most similar to this example. photo for historical context information only and not included It is made from silver metal, but usually, more often than not, coin silver, certainly not English hallmarked silver. The jambia, a curved Islamic dagger, is the main customary accessory to the clothing worn by Arabian men. For centuries the people of South Arabia have inherited the their jambiahs from generation to generation. There are several theories about the origin of the Jambia. There are historical facts, concerning the existence of the Jambia revealing that it used to be worn at Sheban times, in the Himiarite kingdom. They take the statue of the Sheban king (Madi Karb 500 bc ) as proof. This statue, which was discovered by an American mission in Marib in the 1950s, was found to be wearing a Jambia.

Reference; a Lanes Armoury *Special Conservation* Item, restored and conserved in our workshop, see info page for details on our conservation principles.  read more

Code: 24682

A Rare & Beautiful, French, Napoleonic Wars Era, Consular Guard, Then, Imperial Guard, Silver Mounted Sword. A 'Sabre d'Officier Superieur a Monture a L'Orientale', With French Napoleonic Nationale Maker Inscription, Coulaux et Cie, Circa 1801

A sword of the French Napoleonic era, pre imperial period, but later in use, after Napoleon's coronation as Emperor, for the Imperial Garde, likely for general or colonel of the regiment. A 'Sabre d'Officier Superieur a Monture a L'Orientale'. A delightful Napoleonic wars sword, from the early 19th century, with most rare, stunning, all silver mounts, beautifully engraved throughout, inspired from nimcha swords and workmanship on captured swords from the Mamelukes, that fought against, and then latterly for, Napoleon, at the Battle of The Nile in the late 1790’s.

When Napoleon returned from his Egypt campaign the Ancient Egyptian style became all the rage in Paris, and indeed London. Influencing everything from furniture, to object d’art. And the Mameluke’s style of weaponry made a major influence of sword design for both England and France. So much so, the British General Officer’s Mameluke style sabre is still the current service use sword for generals today, modelled on the swords brought back to London by Nelson after his Egypt campaign.

This sword and it distinctive hilt is a French version of Nimcha North African sword style. A style of sword that the Revolutionary French adopted for the official sword of a Representative of the People, from the Le Directoire Period, just before Napoleon's Coup of 18 Brumaire {in November 1799.} after his return from the Battle of The Nile in 1798.

The blade is inscribed Manufacture Nationale, Coulax, this date marking for Coulax was from 1801 to around 1806. It is curved, but straighter, somewhat akin to an officer's sword of the French elite heavy cavalry, rather than an officer using more usual more curved light cavalry sabre. Twin parallel fullered blade, with one very narrow, the other wide.

After Napoleon's Egypt Campaign, that ended in 1801, many Napoleonic officer's adopted the so-called oriental mounted swords captured from the Egyptian Marmalukes that eventually became part of Napoleon's Imperial Garde. These swords, in their turn, were captured by the British and similarly adopted as a form of highly favoured officers sword. In fact the mamaluke sabre became the British General's pattern sword that is still in use today.
Several of these specific swords were part of a Sotheby's Napoleonic Wars auction in Monaco in 1990, titled "Belles Armes Anciennes Casques et Objects Militaires". In 1803, the Mamluks were organized into a company attached to the Chasseurs a Cheval of the Imperial Guard.

Mamluks fought well at Battle of Austerlitz on December 2, 1805 and the regiment was granted a standard.

With the First Restoration, the company of the Mamluks of the Imperial Guard was incorporated into the Corps Royal des Chasseurs de France. The Mamluks of the Young Guard were incorporated in the 7th Chasseurs a Cheval. The Napoleonic period was an extremely complicated time. Moral right and wrong are hard to distinguish: Napoleon was a dictator, but not a particularly evil one. He encouraged many developments we today consider quite positive. The Napoleonic Wars were instigated by France, but each nation fought to protect and expand its own national interest. The wars were punctuated by constantly shifting alliances. Sometimes Prussia fought France, and sometimes it was neutral. Austria, led by the crafty Metternich, tried to improve relations with France towards the end the Napoleonic era. Russia initially opposed Napoleon, then sided with him, and then turned against him again. The only constant through the fifteen years of Napoleon's rule was the continued enmity between England and France. Napoleon was intensely jealous of our successful trade with all Europe and thus instigated a complete scheme to deny trade with Britain throughout Europe. Ironically the two most famous and successful dictators of modern Europe, both Napoleon and Hitler, are famously known to have met with the dramatic reversal of their fortunes entirely through invading Russia, not because of inferior military tactics of both the invaders, but simply because Russia is so large, and the winters so severe, that logistical issues become unsolvable, and thus, resulting in both their ultimate downfall

