A Beautiful Original Signed Bizen Yokoyama Sukekane 尉祐包 Dated February 1867, He Was The 13th Generation Sukesada & 58th Generation From The Founder of Bizen Smiths In Superb Polish With Edo Period Mounts of Shakudo & Gold by Yasuyuki 安随

Signed, 備陽長船住横山俊左衛門尉祐包
Biyo {Bishu} Osafune Jyu Yokoyama Shunzaemon Jo Sukekane
備陽長船住 is where he lives and 横山俊左衛門尉祐包 is his full name.
The 13th generation of Sukesada, who worked from 1835 to 1872, and this sword was made in the 3rd year of Keio, so it was made in February 1867.
The third says that he is the 58th grandson of the founder of Bizen smithing, Bizen Tomonari. It also shows the date of creation. Blades of the 19th-century Yokoyama school frequently declared their lineage as being directly descended from the 13th-century smith Tomonari.

It has a stunning urushi lacquered original Edo saya with ribbing on the black urushi middle top section, and crushed abilone, over green, black and clear urushi lacquer, on the top and bottom sections a most pleasing and artistic combination.

Original Edo shakudo fuchi kashira decorated with silver and gold birds, bamboo and flowers, on a hammered ground, signed Yasuyuki 安随. The tettsu tsuba has a geometric openwork design of an approaching wagon wheel with hon-zogan decoration of shinchu hira inlay. The tsuka ito {silk binding} is blue-green

A pair of superb menuki, in gold and shakudo, one is the turtle the other the phoenix. In Japanese folklore, the minogame, it is a legendary turtle of tremendous age. Sometimes living for up to 10,000 years, its most distinctive feature is the tail of seaweed and algae that trails behind it.

The most well known minogame {turtle} in Japan comes from the tale of Urashima Tarō, a legendary fisherman who rescues a turtle being tormented by children on a beach. A minogame informs him that he has actually rescued the daughter of the sea god Ryūjin, and takes him down to the bottom of the ocean to receive his thanks.

The other menuki is a Hō-ō bird . As the herald of a new age, the Hō-ō {phoenix} decends from heaven to earth to do good deeds, and then it returns to its celestial abode to await a new era. It is both a symbol of peace (when the bird appears) and a symbol of disharmony (when the bird disappears).

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

Shakudo {that can be used to make samurai sword mounts and fittings} is a billon of gold and copper (typically 4-10% gold, 96-90% copper) which can be treated to form an indigo/black patina resembling lacquer. Unpatinated shakudo Visually resembles bronze; the dark colour is induced by applying and heating rokusho, a special patination formula.

Shakudo was historically used in Japan to construct or decorate the finest katana fittings such as fuchi-kashira, 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 British Museum has a small tanto signed by the same smith Bishu Osafune Ju Yokoyama Sukekane’

https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O90821/dagger-and-scabbard-sukekane/

Sukekane was the 13th mainline master of the Bizen Yokoyama school, which was founded in the later 16th century by Yosozaemon no Jo Sukesada. It is said that Sukesada relocated to the nearby village of Yokoyama after the great flooding of Osafune at this time. Sukesada’s great-grandson, Sanzaemon no
Jo Sukesada, whose personal name was Toshiro and was the 4th generation, was the first representative of the school to work in shinto times.
All these smiths were named Sukesada and as they entered the shinshinto period, although they retained the character “Suke” in their names, many used a different second character instead of “Sada”. However, although living and signing their work
with Yokoyama, they appreciated that their spiritual and cultural home was still Osafune, by including this in their mei.
This is the first of two generations named Sukekane and he died in 1872, a few years after making this blade. He was taught swordmaking by one Sukenaga who was actually from a corollary family to the mainline of Yokoyama smiths. Sukenaga also signed on his nakago that he was the 56th generation descended from Tomonari. Sukenaga’s brother, Sukemori, was adopted into the mainline school, as the 12th master and Sukekane, his natural son, became the 13th master.  read more

Code: 25542

A Very Rare WW2, Factory Named 'Battle of Britain' & 'The Blitz' Period Rowntree's Factory Civil Defence Munitions Helmet. A Non Sparking Plasfort I R O Helmet, Used Before, During & After The 1942 Baedeker Raid in York. 9,500 Homes Destroyed

Stencilled with Rowntree's of York in white and I R O in yellow, which may represent Incident Rescue Officer, with two additional red stripe bands to denote higher rank. original lining perfect with leather strap {lacking buckle}.

