Incredibly Rare British Celtic Iron Age Sword Circa Ist Cent. BC. Made Around a Century Before the Roman Conquest, by Claudius. Amazingly Its Very Type Was Noted in Caeser's Writings During His Time In Britannia. A Durotriges Celts Sword. Discovered 1857

According to the British Museum, who have an extremely similar example, there are only a few hundred remaining in existence today in the world. All of those that have been discovered, have been uncovered from famous hordes or individual finds, usually in South Central England within the past 200 years or so. This sword would have been used around what is being referred to as 'Duropolis', after the Ancient Briton, Celt, Durotriges tribe, which existed in the Wessex region. In its prime, it is thought to have contained 'hundreds' of inhabitants and would have been a major trading centre for southern Britain. The previously unknown habitation in Winterborne Kingston, near Blandford, dates from around 100BC, which makes it 80 years earlier than Colchester in Essex. Colchester was previously widely regarded as Britain's oldest recorded town.

Another fabulous hoard of around 800 Celtic iron age artefacts were announced just a few days ago in March 2025, from the Brigantes Celts of the 1st century B.C.

The most famous of the Ancient Briton Celtic tribes were the Iceni {whose name might have come from Iken, the original name of the River Ouse, where the tribe are said to have come from} who had settlements across Norfolk, in North Suffolk and East Cambridgeshire. One of them was at Brettenham on the Peddars Way, east of Thetford, which was built by Romans to quickly transport troops up to The Wash and Brancaster, where they had a fort protecting North Norfolk.

Queen Boudicca of the Iceni, probably the most famous of all the ancient Celts waged war against the Romans in Britain from 60 AD after the Romans decided to rule the Iceni directly and confiscated the Norfolk property of the leading tribesmen. The uprising was motivated by the Romans' failure to honour an agreement they had made with Boudica's husband, Prasutagus, regarding the succession of his kingdom upon his death, and by the brutal mistreatment of Boudica and her daughters by the occupying Romans.

this amazing sword is formerly from the ex-museum collection with their labelling on its display mounting board, this Ancient Briton sword was also used as a currency bar and is from the Dorset Hoard, an Iron Age hill Fort, in Dorset, excavated in 1857. It is acknowledged that this incredible and significant piece is one of the earliest examples of ancient British currency, utilizing sword blades, it is thought currency bars in the form of swords are actually the very first form of currency used in the British Isles around 2000 to 2,100 years ago, and used to barter and trade all manner of goods, and highly prized as of exceptional value at the time. It is a form of currency that is actually mentioned in Julius Caeser's writings, following Julius Caesar's expeditions to the island of Britannia in 55 and 54 BC. An Iron Age Celtic Dorset Hoard Sword, 2nd-1st century BC. It is further believed by some that they were money in the form of a sword as they were indeed once a functional sword, that was retired from combat.

A substantial long blade with the original short folded-over handle to one end; displayed in an old custom-made box housing with a recently added base and bearing old typescript 'CELTIC IRON 2nd-1st Cent B C / See Caesar's 'De Bello Gallico' V, 12 / Circulated s. and w. Britain / Dorset Hoard' label in four lines with inked correction to Spetisbury. including case (30 inches). Fair condition, held in an old museum display case with identification label.
Provenance
Ex Dorset, UK, hoard, found 1857; accompanied by a copy of the Archaeological Journal 96, pp.114-131, which includes details for the find.
Literature for reference.
See Gresham, Colin A., Archaeological Journal 96, pp.114-131, which includes details for this and other finds from the site; see also Smith, Reginald, Currency Bars, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, London, 2nd Series, XX, p.182 for comparison between the examples; cf. British Museum, accession no.1862,0627.18 for an example from the site (acquired from J. Y. Akerman in 1862; other items were acquired in 1892 from the Durdan, Blandford collection). The name Brittannia was predominantly used to refer simply to the island of Great Britain. After the Roman conquest under the Emperor Claudius in AD 43, it came to be used to refer to the Roman province of Britain (later two provinces), which at one stage consist of part of the island of Great Britain south of Hadrian's wall. Almost every weapon that has survived today from this era is now in a fully russetted condition, as is this one, even the very few swords of kings, that have been preserved in national or Royal collections are today still in a relatively fair condition, but they are from a much later period.

