Stunningly Beautiful, Museum Piece. Original Scythian Warrior's Helmet. Made & Used From the 6th Century BC, to The Battles Against Alexander the Great, Until the 3rd Century AD, The Scythian Women Warriors Are Believed To Be The Original Amazons

A bronze 'Illyrian' variant helmet, used by the so called 'barbarian' warriors, both men and women, that Herodotus classed as Amazons, that fought Darius The Great of Persia in 512bc, Alexander the Great of Macedon in 329bc, and both the Legions of the Roman Republic, and later, the Legions of the Roman Empire.

With a traditional domed skull and carination to the rear, a row of perforations to the rim around the face, and a flared neck-guard; Weight 396 grams, 26cm (10 1/4"). Fine condition, some overall aged restoration.

From the realm of the ancient Scythian warriors of ancient history that uniquely fought alongside their female warriors. The Scythian women were as famous as warriors, in fact as much as we’re the Scythian men, it is said the legend of the Amazonian warriors is entirely based on the Scythian women warriors. Herodotus provides the first detailed description of the Scythians. He classes the Cimmerians as a distinct autochthonous tribe, expelled by the Scythians from the northern Black Sea coast. Herodotus also states that the Scythians consisted of the Auchatae, Catiaroi, Traspians, and Paralatae or "Royal Scythians".

For Herodotus, the Scythians were outlandish barbarians living north of the Black Sea. In 512 BC, when King Darius the Great of Persia attacked the Scythians, he allegedly penetrated into their land after crossing the Danube. Herodotus relates that the nomadic Scythians frustrated the Persian army by letting it march through the entire country without an engagement In 329 BC Philip's son, Alexander the Great, came into conflict with the Scythians at the Battle of Jaxartes. A Scythian army sought to take revenge against the Macedonians for the death of Ateas, as they pushed the borders of their empire north and east, and to take advantage of a revolt by the local Sogdian satrap. However, the Scythian army was defeated by Alexander at the Battle of Jaxartes. Alexander did not intend to subdue the nomads: he wanted to go to the south, where a far more serious crisis demanded his attention. He could do so now without loss of face; and in order to make the outcome acceptable to the Saccae, he released the Scythian prisoners of war without ransom in order to broker a peace agreement. This policy was successful, and the Scythians no longer harassed Alexander's empire.

Although the classical Scythians may have largely disappeared by the 1st century BC, Eastern Romans continued to speak conventionally of "Scythians" to designate Germanic tribes and confederations or mounted Eurasian nomadic barbarians in general: in AD 448 two mounted "Scythians" led the emissary Priscus to Attila's encampment in Pannonia. The Byzantines in this case carefully distinguished the Scythians from the Goths and Huns who also followed Attila. Their women, after all, were trouser-wearing, horse-riding warriors, Amazons, according to Herodotus. In his Histories, the Amazons sleep with the Scythian men but refuse to cohabit with the existing Scythian women because they are not outdoorsy enough. The Amazons therefore set off with their Scythians to establish a new people.

The next known event from Scythian history is the campaign of Alexander the Great's general, Zopyrion, which took place in 331/30 BC and was directed against the Getae and the Scythians (Just., Epit., 12.1, 4). The Macedonian army of 30,000 men reached Olbia and laid siege to it, but was unable to take it and was completely routed by the Scythians. Zopyrion himself met his death.

One other Scythian king of the 4th century BC mentioned in the sources was Agaros, who had probably taken part in the internecine war between the sons of the Bosporan king Pairisades in 310/9 on the side of Satyros II; after his defeat, Satyros's son Pairisades sought refuge with Agaros. He was probably king of those Scythians who dwelt in the Crimean steppes immediately adjacent to the Bosporus.The helmet appears to have been made originally on the Corinthian model with close-fitting skull, lateral cheek-plates and projecting nasal. At some point in its combat history, it has been modified, while retaining the undulating brow profile. The perforated leading edge may have been for permanent attachment of an organic padded liner. Beyond the scope of inspired workmanship, by 5th century BC, many of the Scythian kings and nobles also opted for 'foreign' styled Greek helmets and greaves, possibly as a show of prosperity. Archaeological excavations that pertain to this period have unearthed over 60 fascinating specimens of Greek helmets (of Corinthian, Chalcidian, and Attic types) that were actually manufactured in mainland Greece and then shipped across the Black Sea into Scythian heartland via the wealthy Greek Bosporan colonies. The ancient scope in itself mirrored a wide-ranging trade network that not only entailed arms and military equipment but also slaves. Furthermore, the Scythians themselves exported profitable items like grain, wheat, flocks, and even cheese to Greece. From examination the front nasal section has been considerably restored. It has been sometime in the past extensively, though nicely, fully cleaned overall, during conservation a small supporting interior patch has been applied at the nasal area. Helmets from this era and region in unrestored condition are now so rare as to be almost unavailable, but if found, can be expected to be from 20,000 to 50,000 pounds today.
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