Factory issue, WW2 named helmets are very rare indeed, and Rowntree's munitions and fuse factory is one of the rarest. In fact, in our experience, we have never seen another surviving example in 50 years. One of the old Rowntree factories was burnt to the ground in the 1942 Baedeker Raid, with 84 tonnes of incendiary bombs were dropped on the city, which destroyed 9,500 houses, numerous factories and the railway. 90 civilians died and 200 were injured. The Edinburgh train, packed with soldiers, took a direct hit. However York was valiantly defended by Yves Mahé, a Free French fighter pilot. {See a photo of him in photo 10 in the gallery.} Not all fighter pilots who defended the skies above Britain during the Battle of Britain and later in the war were British. Some of them were refugees from such as France or Poland. There were a total 14 Free French pilots and 146 Free Polish pilots that fought with the RAF. When their own countries were invaded by the Nazis, they fled here to Britain to continue the fight. One of these was the Free French pilot Yves Mahé, who helped save York from German bombers on the night of the Baedeker Raid

These 'Plastfort' helmets were made from bakelite, and early form of plastic, at the beginning of the Second World War. They were issued predominantly to the factory works, particularly those working in Royal Ordnance Factories making munitions. They plastic shells were used in place of metal as they could not create sparks.
Affected by restrictions on sugar imports and rationing, the factory buildings were temporarily converted. Much of Rowntree’s cream department was reconfigured for the production of munitions, Ryvita and dried egg, while the gum department was converted into a secret fuse factory, named County Industries.

In addition to its cocoa and chocolate production, it was felt that the company could offer an effective unit for the manufacture of munitions.

In 1941, what was previously the Smarties building was converted into a fuse filling factory:

Work of this kind was something which had never before been undertaken by Rowntree employees. If safety rules were disobeyed the penalty might be loss of life or limb.
Despite this, neither workers nor management were deterred from the task at hand and magazines for the storage of explosives had to be constructed. Fuses were required in vast quantities and targets were set for production at 100 000 units per week.

Yves Mahé, a Free French fighter pilot
who helped defend York during the 1942 Baedeker Raid. In the early hours of 29 April 1942, a
fleet of German bombers arrived in the skies above York. For more than 90 minutes during what became known as the ‘Baedeker Raid’ they rained down 84 tonnes of incendiary and high explosive bombs, setting the city ablaze. More than 90 civilians died,
more than 200 were injured and it was estimated that 9,500 houses were destroyed or damaged.
Many public buildings were also severely damaged, including the medieval Guildhall and the church of St Martin le Grand in Coney Street.
The old Rowntree factory in North Street was burned to the ground; the railway station was badly damaged and the incoming King’s Cross to Edinburgh train crowded with service personnel took a direct hit. Also hit were Clifton Aerodrome; St Peter’s School; Queen Anne Grammar School for Girls; the Manor School, Marygate and the Bar Convent, where the building collapsed killing five nuns.

Rowntree Park, donated by Joseph Rowntree at the end of the First World War as memorial to those who had fallen, added the gates at the Terry Street entrance to serve as a memorial to those who had also given their lives during the Second World War. Both Wars are commemorated by plaques in the Lych Gate, in the centre of the park next to the statue and fountains.
Volunteer non-British pilot numbers of the RAF in WW2
Poland 145-146
New Zealand 127–135
Canada 112
Czechoslovakia 84–88
Belgium 28–30
Australia 26–32
South Africa 22–25
Free France 13–14
Republic of Ireland 10
United States 9–11
Southern Rhodesia 3–4
Barbados 1
Jamaica 1
Newfoundland 1
Northern Rhodesia 1  read more

Code: 25573

A Spectacular & Most Rare 1928, Original 'Zeppelin' Issue Airship Cocktail Shaker & Travelling Bar. An Amazing Example of Art Decor Functional Object D'art. The Last Example of This Wonderful & Rare Aeronautica That We Found, Sold For $23,000

A jolly rare piece of superb and unique Third Reich period Art Deco German craftsmanship, DRGM register stamped with its serial number 11. Only the second we have had in the past 18 years. Stunning, original Art Deco piece, almost certainly by J.A. Henkels Twin Works of Germany. DRGM stamped and further marked, Made in Germany on the base. Made for, used and sold aboard the Graf Zeppelin Air Ship and later, the Hindenberg Air Ship. There are 14 pieces, in this set including; the gondola, four stacking cups, a corkscrew and cover, a gin tankard flask, a full shaker, with lid, and condiment container. All pieces are plated on their interior in 24k gold. It's brilliantly engineered and constructed, the pieces fitting together to form a Zeppelin Airship model, with hand-in-glove precision.LZ 129 Hindenburg (Luftschiff Zeppelin 129; Registration: D-LZ 129) was a German commercial passenger-carrying rigid airship, the lead ship of the Hindenburg class, the longest class of flying machine and the largest airship by envelope volume. It was designed and built by the Zeppelin Company (Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH) on the shores of Lake Constance in Friedrichshafen, Germany, and was operated by the German Zeppelin Airline Company (Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei). It was named after Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg, who was President of Germany from 1925 until his death in 1934.

LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin was a German-built and -operated, passenger-carrying, hydrogen-filled, rigid airship which operated commercially from 1928 to 1937. When it entered commercial service in 1928, it became the first commercial passenger transatlantic flight service in the world. It was named after the German pioneer of airships, Ferdinand von Zeppelin, who was a count (Graf) in the German nobility. During its operating life, the airship made 590 flights covering more than 1.7 million kilometers (over 1 million miles). It was designed to be operated by a crew of 36 officers and men. The LZ 127 was the longest rigid airship at the time of its completion. The creation of the DZR as successor to DELAG occurred for both political and business reasons. Luftschiffbau Zeppelin (LZ) chairman Hugo Eckener, who had intended to run against Hitler in the 1932 presidential election, was already disliked by the Nazis. When Eckener later resisted the new Nazi government's efforts to use zeppelins for propaganda purposes, Reich Minister of Aviation Hermann G?ring insisted that a new agency be created to extend Party control over LZ Group. A personal rivalry between G?ring and Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels also played a role. To complicate matters further, the Luftschiffbau was a loss-making concern and needed cash investment, in particular to complete construction of the Hindenburg.

Deutsche Zeppelin-Reederei was therefore incorporated on 22 March 1935 as a joint venture between Zeppelin Luftschiffbau, the Ministry of Aviation, and Deutsche Lufthansa. The LZ Group's capital contribution came primarily from its two airships LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin and LZ 129 Hindenburg, the latter of which was not yet complete on the date of incorporation.
Overall length of the portable cocktail bar is 12 inches. This example is in superb original condition. The nickel finish is fully original but worn. "The Zeppelin Airship cocktail shaker and traveling bar"
Circa. 1928 {not a 1960's copy} silver-plated brass 4 inches wide x 12 inches high. Just lacking 4 spoons that fit in the gondola however, the spoons should be relatively easy to replace I cup is an original period replacement.
A near identical example, by the same maker, made in the the same year, was sold at auction. It was an identical, but a complete eighteen-piece set with four spoons including the four nesting spoons, four nesting cups, removable flask, and with an original, leather case. Signed the same with the impressed manufacturer mark to underside: Germany D.R.G.M. with serial number 11. Signed with impressed Germany. Estimated 7,000 to 9,000 dollars, that example sold for $23,750 dollars US. In Wrights Modern And Contemporary Design Auction, in Illinois October 2012

Provenance: Private collection, Los Angeles
Literature: Modernism: Modernist Design 1880-1940, Duncan, pg. 187. Link to the $23,000 auction example; copy and paste
http://www.wright20.com/auctions/view/OMXD/OMXE/285/lotno_asc/none/OOJE/  read more

Code: 21160

Beautiful, Original 'Tamashigiri Cutting Test' Antique Samurai Katana Signed By High Rated Master Smith, Masashige Tegarayama, 手柄山正繁 With Highly Rare Tamashigiri Cutting Test, By Gonnosuke Komatsubara, Dated 1799. & A Buddhist Eightfold Path Tsuba

The tsuka has Higo school, Edo period, plain iron fuchi kashira, and a very nice pair of gold dragon with ken menuki, and a fine copper habaki with blue-green silk tsuka-ito over traditional samegawa {giant rayskin}.

An elegant full length hi horimono blade, with a narrow suguha hamon, with just a few, as can occasionally be expected from swords kept in the UK in the 1870’s, minuscule, age and edge marks mostly to one side of the blade, thus priced accordingly. Signed by a master smith of great status dated and tested by the execution of a criminal by a a shogunate approved tamashgiri master of the Yamada family.

By Masashige Tegarayama. 手柄山　正繁
He was famous and highly regarded as a sword smith .
On the other side is a man named Gonnosuke Komatsubara. 小松原　権之助.
He is the tamegashiri master who tested the sharpness of this sword when he was going to execute a criminal with it.
The date is August 13,1799 （寛政十一年八月十三日）and the only people who could execute a criminal were those from family recognized by the shogunate, and who were adopted by the sixth head of that family Yoshimasa Yamada. 山田吉昌. known as the Shogun's Executioners
The text next to the date indicated the evaluation of the sharpness of the sword.
The characters written are “Chichiwari Dodan “ 乳割　土壇　which means that the criminal was laid on a foundation piled with earth, and when the chest was cut , the cut reached the ground, this is a record of where the sword was actually cut and how far it cut.

The tsuba is a super example of an eight-spoke wheel that connects the rim to the plate in this Katchushi Tsuba, likely Koto period circa 450 years old. The ‘spokes’, which symbolize the ‘eight fold path’, radiate from the plate, of ribbed octagonal rim. The surface has perfect colouration and patina, the quality of iron is very good. The Buddhist Eightfold Path consists of eight practices: right view, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi ('meditative absorption or union'; alternatively, unanimous meditative awareness)

Katchushi means armoursmith in Japanese.
So, it is said that the definition of Katchushi-Tsuba is tsuba made by armour-smiths.

The saya has a beautiful black urushi lacquer ribbed top section, with a bottom section of nishiji gold urushi lacquer.

Tameshigiri (試し斬り, 試し切り, 試斬, 試切) is the Japanese art of target test cutting. The kanji literally mean "test cut" (kun'yomi: ためし ぎり tameshi giri). This practice was popularized in the Edo period (17th century) for testing the quality of Japanese swords. It continues to the present day, but has evolved into a martial art which focuses on demonstrating the practitioner's skill with a sword.
The practice of tameshigiri flourished during the Edo period, from 1600 to 1868. These blade tests were mainly conducted on katanas and wakizashis, which together are known as daishōs. Samurai warriors would perform these tests for their own use to ensure the sharpness of their future weapon. They could also carry out tameshigiri tests on behalf of their daimyō, testing katanas intended for their warlord's armies.