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

Code: 23228

Private Purchase WW2, 1941, "Taylor's Eye Witness" Desert Rat Commando Knife 'Afrika Korps Campaign' Against Rommel At Tobruk. With North African Scabbard With WW2 Hand Made British Service Belt & Strap Loop

Around 25 years ago we bought another identical Taylors Eye Witness fighting knife from a Desert Rat No 8 {Guards} Commando veteran that also had the very same form of North African made scabbard with the same military service belt and strap loop. The blade still has its original cross-grain polish, and is near razor sharp. There are a few rust stains which we have left untouched. Overall it has remained unmolested since the war.

During World War II, the "Taylor's Eye Witness" Sheffield-made stiletto double edged bladed fighting knife, a private purchase item, gained popularity among British commandos and US troops stationed in Britain, particularly prior to D-Day.

The Twin Pimples was a feature in the Axis lines surrounding Tobruk. It was a defensive strong point consisting of two hills very close together that dominated the opposing Allied lines and at the time of the raid was held by units of the Italian Army. The 18th King Edward's Own Cavalry, normally part of the 3rd Indian Motor Brigade, held the line across from the Twin Pimples when it was decided to take out the Italian position. The No. 8 Commando was selected to carry out the operation and for some days prior they conducted patrols with the Indians to get to know the lay of the land.

The plan called for three officers and 40 men of No. 8 Commando and a small number of Australian Engineers (to deal with ammunition dumps and gun emplacements) to cross the Italian forward positions to the road that they used to bring up supplies and then follow the road to the rear of the Twin Pimples and engage the position from behind. The 18th Cavalry were to carry out a diversionary raid just before the commando assault to divert the defenders' attention. The man chosen to lead the raid was Captain M. Keely, the second in command was Captain Dunne and the third officer was Lieutenant Lewes On the night of the raid, 17/18 July, half the Commandos were armed with Thompson submachine guns and the other half with Lee–Enfield rifles with bayonets fixed. All carried hand grenades and every third man wore a groundsheet slung bandoleer fashion to use as a stretcher.
The Commandos left their own lines at 23:00 hours on 17 July and crossed the Italian forward positions and main lines undetected. Upon reaching the supply road they had to take cover and wait, as the attack was planned for 01:00 hours on 18 July. They moved closer to their objective just prior to the start of the diversionary attack by the 18th Cavalry. The diversion was a success, and Italian machine-gun fire and very lights were directed towards the Indian cavalrymen. The Commandos managed to get within 30 yards (27 m) on the Twin Pimples before being challenged. The challenge was answered by a frontal attack by the Commandos. So as not to confuse their own forces with the Italians in the darkness, the password Jock was used when a position had been taken. The fire fight lasted about four minutes and the Australian Engineers planted explosives on several mortars and an ammunition dump. The planners had estimated that the Commandos could spend no longer than 15 minutes on the Italian position before it was engaged by the Italian artillery. The raiders had only got about 100 yards (91 m) from the Twin Pimples when the Italian artillery started to come down onto their own position.
Aftermath
The cost of the raid to the Commandos was five wounded, one of whom later died of his wounds. The No. 8 Commando, together with the rest of Layforce, was disbanded soon after. The operational difficulties that had been exposed, combined with the inability of the high command to fully embrace the commando concept, had largely served to make them ineffective. Two members of No. 8 Commando, David Stirling and Jock Lewes, would form the Special Air Service by the end of July 1941. Tobruk would remain under siege until relieved by Operation Crusader in November 1941.

The only soldier to be killed on this raid was Corporal John “Jackie” Edward Trestrail Maynard of the Duke of Cornwall's light Infantry and No 8 (Guards) Commando

These knives were often purchased from private/commercial suppliers and were favoured by British and US troops.
The knives featured a double-edged blade, a grip made of pressed leather washers, and a brass pommel. The original leather scabbard was often missing its small retaining strap, so local made replacement were often made and used
More and more photographic evidence has emerged showing these knives being used by British/Commonwealth and US troops, making them more sought after.
Due to the increasing evidence and the rising value of Fairbairn-Sykes knives, this pattern of fighting knife has become difficult to source.

The story starts in 1820 when John Taylor founded a small pocketknife & edge tools workshop in the very heart of Sheffield, the ancestral home of cutlery in Great Britain. As was normal back then, makers would seek the use of a symbol by which their products would be recognised, even by those unable to read. In 1838 Taylor was granted the "Eye Witness" trademark for his goods, accompanied by an illustration of an all-seeing eye, hence the Eye Witness name.

