A Very Fine British ‘Brown Bess’ India Pattern Infantry Musket, Of The Napoleonic Wars Period. For Over One Hundred Years The British ‘Brown Bess’ Was The Most Famed and Feared Musket In The World. No Army In The World Failed To Respect Them

You would have to go a long way to find a better untouched example of a regulation ‘3rd Pattern’ ‘Brown Bess’ from the Napoleonic wars, and most importantly used from Quatre Bras and Waterloo

The stock has super patina, very sound, great condition, untouched and devoid of restoration and a great and fabulous feel of quality and heft.
A perfect example of an historic original Napoleonic ‘sleeper’ A musket, that once retired from British Army combat service, was placed in sound and dry storage, and has remained untouched for nigh on 200 years.

All the fittings are very good, a superb regulation length barrel, lock, trigger guard, butt plate, etc, ramrod, sling swivels and brass mounts. With a fine leather strap, good action, good proof marks, good inspection stamps, good dating. Effectively, everything you would want to see in an infantryman’s musket, that was contracted, supplied to the British infantry, and used in the last great battles of Napoleon from 1814 when he was first defeated, and most importantly, in his last Hurrah, the 100 Days War, Napoleonic lady desperate gamble to reclaim his title, his throne and empire, culminating at Quatre Bras and Waterloo, what a historical beauty!

In fact he very nearly succeeded, if it wasn’t for the tactical skill of the iron Duke, and his indomitable army, of fearless English, Scottish, Irish and Welsh infantryman and the great Prussian volunteers of the KGL. With the able last minute assistance from Field Marshal Blucher (*who, interestingly, and allegedly, believed he was pregnant during Waterloo) and his Prussians, direct from their battle and defeat at Ligny.

One of the 142,970 British contract made 'India Pattern' muskets turned over by the East India Co. army to the British Board of Ordnance for the Napoleonic wars, due to the urgent need for arms to counter Napoleon's massive armament reserve.

The lock is stamped by the primary, senior ordnance inspector, Richard Duce {his mark of Crown 2}. Who was also the controller of tempering & hardening of locks, after their arrival from the stores for fitting to the musket, and apparently he inspected all the EIC bess that were handed over to the British Ordnance for the Napoleonic Wars. An account that was confirmed to us by our friend and historic colleague, Howard Blackmore of the Tower of London armoury.

The musket was the standard weapon issued to the British soldier throughout the 18th and early-19th centuries. It would be the 'India', also known as the 'Third Pattern' Brown Bess musket that would play a central and pivotal role in the wars against Revolutionary and Napoleonic France.

By the end of the American Revolutionary War in 1783, the British Army was armed with the Pattern 1777 and Pattern 1779(S) Short Land Pattern musket. This was a musket made to the strict quality guidelines of the Board of Ordnance, and was characterised by its 42 in barrel. After the war the expectation was for a period of peace, a time when the need for Ordnance materials would be low, so the standing contracts for the Pattern 1777 and the Pattern 1779(S) musket were cancelled. Parliament was not prepared to fund equipment it deemed unnecessary, so financial retrenchment was the order of the day. No change there then

The world changed in 1793, a mere 10 years after the loss of the American colonies. Britain found itself once again at war, this time with Revolutionary France. An army now reduced in size to an authorized strength of only 44,432 men had to be expanded rapidly, along with the local militia and volunteer forces. The call for muskets was huge. Indeed, in 1793 the total stock of muskets in armouries around Britain, including the central arsenal at the Tower of London, was around a mere 60,000. The stocks held in French arsenals amounted to over a very sensible 700,000.

Something needed to be done. At first the Board of Ordnance tried to ramp up production of the Short Land Pattern muskets by engaging new contractors. Yet despite producing over 31,000 muskets in 1793 the numbers were still woefully inadequate for the expanding forces.

The Board of Ordnance had to fill the gap. They did this by ordering 10,000 muskets from the Birmingham gun trade and 10,000 from their usual emergency suppliers in Liege, Belgium. However this was still not enough, especially as the private contractors in both Birmingham and London were hard at work fulfilling orders for the private trade and for the East India Company, one of the biggest private purchasers of military arms. To begin to solve this lack of supply the Master General of the Ordnance, the Duke of Richmond, suggested to the government that they persuade the East India Company to sell their stocks of muskets to the government and also to agree not to place any further orders until the Ordnance's requirements were met.

The duke wrote to the Home Secretary, Henry Dundas, on the matter. As Chairman of the Board of Control of the East India Company Dundas had earlier been instrumental in securing parliamentary approval for the renewal of the East India Company's monopoly. The duke stated that he was: 'aware how unpleasant it must be to take such a step, and to deliver out to our troops these East India Company muskets, but ... the least important must give way to the most; and you will be best able to judge whether the East India Company can admit of a delay in respect of theses arms. And altho' they might not be quite so perfect as ours, they undoubtedly must be serviceable ones, and such as the new Raised Corps must put up with on the current Emergency.'

This suggestion was met with agreement, and the idea of introducing the East India Company's arms into British Army service was conceived. By the end of 1794 the East India Company had delivered 29,920 muskets into government stores, all that they could spare. Indeed transactions for East India Company muskets would continue throughout the duration of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. By 1815, the East India Company had sold the Board of Ordnance at least 142,970 small arms.

The musket that the East India Company supplied was one originally designed by General Lawrence for East India Company service, altered and simplified by Lieutenant Colonel Edward Windus in 1771. The musket in Company service became known as the 'Windus' pattern. In 1795, the Board of Ordnance began to order 'India Pattern' muskets on its own account and by 1797 it officially adopted the musket as the Model 1793 and began to place substantial orders for it with the Birmingham gun trade.

The Model 1793 India Pattern musket was standardized by the Board of Ordnance in 1797, taking account of its comparable cheapness, simplicity of design and ease of manufacture. By the end of 1797, the Birmingham gun trade was able to deliver some 72,000 muskets to the government proof house at Bagot Street. The success of this model was self evident, along with its slightly modified successor the Model 1809 India Pattern. They produced at an average price of 18 shillings and 5 pence (roughly £3,000 in today's money).

This fabulous example was one of those desperately required Brown Besses.

The Brown Bess musket was the standard weapon of the British infantry for more than a century. Soldiers on both sides of the War of 1812 employed it in battle, staring down its barrel at opponents across distances of less than a hundred yards.

Flintlock musket
The Brown Bess musket was the standard weapon of the British for more than a century.
British foot soldiers marched into battle with this musket—nicknamed “Brown Bess”—for more than 100 years. British redcoats used the Brown Bess to fight the War of Independence in the colonies, and many of their opponents in the Americans’ Continental army used it as well. British soldiers fighting in the Napoleonic wars carried it into battle, and it was the principal firearm used by the infantrymen who fought the War of 1812.