Different types of cuts were tested on various swords, each trajectory having its own name. For example, a vertical cut from the top of the body was called kami tatewari, while a vertical cut from the bottom was referred to as shimo tatewari. After each test, the number of bodies cut was inscribed on the tang of the blade, the nakago or 茎. This number was either marked with a file or inscribed as a column, along with the date, the name of the tester, and the cutting results. This katana has that very form of highly rare inscription on its nakago.
For some tests they were placed on a sand mound, about 11.81 inches high, known as dodan. To keep the bodies in place, four pieces of bamboo were fixed to hold the targets, referred to as hasamitake. The performance of the blade was then measured in terms of the number of bodies cut and the depth of the cut in centimeters. Renowned and proud swordsmiths would attend these events to witness their creations being tested. They would dress in ceremonial white kimonos for the occasion. If a blade failed the test, it brought such dishonour that the only way to cleanse their honour was through seppuku, ritual suicide.

The samurai were roughly the equivalent of feudal knights. Employed by the shogun or daimyo, they were members of hereditary warrior class that followed a strict "code" that defined their clothes, armour and behaviour on the battlefield. But unlike most medieval knights, samurai warriors could read and they were well versed in Japanese art, literature and poetry. Samurai were expected to be both fierce warriors and lovers of art, a dichotomy summed up by the Japanese concepts of bu to stop the spear exanding into bushido (the way of life of the warrior) and bun (the artistic, intellectual and spiritual side of the samurai). Originally conceived as away of dignifying raw military power, the two concepts were synthesized in feudal Japan and later became a key feature of Japanese culture and morality.The quintessential samurai was Miyamoto Musashi, a legendary early Edo-period swordsman who reportedly killed 60 men before his 30th birthday and was also a painting master. Members of a hierarchal class or caste, samurai were the sons of samurai and they were taught from an early age to unquestionably obey their mother, father and daimyo. When they grew older they could be trained by Zen Buddhist masters in meditation and the Zen concepts of impermanence and harmony with nature. The were also taught about painting, calligraphy, nature poetry, mythological literature, flower arranging, and the tea ceremony.

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

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

Code: 25464

A Good Victorian Bamboo Hidden, Secret, Dagger-Cane. An Original Antique Collector's item

This is a cane that originally was likely intended for close quarter action. The sword stick or cane was in its day ideal for defensive action, but the dagger-cane was usually intended for both offensive or defensive, ideal for use in a crowd or a hand to hand conflict in most confined quarters of any bustling city. As an antique collectable it is simply awesome. A startling and most collectable conversation piece, worthy of the legendary Sherlock Holmes himself, in fact, more likely a tool of the diabolical genius, and arch nemeses of Holmes, Professor Moriarty . One can only imagine what perils and heinous adversities that it's original owner, who had this awesome cane commissioned, must have feared, dreaded or even instigated. The name Bartitsu might well have been completely forgotten if not for a chance mention by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in one of his Sherlock Holmes mystery stories. In the Adventure of the Empty House (1903), Holmes explained that he had escaped the clutches of his enemy Professor Moriarty through his knowledge of bartitsu, or Japanese wrestling. Using a walking cane with or without hidden blade.

The swordstick was a popular fashion accessory for the wealthy during the 18th and 19th centuries. While the weapon's origins are unknown, it is apparent that the cane-sword's popularity peaked when decorative swords were steadily being replaced by canes as a result of the rising popularity of firearms, and the lessening influence of swords and other small arms.


The first sword canes were made for nobility by leading sword cutlers. Sixteenth century sword canes were often bequeathed in wills. Sword canes became more popular as the streets became less safe. Society dictated it mandatory that gentlemen of the 18th and especially 19th centuries would wear a cane when out and about, and it was common for the well-dressed gentleman to own and sport canes in a variety of styles, including a good and sound sword cane. Although Byron was proficient in the use of pistols, his lameness and his need to defend himself in some potentially dangerous situations made a swordstick doubly useful to him. He received lessons in London from the fencing master Henry Angelo and owned a number of swordsticks, some of which were supplied by his boxing instructor Gentleman John Jackson.

Sword sticks came in all qualities, and for numerous purposes, from the simplest bamboo sword cane personal defender to stout customs officer’s ‘prod’, to offensive close quarter stiletto dagger canes and even to the other side of the world in the form of Japanese samurai’s shikome-sue, hidden swords.

We show two famous sword sticks in the gallery, one that belonged to Lord Byron, and another in a Presidential Centre Library collection, a historic sword stick is part of the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Centre Library collection in Fremont, Ohio from the Waggoner family, the sword-cane was said to have been presented to Mr Waggoner by General George Washington in honour of Waggoner's service in Washington's Life Guard during the American Revolutionary War

36 inches long overall 9.5 inches long blade. An original antique collectable for display purposes only.  read more

Code: 25564

A Most Rare Early, 14th Century, circa 1340, Medievil Iron Hand Cannon or 'Handgonne' Made in the Period, & Used From the Battle of Crecy and Poitier Era.