The last photo in the gallery is of a US sergeant sharpening his eye witness fighting knife in his tent before his departure for D-Day, with another picture of an eye witness fighting knife, in its regular scabbard, that appears in Ron Flook's book {12.1}

See 'The Fairbairn Sykes Fighting Knife And Other Commando Knives' By Ron Flook , page 179 {12.1}  read more

Code: 25689

A Most Scarce, Original, US Civil War Period Remington Beals' Patent Model 1858 Navy Percussion Six-Shot Revolver, .36 Calibre In Nice Condition, Civil War Issue 1861-63, With Tooled Leather Quick Draw Holster

Manufactured between 1861 and 1863, approximately 14,500 Remington-Beals Navy revolvers were produced. About 500 martially-marked examples of this model were purchased by the U.S. Army, and an additional 1,000 were bought by the Navy. In 1875, the Navy returned about 1,000 various model Remington .36 calibre revolvers, including the Beals Navy, for factory conversion to accept the .38 calibre centre fire metallic cased cartridge. Sn 10402. Sold with an old but later tooled leather holster, that is complimentary, and free.

The business expanded through the 1850s, and handgun production began in 1857 with the introduction of the Remington-Beals pocket revolver.

The coming of the Civil War naturally brought about a dramatic increase in the demand for firearms, and Remington's production also increased to keep pace. During this period, the company manufactured both .36 and .44 calibre revolvers, as well as Model 1863 Percussion Contract Rifle, popularly known as the "Zouave" rifle.

Beals’ 1858 patent (21,478) was granted on September 14th of that year and covered the winged cylinder arbor pin that secured the cylinder to the frame, which was retained by the loading lever located under the barrel and could be withdrawn from the frame only when the lever was lowered. Thus, began the evolution of the second most used US marital revolver of the American Civil War. The first guns were produced in .36 caliber and production started to roll off the assembly line during late 1860 or early 1861. The .36 calibre “Navy” revolver was followed by a .44 calibre “Army” variant soon thereafter. By the time Beals pattern revolver production ended in 1862, some 15,000 of the “Navy” sized handguns had been produced, while only about 2,000 of the larger “Army” revolvers were manufactured. The subsequent model was the William Elliott “improved” Model 1861 pattern Remington revolvers, also known to collectors as the “Old Model” Remingtons, started to replace the Beals models by the middle of 1862.



The Beals Navy Revolver was Remington’s first large frame, martial handgun to make it into production, with the Beals Army following fairly quickly on its heels. While an experimental Beals “Army” had been produced earlier, which was really just a scaled-up version of the Beals pocket model, it was only produced as a prototype and it is believed that less than ten were manufactured.

The US government had been relatively pleased with the original Beals Navy design and had obtained some 11,249 of the 15,000 Beals Navy revolvers produced. The purchases had been a combination of direct contract with Remington combined with open market purchases of some 7,250 revolvers that would not pass through a government inspection process. The initial success of the 1,600 Beals Navy revolvers contracted for in 1861 lead to an Ordnance Department contract on June 13 of 1862 for 5,000 additional “Navy” caliber revolvers to Remington.

Good tight spring and action, nice natural aged patina overall blue to hammer, the cylinder rotation a little hesitant due age.  read more

Code: 25254

A Very, Very Rare Ching {Qing} Dynasty Imperial Chinese Military Matchlock Musket Around 1750. The Long Octagonal Barrel Bears an Imperial Seal Stamp Beneath the Breech. Chinese Matchlocks Are Incredibly Rare To Find Especially in Europe

Although incredibly rare in Europe they are near non existent to find in China as almost every antique sword and arm {outside of museums} in China were destroyed in the Cultural Revolution between 1966 and 1976

Long fine stamped seal marked barrel, fine Chinese hardwood stock, with two engraved barrel bands. Iron matchlock ignition system. An arquebuss from China is very rare indeed in Europe as so few were brought back by the British and Europeans after the Opium War or the Siege of Peking period in the last Imperial Manchu era

Qianlong {aka Chien lung period}, used until the Boxer Rebellion. Most likely brought back to England by a British soldier that either served in the Opium War, or defended the legations at the siege in Peking.

China pioneered the use of gunpowder for fireworks and artillery in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Sophisticated firearms technology, however, developed more rapidly in Europe during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and was then introduced into China by merchants, diplomats, and missionaries during the seventeenth century. Improved designs for cannons and practical types of hand-held guns were eagerly promoted and officially adopted as regulation military equipment under the Qing emperors Kangxi (reigned 1662–1722) and Qianlong (reigned 1736–1795). In addition to mastering the use of bow and arrow and other weapons, both Kangxi and Qianlong owned and used guns, particularly for hunting. This was in keeping with their overall belief in the importance of martial training, which they encouraged by personal example.