Literature on this helmet type see;
Cf. Egg, M. & Waurick, G. Antike Helme, Romisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum, Mainz, 1990, item 2 for original type.  read more

Code: 22060

A Simply Beautiful Original Napoleonic Wars French 'Prisoner of War' Straw Valuables Box. Around 220 Years Old Made By French Prisoners from The Battle of the Nile To Waterloo

A fabulous original souvenir of the Anglo French wars, that is not only beautiful, and historically important, it is perfectly functional as a desk top jewel case, or, anything of similar use, such as a gentleman's watch and cufflink case

Napoleonic prisoner of war straw work marquetry ladies jewelry box with hinged lid opening to reveal three compartments, and one is hinge lidded. Overall in super condition. Decorated throughout with numerous and varied scenes of the British built Prisoner of War wooden fort.

This box dates to the Napoleonic wars between the French and English. Prisoners-of-war were held in purpose-built prisoner-of-war depots and typically were soldiers and sailors of the rank and file. Straw was a popular craft material for prisoners of war. They turned their skill to the making of cases and boxes covered with intricate straw patterns created using the contrasts between the light and dark sides of the straw strips. Those who understood dyes were also able to add colour to their work and produced some very sophisticated objects. Fewer of these straw items have survived to the present day, but there are still some lovely straw-covered boxes and cases which are intact.

Very similar example to one that is on display in the Burghley House Collection. Made by the captured Napoleonic and French wars French Prisoners-of-War in the early 1800's in order to subsidise their meagre prison rations, and this fine piece is made to give the impression it is a sizeable book when closed. All of the interior straw-work is pristine in colour and unfaded showing wonderful contrasts.

Great Britain was at war with France continuously from 1793 to 1802. Hostilities ceased briefly in 1802, but conflict soon recommenced. The Napoleonic Wars continued until 1815, when Napoleon's forces were finally defeated at Waterloo.

In 1796 the first prison to house French prisoners was built at Norman Cross, some 5 miles north of Peterborough. Conditions must have been both harsh and crowded; disease killed more that 1,700 inmates between 1797 and 1814.
To supplement their rations and to provide small income, some prisoners made ornaments, models and toys, which they were allowed to sell. The materials used included straw, wood, bone and even human hair. Many of the items made were extraordinary in their complexity and design and were always very desirable to collectors. The proximity of Burghley House to the camp meant that members of the Cecil family acquired many fine examples.

Those displayed at Burghley include a number of containers made of wood with applied decoration of coloured straw, a stationery box, a set of bone spillikins in a pocket case, a framed straw-work picture of the house built for Napoleon Bonaparte on St Helena, to where he was exiled, a bone set of dominoes and playing cards and a detailed model of an 80-gun ship-of-the-line with hair rigging.