The Brown Bess had several distinctive features. It was a large-calibre weapon: the bullet it fired was a lead ball up to three-quarters of an inch in diameter, three times the diameter of a modern .22-caliber rifle round. The inside of its barrel was smooth: unlike more accurate “rifled” muskets used by the famous rifle regiments, the Brown Bess had a smooth bore with no grooves to make its fire more accurate. Soldiers loaded the musket through the muzzle, which meant that each bullet had to be forced down a longer than three foot barrel before firing. Even trained soldiers could only launch two or three shots per minute.

Because the weapon was slow to load and relatively inaccurate (experienced soldiers generally estimated its range between 50 and 100 yards), armies developed tactics that helped compensate for its shortcomings. The limitations of smoothbore muskets like the Brown Bess forced units employ “linear tactics,” in which a hundreds of soldiers stood in neat lines, shoulder-to-shoulder and out in the open. While such tactics appear decidedly unstealthy to twenty-first century eyes, they proved essential on the battlefields of all the conflicts which Britain was involved.
There, stealth was a low priority. Packing the men into blocs allowed officers to coordinate their troops’ fire into synchronized volleys. Firing a hundred guns in the same direction at once helped ensure that at least some, often most of the inaccurate musket balls found their targets. And grouping the men into neat lines out in the open helped commanders ensure that few of their troops gave in to the natural instinct to flee.

Of course, packing troops into blocks and fighting in the open required tremendous discipline from the individual soldiers. Infantrymen had to stand exposed to enemy fire as they loaded and fired their own muskets. And in some situations, soldiers learned the grisly dangers of fighting in lines—as at the Battle of New Orleans in the 1812 war, where American artillery attacked the exposed British formations with devastating effect.

The last photo in the gallery shows a photograph of one section of the collection in the museum of Waterloo, taken in around 1900, showing all the weapons of Waterloo en situ, including all the protagonists {British, French, Prussian and Belgian muskets, swords, pistols, armour uniforms, etc}. The museum was founded and owned by a veteran of the 7th Hussars that fought at Waterloo

*While Blucher’s "pregnancy" was a metaphor, it was widely joked about by contemporary figures as a sign of his mental exhaustion and stress following the war.  read more

Code: 26181

A Super & Historical Brown Bess Flintlock Musket. In Its Final Service Days, Part of the Arms Used by The Expeditionary Sailing Schooner & Steam Ship of the River Niger. Engraved With the Name of The 1st Propeller Driven Exploring Steamship

The Schooner and expedition was under the command of Dr. William Balfour Baikie, R.N. a famed explorer and renown anti-slaver.

The musket is in super condition made by Bond of London. Complete with its standard, regulation, bayonet {pitted overall} Regulation Brown Bess barrel .750 inch bore, and of 39 inches long, stamped with Board of Ordnance view and proof markings of circa 1790. Typical all brass mounts and fittings, trigger guard side plate fore-end and butt plate, with both steel sling swivels present, and a fine walnut stock. the ships name, 'Pleiad' engraved to the butt tang with the ship's gun's gun-rack numbering, '4'. The regulation trigger guard has a large number engraved, 22 this may likely be a previous use regimental number such as the Cheshire Regt, {the 22nd Foot}

Edward Bond was at 45 Cornhill, London, from 1800 to 1830, during this time he was joined by William, they moved to Lombard St. in around 1830

The vessel, named the Pleiad, was an extremely interesting and historical sailing ship. It was built by John Laird, and she was a sailing schooner, and, an auxiliary steam ship, with a unique 'lifting' propeller, and is said to have been the first exploring vessel to have been fitted with an additional propeller. Her length was 105 feet and her beam 24 feet. She had a 40-horse-power engine.

The Pleiad was schooner rigged, and the lifting propeller prevented the screw from retarding her speed under sail. This was before coaling stations were established on the route, and the vessel was intended to carry her coal from England under sail and to reserve it for use on the Niger.

William Baikie M.D. (1825-1864) was born in Orkney and studied medicine at Edinburgh University. He joined the Royal Navy in 1848 and soon attracted the notice of Sir Roderick Murchison who secured Baikie the post of surgeon and naturalist to the Niger Expedition in 1854. One of Baikie’s most important observations was on the use of quinine to prevent malaria as no one on the expedition contracted the disease. During the expedition, the senior officer, Consul John Beecroft, died and Baikie took command. Ascending the Benue about 250 miles beyond the point reached by former explorers, he returned and reached the mouth of the Niger, after a voyage of 118 days, without the loss of a single man. The expedition was partly funded by Laird of Birkenhead -- the 266-ton screw yacht Pleiad was designed by William Laird Jr and built by John Laird of Birkenhead to meet whatever unknown challenges cropped up, and was well armed with a single 12pdr gun, four swivel guns, a number of Minie guns together with pistols, shotguns and trade muskets. Baikie also used it for his second expedition of 1857 but it was wrecked in rapids. Baikie determined to carry out the purposes of the Expedition. He first considered establishing a British Consular Agency at Kabba but faced opposition from the local king of the region of Niger -- probably because Baikie was an anti-slaver firmly against the slave trade, which still provided a generous income for some tribal leaders and especially the local king. Instead, he chose Lokoja as the base of his future operations, it being the site of the model farm established by the Niger Expedition of 1841, and abandoned on the death of most of the white settlers. After Baikie's death, the British government abolished the consulate (1866), but the trading post remained influential. The district where Baikie had worked so successfully was finally secured for the UK through private enterprise some 20 years later and Lokoja became the capital of the Northern Nigeria Protectorate. Baikie wrote up the 1854 Expedition in his Narrative of an exploring voyage up the rivers Kwóra and Binue (commonly known as the Niger and Tsádda) in 1854.

Thanks to Laird’s forethought on all points she did well. Knowing the climate by experience, he insisted on keeping the number of Europeans to the minimum. The Pleiad left under the command of Dr. William Balfour Baikie, R.N., who dosed the ship’s company with quinine night and morning. When she reached Fernando Po, Dr. Baikie learned that Beecroft had died. Baikie decided to go up the river. He had engine trouble and the Pleiad ran aground several times, but he reached the confluence of the Niger and the Benue. Baikie ascended the Benue farther than any white man before him. Unfortunately the river began to fall. Baikie left the little vessel and went on farther by canoe until he was sure that Barth was not in the district. Then he returned to the Pleiad.

He traded her cargo, and she sailed back to England without the loss of a man by disease or accident, a new and wonderful event in the story of the Niger. He established that the river which Barth had reached was the one which flowed into the Niger.

The National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, have two matched examples of pistols from the set of the arms in the ship's arms locker, also named for the Pleiad, and similarly made by Bond of London, Object IDs AAA2432 & AAA2432.2. Another brace of pistol from the gun locker of the Pleiad and named as such sold at auction for just shy of £4,000.