Thomas Child spent from 1870 to 1889 in Beijing, and John Thompson traveled in northern China from circa 1869 to 1872. By this time period, observers noticed that soldiers were often equipped with older, antique guns. I tend to date this type to circa 1720 to the 1750’s.

The Qing dynasty (English pronunciation; Ching), officially the Great Qing, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China (1636–1912) and the last imperial dynasty in Chinese history.
It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speaking ethnic group who unified other Jurchen tribes to form a new "Manchu" ethnic identity. The dynasty was officially proclaimed in 1636 in Manchuria (modern-day Northeast China and Russian Manchuria). It seized control of Beijing in 1644, then later expanded its rule over the whole of China proper and Taiwan, and finally expanded into Inner Asia. The dynasty lasted until 1912 when it was overthrown in the Xinhai Revolution. In Chinese historiography, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the Ming dynasty and succeeded by the Republic of China. The multiethnic Qing dynasty lasted for almost three centuries and assembled the territorial base for modern China. It was the largest imperial dynasty in the history of China and in 1790 the fourth-largest empire in world history in terms of territorial size. With 419,264,000 citizens in 1907, it was the most populous country in the world at the time.

The height of Qing glory and power was reached in the reign of the Qianlong Emperor (1735–1796). He led Ten Great Campaigns that extended Qing control into Inner Asia and personally supervised Confucian cultural projects. After his death, the dynasty faced foreign intrusion, internal revolts, population growth, economic disruption, official corruption, and the reluctance of Confucian elites to change their mindsets. With peace and prosperity, the population rose to some 400 million, but taxes and government revenues were fixed at a low rate, soon leading to fiscal crisis. Following China's defeat in the Opium Wars, Western colonial powers forced the Qing government to sign "unequal treaties", granting them trading privileges, extraterritoriality and treaty ports under their control. The Taiping Rebellion (1850–1864) and the Dungan Revolt (1862–1877) in Central Asia led to the deaths of over 20 million people, from famine, disease, and war. The Tongzhi Restoration in the 1860s brought vigorous reforms and the introduction of foreign military technology in the Self-Strengthening Movement. Defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War in 1895 led to loss of suzerainty over Korea and cession of Taiwan to Japan. The ambitious Hundred Days' Reform of 1898 proposed fundamental change, but the Empress Dowager Cixi (1835–1908), who had been the dominant voice in the national government for more than three decades, turned it back in a coup.

Pictured in the gallery is a Ching soldier bearing the very similar musket, wearing a bandolier of powder charges around his waist. The long cord tied around his finger is the lit smouldering cord called the 'match' that attaches at the other end to the trigger lever.

72 inches overall long  read more

Code: 25247

A Rare Crimean War Issue, P1839 Tower of London Royal Naval Sea Service Pistol, In Spectacular, As issued Condition, With Original Finish, Blue and Stock Varnish. Positively and Profusely Stamped & Ordnance Marked, With Numerous Inspection Marks

VR Crown Tower lock with date 1855, stock maker marked by the ordnance contractor. Stock maker stamped by Swinburn and Son.

The new Pattern 1839 Sea Service Pistol, was a single shot percussion action sidearm with a captive ramrod, and was adopted for use by the Royal Navy from 1839. This pistol was nearly identical to the Pattern 1839 British Naval Coast Guard Pistol, but with two significant exceptions. First, the calibre was reduced to 26-Bore (about .57 caliber) and secondly, the pistol was mounted with an additional conventional belt hook rather than just the butt swivel. One other change was the elimination of the bolted safety behind the cock.

The list below was of the ships of the Royal Navy, issued with this pistol for use in the Crimean war, alongside their launch dates.
Arrow-class gunvessel
HMS Agamemnon (1852)
HMS Ajax (1809)
HMS Amphion (1846)
HMS Arrogant (1848)
HMS Ardent (1841)
HMS Basilisk (1848)
HMS Beagle (1854)
HMS Belleisle (1819)
HMS Blenheim (1813)
HMS Boscawen (1844)
HMS Britannia (1820)
HMS Calcutta (1831)
HMS Cornwallis (1813)
HMS Cossack (1854)
HMS Cruizer (1852)
HMS Cumberland (1842)
HMS Cyclops (1839)
HMS Dauntless (1847)
HMS Driver (1840)
HMS Duke of Wellington (1852)
HMS Edinburgh (1811)
HMS Euryalus (1853)
HMS Eurydice (1843)
HMS Exmouth (1854)
HMS Gorgon (1837)
HMS Hornet (1854)
HMS Imperieuse (1852)
HMS James Watt
HMS La Hogue
HMS Leander (1848)
HMS London (1840)
HMS Majestic (1853)
HMS Merlin (1838)
HMS Miranda (1851)
HMS Monarch (1832)
HMS Neptune (1832)
HMS Nile (1839)
HMS Odin (1846)
HMS Orion (1854)
HMS Pique (1834)
HMS Prince Regent (1823)
HMS Princess Royal (1853)
HMS Queen (1839)
HMS Rodney (1833)
HMS Royal George (1827)
HMS Sans Pareil (1851)
HMS St Jean d'Acre
HMS Tartar (1854)
HMS Tiger (1849)
HMS Valorous (1851)
HMS Virago (1842)
HMS Vulture (1843)