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

9 inches x 6 3/4 inches x 3 inches when closed
some very small straw inlay losses but overall in beautiful order.  read more

Code: 25072

A Fabulous, Museum Grade Signed, Antique, Samurai O-Tanto, Shinto Period. All Original Edo Fittings, Goto School. Absolutely Impeccable Blade Showing Fine Original Edo Polish & Displaying It’s Excellent Gunome Hamon. Overall An Incredibly Handsome Sword

A wonderful samurai sword, circa 1760. A large tanto almost wakazashi size. With hard lacquered leather bound tsuka. Shinto period, with a finely signed blade, displaying a superb gunome hamon and fine grain in the hada, and beautiful signed fittings. The signature is in a most unusual form and its translation, is Nishiharima 西播 the place name of Tatsuno 竜野 living in 住 Hyogo Prefecture, Edo period. The possible name of Butsusho {the sho is difficult to read}. The Fuchi is signed Yoshinaga of Mino, he was known for his adept skill of carving flowers, although the blade is also very much in the Mino form, mid Edo period, in the esteemed and much respected opinion of K. Y. In Japan

The fittings are all bronze and hammered with with fine gold, and probably by the much sought after Goto school. Superb kozuka with gold foil and shaudo on a Nanako ground, and a signed blade. It has a very rare style of black textured leather covered saya, with iron and gold kojiri. Gold mimi rimmed bronze tsuba with a nanako ground and numerous gold takebori Shishi {lion dogs}.

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.

The Gotō School of sword-fittings makers was founded in the fifteenth century by Gotō Yūjō, who is said to have been patronized by the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa (1435–1490). The work of the Gotō masters is characterized by painterly designs carved in high relief on a ground of shakudō (an alloy of copper and gold chemically treated to turn a rich blue-black), finished in nanako (tiny circles punched regularly over the surface to give it a granular appearance) with colorful accents in gold and silver. The succeeding generations of Gotō masters continued to work in these soft metals and concentrated on the smaller sword fittings, such as kozuka (the handle of the small utility knife fitted into a slot on the back of a sword scabbard), kōgai (a skewer-like hairdressing tool carried in the front of the scabbard), and menuki (a pair of grip ornaments secured by the handle wrappings). The production of the stouter sword guards, or tsuba, was left to other masters. While earlier generations had not signed their work, the Gotō masters in about 1600 began to authenticate the work of their predecessors; the attributions usually were engraved on the backs of the pieces themselves. These attributions bear testimony to the keen interest in early sword fittings as status symbols for high-ranking samurai.
Tanto first began to appear in the Heian period, however these blades lacked artistic qualities and were purely weapons. In the Early Kamakura period high quality tanto with artistic qualities began to appear, and the famous Yoshimitsu (the greatest tanto maker in Japanese history) began his forging. Tanto production increased greatly around the Muromachi period and then dropped off in the Shinto period. Shinto period tanto are quite rare. Tanto were mostly carried by Samurai; commoners did not generally carry them. Women sometimes carried a small tanto called a kaiken in their obi for self defence.It was sometimes worn as the shoto in place of a wakizashi in a daisho, especially on the battlefield. Before the 16th century it was common for a Samurai to carry a tachi and a tanto as opposed to a katana and a wakizashi. Shishi (or Jishi) is translated as lion but it can also refer to a deer or dog with magical properties and the power to repel evil spirits. A pair of shishi traditionally stand guard outside the gates of Japanese Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples, although temples are more often guarded by two Nio protectors. The Shishi (like the Nio) are traditionally depicted in pairs, one with mouth open and one with mouth shut.). Others say the open mouth is to scare off demons, and the closed mouth to shelter and keep in the good spirits. The circular object often shown beneath their feet is the Tama, or sacred Buddhist jewel, a symbol of Buddhist wisdom that brings light to darkness and holds the power to grant wishes. Overall 26.5 inches long, blade 13.75 inches long

With grateful thanks to K.Y. of Japan. Doumo gozaimasu to our ever patient friend, who is always happy to assist us with complex or unusual translations.

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: 25647

A Fabulous and Utterly Beautiful Koto Period Wakizashi, Circa 1550. a Strong and Very Powerful Blade with a Stunning Hamon in Excellent Polish

In all original Edo period fittings and mounts. A simply wonderful sword with wide flat sided blade with wide full length hi to both blade faces. It bears a breathtakingly impressive deep notare with choji hamon. A delightful iron mokko tsuba with takebori small swooping birds and small pure gold highlights. The fuchi of shakudo and pure gold decorated shell fish and coral in crashing waves, and very fine quality.

It has a pair of copper menuki under the wrap that are deeply takebori spiders. The fuchi pommel is carved and polished buffalo horn. Very good original Edo saya with rich black urushi lacquer. Set within the kozuka pocket is a gold decorated kozuka with a good takebori crayfish.