To demonstrate the historical interest and status of the ship's voyage of exploration, an original copy of the book written by Dr. William Balfour Baikie, R.N., detailing his voyage aboard the Pleiad, published in 1856, can fetch upwards of £1,000. See a photo of his book in the gallery. For information and education purposes only, book not available

Narrative of an exploring voyage up the rivers Kwóra and Binue (commonly known as the Niger and Tsádda) in 1854.
Baikie, William Balfour
Published by London : Murray, 1856

The gun and action are very good for age, with an incredibly tight and crisp action, with just age and wear commensurate for its period and use both at sea and river. Small sliver of wood lacking forward of the lockplate, on the inside, beneath the barrel. The bayonet pitted overall.  read more

Code: 24859

Stunning & Very Rare Kings Royal Rifles Corps Officer's 'Battle Honour Blade' Presentation, Wilkinson Sword Co. Combined Combat and Dress Sword, Used In WW2. A Deluxe Grade Bespoke Beauty. Ideal For Current Service Use In ‘The Rifles’

This is likely the finest British battle honour bladed sword we have ever had the privilege to acquire and possess. In near mint condition and better than any we have ever seen in the numerous museum collections, such as the National Army Museum and the Imperial War Museum.

The next owner of this sword would be likely the bearer of the finest, historical issue, KRRC {now known as The Rifles} officer’s sword still in existence today. Yet it is ‘parade ground’ ready for any currently serving, or yet due to serve, officer of The Rifles today.

With KRRC battle honour embellished blade, etched with the regiments battle honours awarded to the regiment up to the close of WW1 in 1918. Made in 1931 by Wilkinson Sword Co. and used by an officer in the KRRC through WW2. It is very rare to find a KRRC ‘Battle Honour’ presentation pattern sword, in fact this is the first we have seen in over 20 years.

Despite being almost 100 years old it is still the current service pattern of sword for a Rifles officer today. Especially as it now has the same pattern of hilt currently in use bearing King Charles’ crown { the same crown symbolising his late beloved grandfather King George VIth.}

The King's Royal Rifle Corps was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army that was originally raised in British North America as the Royal American Regiment during the phase of the Seven Years' War in North America known as 'The French and Indian War.' Subsequently numbered the 60th Regiment of Foot, the regiment served for more than 200 years throughout the British Empire.

The King's Royal Rifle Corps (KRRC) served extensively in World War II as a motorized infantry regiment, fighting in France (1940), North Africa, Greece, Italy, and Northwest Europe (1944–45). Key actions included the defense of Calais, the battle of Sidi Rezegh, and operations with armored divisions, winning 41 battle honors.Key Theatres and Battalions:1940 (France): The 2nd Battalion was captured at Dunkirk after fighting in the defense of Calais, while other territorial battalions (Queen Victoria's Rifles, The Rangers, Queen's Westminsters) also served.North Africa (1940–43): The 1st Battalion served with the 7th Armoured Division, and later the 2nd Battalion joined the campaign. They were heavily involved in the motorized, fast-moving, and intense tank battles.Italy (1943–45): 1st and 2nd Battalions fought throughout the Italian campaign, protecting tanks and conducting operations in close, mountainous country.North-West Europe (1944–45): The 2nd Battalion landed in Normandy, fighting in the Battle of Normandy and Operation Market Garden.

In the First World War the 1st Battalion landed at Rouen as part of the 6th Brigade in the 2nd Division in August 1914 for service on the Western Front. It saw action at the Battle of Mons in August 1914, the First Battle of the Marne and the First Battle of the Aisne in September 1914 and First Battle of Ypres in October 1914. It fought at the Battle of Festubert in May 1915, the Battle of Loos in September 1915 and the Battle of the Somme in Autumn 1916 before taking part in the advance to the Hindenburg Line, the Battle of Arras in November 1917, the Battle of Cambrai in November 1917, the Second Battle of the Somme in Autumn 1918 and the Battle of the Selle in October 1918.
The 2nd Battalion landed at Le Havre as part of the 2nd Brigade in the 1st Division in August 1914 for service on the Western Front and saw action at the Battle of Aubers Ridge in May 1915.
The 3rd Battalion landed at Le Havre as part of the 80th Brigade in the 27th Division in December 1914 for service on the Western Front and saw action at the Second Battle of Ypres in April 1915.

The 4th Battalion landed at Le Havre as part of the 80th Brigade in the 27th Division in December 1914 for service on the Western Front and saw action at the Second Battle of Ypres in April 1915 but moved to Salonika in November 1915 before returning to France in June 1918.
New armies
The 7th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 41st Brigade in the 14th (Light) Division in August 1914 for service on the Western Front and saw action the Second Battle of Ypres in May 1915, the Battle of Delville Wood in July 1916 and the Battle of Flers Courcelette in September 1916 as well as the advance to the Hindenburg Line, the Battle of Arras in April 1917, the Battle of Langemark in August 1917, the First Battle of Passchendaele in October 1917 and the Second Battle of Passchendaele in November 1917 before taking part in the Battle of St Quentin in March 1918 and the Battle of the Avre in April 1918.

The 8th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 41st Brigade in the 14th (Light) Division in May 1915 for service on the Western Front and saw action most of the same battles as the 7th Battalion. The 9th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 42nd Brigade in the 14th (Light) Division in May 1915 for service on the Western Front and saw action most of the same battles as the 7th and 8th battalions.

The 10th (Service) Battalion and 11th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 59th Brigade in the 20th (Light) Division in July 1915 for service on the Western Front and saw action at the Battle of Mont Sorrel in June 1916, the Battle of Delville Wood in July 1916 and the Battle of Guillemont in September 1916 as well as the Battle of Flers Courcelette in September 1916, the Battle of Morval in September 1916 and the Battle of Le Transloy in October 1916 before taking part in the advance to the Hindenburg Line, the Battle of Langemarck in August 1917, the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge in September 1917, the Battle of Polygon Wood in September 1917 and the Battle of Cambrai in November 1917.

The 12th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 60th Brigade in the 20th (Light) Division in July 1915 for service on the Western Front and saw action most of the same battles as the 10th and 11th Battalions. The 13th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 111th Brigade in the 37th Division in July 1915 for service on the Western Front and saw action at the Battle of Morval in September 1916, the advance to the Hindenburg Line and the Battle of Arras in April 1917 as well as the Battle of Passchendaele in Autumn 1917, the Battle of Cambrai in November 1917 and the Hundred Days Offensive in Autumn 1918 before taking part in the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and the Final Advance in Picardy.
Seven members of the regiment received the Victoria Cross. Complete with its field service leather scabbard

This below is the full list of the heroic ‘Battle Honours’ awarded to this most noble of regiments/corps.