The 1839 Sea Service pistols, and WD contract Colt Navy revolvers, were also used in service by the Navy and Marines in the Second Opium War in China.The Colt revolvers for use by the officers, and the sailors and Marines, the single shot sea service pistols.
The Second Opium War, which brought English Camp's Royal Marines to Guangzhou, started after the Chinese seized a suspected pirate ship that was registered as a British merchant vessel, and the murder by the Chinese of a French priest. In retaliation, Britain made an alliance with France began destroying Chinese forts and eventually gathered an international force that would include British, French, and American combatants. This war would last for four years and climaxed with the burning and looting of the Summer Palace in Beijing, shortly after the Royal Marines arrived at English Camp. The Americans joined as allied combatants in the war, but didn’t make a formal alliance with the Anglo French force.

We were delighted to acquire a brace of these rare pistols, both from the same private collection. However we offer them seperately, at matching prices, yet they could look amazing as a pair once more, if another collector wishes to acquire both, see the other pistol in the gallery stock number 26291  read more

Code: 26370

A Very Good British 42" Barrel Second Pattern 'Brown Bess' Musket, Used From the Revolutionary War Until Waterloo. A Most Rare And Historical Musket From the Pantheon of the World Renown British ‘Brown Bess’ Musket.

A superb 18th century .750 inch bore, Brown Bess volunteer's musket, the pattern used from the Revolutionary War period and into the war with France. Superb walnut stock, traditional brass furniture with full side plate, two sling swivels complete. Engraved flintlock, with good sound and strong action, partly distinct naming, which could be Harvey or Hadley of London. Britain's "Brown Bess" flintlock musket is simply one of the most important military arms ever devised. Beginning its life almost 300 years ago, it created one of the greatest empires the word has ever seen and, among other achievements, made the 'British Square' the almost undefeated form of infantry defence throughout the world. Made in four distinct patterns it originally started life as a 46 inch barrel musket called the Long Land or Ist pattern Brown Bess.

Then in around 1768 the gun evolved and the barrel was shortened to 42 inches as 46 was deemed unwieldy and renamed the Short Land or 2nd pattern. Although the Long Land was made continually for another 20 years. With the onset of the Napoleonic Wars in the 1790s, the British Board of Ordnance found itself woefully short of the 250,000 muskets it would need to equip its forces. It managed to produce around 20,000 short land pattern muskets but this was simply not sufficient. At that time the British East India Company maintained it own troops and had contracted with makers to produce a simplified version of the Brown Bess musket with a 39-inch barrel and less ornate furniture and stock work. It was generally felt that the standard of these "India pattern" muskets was not up to the standard of the earlier Besses, but necessity required action so the authorities convinced Company officials to turn over their stores to the Crown.

By 1797 the urgencies of war ultimately created the demise of the Short Pattern, and all manufacture was turned to building the more simple 'India' pattern. For the most part, the gun underwent few changes from its introduction until Waterloo, with the exception of the cock, which was altered from the traditional gooseneck style to a sturdier, reinforced version in around 1809. As well as British usage, some were also carried by King George's allies, among them the Russians and Prussians. The stock has an old hairline combat service partial crack in the stock at the wrist on just the reverse side but perfectly sound.

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.

As with all our antique guns no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables  read more

Code: 23180

A Wonderful Original Accessory For a German WW1 and WW2 Service Luger Semi Auto Pistol. A 1930's German Spare Magazine With Aluminium Base Unnumbered

Wooden bases were used until 1926
DWM & Erfurt - wood, never aluminum

Simson, Krieghoff and Mauser all made aluminum bases

Base Bottom Transitioned to aluminum bases (often unnumbered or marked distinctively) around 1933–1934, though early Weimar-era reworks used retained wood bases.