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

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

The varnish used in Japanese lacquer is made from the sap of the urushi tree, also known as the lacquer tree or the Japanese varnish tree (Rhus vernacifera), which mainly grows in Japan and China, as well as Southeast Asia. Japanese lacquer, 漆 urushi, is made from the sap of the lacquer tree. The tree must be tapped carefully, as in its raw form the liquid is poisonous to the touch, and even breathing in the fumes can be dangerous. But people in Japan have been working with this material for many millennia, so there has been time to refine the technique!

The urushi lacquer has a few natural, and certainly permissible for its age, very small surface wear marks and nicks.

16.5 inch long blade, 1.3 inches wide at the habaki, overall 23 inches long

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: 24881

Pair Of Medals From the 1882 Tel-el-Kabir Campaign. Awarded To An Officer of The Royal Fusiliers

Pair of service medals of Lieut. {later Captain} of the Royal Fusiliers (specifically the 1st Battalion) who fought in the Battle of Tel el Kebir in 1882.

He served with the British forces in the First Egyptian War and according to records "distinguished himself at Tel-el-Kebir". He died at his home in Dorset, in 1886, from a fever contracted during his time in Egypt a British Army officer of the Royal Fusiliers who participated in the Battle of Tel el-Kebir during the Anglo-Egyptian War of 1882.

A Lieutenant in the British armed forces. He was part of the expeditionary force sent to Egypt under Lieutenant-General Sir Garnet Wolseley to suppress the 'Urabi Revolt led by Ahmed 'Urabi Pasha.

The Battle of Tel el-Kebir was the decisive engagement of the Anglo-Egyptian War, fought on September 13, 1882, in north eastern Egypt.
Objective: The British aimed to capture the heavily fortified Egyptian position at Tel el-Kebir, which was a strategic point on the railway and the Sweet Water Canal between Ismailia and Cairo.
Strategy: General Wolseley led a surprise dawn attack after a long, silent night march across the desert, navigating by the stars.
Outcome: The British forces, though outnumbered, routed the Egyptian army within an hour. The victory ended the 'Urabi Revolution and led to the British occupation of Egypt for the next 70 years.
While specific details of his individual actions in the battle are not widely published, his name is associated with those who fought in this pivotal conflict that cemented British control over Egypt and the Suez Canal, a vital route to India. The National Army Museum collection includes images and information related to the battle and the units involved, many of which can be viewed online.  read more

Code: 26024

A Superb Original Set Of Beautifully Leather Bound, Famous Historical Accounts Of The Crimean War By Kinglake, Alexander William. The Invasion of the Crimea: Its Origin, and an Account of its Progress to the Death of Lord Raglan. Including Ist Editions

A full set of these fabulously bound novels that were published and printed over 25 years First editions of volumes V-VIII, together with the second edition of volume IV and third editions of volumes I-III (published the same year as the first).

One of the great Winston Churchill's, favourite writers

During the past 60 years they have passed through three famed collections, of; Richard Hugh Cholmondly, Llewelyn Griffiths and Leonard Shuter

Edinburgh and London: William Blackwood and Sons, 1863-87

Kinglake was in the Crimea in 1854, "witnessed the battle of the Alma from close hand, dined that night with Lord Raglan... helped the wounded, sketched and recorded the scenes in his diary. Kinglake rode with the allies towards Sevastopol and watched them take up siege positions on upland to the south. From there, he saw the charges of the Heavy and Light Brigades on 25 October near Balaklava, though soon afterwards he was invalided back to England" (ODNB). Entrusted with the task of writing a history of the campaign by Lord Raglan's widow who had sent him all the papers in her possession, he "undertook the task, and executed it with extraordinary care... he consulted French, Russian, and Turkish sources, and corresponded and interviewed exhaustively. He returned to the Crimea, hosted by the Russian engineer Todleben, who had so ably defended Sevastopol" (ibid.). The result was probably excessive, and most certainly somewhat prejudiced, out of loyalty to Raglan and "moral indignation" against Napoleon III. However, the "the literary ability in any case is remarkable; the spirit of the writing is never quenched by the masses of diplomatic and military information; the occasional portraits of remarkable men are admirably incisive; the style is invariably polished to the last degree, and the narrative as lucid as it is animated" (ibid.).