Battle of Ahmed Khel
Aisne 1914
Albert 1916
Battle of Albuera
Battle of the Argenta Gap
Arras 1917
Arras 1918 (Battle honour)
Battle of Aubers
B
Siege of Badajoz (1812)
Battle of Arleux
Battle of Bailleul
Battle of Beaurevoir
Battle of Bellewaarde
Battle of Bethune
Battle of Courtrai (1918)
Battle of Drocourt-Queant
Battle of Épehy
Battle of Festubert
Battle of Flers–Courcelette
Battle of Frezenberg
Battle of Gheluvelt
Battle of Goojerat
Battle of Gravenstafel
Battle of Kemmel
Battle of Martinique (1762)
Battle of Menin Road
Battle of Nonne Bosschen
Battle of Rosières
Battle of St. Julien
Battle of the Ancre
Battle of the Canal du Nord
Battle of the Hindenburg Line
Battle of Bazentin Ridge
Battle of Broodseinde
Battle of Bussaco
C
Calais 1940
Battle of Cambrai (1917)
Battle of Cambrai (1918)
Chitral Expedition
D
Defence of Alamein Line
Defence of Ladysmith
Delhi 1857
Battle of Delville Wood
E
Egypt 1882
F
First Battle of the Marne
France and Flanders 1914–18
Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro
G
Battle of Gazala
Greece 1941
Battle of Guillemont
H
Battle of Havrincourt
I
Italy 1943–45
K
Kandahar 1880
L
Relief of Ladysmith
Battle of Langemarck (1917)
Battle of Le Transloy
M
Macedonian front
Martinique 1762
Martinique 1809
Battle of Morval
N
Battle of the Nive
Battle of Nivelle
North-West Europe 1940
O
Battle of Orthez
P
Pekin 1860
Battle of Pilckem Ridge
Battle of Poelcappelle
Battle of Polygon Wood
Battle of Pozières
Battle of the Pyrenees
Q
Quebec 1759
R
Battle of Roliça
S
Battle of St Quentin Canal
Battle of Salamanca
Capture of Schwaben Redoubt
Second Anglo-Afghan War
Battle of the Selle
South Africa 1851–53
South Africa 1879
South Africa 1899–1902
T
Battle of Talavera
Battle of Tell El Kebir
Battle of the Ancre Heights
Battle of the Sambre (1918)
Tobruk 1941
Battle of Toulouse (1814)
V
Battle of Vitoria
Y
Ypres 1914
Ypres 1915
Ypres 1917

A best quality modern example available today would cost ‘from’ £1450 but would not have the Battle Honour presentation blade, and naturally possess no antique historic value at all.

However, 21 years ago when Wilkinson Sword Co. ceased the manufacture of all sword making, a presentation, bespoke, Battle Honour sword would cost well north of £2000. plus vat.  read more

Code: 22171

A Very Good, Original, Napoleonic Wars Period, Imperial Russian Romanov Cavalry Sabre Engraved With The Russian Double Eagle Crest. French Invasion and Retreat From Moscow Period of 1812

Probably 18th to early 19th century from the era of Catherine the Great to Czar Alexander Ist. Russian campaign sabre from the 1812 Russian campaign, Borodino, Smolensk and Moscow. In the cossack sasqua style, worn with the blade cutting side up. With walrus tooth hilt and engraved quillon bearing the Russian Romanov double crowned twin headed eagle crest with two cyrillic letters English equivalent M E within a shield. Leather scabbard with chequered decoration and wire decorative seaming at the throat.
A little known fact about the Napoleon's campaign into Russia is that Napoleon’s army actually lost more men on the way to Moscow than on the way back. The heat, disease, battle and desertion meant that by the time the Russian capital was seen on the horizon he had lost half his men. Nevertheless, what was important to the Corsican General was that he had reached the city. Battles at Smolensk and Borodino along the way had been costly and hard-fought, but nothing Tsar Alexander had done had been able to halt the Imperial juggernaut in its tracks though he had managed to extricate most of the Russian army intact from the fighting. In September the exhausted and bloodied Grand Arm?e reached Moscow with its promise of food and shelter, but it was not to be. So determined were the Russians to resist the invader that they burned their own old and beautiful capital in order to deny its uses to the French. Camped in a burned and empty shell, Napoleon dithered about whether to remain over the bitter winter or claim victory and march home. He was mindful of earlier campaigns into Russia such as that of Charles XII of Sweden a century earlier and made the fateful decision to return to friendly territory rather than face the snows without adequate shelter.

When it became clear that the Russians would not accept a favourable peace, Napoleon marched his troops out of the city in October. It was already too late. As the once-great army trudged across the empty vastness of Russia, the cold set in, as early as the French generals could possibly have feared. And that was the least of their worries. The horses died first, for there was no food for them. Then after the men ate them they started dying too, for all the supplies in Moscow had been burned a month earlier. All the time, hordes of cossacks harassed the increasingly bedraggled rearguard, picking off stragglers and making the survivor’s lives a constant misery. Meanwhile, Alexander ? advised by his experienced generals refused to meet Napoleon’s military genius head-on, and wisely let his army dribble away in the Russian snows. Astonishingly, by the time the remnants of the Grand Armee reached the Berezina river in late November it numbered just 27,000 effective men. 100,000 had given up and surrendered to the enemy, while 380,000 lay dead on the Russian steppes. 89.5 cm long overall  read more

Code: 20830

A Most Rare 18th-19th Century Nepalese Battle Kora With Highly Unusual Distinctive Flared Gold Inlaid Blade and Inside Cutting Edge and Skull Crusher Pommel

An exceptional example intended for both warfare and sacrifice, the hilt with guard and pommel in the form of flattened spheres, retaining all their original polish. The robust blade of characteristic form, with brass ferrule intact, expanding toward the cusped and obliquely-angled tip and sharpened on the convex edge. Grip retains original velvet fabric covering with silver wire binding applied.

The blade is beautifully engraved, including a sunburst and an armoured arm holding a kora in the hand.
.

The Kora is possibly the oldest form of sword of the Gurkhas and it may well be that their phenomenal military success was largely due to their possession of such a terribly effective weapon." 'Kora,' has an inner cutting edge, with which those who use it skilfully are enabled to cut a foe in two at a single blow." Its appearance reminds of the European Sabre but instead of curving upwards (back) it has a wide tip, a forward curved blade, single edged on its concave side, the latter two characteristic sit shares with the Kukri knife. When used correctly the forward curved blade concentrates the power/energy of the strike to the curved area thus allowing more force to be utilised at the point of contact in each blow. It is designed with its practical application in mind, to chop/slash and not for Classical fencing, yet its usually light enough if the need arises.

Like Nepal, the Kora & Kukri are strongly associated with the Gurkhas and was firstly illustrated in Col. William Kirkpatrick's work "An Account of the kingdom of Nepal” published in London, 1811 based on his travels in 1793 to Nepal. There both the Kukri and Kora is for the first time illustrated to the wider worlds public. The Kora was traditionally used warfare and personal protection, but also played and still plays a function in the religious sphere where it is used to behead sacrificial animals in one blow, otherwise believed to bring bad fortune and the sacrifice is considered useless. Thus both a skilled man and a formidable blade is needed, the Kora certainly passes the criteria!.