The first known instance of the Luger being used in combat was during the Maji Maji Rebellion in 1905-1907. Therein, it was somewhat poorly-received because it was thought to be too heavy to be used quickly, in particular because the grip safety had to be held tightly, reducing accuracy. This led to the removal of the safety in the P08 model.

At the beginning of World War I, not all units of the German Army had been equipped with the Luger, leading to an acceleration in production. Alongside the P08, Germany also developed the LP08, a version with a stock and longer barrel that could also accept drum magazines. The LP08 was used by the Luftstreitkräfte during the early days of the war, before planes were equipped with machine guns, although due to a lack of pre-war production, the LP08 was much less commonly used than the P08. The main user of the LP08 was the Army, who used its drum magazine to deliver a high rate of fire at a close range, a concept which would lead to the development of the Stormtroopers and the MP 18. After the end of the war, Germany signed the Treaty of Versailles, which restricted the size of their army – the treaty specified that the German Army could only have 50,000 pistols, and prohibited submachine guns and pistols with stocks altogether.

As the Luger was expensive to produce, Germany started to look for a replacement as early as 1927, settling on the Walther P38 in 1938, which offered similar performance to the Luger, but took almost half the time to produce. Moving the production lines to the P38 once World War II started took longer than expected, leading to the P08 remaining in production until September 1942, and pre-existing copies remained in service until the end of the war. In East Germany, the P08 was used by the Volkspolizei, mostly from ex-Nazi stocks, but they produced a small number up until 1953  read more

Code: 26365

A Most Impressive & Beautiful Bladed Antique Shinto Period, Edo Era Samurai Horseman's Katana. All Original edo Period Koshirae & Kanieye School Iron Mokko Gata Tsuba

A simply amazing sword, of the early Shinto period 1600's, with a blade of beauty, and all original Edo period fittings, of an iron kabutogane kashira, Higo school and an iron fuchi Higo school, signed Mejin Shodai, Kanieye school tsuba. Golden silk tsukaito wrapped over a pair of gold and silver menuki of leaves and berries, on samegawa giant rayskin.

This is a katana made for a upper ranking samurai based on horseback in combat, certainly a cursive katana, and a battle sword, made to complete an uncomprimising task of close combat and aggressive swordmanship.

Designed as much for cleaving armour and helmets in two, as much as defeating another samurai on horseback. Although samurai would not, one would say, be a cavalry based warrior, all senior samurai would be mounted and thus travel on horseback, and some cavalry type samurai could be deployed in battle, but with differing combat styles depending on what part of Japan they came from. The cavalry troops, being Samurai, had personal retainers that stayed closer to them in the Sonae, carried their weaponry and worked as support units, much like an European squire. They also joined the fight whenever possible (especially in the mounted infantry scenario) and were often responsible of taking heads for their lords.
These foot Samurai were also used as heavy infantry or archers to support the ashigaru lines.


Tactics
Given the fact that the Samurai could directly dismount and operate as infantry, there were some specific tactics for horsemen.
Cavalry in general was only used after the battle was already started, either to deliver a decisive victory or to trying to save the day.

Norikiri
This is a classic charge, where several small groups of five to ten horseman ride consequently (possibly with a wedge formation) into a small area against the enemy lines, to maximize the shock. It was mainly used by heavy cavalry in the East, but given the fact that the ideal target where "weavering" units with low morale or disorganized, even medium cavalry could perform this charge.
The main role of this charge was to create confusion; if it didn't succeed, the cavalry regroups and either retreat or deliver another charge.

Norikuzushi
This is a combined infantry and cavalry charge. The horseman charged first, and after creating mayhem, a second charge is delivered by infantries armed with polearms, which could keep on fighting. The main target for this tactics were ranged units detached by the army. After a Norikuzushi usually follows a Norikiri by the cavalry group. 28 inch blade tsuba to tip.

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

Code: 26362

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, By John Foxe, Originally Published in 1563, Under the Title Actes and Monuments, This New and Complete Book Of Martyrs, or, An Universal History of Martydom. Circa 1750

We also have the earlier version, as a seperate volume, detailing the Burning at the Stake of the Protestant Martyrs Under Queen ‘Bloody’ Mary the 1st’s Rule, Published 1741, Formerly Part of the Richard Hoare Collection.

Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, originally published in 1563 under the title Actes and Monuments, underwent a dramatic transformation in structure, format, and title during the mid-18th century (circa 1750).While the 16th and 17th-century editions were massive, multi-volume academic folios chained to church lecterns, the 1750–1850 window marked the era where publishers heavily abridged the text. They stripped away John Foxe's complex Latin theological debates and focused strictly on the dramatic, biographical narratives of the martyrs. This is precisely the era when the simplified title "The Book of Martyrs" became standard public parlance.