Kinglake was one of Churchill's favourite writers. The novelist and historian Geoffrey Bocca tells how, when he asked the Great Man who he should read to improve his style, he was given the one word reply, "Kinglake". He followed his advice and "read Eothen with joy and with love possessed, and put it down saying, 'Thanks, Winnie.' I knew one of Winston Churchill's unpublished secrets." Meeting Churchill again a couple of years later, Bocca reminded him of their earlier conversation, "told him how much I felt enriched by Eothen and asked him to recommend other reading." The succinct reply: "More Kinglake".  read more

Code: 25985

Please View & Explore Probably The Largest Selection Of Original Antique & Historical Samurai Arms From The Past 800 Years For Sale in The World. Including, Swords, Spears, Armour, Helmets, Long Bows, Arrows, Daggers & Sword Fittings

Our amazing collection of recently acquired fine antique swords have been, and some are to be, added to our gallery. Including a fabulous, Shinto, Tokugawa tachi presented to a visiting famous American admiral and war hero in 1896, another tachi, a representation of an Odachi great sword, made by Yoshiyuki, in the late Edo period, by a smith of such esteem that even when the samurai class were effectively made redundant, and relegated to history, swords were still commissioned from him, for presentation to esteemed persons of highest standing. Plus numerous other samurai swords are being added to the gallery soon, of all types and eras, also samurai war arrows ‘ tagari ya’ and rare swallow tail 'ageha ya’, a dozen ‘kazuya’ ya target arrows, plus a superb collection of 20 fabulous Koto to Shinto tsubas, have still yet to be collated and listed on our site. Plus, more swords, just added this month, both antique and WW2 ancestral shingunto etc. including one of the best we have seen in years.

“Weaponry both ancient and vintage, they all have style and a story to tell”

"Over the past 55 years I have personally supervised our company's determination to try provide the most historically interesting, educational, yet none too intimidating, gallery of original Japanese Samurai artefacts for sale in the collecting world. We were told a few years ago by Victor Harris { Japanese sword expert resident consultant at the British Museum, the UK's leading nihonto specialist} that we probably display the largest selection of original, fine samurai sword weaponry for sale, and of its kind, anywhere in the world.

Principally concentrating on a crucial combination of age, beauty, quality and history, & thanks to an extensive contact base, built up over the past 100 years or more, that stretches across the whole world, including collectors, curators, academics and consultants, we have been very fortunate, in that this effort has rewarded us with the ability to offer, what we believe to be, the most comprehensive selection of original ancient and antique samurai swords available for sale in one gallery or online in the world. Many appear today to look almost as they once did many hundreds of years ago, which remarkably, they do, but all antique and ancient swords, from any culture, including Japanese, must always be expected to have at least some age appropriate flaws.

We have exported, over the past 100 years, likely tens of thousands of our original samurai weapons, helmets and armour to the four corners of the globe, with clients on all continents. Our swords grace the homes of collectors from literally all walks of life, from Presidents to Postmen, and we have traded with museums of all the major nations. We have always loved and been fascinated by the history of the Samurai, and their iconic weaponry, and we have long admired and envied their past near limitless skill at creating the unparalleled beauty and quality of samurai swords. Universally acknowledged to be likely the very best swords the world has ever seen.

Our Japanese weaponry vary tremendously in age, in fact up to, and sometimes over, an incredible 800 years old, and they are frequently some of the finest examples of specialist workmanship ever achieved by mankind.
We have tried to include, within the holistic description of most items, a brief generic history lesson, for those that have interest, and may wish to know, that will describe the eras, areas and circumstances that these items were used in ancient Japan. We have tried our utmost to be informative, holistic and as interesting as possible without being too academically technical, in order to keep the details vibrant, fascinating and comprehensible, thus not too complex.
We are always delighted to impart any knowledge that we have at our disposal to any curious new collectors when asked. In fact some of the most learned scholars in the world that we have met, and known, some studying the art of nihonto almost all of their adult lives, often admitted to us they were only scratching the surface of the knowledge to be learnt in this extraordinary field, so there is much to constantly uncover about the stories of the samurai and their legendary weaponry covering around 1000 years of Japanese history.

