A Very Good Original, WW2, Kriegsmarine Coastal Artillery Combat Badge Kriegsabzeichen für die Marineartillerie By Friedrich Linden of Lüdenscheid. From One Of Ian Fleming’s Naval Intelligence Section’s So Called ‘Red Indians’ 30 Commando Special Engineer

An original Kriegsmarine Coastal artillery badge by by FLL 43 – Friedrich Linden of Lüdenscheid constructed in zinc with nice gilt finish. . A zinc produced piece with a great amount of gold finish remaining. The Kriegsmarine maintained a large ground force, organized along the same lines as the German Army, which was known as the Marine-Infanterie . Kriegsmarine naval artillery and anti-aircraft crews were considered as shore personnel. Artillery units were organized into either regiments or sections while flak units were maintained in brigades and regiments. Both types of units were assigned to various ports and harbors and thus were under the direct operational authority of both the port commanders as well as the commander harbour security forces. During actual invasion of coastal regions by enemy forces, these units became part of the sea defense zones.
The Naval Artillery War Badge or War Badge for the Coastal Artillery (German: Kriegsabzeichen für die Marineartillerie) was a World War II German military decoration awarded to the crews of Kriegsmarine land-based marine artillery and anti-aircraft units. It was presented to personnel of coastal defense units, and anti-aircraft units. The award was instituted on 24 June 1941 by Grand Admiral Erich Raeder to reward the actions of both individuals and crew members. It was also awarded to those killed in action in said units.
Originally taken by a commando of 30 commando X troop while on clandestine missions as part of 30 Commando reconnaissance and sabotage.

From a former special engineering unit {Ian Fleming’s so called ‘Red Indians} in wartime Europe were a vital part of clandestine warfare, and all parts of the units combat service were then trained in recognising enemy mines, booby traps, handling of explosives, demolitions, counter-demolitions, bomb disposal, and combined with recognition of enemy uniforms and equipment for intelligence gathering. Reporting all elements of their findings back to CoCO, and by them to the Admiralty. Fleming referred to such brave men as his ‘Red Indians’. see Casino Royale for reference.

There were seven active Marinekustenten-Bataillons or MKBs consisting of two to six companies each, prior to the invasion of Norway. These battalions were charged initially with protecting the coasts and harbors of Germany. With the fall of Norway, France, and the Low Countries, these units were expanded to include four large-caliber naval batteries between Calais and Boulogne. These were to be used during the planned invasion of Britain to provide the initial shore bombardment of the Dover Area and prevent the Royal Navy from interfering with the invasion fleet.

When the invasion was scrubbed in late 1940 in favor of starving Britain into submission, additionally Navy Artillery and Flak companies were formed to protect the many U-Boot bases being built along the Atlantic Coast. In mid-1941, battalions were formed to fortify the Channel Islands and the coast of Norway.

Artillerie of HKB was responsible for “Filling-In” the coastal areas between these points by covering possible landing sites. The Navy Artillery units were normally situated directly on the coast and used as direct fire control procedure similar to that used on ships, with the Army positioned further inland, which protected them from Allied “Air” and “Naval” attack, but limited their ability to track and engage enemy ships and landing craft. Navy artillery battalions were separate from the Heer, under the Navy.

Battery organization generally depended on the weapon system to which Fuhrer Directive 40, March 1942, provided detailed instructions for the construction and defense of what became known as the Atlantic Wall. This meant a massive expansion of the Naval Artillery, with some 100 Battalions* created by the end of the war.

Navy (Kriegsmarine) units were primarily deployed to defend, important ports, or harbors, rivers, estuaries, and other points critical to naval operations.
The brain child of naval commander Ian Fleming & Lord Louis Mountbatten, 30 Commando, this wartime unit was a secret well kept for over 50 years after the war by the Official Secrets Act, some remains classified. At the time, officially, they didn’t exist. The members of this unit were forbidden to discuss or document their activities, a pledge that many of the men kept even many years after the war was over, or even for their entire lives!
Due to the fact these men operated in very small groups on ‘need-to-know’ basis it is very difficult to get clear picture of everything they were doing.
Fleming’s/NID30AU secretary Miss Margaret Priestley (a history professor from Leeds University) played a vital role in the running and administration of 30AU and became his inspiration for Miss Petty Pettaval - the original character name that became Miss Moneypenny.
As revealed here for the first time! (see Beau Bête)

Miss Preistley transferred over to NID30AU during the winter of 1943-44 from DNR - (Department of Naval Research) where she worked as a civilian, although there were obvious links between DNR and NID30AU as intelligence on enemy targets was collected for Fleming’s ‘Black List’.