Yet, in both cases, the wealth, resources and stubborn determination of the British played a major role in their eventual downfall. Despite Britain's comparatively small population and territorial base, it alone among European countries was able to fight Napoleon nonstop {except for the short Peace of Amiens from 1802-1803,} Britain was at war with France from 1793-1815, while other states alternated between war, peace, and various alliances with France. As it was with Britain and its Commonwealth, being alone at war with Hitler for the war period of 1939 to 1941. With America and Russia only joining the fight years later, but only once Hitler foolishly declared war on them first.

The sword overall has the usual signs of period age wear and contemporary close combat use, the blade is stunningly bright polished in good condition for age, with small areas of old pitting, mostly at the tip. Quillon finial lacking to one side.  read more

Code: 25886

An Incredibly Rare French Naval, Sabre D'Officier De Marine Model Prairelle An XII 1804. Officer's Sword, Most Likely Surrendered or Captured At Trafalgar in 1805. Possibly Even From the Redoutable or Bucentaure

Overall in very good condition for age, very tight and sound with no looseness, yet with commensurate wear for its age, considering its use as a hand to hand combat sword in the service of their emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.

It has a very finely engraved blade with feint traces of blue and gilt, and usual age and surface wear overall.
Almost all of the senior French naval officers at Trafalgar could have carried a sword just as this, and this sword may even have been likely surrendered at Trafalgar itself. Its official title is; Sabre d'officier du Marine, modele de Prairal an XII of 1804. Scabbard throat mount beautifully decorated with a Mermaid, with two tails and modest skirt, as was the identifying feature on a naval officer's sabre of the prairial model. The reverse side of the scabbard has a design of a pattern of the constellation of the stars.

It was by formal decree, dated the 7th of Prairial of the year XII May 28, 1804, that the French First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte approved the creation of the model of this stunning sabre. This is such a rare sword they are almost impossible to find, even in museums.

This French naval officer's combat sword is a stunningly beautiful sabre, and so very rare, as so many warships of the French Napoleonic navy, and their officer's and crew, were captured or destroyed so precious few survive. The British equivalent is the rare 1805 pattern Royal Naval officer's sword, which Nelson also took to at Trafalgar, but the French surviving equivalent, this sword, is at least 100 times the rarer sword. The last known example, of a surrendered French ship's captain's sword, we sold here over 5 years ago.

Sabre naval officer model of the 1st Prairial Year XII, guard a brass branch chiselled and gilded, bow body adorned with an anchor resting on two flags, half round langets chiselled with a radiant head, fluted ebony grip with carved grooves; flat-backed blade, one hollow pan and lateral throat, traces of blue and gilded in the third; leather scabbard with seam, two gilded brass fittings, the throat is provided with two long side hooks for the wearing of the sword with a belt or the harness, it is decorated with a mermaid with two tails, finely engraved with reeds; dart shaped shell;

Prairial was the ninth month in the French Republican Calendar. This month was named after the French word prairie, which means meadow. It was the name given to several ships.
Prairial was the third month of the spring quarter.
The Battle of Trafalgar (21 October 1805) was a naval engagement fought by the British Royal Navy against the combined fleets of the French and Spanish Navies, during the War of the Third Coalition (August–December 1805) of the Napoleonic Wars (1796–1815).

Twenty-seven British ships of the line led by Admiral Lord Nelson aboard HMS Victory defeated thirty-three French and Spanish ships of the line under French Admiral Villeneuve. The battle took place in the Atlantic Ocean off the southwest coast of Spain, just west of Cape Trafalgar, near the town of Los Caños de Meca. The Franco-Spanish fleet lost twenty-two ships and the British lost none.