Please enjoy, with our compliments, our Japanese Gallery. It has been decades in the creation, and we intend it to remain as interesting and informative as possible, and, hopefully, for another century to come"..


Mark Hawkins
Partner
The Lanes Armoury

Did you know? the most valuable sword in the world today is a samurai sword, it belongs to an investment fund and has appeared illustrated in the Forbes 400 magazine. It is valued by them at $100 million, it is a tachi from the late Koto period 16th century and unsigned. Its blade is grey and now has no original polish remaining.  read more

Code: 22187

A Superb WW1 Imperial German Trench Knife Nahkampfmesser Gotlieb of Hammesfahr. Made By “Gottlieb Hammesfahr, Solingen-Foche" Blade Reverse Bears a Small Crowned Inspection Stamp. Souvenir From The Battle of The Somme

The hilt is fitted with ribbed {9 ribs} wooden grips, secured by steel rivets, with a steel crossguard. slightly rounded flat steel scabbard with rivietted leather belt frog and retaining button to the small grip strap. Single edged blackened steel blade with small return false edge at the tip. Maker marked and with imperial proof stamp.

Acquired with two officer's deluxe versions also from the Somme {sold separately}

Fine old blackened finish to all metal parts.

The German WW1 trench knife, or Nahkampfmesser, was a sturdy, general-purpose combat dagger issued to soldiers for close-quarters fighting, featuring typical slab wooden grips with grooves, a steel crossguard, and a metal scabbard with a leather hanger, though variations existed, including officer's daggers and converted barbed wire stakes, with manufacturers like Ernst Busch, Gotlieb and Clemen & Jung producing them.
Often single-edged with a false edge, around 6 inches long, though double-edged versions were also used. Typically wooden with distinctive diagonal grooves (often nine) for better purchase, secured by rivets.
A simple steel crossguard and pommel, providing balance and hand protection.
A flat, or rounded steel scabbard with a leather frog (hanger) for belt attachment, sometimes with a press stud.
Solingen-based companies like Ernst Busch and Clemen & Jung were major producers, Gotlieb a much rare maker, often marked with their names and an Imperial Crown.
The most functional type was a robust, utilitarian knife for infantry.
However, Officer's daggers were more elaborate, privately purchased versions, with staghorn or deerhoof grips, nickel fittings
Soldiers sometimes adapted steel barbed-wire stakes into crude stabbing weapons after encountering French "nail" grenades.
These knives filled the need for a reliable hand weapon in the brutal close-quarters combat of trench raiding, where reloading a rifle was difficult, alongside tools like trench clubs and entrenching tools

Traces to old, light, surface russetting on the blade.

Trench warfare is a type of land warfare using occupied lines largely comprising military trenches, in which combatants are well-protected from the enemy's small arms fire and are substantially sheltered from artillery. It became archetypically associated with World War I (1914–1918), when the Race to the Sea rapidly expanded trench use on the Western Front starting in September 1914.1

Trench warfare proliferated when a revolution in firepower was not matched by similar advances in mobility, resulting in a grueling form of warfare in which the defender held the advantage. On the Western Front in 1914–1918, both sides constructed elaborate trench, underground, and dugout systems opposing each other along a front, protected from assault by barbed wire. The area between opposing trench lines (known as "no man's land") was fully exposed to artillery fire from both sides. Attacks, even if successful, often sustained severe casualties.