In 1571 under Queen Elizabeth I, there was an order for John Foxe’s Book of Martyrs to be chained alongside the Bible in cathedrals and some churches and halls. Anne Askew's own testimony of her faith and trials was included. As Foxe said of her:

She being born of such stock and kindred that she might have lived in great wealth and prosperity, if she would rather have followed the world than Christ

Editions printed around 1750 began replacing the classic 16th-century woodcuts with highly detailed, dramatic copperplate line engravings depicting scenes of trial and execution (such as the famous imagery of John Badby or the Marian persecutions)

Title in gilt on spine in second compartment, all edges gilt. Engraved frontispiece, vi, 7-951, (5) pages. Being the Book of Martyrs, Revised and Corrected, The Whole originally Composed by the Rev. Mr. John Fox. An expanded version of Fox's Book of Martyrs, first published in 1563, with handsome engravings depicting the sufferings of Christian martyrs. Engraved frontispiece and illustrations in text. Covers rubbed and scuffed, mainly at edges. Previous owner's business name inscribed on his notepaper.
Scattered foxing. Some of the pages have been professionally repaired. Engraved loose frontispiece has some loss along the edges due to trimming by a previous binder. With 49 fine full-page copperplates of martyrdoms Index at rear. Contains five books: Books I,II, and III are Protestant Martyrs, Book IV is Eminent Protestant Martyrs, and Book V is Part II, a Supplement on Primitive and Early Martyrs. English historian and Reverend John Foxe compiled multiple volumes documenting Christian martyrology and persecutions from the earliest ages of the church to the late 16th century, most notably his Universal History of Martyrdom. His extensive history was revised and with additions and corrections by multiple authors, including Paul Wright, the Vicar of Oakley under the reign of Queen Mary the first who also authored a Complete British Family Bible and Complete Life of Jesus Christ. With the intention of promoting the Protestant religion, Foxe's martyrology includes accounts of the lives and persecutions of the Macabees by the Greeks, the Hebrews by the Egyptians, the Israelites by the Phillistines, Jesus Christ and his Apostles, and the Protestants in England, Scotland and Ireland.

The Apostles and Evangelists: Accounts of the dramatic deaths of Christ’s disciples, including the stoning of Stephen, the crucifixion of Peter (upside down), and the beheading of Paul in Rome.
The Ten Primitive Persecutions: Stories of early Christians under Roman Emperors like Nero, Domitian, and Diocletian. Famous narratives included Christians being thrown to lions, burned as human torches, or tortured in the Colosseum.

By 1750, editors routinely added updated appendices to make the book highly relevant to contemporary British readers. These additions included: The Spanish Armada (1588): The miraculous defeat of the Catholic invasion fleet.The Gunpowder Plot (1605): Guy Fawkes' failed conspiracy to blow up Parliament.The Irish Rebellion of 1641: Sensationalized accounts of the massacres of up to 40,000 Protestant settlers in Ireland.The St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre (1572): The slaughter of French Protestant Huguenots in Paris.
The European Persecutions: Stories of the Waldensians and the Albigenses in Europe, who resisted papal authority centuries before the Reformation.
The Spanish and Italian Inquisitions: Highly descriptive accounts detailing the torture methods, secret trials, and public executions (autos-da-fé) carried out by the Catholic Church.

Mid-18th-century printings such as this, are typically large quartos or folios bound in period full calf or sheepskin leather, blind-stamped decorations. The pages were printed on handmade rag paper, which frequently shows varying degrees of "foxing" (brown spotting) today  read more

Code: 26324

A Large Volume of Foxe's Book of Martyrs 1570, by An Impartial Hand. Detailing the Burning at the Stake of the Protestant Martyrs Under Queen ‘Bloody’ Mary the 1st’s Rule, Published 1741, Formerly Part of the Richard Hoare Collection.

We also have the later and more expanded version, as a seperate volume, published in circa 1750 detailing the martyrdoms from the early Roman era, and into the Charles Ist era.