An absolutely beauty and an incredibly significant historical piece, effectively the handgonne, was the very first iron hand held powder and ball piece, that began the evolution into the pistol, almost 700 years ago, and around 500 years before Mr Colt developed his first revolver in the 1840's.

From a collection of original rare antiquities collection we acquired, and this is the third extraordinarily rare original handgonne from that collection. We normally find only one or two every ten years or so, or even longer, but to buy all three from the collection was amazing.

The earliest design of conical form. Small enough and light enough to be manoeuvred by hand and thus then loosely fixed, or semi-permanently fixed, in either an L shaped wooden block and used like a mortar, or, onto a length of sturdy wooden haft, from three feet to five foot long to be used almost musket like and bound with wrought iron bands see illustration in the photo gallery of these medievil variations of mounting. The precursor to the modern day pistol and musket from which this form of ancient so called handgonne developed into over the centuries. It is thought that gunpowder was invented in China and found its way to Europe in the 13th Century. In the mid to late 13th Century gunpowder began to be used in cannons and handguns, and by the mid 14th Century they were in relatively frequent use for castle sieges. By the end of the 14th Century both gunpowder, guns and cannon had greatly evolved and were an essential part of fortifications which were being modified to change arrow slits for gun loops. Hand cannon' date of origin ranges around 1350. Hand cannon were inexpensive to manufacture, but not accurate to fire. Nevertheless, they were employed for their shock value. In 1492 Columbus carried one on his discovery exploration to the Americas. Conquistadors Hernando Cortez and Francisco Pizzaro also used them, in 1519 and 1533, during their respective conquests and colonization of Mexico and Peru. Not primary arms of war, hand cannon were adequate tools of protection for fighting men.. Approx, 4 inches long 1 1/2 inch bore, and weighs around 5.1 lbs

See Funcken, L. & Funcken F., Le costume, l'armure et les armes au temps de la chevalerie, de huitieme au quinzieme siecle, Tournai,1977, pp.66-69, for reconstruction of how such hand cannons were used.
At the beginning of the 14th century, among the infantry troops of the Western Middle Ages, developed the use of manual cannons (such as the Italian schioppetti, spingarde, and the German Fusstbusse).  read more

Code: 24816

A Superb Finest Quality Large Royal Naval Sea Service Brass Cannon Barelled Flintlock Blunderbuss. Made by I Gore of The Minories, London. With Ordnance Crown Stamp. Land Pattern Brass Furniture. Circa 1760

This is a very powerful example of its rare kind, with great heft and substance. Almost the power of a royal naval swivel cannon. Excellent flintlock action. 1740 CP & V proofs to the barrel, finest quality walnut rail stock, all brass furniture in the ordnance Land Pattern form. original ram rod with load extraction steel worm end.

Brass blunderbusses were "naval enforcers" in war and peace. this beauty was used from the American Revolutionary War, through the Anglo French Wars, the Napoleonic Wars, such as the Battle of The Nile, the Battle of Camperdown, the Battle of Cape St. Vincent and the Battle of Cape Trafalgar. The War of 1812 against the American Navy, and up to around the early 1840's. Their huge, smooth-bore barrels are very destructive at close range. They are easy to load and fairly easy to repair.

This amazing example was used by the Royal Navy during the Revolutionary war up to and past the close of the Napoleonic wars.

With these guns such as this at its command, it is little wonder that Britain ruled the waves for many generations. The "Sea Service," as the British Navy was called, continued to be the world's most powerful maritime force for two centuries.

The blunderbuss, which takes its name from the German term Donderbuschse (thunder gun) is a short-barreled firearm with a flared muzzle that made its appearance in the late 16th century. Often associated with the Pilgrims, the blunderbuss was still relatively unknown in the early 17th century.
Originally intended for military purposes, these arms can be traced to 1598, when Germany's Henrich Thielman applied for a patent for a shoulder arm designed for shipboard use to repel enemy boarders. The blunderbuss quickly became popular with the Dutch and English navies. England's growing maritime power seems to have fueled production of these short bell-barrel arms, which were useful during close-in engagements between warships by enabling marines clinging to ship's rigging to use them against the gun crews of opposing vessels. The barrels and furniture of the blunderbuss were typically made from brass, and stocks were most commonly made from walnut. Other, less robust woods were sometimes used, but their tendency to shatter ensured that walnut would remain in widespread use as a stocking material.
The blunderbuss played a role during the English Civil War of 1642-48, and these arms were widely used as a personal defense arm in England during the Commonwealth Period. The lack of an organized system of law enforcement at that time, coupled with the growing threat posed by highwaymen, placed the burden of protecting life and property in the hands of honest citizens.

Although some blunderbusses bore the royal cipher of the Sovereign, they typically did not feature the Broad Arrow identifying government ownership or the markings of the Board of Ordnance, however this example bears the ordnance crown of King George IIIrd. Several brass- and iron-barreled blunderbusses were captured from the forces of Lord Cornwallis upon the latter's surrender to the Continental Army at Yorktown, Virginia in the final land campaign of the American Revolution

As with all our antique guns no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables, and it will be accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity.