The victory confirmed the naval supremacy Britain had established during the course of the eighteenth century and it was achieved in part through Nelson's departure from the prevailing naval tactical orthodoxy of the day. Conventional practice at the time was for opposing fleets to engage each other in single parallel lines, in order to facilitate signalling and disengagement, and to maximise fields of fire and target areas. Nelson instead arranged his ships into two columns to sail perpendicularly into the enemy fleet's line.


During the battle,Victory locked masts with the French Redoutable, whose crew, including a strong infantry corps (with three captains and four lieutenants), gathered for an attempt to board and seize Victory. A musket bullet fired from the mizzentop of Redoutable struck Nelson in the left shoulder, passed through his spine at the sixth and seventh thoracic vertebrae, and lodged two inches below his right scapula in the muscles of his back. Nelson exclaimed, "They finally succeeded, I am dead." He was carried below decks.

Victory's gunners were called on deck to fight boarders, and she ceased firing. The gunners were forced back below decks by French grenades. As the French were preparing to board Victory, Temeraire, the second ship in the British windward column, approached from the starboard bow of Redoutable and fired on the exposed French crew with a carronade, causing many casualties.

At 13:55, the French Captain Lucas of Redoutable, with 99 fit men out of 643 and severely wounded himself, surrendered. The French Bucentaure was isolated by Victory and Temeraire, and then engaged by HMS Neptune, HMS Leviathan, and Conqueror; similarly, Santísima Trinidad was isolated and overwhelmed, surrendering after three hours.
Nelson was shot by a French musketeer As Nelson lay dying, he ordered the fleet to anchor, as a storm was predicted. However, when the storm blew up, many of the severely damaged ships sank or ran aground on the shoals. A few of them were recaptured, some by the French and Spanish prisoners overcoming the small prize crews, others by ships sallying from Cádiz. Surgeon William Beatty heard Nelson murmur, "Thank God I have done my duty"; when he returned, Nelson's voice had faded, and his pulse was very weak. He looked up as Beatty took his pulse, then closed his eyes. Nelson's chaplain, Alexander Scott, who remained by Nelson as he died, recorded his last words as "God and my country." It has been suggested by Nelson historian Craig Cabell that Nelson was actually reciting his own prayer as he fell into his death coma, as the words 'God' and 'my country' are closely linked therein. Nelson died at half-past four, three hours after being hit, before the battle ended. Villeneuve was captured, along with his ship Bucentaure. He later attended Nelson's funeral while a captive on parole in Britain. Admiral Federico Gravina, the senior Spanish flag officer, escaped with the remnant of the fleet. He died five months later from wounds sustained during the battle. The battle resulted in 10 French ships captured,
one ship destroyed,
3,373 dead,
1,155 wounded,
over 4,000 men captured
Spain:
11 ships captured,
1,022 dead,
1,386 wounded,
3 to 4,000 captured
Total: about 15,000

It would be wonderful to know for certain that this sword was surrendered by such as a senior officer of the Redoutable or Bucentaure , and although it is certainly possible it may have been, in fact we can't say it wasn't, but in reality it is a speculation that may never be satisfied.

The sword is 36.5 inches long overall in its scabbard. The carved ebony grip has one slight split on one side, but still as tight as a drum, the leather scabbard has had a contemporary field service leather repair near the chape.  read more

Code: 25277

A French 1st Empire Year XI French Light Cavalry Sabre by Nicolas Noel Boutet of the Imperial Workshop At Versailles Circa 1805. Early Napoleonic Grande Armee Period

1805 circa Napoleonic sabre from the period of the Grande Armee. Curved, single-and-false-edged blade with wide fuller, brass hilt with three bar guard and long narrow langets; leather-covered grip. Heavy grade sheet iron scabbard with two suspension rings. Traces of Boutet’s maker's- director’s poincon mark within a lozenge form on the blade face near the ricasso. Plain blade back strap, the month and date of manufacture were only added as inscriptions after an imperial decree of 29 April 1810. There are no other inspection marks remaining as they were often removed if the sword was captured as war booty, and became in the possession of a foreign combatant, as many swords of this pattern were absorbed into their own armies, such as, for example, the Russian cavalry. The Russians actually created their own near identical version in 1827.
Bright polished, heavy grade sheet iron, likely associated scabbard, with traditional Napoleonic brass seam.