Bearing original Richard Hoare’s Ex-Libris bookplate. One of the most foremost and important books of the 16th century, and a fabulous book for those that wish to have a most impressive rare book as a statement piece for an eclectic collection of unusual artefacts covering a broad spectrum. An absolute beauty. The Book of Martyrs: Containing an Account of the Sufferings and Death of the Protestants in the Reign of Queen Mary. ... Illustrated with Copper-plates. Originally Written by Mr. J. F., and Now Revised and Corrected by an Impartial Hand. One of the martyrs was Derek Carver, owner of a Brighton brewery barely 150 yards from our Brighton gallery. He was burnt at the stake in 1555, in our local Sussex market town of Lewes, while stood in a beer barrel, around 12 miles distant from us. A most fine example formerly from the library and private collection with family crest and library plate of Richard Hoare descendant of famous abolitionist and 'Sign of the Black Horse' founding banker, Samuel Hoare Jr. Richard, of Marden Hill Hertfordshire, was born in 1824, son of the banker Samuel Hoare (1783-1847) who was grandson of Quaker and abolitionist Samuel Hoare Jr. whose bank, Barnetts, Hoares, Hanbury & Lloyd, first used The Sign of the Black Horse as it's symbol, that was taken over and used by Lloyds Bank as it's logo in 1884. We show a portrait of young Richard Hoare painted by Royal Academician George Richmond
The book was originally produced in 1563 and illustrated with over sixty distinctive woodcut impressions and was to that time the largest publishing project ever undertaken in England. Their product was a single volume book, a bit over a foot long, two palms-span wide, too deep to lift with only one hand, and weighed about the same as a small infant. Foxe's own title for the first edition (as scripted and spelled), is Actes and Monuments of these Latter and Perillous Days, Touching Matters of the Church. Long titles being conventionally expected, so this title continues and claims that the book describes "persecutions and horrible troubles" that had been "wrought and practiced by the Roman Prelates, speciallye in this realm of England and Scotland". Foxe's temporal range was "from the yeare of our Lorde a thousand unto the tyme nowe present"

Following closely on the heels of the first edition (Foxe complained that the text was produced at "a breakneck speed"), the 1570 edition was in two volumes and had expanded considerably. The page count went from approximately 1,800 pages in 1563 to over 2,300 folio pages. The number of woodcuts increased from 60 to 150. As Foxe wrote about his own living (or executed) contemporaries, the illustrations could not be borrowed from existing texts, as was commonly practiced. The illustrations were newly cut to depict particular details, linking England's suffering back to "the primitive tyme" until, in volume I, "the reigne of King Henry VIII"; in volume two, from Henry's time to "Queen Elizabeth our gracious Lady now reygnyng..The title plate bears a hand penned note dating the entry in 1847 at Marden Hill. n the 1540s the Black Lion brewery was purchased by a Flemish man named Deryk Carver. A Protestant, Carver had fled religious persecution in his home country and had settled in England. At this time, England was a Protestant country following Henry VIII’s break with Rome and the establishment of the Church of England in the early 1530s. Unfortunately for Carver, this policy was reversed in 1553 when Queen Mary I succeeded to the throne. Mary restored Catholicism as the state religion, and revived a series of heresy laws that outlawed Protestant practices. In late 1554 a series of persecutions began, which have left Mary with the nickname of ‘Bloody Mary’.

Carver, who acted as lay preacher in his house in Brighton, was an early victim. He was arrested in October 1554, and tried in London the following year. When questioned by Bishop Bonner on his beliefs, Carver refused to recant his Protestant practices. Sealing his fate, Carver made a fierce attack on the Catholic faith:

‘..your doctrine is poison and sorcery. If Christ were here you would put Him to a worse death than He was put to before. You say that you can make a God: ye can make a pudding as well. Your ceremonies in the Church be beggary and poison.’ (Quoted in John Ackerson Erredge, History of Brighthelmstone 2005, p.120).

Carver was found guilty and burnt at the stake in Lewes on 22 July 1555. In order to mock his profession, he was placed in a barrel prior to his execution.

Carver is one of several Protestant martyrs whose death is marked by the bonfire celebrations in Lewes. But he has never been forgotten in Brighton. John Ackerson Erredge, the first historian of Brighton, dedicated an entire chapter of his History of Brighthelmstone to his execution. The Black Lion brewery was regarded as one of the oldest buildings in Brighton until it was demolished in about 1970. It was partially rebuilt in 1974 as a near-replica of the original building. David Hawkins senior attempted to buy the original former brewery, in order to save it for posterity, and donate it to the town, but his offer was sadly rejected, and an office block architecturally inspired by a shoebox, was built on its main site. In 1970 building regulations in Brighton were woefully inconsiderate to historically important buildings. Book dimensions; 9.75 inches x 15 inches x 2.25 inches 713 pages , plus index of the victims up to 'H'.  read more

Code: 19180