Overall it is in superb condition with a exemplary original aged patination. the for end on one side has a small combat field service repaired fore stock crack in the wood.  read more

Code: 25557

Original German WWII ‘Rabbit Ear’ Optic Sighting Periscope, Scherenfernrohr S.F.14.Z.Gi. Tank Turret Mounting

Original WWII German OBSERVER’S SF.14z “RABBIT EAR” FIELD GLASSES. (Scherenfernrohr) for: Observation and reconnaissance; Measuring angles of azimuth; Measuring angles of site and elevation; Measuring height of shell bursts; Establishing safety zones for advancing friendly troops; and to lay field guns.
It was often seen employed in different roles such as in vehicles being specifically delivered as standard equipment in many German armored fighting vehicles such as the StuG III, Jagdpanzer 38, Jagdpanzer IV, Panther, the Nashorn and on the King Tiger where it can often be seen poking out the commander’s cupola, primarily as a safe method for him to observe the enemy without risk to life.

SF.14Z was also used by infantry type artilery spotters. Not much point giving it to these guys if you cant use them to estimate range.
Range estimation is critical to acheive a first round hit by greatly increasing accuracy, which is what you want when hunting tanks. SF.14Z also have a magnification of 14. The tank equivelent of a snipers sight.
The Germans soon realised that the commander using the SF.14Z to give the correct range to the gunner wasnt just good for accurate HE shoots but made for potent tank killer.
So they then issued the SF.14Z to most of their panzerjagers.
It appears that another famously accurate German tank killer the Nashorn was also equiped with SF.14Z rather than a rangefinder per see.

According to "Der Artillerist, Der Kanonier (1940) the Scherenfernrohr was to be used for:

1) Observation and reconnaissance
2) Measuring angles of
3) Measuring angles of site and elevation
4) Measuring height of shell bursts
5) Establishing safety zones for advancing friendly troops
6) And to lay field guns.

To aid ground infantry and artillery observers the Scherenfernrohr was used in conjunction with a tripod leg assembly. It normally came with accessories such as the azimuth mount and spirit level, tripod, carrying case, and other items such as a battery powered removable illumination lamp kit and a trench mount (often referred to as a tree screw which was approximate to a sort of cork screw that could allow the mount to be imbedded in wood or the ground).

A dhq coded sight (by J.D. Möller G.m.b.H., Wedel)

Photos in the gallery of them used by Hitler, And Himmler, on down to Falshirnjager, Panzer crew and Nashorn crew.

This is a superb set of optical site in great condition, the screw covers have slightly loose threads  read more

Code: 25556

A Superb British Light Dragoon Regimental Sword. 21st LD. The Regiment's Colonel Was One Of the Most Famous & Infamous American Revolutionary War's British Light Dragoon Commanders, Colonel {Later Brevet General} Banastre Tarleton

A very good King George IIIrd regimental trooper's issue sabre, in very nice condition, and regimentaly marked for the 21st Light Dragoons, the spine bears the maker’s details, “JosH H. Reddell & Co.” Joseph Hadley Reddell was a Napoleonic War's Birmingham maker, a noted supplier of swords to the British Government Board of Ordnance.

Famous in England due to his exploits in the Americas, and at the same time, infamous to Americans, due to his reputation for given what was known as 'Tarleton’s Quarter' to the surrendered, which was effectively 'No Quarter Offered'.

Between 1806 and 1816, under Col. Tarleton’s Command, the 21st LD was stationed in Cape Colony. While stationed here it sent men to the 1807 Battle of Montevideo in South America, as well as sending men to Barbados between 1808 and 1809. In 1816 it sent men to the Capture of Tristan de Cunha, due to Napoleon's incarceration there in late 1815. Saint Helena {Napoleon Bonaparte's island of exile}, is one of the three constituent parts of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, a remote British overseas territory.

During the Napoleonic wars, under the command of Banastre Tarleton, the regiment uniquely had four black enlisted volunteer regimental trumpeters, three from the West Indies and one American.
In the course of the colonial war in North America, Cornet Tarleton's campaign service during 1776 earned him the position of brigade major at the end of the year; he was twenty-two years old. He was promoted to captain on 13 June 1778. Major Tarleton was at the Battle of Brandywine and at other battles in the campaigns of 1777 and 1778. One such battle, in 1778, was an attack upon a communications outpost on Signal Hill in Easttown Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, which was guarded by troops commanded by Capt. Henry Lee III, of the Continental Army, who repulsed the British attack
Tarleton materially helped Cornwallis to win the Battle of Camden in August 1780. On 22 August, he was promoted to major in the 79th Regiment of Foot (Royal Liverpool Volunteers). He defeated Thomas Sumter at Fishing Creek, aka "Catawba Fords", but was less successful when he encountered the same general at Blackstock's Farm in November 1780.
On 29 May 1780, Colonel Tarleton, with a force of 149 mounted soldiers, overtook a detachment of 350 to 380 Virginia Continentals, led by Colonel Abraham Buford. Buford rejected Tarleton's invitation to surrender on essentially the same terms as the Charles Town garrison. The Continentals continued marching, not preparing for battle until they heard their rear guard in action. Only after sustaining many casualties did Buford order the American soldiers to surrender. Nonetheless, Tarleton's forces ignored the white flag and massacred the soldiers of Buford's detachment; 113 American soldiers were killed, 203 were captured, and 150 were severely wounded. The British army casualties were 5 soldiers killed and 12 soldiers wounded. From the perspective of the British Army, the affair of the massacre is known as the Battle of Waxhaw Creek. In that time, the American rebels used the phrase "Tarleton's quarter" (shooting after surrender) as meaning "no quarter offered".