Photo 10 in the gallery is of the Bagbhairab Temple, Kirtipur, Kathmandu, Nepal. They are Koras used from the battle of Kirtipur during the 1760`s.  read more

Code: 25517

A Very Fine, 17th Century, King 'William & Queen Mary' Period Hangar Sword Cutlass of Senior Naval Officer's Admirals and Captains of the Royal Navy. Also, Of Notorious Pirates 🏴‍☠️. Armourers Stamped Blade with Crescent Moon and Stars

The sword of choice for senior officer's {Admirals and Captain's} serving in the Royal Navy during the 17th and early 18th century. However, such swords were also the sword of choice of notorious 🏴‍☠️ pirates of the day. We show portraits in the gallery of British admirals of the age each bearing their same swords. Some with straight blades, others curved. This was purely a bespoke option for the original owner of the sword. Another painting in the gallery is of the infamous Blackbeard, Edward Teach notorious privateer. He is depicted using the exact same for of sword as this one.
Overall in superb condition for its age. The blade has just returned from artisan hand polishing and looks amazing. The blade is shown in the gallery pre-polishing, it is now beautifully bright.

Another very similar 'William and Mary period cutlass hangar was recovered {in a very poor state} from the wreck of notorious pirate, Captain Blackbeard's ship, the Queen Anne's Revenge, that was found at Beaufort inlet in 1996, the remains of the vessel have become the property of the people of North Carolina. And another 'William and Mary' period sword-cutlass is in a museum collection in Colonial Williamsburg in America.

William and Mary were the co-regnants over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, namely the Dutch Prince of Orange King William III (& II) and his spouse (and first cousin) Queen Mary II. Their joint reign began in February 1689 after they were offered the throne by the Convention Parliament irregularly summoned by William after his victorious invasion of England in November 1688, the so-called Glorious Revolution. They replaced James II (& VII), Mary's father, who fled the country. Parliament offered William and Mary a co-regency, at the couple's behest. After Mary died in 1694, William ruled alone until his death in 1702. William and Mary were childless and were ultimately succeeded by Mary's younger sister, Anne.
This was the most popular form of sword used by the early British Naval Commanders when at sea. There are numerous great portraits in the National Gallery, and at the National Maritime Museum, of 17th and 18th century Admirals adorned with identical swords. And infamous Pirate captains. Such as Admirals Benbow, Shovel et al. we show a portrait in our gallery, of Admiral Hopsonn,

Vice-Admiral John Benbow (10 March 1653 – 4 November 1702) was an English Royal Navy officer. He joined the Navy in 1678, seeing action against Barbary pirates before leaving to join the Merchant Navy in which Benbow served until the 1688 Glorious Revolution, whereupon he returned to the Royal Navy and was commissioned.

Benbow fought against the French Navy during the Nine Years' War, serving on and later commanding several English warships and taking part in the battles of Beachy Head and Barfleur and La Hogue in 1690 and 1692. He went on to achieve fame during his military accomplishments, which included fighting against Barbary pirates such as the Salé Rovers, besieging Saint-Malo and seeing action in the West Indies against the French during the War of the Spanish Succession.

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Cloudesley Shovell (c. November 1650 – 22 or 23 October 1707) was an English naval officer. As a junior officer he saw action at the Battle of Solebay and then at the Battle of Texel during the Third Anglo-Dutch War. As a captain he fought at the Battle of Bantry Bay during the Williamite War in Ireland.

As a flag officer Shovell commanded a division at the Battle of Barfleur during the Nine Years' War, and during the battle distinguished himself by being the first to break through the enemy's line. Along with Admiral Henry Killigrew and Admiral Ralph Delaval, Shovell was put in joint command of the fleet shortly afterwards.

During the War of the Spanish Succession, Shovell commanded a squadron which served under Admiral George Rooke at the capture of Gibraltar and the Battle of Málaga. Working in conjunction with a landing force under the Earl of Peterborough, his forces undertook the siege and capture of Barcelona. He was appointed commander-in-chief of the Navy while at Lisbon the following year. He also commanded the naval element of a combined attack on Toulon, base of the main French fleet, in coordination with the Austrian army under Prince Eugene of Savoy in the summer of 1707. Later that year, on the return voyage to England, Shovell and more than 1,400 others perished in a disastrous shipwreck off the Isles of Scilly.

Thomas Hopsonn enjoyed a naval command on 18 May 1688, when James II appointed him to the Bonaventure. This ship was part of the fleet sent to The Nore under Strickland to prevent the Dutch invasion. However, Hopsonn was one of the conspirators within the fleet who supported William of Orange in the Glorious Revolution.

Following the revolution, Hopsonn retained command of the Bonaventure and was part of the squadron that relieved the siege of Derry in June 1689. On 28 October 1689, he was posted to the York, and commanded that vessel during the battle of Beachy Head the following year. Hopsonn's immediate commander in the battle was Sir George Rooke, who formed a high opinion of his gallantry and was afterwards much associated with him. He commanded Royal Katherine for two months starting in August 1690, before moving to command the St Michael. It was aboard the latter that he followed Rooke in the battle of Barfleur on 19 May 1692. In the same year, he was promoted to become a captain in the foot guards on the recommendation of admiral Edward Russell.

Blackbeard or Edward Teach (c.1680-1718) is one of the most infamous pirates to have ever lived.
Known for his fearsome image and daring acts on land and sea throughout the West Indies and along the North American East coast, his legacy has been the inspiration for many depictions of pirates throughout history. In possibly his most brazen act, Teach used his flotilla to blockade the port of Charlestown in the province of South Carolina. Over the course of a week, nine vessels were stopped and plundered as they attempted to sail out of the harbour, where Teach's fleet was moored.
Teach informed some of his prisoners that his fleet required medical supplies from the colonial government of South Carolina and that if none were provided, all would be beheaded and their ships burned.
Two pirates and a prisoner were sent to the town but when they did not return he moved eight ships into the harbour, causing panic and looting within the town. Shortly after his supplies were delivered and the prisoners released, after reportedly being robbed of all worthy possessions.
This siege represents the height of Teach’s notoriety, not just as a skilled captain but a fierce leader who was not confined to the sea and would maraud where he pleased. Exploits such as these made Teach was one of the most commonly reported pirates in the news and in the print of his age.

28.5 inches long overall, 23.5 inch long blade, quillon and guard shell removed.

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

Code: 25525

A Superb Nobukuni 信国 Signed Mount Fuji Shinto Samurai Katana, Circa 1670, Signed on The Nakago Nobukuni Saku, With Mount Fuji Hamon Fuji-mi Saigyo and The Wave Fuchi Kashira.

This fabulous and unique 360 year old sword, by a high rated master swordsmith. A most substantial and incredibly impressive sword in super condition, with likely the most desirable and rarest form of hamon pattern.