The development of armoured warfare and combined arms tactics permitted static lines to be bypassed and defeated, leading to the decline of trench warfare after the war. Following World War I, "trench warfare" became a byword for stalemate, attrition, sieges, and futility in conflict  read more

Code: 26078

Excellent Pre-Contact Example of a Stone Leilira Knife from Central or Northern Australia. A First Nations' Cultural Object

The handle made of Spinifex Resin (plant) and the quartz blade shaped by chipping and shaping with a harder stone. The term Leilira was first coined by Spencer and Gillen circa 1899, and is currently the archaeological term used to describe large blades produced in northern and central Australia."--------2006, Kevin Tibbett, "When East Is Northwest: Expanding The Archaeological Boundary For Leilira Blade Production," Australian Archaeology, p. 26.
"Spencer and Gillian (1899, 1904) coined the term lalira or leilira blades (from the Arrernte alyweke (indigenous Australians), or stone knife)
Ethnographically, these were men's fighting knives and were also mythologically and symbolically linked with subincision On occasions they were used for other purposes such as ritualised fighting, initiation ceremonies etc

The term 'Leilira blade' refers to very long flaked blades made in central and northern Australia that are triangular or trapezoidal in cross section. They are made by 'flaking' - removing a small piece of rock from a large piece, called a core, by striking it with a hammerstone. The core is usually held in the hand or rested in the person's lap or on the ground. Often one or both edges of the blade are retouched to create a dentated or notched edge or a rounded end.

Leilira blades are usually made from quartzite, a hard metamorphic rock that varies in colour from white to dark grey, but slate and other stones are also used. All of the blades shown are quartzite. The middle blade and the one on the far right were made from quartzite extracted from Ngillipidji stone quarry on Elcho Island, a major quarry in the region. Stone from Ngillipdiji quarry and finished blades made from the quarried stone were traded over long distances.

The has a handle or grip made from resin. The resin was heated and moulded around the unpointed end of the blade; when it cooled, it dried hard. paperbark, tied on with string. The plant-fibre scabbard may be pandanus paperleaf or bark.

Many First Nations' cultural objects were collected during the American-Australian Scientific Expedition to Arnhem Land in 1948.

Indigenous Australian's were manufacturing stone tools for more than 40,000 years. The flaked stone tools they left behind are very simple. In fact, most of their hafted knives, spears and fighting picks were made from simple core struck blades that have little or no further modification. Bifacial flaking in Australia is rare compared to other regions of the world. The best examples are reported as large hand axe-like bifaces and small bifacially flaked points. Bifacial reduction is also reported in the manufacture of some ground stone axes. Australia's most famous bifacially flaked artifact is the more recent Kimberly point. The most famous blade knife is the resin hafted leilira knife.  read more

Code: 25140

Original 18th Century Scottish Fencible Regimental Basket Hilted Broadsword

With distinctive two part centrally welded basket, in sheet iron, with scrolls and thistles there over. Interesting original regimental swords of the 18th century, from Scottish regiments are very much sought after throughout the entire world. Scottish Fencible Regiment's swords are now jolly rare indeed, and they are highly distinctive in their most unique form. Fancy carved replacement grip. Some ironwork separation on the basket by the forte of the blade, but overall in good sound condition. Overall natural age surface pitting. Made for the war with Revolutionary France in the 1790's. The total number of British fencible infantry regiments raised during the Seven Years' War and the American War of Independence was nine, of which six were Scottish, two were English and one was Manx. The regiments were raised during a time of great turbulence in Europe when there was a real fear that the French would either invade Great Britain or Ireland, or that radicals within Britain and Ireland would rebel against the established order. There was little to do in Britain other than garrison duties and some police actions, but in Ireland there was a French supported insurrection in 1798 and British fencible regiments were engaged in some pitched battles. Some regiments served outside Great Britain and Ireland. Several regiments performed garrison duties on the Channel Islands and Gibraltar. A detachment of the Dumbarton Fencibles Regiment escorted prisoners to Prussia, and the Ancient Irish Fencibles were sent to Egypt where they took part in the operations against the French in 1801.

When it became clear that the rebellion in Ireland had been defeated and that there would be peace between France and Britain in 1802 (The preliminaries of peace were signed in London on 1 October 1801) the Fencible regiments were disbanded.
The British cavalry and light dragoon regiments were raised to serve in any part of Great Britain and consisted of a force of between 14,000 and 15,000 men. Along with the two Irish regiments, those British regiments that volunteered for service in Ireland served there. Each regiment consisted of eighteen commissioned officers and troops of eighty privates per troop. The regiments were always fully manned as their terms of service were considered favourable. At the beginning of 1800 all of the regiments were disbanded  read more

Code: 20632