Forty years later, Robert Brownfield, a surgeon’s mate in the Second South Carolina Regiment at the time of the battle, wrote an account. He said that Colonel Buford raised the white flag of surrender to the British Legion, "expecting the usual treatment sanctioned by civilized warfare"; yet, while Buford called for quarter, Colonel Tarleton's horse was shot with a musket ball, felling horse and man. On seeing that, the Loyalist cavalrymen believed that the Virginia Continentals had shot their commander – while they asked him for mercy. Enraged, the Loyalist troops attacked the Virginians and "commenced a scene of indiscriminate carnage never surpassed by the ruthless atrocities of the most barbarous savages"; in the aftermath, the British Legion soldiers killed wounded American soldiers where they lay.

Tarleton's account, published in 1787, said that his horse had been shot from under him, and that his soldiers, thinking him dead, engaged in "a vindictive asperity not easily restrained".

Regardless of the extent to which they were true or false, the reports of British atrocities motivated Whig-leaning colonials to support the American Revolution. On 7 October 1780, at the Battle of Kings Mountain, South Carolina, soldiers of the Continental Army, having heard of the slaughter at Waxhaw Creek, killed American Loyalists who had surrendered after a sniper killed their British commanding officer, Maj. Patrick Ferguson.

On 17 January 1781, Tarleton's forces were virtually destroyed by American Brigadier General Daniel Morgan at the Battle of Cowpens. Tarleton and about 200 men escaped the battlefield.

Lieutenant Colonel William Washington commanded the rebel cavalry; to deprive the rebels of leadership he was targeted by the British commander and two of his men. Tarleton was stopped by Washington himself, who attacked him with his sabre, calling out, "Where is now the boasting Tarleton?" A cornet of the 17th, Thomas Patterson, rode up to strike Washington but was shot and killed by Washington's orderly trumpeter.

Washington survived this assault and in the process wounded Tarleton's right hand with a sabre blow, while Tarleton creased Washington's knee with a pistol shot that also wounded his horse. Washington pursued Tarleton for sixteen miles, but gave up the chase when he came to the plantation of Adam Goudylock near Thicketty Creek. Tarleton was able to escape capture by forcing Goudylock to serve as a guide.

Tarleton continued to serve in the British Army and was promoted to colonel on 22 November 1790, to major-general on 4 October 1794 and to lieutenant-general on 1 January 1801. Whilst on service in Portugal, Tarleton succeeded William Henry Vane, 3rd Earl of Darlington as colonel of the Princess of Wales's Fencible Dragoons in 1799. Tarleton was appointed colonel of the 21st Light Dragoons on 24 July 1802. He was brevetted to general on 1 January 1812. He had hoped to be appointed to command British forces in the Peninsular War, but the position was instead given to Wellington. He held a military command in Ireland and another in England.

Trumpeter Andrew John Baptiste was born in the West Indies c.1780 (one source gives his birthplace as ‘Mandingo, Africa’). He enlisted in the 21st in July 1799. On enlistment he was 5/3 and ¼” tall with a black complexion, black eyes and black hair. A labourer by occupation, he was discharged, being invalided, at the Cape (South Africa), in July 1817. He is not recorded as being paid a pension, so it is likely that he was either simply discharged or received a gratuity.His surname was rendered as Babtiste and Bapliste. The Mandingo tribe Bissau.

Trumpeter Samuel Campbell was born in St Domingo c.1783. He enlisted in the 21st in October 1800. On enlistment he was 5/7 and ½” tall with a black complexion, black eyes, black hair and was a carpenter by occupation. A married man, he had probably met his wife Margaret (nee’ Roque), whilst the regiment was serving in Ireland. Their son, also named Samuel, was baptised in Woodbridge, Suffolk, when the regiment was quartered there in March 1805. He died in February 1812, serving in the latter stages of the 4th Xhosa War. Credit of £1/14s/1d was paid to his wife, Margaret, in Limerick, Ireland.

Private La Fleur Crittee was born in Pon-di-Cherry, East Indies c.1779. (Puducherry, India). He enlisted in the 21st in August 1805. On enlistment he was 5/11” tall with a black complexion, black eyes and black hair. A servant by occupation, he died in November 1815, whilst the regiment was serving in the Cape (South Africa). Sources: Forename also rendered as La Flean, and surname as Cartter, Cretie and Crittie.