Nicolas-Noël Boutet (31 August 1761 – 1833) was a French gunsmith and bladesmith who was director of the Versailles state arms factory. More than 600,000 weapons were produced under his directorship.
Boutet was born in Paris, the son of the royal gunsmith Noël Boutet, and became his father's assistant. In 1788, he married Leonie-Emilie Desainte, the daughter of his father's colleague, which gave him an even better position at court and the title of "gunmaker-in-ordinary" to King Louis XVI of France.
During the revolution he worked for Napoleon as director of the state arms manufactory.
He died in Paris

Grande Armée (French for 'The Great Army'; was the main military component of the French Imperial Army commanded by Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte during the Napoleonic Wars. From 1804 to 1808, it won a series of military victories that allowed the French Empire to exercise unprecedented control over most of Europe. Widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest fighting forces ever assembled, it suffered enormous losses during the disastrous Peninsular War followed by the invasion of Russia in 1812, after which it never recovered its strategic superiority and ended in total defeat for Napoleonic France by the Peace of Paris in 1815.
The Grande Armée was formed in 1804 from the L'Armée des côtes de l'Océan (Army of the Ocean Coasts), a force of over 100,000 men that Napoleon had assembled for the proposed invasion of Britain. Napoleon later deployed the army in Central Europe to eliminate the combined threat of Austria and Russia, which were part of the Third Coalition formed against France. Thereafter, the Grande Armée was the principal military force deployed in the campaigns of 1806/7, the French invasion of Spain, and in the War of the Fifth Coalition, where the French army slowly lost its veteran soldiers, strength and prestige, and in the conflicts of 1812, 1813–14, and 1815. In practice, however, the term Grande Armée is used in English to refer to all the multinational forces gathered by Napoleon in his campaigns  read more

Code: 25248

A Most Rare, Original, Late 18th Century Spanish Heavy Dragoon Cup Hilt Sword of the Napoleonic War Peninsular Campaign. An I8th Century or Earlier Form Spanish Rapier Hilt With a British 1796 Heavy Cavalry Ordnance Stamped Hadley Contract Blade

This is simply a fascinating and intriguing sword in that in it's service working life it has had a wide 1796 British Heavy cavalry trooper's sword blade, stamped and made by Ordnance contractor, Hadley of 47 Bull St. Birmingham, and supplied by their British allies. The hilt is actually a design and likely made from a 1650 Spanish Toledo cup hilt rapier.

Spanish cup hilt rapiers often originally had long and slender blades, however in the 18th century their blades became wider and of broadsword dimensions when used by Spanish heavy dragoons, especially in the Peninsular war from 1808, but they retained the cup hilt form of the traditional, Spanish cavalry sword.

We also acquired a rare, fully standard Napoleonic Peninsular War 1808 Spanish Heavy Dragoon sword, with its wide blade, and changed hilt pattern

We have never seen an original period Spanish sword mounted with a British ordnance blade before, and this is most intriguing.

We conclude it was added at the time of the Spanish alliance with Britain during the Peninsular War in Spain, against Napoleon's occupying forces. Possibly supplied and given by the British, from such as the 4th Heavy Dragoons or 3rd Dragoon Guards, to their Spanish allies to replace an unsuitable narrow earlier Spanish rapier blade. The 4th Dragoons were landed between the 22nd and 27th of April 1809 at Lisbon and were brigaded with the more senior 3rd Dragoon Guards under Major General Henry Fane forming the first British Heavy Cavalry brigade in the Peninsular War.

The sword's cup has some original combat impact damage and field repair on one side. Traditional long quilons of the late 18th century pattern up to 1808 when the hilt design was changed and the quillons deeply curved.

Crown 4 stamp to blade and maker's mark stamp on backstrap, ordnance contractor and supplier of 1796 Heavy Dragoon swords, Hadley of Birmingham.