It has a most rare, superb hamon that shows an horizon combined with Mount Fuji hamon, called the Fuji-mi Saigyo, with the incredibly desirable hamon temper line that depicts separate various views of the horizon with the snow topped Mount Fuji. The original Edo period Fuchigashira hilt mounts are carved iron, Higo style engraved with the representation of the crashing wave pattern that traditionally accompanies Mount Fuji, as can be seen the the world famous painting by Hokusai, 'The Wave' with Mount Fuji in the background.

The pierced early Edo iron tsuba is further complimentary with pierced clouds. Fully restored blue silk tsukaito binding, and the whole of the swords mounts have been cleaned and conserved to as good as new, with gilt dragon menuki beneath the silk ito.

In the most ancient swords, all hamon were of the straight-edge variety. Irregular patterns started to emerge around the 1300s, with famous smiths such as Kunimitsu, Muramasa, and Masamune, among many others. By the 1600--1700s, hamons with various shapes in them became very desirable, such as trees, flowers, clovers, pillboxes, and many others. Common themes included juka choji (multiple, overlapping clovers), kikusui (chrysanthemums floating on a stream), Yoshino (cherry blossoms on the Yoshino River), or Tatsuta (maple leaves on the Tatsuta River), and one of the most desirable of all, just as this sword has, was the design Fujimi Saigyo (Priest Saigyo viewing Mount Fuji)

Mount Fuji is a composite volcano, capped with snow, growing larger as layer upon layer of lava and ash built up on its slopes. Like its geologic history, Mount Fuji’s sacred history has also developed over time as different religions, beliefs and myths have added new layers. Since ancient times, the mountains of Japan have been revered as sacred places, giving rise to a tradition of beliefs and rituals that scholars call sangaku shinko, meaning “mountain creed.” When Shinto, the native religion of Japan, emerged sometime before the sixth century A.D., it wove this mountain creed into a wider veneration of nature. According to Shinto belief, natural features such as trees, lakes, streams, rocks and mountains are the dwelling places of spirits called kami, which hold influence over human affairs and respond to human prayer and ritual. Kami are believed to be concentrated in mountain areas, and shrines have been erected to mark sacred spots. The introduction of Buddhism from China in the sixth century further developed the practice of mountain worship as Buddhists, who viewed mountain climbing as a metaphor for the spiritual ascent to enlightenment, adopted Shinto sacred mountains as pilgrimage destinations. In the ninth century, a religious sect called Shugendo arose that based its doctrine and practice on mountain climbing itself, believing that practitioners could commune with deities on mountain summits and thereby obtain supernatural powers.

The name “Fuji” most likely came from an indigenous Ainu word meaning “deity of fire”—not surprising for a volcano that erupted often. In about 800 A.D., a shrine was built near the base of the mountain with the hope of placating the god that caused the volcano’s eruptions. Fuji later became regarded as the dwelling of the Shinto goddess Konohana Sakuya Hime, “the Goddess of the Flowering Trees.” Today, she is still the principal deity of the sacred mountain, revered in Shinto shrines at Fuji’s base and summit, including the one originally built for the older fire god, and honored in a fire ceremony at the end of each year’s climbing season. Buddhists found in Fuji an inspiring symbol of meditation and called its summit zenjo, a Buddhist term describing a perfect meditative state. Buddhists also came to regard Fuji as the abode of the Buddha of All-Illuminating Wisdom. In the 14th century, Shugendo practitioners established the first climbing route to lead pilgrims to Fuji’s summit.

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


A most substantial blade, in nice condition for its age {of around 360 years} 28.25 inches long, from tsuba to tip overall 41 inches long including saya.  read more

Code: 24955

A Wonderful Collection of Napoleonic War 'Grande Armee' Cuirassier & Officer's Pistols, & Cuirassier Dragoon Musket, Crimean War General's Sword, Waterloo Hussar's Sword. Antique 17th Lancers Helmet {Death} ‘Or Glory’ Arriving This Week

Plus, a Napoleonic Wars officers sword of a British Light Dragoon regiment, plus 19th century British swords, helmets and Japanese swords. Including, the sword of the Colonel of the 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards in the Crimean War, {see pictures 8 and 9} later Major General, {see portrait picture 6}.
We show a Portrait of Major Hodge of the 7th Light Dragoons with his same mameluke sword {see portrait picture 7} Before 1815, during the Napoleonic Wars and the Battle of Waterloo, the Mameluke-hilted sword was a fashionable, often personal, choice for British light cavalry officers (such as Hussars) and high-ranking staff officers, rather than a standard infantry rifle officer's weapon.
The style was adopted following campaigns in Egypt and India, influenced by Napoleon's Mameluke units and the personal preference of the Duke of Wellington

Also due in, a good and rare Victorian 17th Lancers Helmet { a tchapka lance cap } One of the great British cavalry regiments that took part in the Charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War.

“When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!”

These words were made famous by Alfred Lord Tennyson in his poem, ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’, and refer to that fateful day on 25th October 1854 when around six hundred men led by Lord Cardigan rode into the unknown.

The charge against Russian forces was part of the Battle of Balaclava, a conflict making up a much larger series of events known as the Crimean War. The order for the cavalry charge proved catastrophic for the British cavalrymen: a disastrous mistake riddled with misinformation and miscommunication. The calamitous charge was to be remembered for both its bravery and tragedy.

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 1809, where it earned its 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.

Upon its formation, the Grande Armée consisted of six corps under the command of Napoleon's marshals and senior generals. When the Austrian and Russian armies began preparations to invade France in late 1805, the Grande Armée was quickly ordered across the Rhine into southern Germany, leading to Napoleon's victories at Ulm and Austerlitz. The French Army grew as Napoleon seized power across Europe, recruiting troops from occupied and allied nations; it reached its peak of one million men at the start of the Russian campaign in 1812,3 with the Grande Armée reaching its height of 413,000 French soldiers and over 600,000 men overall when including foreign recruits.4

In summer of 1812, the Grande Armée marched slowly east, and the Russians fell back with its approach. After the capture of Smolensk and victory at Borodino, the French reached Moscow on 14 September 1812. However, the army was already drastically reduced by skirmishes with the Russians, disease (principally typhus), desertion, heat, exhaustion, and long communication lines. The army spent a month in Moscow but was ultimately forced to march back westward. Cold, starvation, and disease, as well as constant harassment by Cossacks and Russian partisans, resulted in the Grande Armée's utter destruction as a fighting force. Only 120,000 men survived to leave Russia (excluding early deserters); of these, 50,000 were Austrians, Prussians, and other Germans, 20,000 were Poles, and just 35,000 were French. As many as 380,000 died in the campaign.

Did you know, we now have five times as many traffic wardens in the UK than combat ready soldiers { 82000 traffic wardens compared to 18000 ‘combat ready’ soldiers.} When Hitler invaded, and occupied Norway, it was achieved with just 10,000 troops and barely 1,500 falshirmjager took Oslo, the capitol city. But it is very comforting to know London is a ‘perfectly safe’ city, as quoted by the mayor, who, interestingly has 15 permanent, fully armed 24/7 bodyguards. Goodness knows how many he would need if it wasn’t safe ?