Trumpeter Samuel Thomas was born in St Vincent c.1778. He enlisted in the 21st in March 1799. On enlistment he was 5/5” tall with a black complexion, black eyes and black hair. Invalided at the Cape (South Africa) in July 1817, he transferred to the Cape Cavalry. Discharged as a Trumpeter on a pension “being worn out”, in January 1821, he was described as being of “very good character”.

Trumpeter John Williams was born in Baltimore, USA c.1783. He enlisted in the 21st in September 1806. On enlistment he was 5/6” tall with a black complexion, black eyes and black hair. A labourer by occupation, he was discharged in the Cape, (South Africa), in June 1817.

No scabbard.
Painting in the gallery of the IV Light Dragoons and their black trumpeter.  read more

Code: 25554

A Most Fine & Attractive Antique Pre Edo Period Koto Han Dachi Mounted {Semi Tachi Style} Samurai Katana With A Superb Blade in Near Pristine Condition

With two part hidden secret compartment fuchi, for concealing small intelligence notes.
Circa 550 years old, and a delight to observe the wonderful elegant curvature to the blade. It has all original Edo period mounts fittings and saya, with original saya intricately patterned pine needle urushi lacquer. Typical original Edo period handachi mounts of matching, kashira, sayajiri, kurigata in a crashing wave takebori design of gilded brass, and a brass fuchi that is disguised to conceal it seperates into two parts to reveal a very narrow section to conceal small script notes. With a beautiful Edo mokko form iron tsuba with gold onlay of immortals one holding a staff, another reading a scroll held by a third figure, beneath a prunus tree . All untouched for over 150 years since it arrived in England in the 1870's. It has a very active undulating notare hamon, and fine grain within the hada, on the stunning blade, and it’s all original Edo period tsukaito binding to the hilt, in black silk, wrapped over a pair of gilt dragon menuki, and overall it has usual light signs of wear and use upon the saya, with age appropriate wear as to be expected.

Han-dachi originally appeared during the Muromachi period when there was a transition taking place from Tachi to katana. The sword was being worn more and more edge up when on foot, but edge down on horseback as it had always been. The handachi is a response to the need to be worn in either style. The samurai were roughly the equivalent of feudal knights. Employed by the shogun or daimyo, they were members of hereditary warrior class that followed a strict "code" that defined their clothes, armour and behavior on the battlefield. But unlike most medieval knights, samurai warriors could read and they were well versed in Japanese art, literature and poetry.

The samurai were roughly the equivalent of feudal knights. Employed by the shogun or daimyo, they were members of hereditary warrior class that followed a strict "code" that defined their clothes, armour and behaviour on the battlefield. But unlike most medieval knights, samurai warriors could read and they were well versed in Japanese art, literature and poetry.
Samurai endured for almost 700 years, from 1185 to 1867. Samurai families were considered the elite. They made up only about six percent of the population and included daimyo and the loyal soldiers who fought under them. Samurai means one who serves."

Samurai were expected to be both fierce warriors and lovers of art, a dichotomy summed up by the Japanese concepts of bu to stop the spear expanding into bushido (the way of life of the warrior) and bun (the artistic, intellectual and spiritual side of the samurai). Originally conceived as away of dignifying raw military power, the two concepts were synthesised in feudal Japan and later became a key feature of Japanese culture and morality.The quintessential samurai was Miyamoto Musashi, a legendary early Edo-period swordsman who reportedly killed 60 men before his 30th birthday and was also a painting master. Members of a hierarchal class or caste, samurai were the sons of samurai and they were taught from an early age to unquestionably obey their mother, father and daimyo. When they grew older they may be trained by Zen Buddhist masters in meditation and the Zen concepts of impermanence and harmony with nature. The were also taught about painting, calligraphy, nature poetry, mythological literature, flower arranging, and the tea ceremony.

it has been said that part of their military training, samurai were taught to sleep with their right arm underneath them so if they were attacked in the middle of the night and their the left arm was cut off the could still fight with their right arm. Samurai that tossed and turned at night were cured of the habit by having two knives placed on either side of their pillow.

Samurai have been describes as "the most strictly trained human instruments of war to have existed." They were expected to be proficient in the martial arts of aikido and kendo as well as swordsmanship and archery---the traditional methods of samurai warfare---which were viewed not so much as skills but as art forms that flowed from natural forces that harmonized with nature.
Some samurai, it has been claimed, didn't become a full-fledged samurai until he wandered around the countryside as begging pilgrim for a couple of years to learn humility. When this was completed they achieved samurai status and receives a salary from his daimyo paid from taxes (usually rice) raised from the local populace.

Japanese lacquer, or urushi, is a transformative and highly prized material that has been refined for over 7000 years.

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

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

Some provinces of Japan were famous for their contribution to this art: the province of Edo (later Tokyo), for example, produced the most beautiful lacquered pieces from the 17th to the 18th centuries. Lords and shoguns privately employed lacquerers to produce decorated samurai sword saya and also ceremonial and decorative objects for their homes and palaces.  read more

Code: 25549