The Spanish heavy cavalry in the Peninsular campaign, such as, The Battle of Bailen
Fought July 19, 1808, between 15,000 Spaniards under Castaflos, and 20,000 French under Dupont. The French were totally defeated with a loss of over 2,000 men, and Dupont surrendered with his whole army. The Battle of Bailen was contested in 1808 between the Spanish Army of Andalusia, led by Generals Francisco Castanos and Theodor von Reding, and the Imperial French Army's II corps d'observation de la Gironde under General Pierre Dupont de l'Etang. The heaviest fighting took place near Bailen (sometimes anglicised Baylen), a village by the Guadalquivir river in the Jaen province of southern Spain.

In June 1808, following the widespread uprisings against the French occupation of Spain, Napoleon organised French units into flying columns to pacify Spain's major centres of resistance. One of these, under General Dupont, was dispatched across the Sierra Morena and south through Andalusia to the port of Cadiz where an French naval squadron lay at the mercy of the Spanish. The Emperor was confident that with 20,000 men, Dupont would crush any opposition encountered on the way. Events proved otherwise, and after storming and plundering Cordoba in July, Dupont retraced his steps to the north of the province to await reinforcements. Meanwhile, General Castanos, commanding the Spanish field army at San Roque, and General von Reding, Governor of Malaga, travelled to Seville to negotiate with the Seville Junta a patriotic assembly committed to resisting the French incursions?and to turn the province's combined forces against the French.

Dupont's failure to leave Andalusia proved disastrous. Between 16 and 19 July, Spanish forces converged on the French positions stretched out along villages on the Guadalquivir and attacked at several points, forcing the confused French defenders to shift their divisions this way and that. With Castanos pinning Dupont downstream at Andujar, Reding successfully forced the river at Mengibar and seized Bailen, interposing himself between the two wings of the French army. Caught between Castanos and Reding, Dupont attempted vainly to break through the Spanish line at Bailen in three bloody and desperate charges, losing more than 2,500 men.

His counterattacks defeated, Dupont called for an armistice and was compelled to sign the Convention of Andujar which stipulated the surrender of almost 18,000 men, making Bailen the worst disaster and capitulation of the Peninsular War, and the first major defeat of Napoleon's Grande Armee. When news of the catastrophe reached the French high command in Madrid, the result was a general retreat to the Ebro, abandoning much of Spain to the insurgents. France's enemies in Spain and throughout Europe cheered at this first check to the hitherto unbeatable Imperial armies tales of Spanish heroism inspired Austria and showed the force of nation-wide resistance to Napoleon, setting in motion the rise of the Fifth Coalition against France.

The Portuguese and Spanish played an important part in the war. Retrained and reorganised by Marshal William Beresford, Portugal’s soldiers fought bravely alongside those of Britain. The stubborn Spanish defence of cities and towns tied down thousands of French troops. Spanish armies, though frequently defeated, kept reappearing, forcing France to send more armies against them.

French troops were also required to garrison hostile territory and wage a bitter war against Spanish and Portuguese insurgents, the ‘guerrillas’. French communications and supply lines were harassed by their raids and ambushes. By 1812, the French had over 350,000 soldiers in Iberia, but 200,000 were protecting lines of supply rather than serving as front-line troops.

All of these factors meant that although on paper the French heavily outnumbered the British armies in Iberia, they were never able to concentrate enough of their troops to win a decisive victory. The continual drain on French resources led Napoleon to call the conflict the ‘Spanish Ulcer’.

A picture in the gallery of an old watercolour of an officer of one of the British allies in a Spanish Heavy Dragoon regiment in the Peninsular War, with his identical broadsword bladed cup hilt sword drawn for combat.

42 inches long overall  read more

Code: 25114

A Simply Fabulous Original Antique Napoleonic Wars Sword Of The King of Spain's Elite, Heavy Cavalry Regiment. Used In The Spanish Peninsular Campaign, During Napoleon's Peninsular War in 1808 Until 1814. In Superb Condition.