Before WW1 the British Army stood at 700,000 men in 1914, which increased in total in the armed forces to 8.7 Million, and alongside the French, The Canadians, Australians, and The Indians, {another 11 million } thus, with an allied armed forces total of around 20 million, it still took 4 years of bloody conflict to beat the Germans. This was when Britain’s population was around half what is is today.  read more

Code: 26183

A Beautiful, Edo, Higo School of Armour. A 17th Century Samurai's Tetsu Abumi Stirrup, Clan Mon of Bird & Sakura Equestrian Armour of ‘Mono no Aware’, 物の哀れ, Protective Armour & Weapon To Kick Out At Foot Samurai While Galloping In Battle

This Japanese higo school armour stirrup, with a clan crest (mon) of a bird in a cherry blossom treee (sakura) ‘mono no aware’ 物の哀れ in sinchu , is made in the traditional dove's breast (hato mune) shape with an open platform lined with red lacquer, slightly curved forward so that the foot fits in without sliding backwards. In the front extremity the stirrup has a rectangular buckle with several horizontal slots which also serve as a handle.

Not only a fine example of early original samurai equestrian combat armour, for protecting the foot of a mounted combat samurai in battle, it is also a weapon and a beautiful work of art. It also represents a most inexpensive collector's item of original samurai armour, combined as a weapon of combat and war, and around 400 years old.

The whole surface is in ancient russetted iron in the distinctive Higo school style, with a large onlaid most decorative sinchu clan mon crest mount of a bird with sakura tree, the ‘Mono no Aware’

Cultural context for this samurai crest. In Japan, this image represents the concept of mono no aware (the pathos of things). 物の哀れ —a poignant awareness of the impermanence of life, as both the cherry blossoms and the birds’ activity are intense but fleeting.

It is to be noted as we previously detailed, that these stirrups, due to their weight, were also used as weapons against the enemy infantry samurai and ashigaru. A kick from this by the mounted samurai when riding past a standing samurai at full gallop would smash through even the strongest iron helmet kabuto, resulting in likely instant death. The same effect as hitting any object with a 12 pound steel club hammer at full swing

Abumi, Japanese stirrups, were used in Japan as early as the 5th century, and were a necessary component along with the Japanese saddle (kura) for the use of horses in warfare. Abumi became the type of stirrup used by the samurai class of feudal Japan Early abumi were flat-bottomed rings of metal-covered wood, similar to European stirrups. The earliest known examples were excavated from tombs. Cup-shaped stirrups (tsubo abumi) that enclosed the front half of the rider's foot eventually replaced the earlier design.

During the Nara period, the base of the stirrup which supported the rider's sole was elongated past the toe cup. This half-tongued style of stirrup (hanshita abumi) remained in use until the late Heian period (794 to 1185) when a new stirrup was developed. The fukuro abumi or musashi abumi had a base that extended the full length of the rider's foot and the right and left sides of the toe cup were removed. The open sides were designed to prevent the rider from catching a foot in the stirrup and being dragged.

The military version of this open-sided stirrup, called the shitanaga abumi, was in use by the middle Heian period. It was thinner, had a deeper toe pocket and an even longer and flatter foot shelf. It is not known why the Japanese developed this unique style of stirrup, but this stirrup stayed in use until European style-stirrups were introduced in the late 19th century. The abumi has a distinctive swan-like shape, curved up and backward at the front so as to bring the loop for the leather strap over the instep and achieve a correct balance. Most of the surviving specimens from this period are made entirely of iron, inlaid with designs of silver or other materials, and covered with lacquer. In some cases, there is an iron rod from the loop to the footplate near the heel to prevent the foot from slipping out. The footplates are occasionally perforated to let out water when crossing rivers, and these types are called suiba abumi. There are also abumi with holes in the front forming sockets for a lance or banner. Seieibushi (Elite Samurai)
Traditionally the highest rank among the samurai, these are highly skilled fully-fledged samurai. Most samurai at the level of Seieibushi take on apprentices or Aonisaibushi-samurai as their disciples.

Kodenbushi (Legendary Samurai)
A highly coveted rank, and often seen as the highest attainable position, with the sole exception of the rank of Shogun. These are samurai of tremendous capability, and are regarded as being of Shogun-level. Kodenbushi are hired to accomplish some of the most dangerous international missions. Samurai of Kodenbushi rank are extremely rare, and there are no more than four in any given country.

Daimyo (Lords)
This title translates to 'Big Name' and is given to the heads of the clan.

Shogun (Military Dictator)
The apex of the samurai, the Shogun is the most prestigious rank possible for a samurai. Shoguns are the leaders of their given district, or country, and are regarded as the most powerful samurai.

Picture in the gallery of Samurai Wagakawa Kiyohide riding his black horse into battle wearing his identical black and brass mounted abumi horse armour stirrup.  read more

Code: 23147

A Museum Grade Wakazashi By Toshizane, With Fine Samurai Sword Pure Gold & Shakudo, Soten School Mounts. Edo, Sōheishi Nyūdō Sōten Sei. Taira Atsumori (1169-1184) Riding On Horseback Through Crashing Waves To Escape Kumegai & The Minamoto Samurai

The whole sword is representing the great samurai heroic story from the Gempei War depicting Taira Atsumori (1169-1184) riding on horseback through crashing waves to escape Kumegai and the Minamoto warriors. The koshirae are without doubt, in our opinion, first division Soten school fittings, decorated in pure hammered gold embellished solid shakudo mounts. Soten, alongside Goto, are the two great Japanese schools of sword fittings. The signed fittings, by renowned artisan Mogarashi Nyudo Soten, a master craftsman from Hikone in Goshu Province.

The signed tsuba 藻柄子入道 * 宗典製 * 江州 * 彦根住
Sōheishi Nyūdō * Sōten sei * Kōshū * Hikone jū tsuba is similarly truly wonderous, depicting Taira Atsumori fleeing Kumegai crashing through the waves holding his yumi bowstring through his clenched teeth. Remarkably, the bowstring is a chiseled out, micro thin, separate but integral, piece of solid shakudo metal, and the whole design is all decorated in pure hammered gold upon *nanako ji ground. A representation of the tsuba maker's incredible skill, learnt by a master over a lifetime of his craft. All the koshirae exemplifies the artistry and skill of the masterful Soten school at its best.

The fabulous blade, by an Hamabe school master smith is 文化 dated Bunka, 11th year, February 1814. By, Hamabe Gihaichirou Toshizane of Inshu. His pupil became one of the world's recognised great master swordsmiths under Toshizane's pupilage, and his blades today can fetch between $300,000 to $2,000,000.

因　州 Inshuu , 住. Jyuu 濱 Hama 部 Be 義八郎 ,儀八郎 Gihachirou, {Correct character is 儀.}
壽Toshi 實Zane.