From the invasion of Spain by Napoleon's forces, in 1808. The Peninsular War involved over 127 battles and engagements against Napoleon and the armies under his command, and this sword may well have been used in dozens of these ferocious conflicts

A fabulous, original, example of these very scarce Napoleonic, Spanish heavy cavalry long blade broadsword. A sword based Spanish late 18th century broadsword.
The hilt is in superb order, with excellent wire bound grip and large shaped bowl, as is the very long broadsword blade.
In 1796 (although there is a controversy around the precise date) a new model sword for Spanish cavalry troopers was adopted. This beautiful example, showing very classic lines and a very similar construction to the previous pattern, presents an almost full cup-hilt in a rapier style, curved quillons and knuckle-bow. The blade was very similar to that of 1728 pattern, having these dimensions: length 940 mm, width 35, thickness 6 mm. Alongside the later 1803 pattern change, these swords were predominantly used by cavalry at the Battle of Bailen {and subsequent battles}. It was the crushing defeat of Napoleon's Grande Armee in the Spanish invasion.
The Battle of Bailen
Fought July 19, 1808, between 15,000 Spaniards under Castaflos, and 20,000 French under Dupont. The French were totally defeated with a loss of over 2,000 men, and Dupont surrendered with his whole army. The Battle of Bailen was contested in 1808 between the Spanish Army of Andalusia, led by Generals Francisco Castanos and Theodor von Reding, and the Imperial French Army's II corps d'observation de la Gironde under General Pierre Dupont de l'Etang. The heaviest fighting took place near Bailen (sometimes anglicised Baylen), a village by the Guadalquivir river in the Jaen province of southern Spain.

In June 1808, following the widespread uprisings against the French occupation of Spain, Napoleon organised French units into flying columns to pacify Spain's major centres of resistance. One of these, under General Dupont, was dispatched across the Sierra Morena and south through Andalusia to the port of Cadiz where an French naval squadron lay at the mercy of the Spanish. The Emperor was confident that with 20,000 men, Dupont would crush any opposition encountered on the way. Events proved otherwise, and after storming and plundering Cordoba in July, Dupont retraced his steps to the north of the province to await reinforcements. Meanwhile, General Castanos, commanding the Spanish field army at San Roque, and General von Reding, Governor of Malaga, travelled to Seville to negotiate with the Seville Junta a patriotic assembly committed to resisting the French incursions?and to turn the province's combined forces against the French.

Dupont's failure to leave Andalusia proved disastrous. Between 16 and 19 July, Spanish forces converged on the French positions stretched out along villages on the Guadalquivir and attacked at several points, forcing the confused French defenders to shift their divisions this way and that. With Castanos pinning Dupont downstream at Andujar, Reding successfully forced the river at Mengibar and seized Bailen, interposing himself between the two wings of the French army. Caught between Castanos and Reding, Dupont attempted vainly to break through the Spanish line at Bailen in three bloody and desperate charges, losing more than 2,500 men.

His counterattacks defeated, Dupont called for an armistice and was compelled to sign the Convention of Andujar which stipulated the surrender of almost 18,000 men, making Bailen the worst disaster and capitulation of the Peninsular War, and the first major defeat of Napoleon's Grande Armee. When news of the catastrophe reached the French high command in Madrid, the result was a general retreat to the Ebro, abandoning much of Spain to the insurgents. France's enemies in Spain and throughout Europe cheered at this first check to the hitherto unbeatable Imperial armies tales of Spanish heroism inspired Austria and showed the force of nation-wide resistance to Napoleon, setting in motion the rise of the Fifth Coalition against France.

The Portuguese and Spanish played an important part in the war. Retrained and reorganised by Marshal William Beresford, Portugal’s soldiers fought bravely alongside those of Britain. The stubborn Spanish defence of cities and towns tied down thousands of French troops. Spanish armies, though frequently defeated, kept reappearing, forcing France to send more armies against them.

French troops were also required to garrison hostile territory and wage a bitter war against Spanish and Portuguese insurgents, the ‘guerrillas’. French communications and supply lines were harassed by their raids and ambushes. By 1812, the French had over 350,000 soldiers in Iberia, but 200,000 were protecting lines of supply rather than serving as front-line troops.

All of these factors meant that although on paper the French heavily outnumbered the British armies in Iberia, they were never able to concentrate enough of their troops to win a decisive victory. The continual drain on French resources led Napoleon to call the conflict the ‘Spanish Ulcer’.


Painting in the gallery by Theodore Gericault. Of a wounded cuirassier, said to be a French cuirassier at the Battle of Bailen. We also show a print of the Spanish Heavy Cavalry of the Line Trooper, 1804, holding his identical sword  read more

Code: 22330

A Very Fine Indeed Samurai Shinto Wakizashi with Original Edo Goto School Dragon Fittings of Shakudo and Gold & An Edo Tettsu Krishitan {Christian} Tsuba

With Goto school pure gold and shakudo fushi kashira decorated with dragons, on a hand punched nanako ground. A most interesting and beautiful quality o-sukashi Krishitan tsuba of a squared-off mokko form cross, decorated with flowing river water and inlaid gold dots representing stars. The Stars and The River as Christian Symbols, are images or symbolic representation with sacred significance. The meanings, origins and ancient traditions surrounding Christian symbols date back to early times when the majority of ordinary people were not able to read or write and printing was unknown. Many were 'borrowed' or drawn from early pre-Christian traditions. It may be that the design of the tsuba confronted the believer to the ambiguity born of a prolonged time of painful secrecy. Surrounded by the threat of violence, even a weapon could bear a hidden symbol of Christianity—the cross.

The Hidden Christians quieted their public expressions and practices of faith in the hope of survival from the great purge. They also suffered unspeakably if captured and failed to renounce their Christian belief.
It also has its optional kodzuka, the hilt decorated with a dragon, and the blade that is signed and with a hamon. Superb original Edo period lacquered saya with a stripe and counter stripe pattern design. Three hole nakago and superb polished Edo blade of a gently undulating notare hamon displaying super grain in the hada. 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. Although they appear to be likely a relative expensive luxury compared to other antique swords from other nations, they are in fact incredible value for money, for example a newly made bespoke samurai style sword blade from Japan will cost, today, in excess of £11,000, take up to two years to complete, will come with no fittings at all, and will be modern naturally with no historical context or connection to the ancient samurai past in any way at all. Our fabulous original swords can be many, many, hundreds of years old, stunningly mounted as fabulous quality works of art, and may have been owned and used by up to 30 samurai in their working lifetime. Plus, due to their status in Japanese society, look almost as good today as the did possibly up to 400 years ago, or even more. Every katana, tachi, or wakazashi buyer will receive A complimentary sword stand, plus a silk bag, white handling gloves and a white cleaning cloth. .  read more

Code: 23913

A Most Beautiful Fine Quality Shinto Wakizashi With All Original Edo Period Fittings and Silver Mounts. Circa 1650

Japanese Wakizashi, with a signed Shinto, very good shinogi zukuri blade in fabulous polish, with a fine suguha hamon, and wazamono sharp.

The sword has a tsuka with gold ito bound over a pair of superb shakudo shishi lion dogs on samegawa, a shakudo kashira with nanako ground and decorated with takebori sage wearing a court cap, with gold highlights, and a plain silver fuchi and shakudo nanako tsuba decorated with plants.

It is in its original Edo period stunning saya, decorated with pine needle and abilone shell lacquer, an inlaid silver kojiri of elaborate scrolls, and a plain silver koi guchi that matches the silver fuchi, and a kozuka pocket for an optional kozuka to be housed.

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. Although they appear to be likely a relative expensive luxury compared to other antique swords from other nations, they are in fact incredible value for money, for example a newly made bespoke samurai style sword blade from Japan will cost, today, in excess of £11,000, take up to two years to complete, will come with no fittings at all, and will be modern naturally with no historical context or connection to the ancient samurai past in any way at all. Our fabulous original swords can be many, many, hundreds of years old, stunningly mounted as fabulous quality works of art, and may have been owned and used by up to 30 samurai in their working lifetime. Plus, due to their status in Japanese society, look almost as good today as the did possibly up to 400 years ago, or even more. Every katana, tachi, or wakazashi buyer will receive A complimentary sword stand, plus a silk bag, white handling gloves and a white cleaning cloth.

Excellent condition overall, superb polished blade showing a fine suguha hamon, a crisp, razor sharp cutting edge without blemish.  read more

Code: 25032