He was a master smith of Hamabe school, but remained in Inaba province and took the name Minryushi. He was the teacher of both Kiyomaro and Masao. A Kiyomaro sword {by Toshizane's pupil} sold a few years ago for $2million.

The stunning fittings are Soten school, late, Edo period {1615-1868} By Sōheishi Nyūdō Sōten Sei. It is rare to find Soten work in shakudo or any soft metals, other than fuchigashira, as they typically worked in iron.

The matching kozuka side knife is also by Soten, of pure gold decorated figures in takebori relief carving, of Taira Atsumori, holding his yumi, involved in his full chase, with another samurai Kumegai in full armour, also with his yumi { war bow} over a micro hammered nanako ground. The back of the kozuka is decorated with a layer of pure gold with a scored oblique decoration in a rain pattern.

The deep takebori Soten shakudo and gold tsuba depicts Taira Atsumori (1169-1184) Riding On Horseback Through Crashing Waves To Escape Kumegai & The Minamoto. Kumagai Naozane and Taira no Atsumori. Atsumori was the legendary and heroic 16 year old samurai commander-in-chief, and flute player, who was beheaded after hand to hand combat by Kumegai, and Kumegai wept as he had no choice but to execute such a young, noble and honourable, 16 year old warrior. The same age as his son.

The all matching koshirae mounts {Gempei kassen} are detailing a scene from the Gempei wars

The Genpei Kassen (源平合戦) is the theme of all the fittings. It is also called the Jishou Juei-no Ran (治承・寿永の乱) and stretched over six years from 1180 until 1185. This is the battle between the Minamoto (源) clan (Genji family) and the Taira (平) clan (Heike family). By the call of Mochihito Ou (以仁王), many Samurai raised armies to overthrow the Taira family. It was the trigger of this conflict. Mochihito Ou was unfortunately beaten by the Taira family and passed away in 1180. However, after that, Samurai who fought for Minamoto family side defeated the Taira side armies one after another. Finally, the Minamoto side won the battle and overthrew the Taira clan in 1185 at Dan-no Ura (壇ノ浦). It was the final battle of the Genpei Kassen, which led to the destruction of the Taira clan, who reached the height of glory. In this tsuba there is Taira Atsumori who rides on a horse with his yumi war bow, and another also with his yumi. Each person’s facial expressions are carefully carved, and the liveliness and tension on the battlefield are beautifully expressed in this work.

Its original Edo saya is fabulous, in finest ishime {stone finish} urushi lacquer, with carved buffalo horn fittings. The saya bears four, very small defensive sword edge cuts at the base, which have been left completely untouched as they are honourable combat scars despite bieng very small.

The whole sword is depicting Taira Atsumori (1169-1184) Riding On Horseback Through Crashing Waves To Escape The Minamoto Warriors. We show a woodcut in the gallery of this battle. By Toyokuni Utagawa,

More photos of the sword, blade kozuka, tsuba and nakago to follow in a few days.

The founder of the
Soten school, Kitagawa Sōteen I (also called Shūten and possibly Sōheishi Niūdō), flourished about 1650 and, like his successors, worked at Hikone, whence the name Hikone-bori for the style they evolved. The signature of his son, Sōten II (Sōheishi Niūdō), is that most frequently found on tsuba sword guards of this school.

The Sōten style may be summed up as the marubori-zōgan with the addition of elaborate landscape details. The figures, whether large or small, are either modeled completely in the round, the ground being more or less cut away and the whole enclosed by a border; or else they are in high relief on a solid ground. The work is nearly always in iron, with the nude portions encrusted in silver or copper, the patterns of the garments and the minute botanical details of the landscape being richly overlaid with gold.

The favourite subjects are taken from Chinese history and legend, or represent Japanese battle-scenes, especially from the Gempei campaigns of the 12th century and the Korean expeditions of the Empress Jingō and the Taikō Hideyoshi.

According to The Tale of the Heike, the Taira were scattered by Yoshitsune's attack from the Ichi-no-Tani cliff. Kumagai no Jirō Naozane, while scanning the beach for fleeing soldiers, spotted the young Atsumori swimming towards the fleeing vessels.

Ukiyo-e of Kumagai Naozane and Taira no Atsumori
Kumagai beckoned Atsumori with his fan, taunting Atsumori by saying, “I see that you are a commander-in-chief. It is dishonorable to show your back to an enemy. Return!”

Atsumori returned and they grappled on the beach. Kumagai was stronger. He knocked off Atsumori's helmet to deliver the finishing blow, only to be struck by the beauty of the young noble. Atsumori was “sixteen or seventeen years old, with a lightly powdered face and blackened teeth—a boy just the age of Naozane's own son...”

Kumagai, wishing to spare the life of the boy, asked for Atsumori's name, but the youth refused. He simply said that he was famous enough that Kumagai's superiors would recognize his head when it was time to assign rewards. At that moment, other Minamoto warriors arrived, and Kumagai knew that if he did not kill Atsumori, the other warriors surely would. Kumagai reasoned that it was better if he was the one to kill Atsumori, because he could offer prayers on his behalf for the afterlife.

Kumagai while crying beheaded the youth, searched the body for something to wrap the head in, he came across a bag containing a flute. He realized that Atsumori must have been one of the soldiers playing music before the battle and thought, “there are tens of thousands of riders in our eastern armies, but I am sure none of them has brought a flute to the battlefield. Those court nobles are refined men!”

It is said that the beheading of Atsumori is what led Kumagai to take priestly vows and become a Buddhist monk.

* Nanako Ji: "fish roe ground" A surface decoration produced by forming very small raised bosses by a sharply struck punch or burin called 'nanako tagane'. Shakudo is the metal most often used, but copper and gold are quite often employed. The harder metals, shibuichi, silver and iron are rarely decorated in this way. The size of the dots vary from 0.04" to 0.008" (25 to 125 and inch) and the regularity of the work is marvelous as the dots must be spaced entirely by touch. The dots are usually arranged in straight lines or in lines parallel to the edge of the piece being decorated, but sometimes in more elaborate patterns. Used on guards since the Momoyama period although the technique existed since much earlier periods. Usually done by specialist 'nanako-shi', but sometimes done by the maker of the guard himself.

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 color 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. The lacquer surface of the saya has some age bruising etc. due to its vintage

See photo 9 in the gallery of a similar subject fuchigashira in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Sword-Hilt Collar and Pommel (Fuchigashira)
Japanese ca. 1615–1868 Fuchi inscribed: 藻柄子入道宗典製 Sōheishi Nyūdō Sōten sei (Made by the lay priest Sōheishi Sōten)
Donated by Herman A. E. and Paul C. Jaehne, New York and Coco Beach, Florida (by 1915–43; their gift to MMA).

The blade at present is very grubby and requires expert cleaning and conservation care, and that we are attending to this month, and it should once more look its glorious best by around middle of next week {16th April}  read more

Code: 25605