Also Known as: Fleming's 'Red Indians'
Fleming himself referred to the men of the unit as behaving like 'Red Indians'. (A reference he also used when referring to his character, James Bond, four times in his first novel Casino Royale. Which effectively makes this unit the ‘literary James Bond’s wartime unit’.)
Formerly:- (NID30 Command Office at Admiralty),
Special Engineering Unit.
'RED' Marines.
Latterly:- 30 Assault Unit,
 30 Advanced Unit, 30AU
 and incorrectly as 30th Assault Unit.
The number '30' was used for no better reason than it was NID/Miss Priestley’s Office Door number at the Admiralty. (Fleming’s Office was No. 39, see photo in the gallery of Fleming in room 39 of the Admiralty) 'Assault Unit' was 'overt' cover for the fact that they were intelligence gathering.
Date Founded: 30 September 1942
Date Disbanded: 26 March 1946
Date Reformed: February 2010 - 30 Cdo IXG
Mission When Founded:
The collection of technical intelligence and personnel from enemy headquarters and installations. Ahead of allied advances and before enemy could destroy it, to ‘Attain by Surprise’.

30 Commando consisted of Royal Marine, Army and Royal Navy elements that were organised into three Sections: No. 33, No. 34 and No.36 respectively. Initially code-named the Special Engineering Unit, the unit reported to the Chief of Combined Operations, though the Admiralty retained ultimate control of No.36 Section. No.35 Section was left vacant for the RAF to utilise but they never raised a troop to participate in 30 Cdo. Although they did supply intelligence officers and specific targets to pursue after D-Day for ‘Operation Crossbow’.
Unit members were given general commando skills and weapons training, and were then trained in recognising enemy mines, booby traps, handling of explosives, demolitions, counter-demolitions, recognition of enemy uniforms and equipment. Parachute training, small boat handling, recognition of enemy documents, search techniques including lock picking and safecracking, prisoner handling, photography and escape techniques were also taught.
A significant number of the initial recruits were formerly policemen. Although at least one ‘expert’ was recruited straight from prison, thought by the police to be the best safe-breaker in England at the time.
30 Cdo’s operational tactic was to move ahead of advancing Allied forces, or to undertake covert missions into enemy territory by land, sea or air, to capture intelligence, in the form of equipment, documents, codes or enemy personnel. 30 Cdo often worked closely with the Intelligence Corps' Field Security sections. More often than not each team consisted of two special operations Jeeps (As used by the SAS and 30AU) manned by one Naval Commander in possession of a ‘Black Book’ which listed targets from Ian Fleming’s famous ‘Black List’. The Naval Commander was the only man in each team who knew where and what the targets actually were. This Naval Commander was usually accompanied by at least one weapons expert or scientist who he relied on to evaluate the information or equipment they encountered. There were also usually at least six Royal Marines and one RM Officer whose main job was to do any fighting required and to keep the Naval Commander and any experts alive and out of trouble. (For details Reading section.)
The individual Sections served in all the Mediterranean and NW European operational theatres, usually operating independently, gathering information from captured facilities. The unit served in North Africa, the Greek Islands, Norway, Pantelleria, Sicily, Italy, and Corsica, 1942-1943 as 30 Commando.

As the Allies broke through 30AU split into many ‘Field Teams’ and these were responsible for capturing many and varied targets throughout Germany.
Team 2 under Curtis captured Prof. Helmut Walter, designer of the Me163 Rocket Plane and Midget Submarines at Kiel. (Kept by the British!).
Team 5 under USN Lambie captured Prof. Herbert Wagner (Handed to US Agents) designer of the guided flying bomb Hs293, already used to sink HMS Egret and to kill over 1000 troops on HMT Rohna. He went on to work for the US Navy. He did not surrender in Bavaria with Dornberger and the von Braun brothers as the Allied military would have us believe..
The capture of Prof. Magnus von Braun (Martin) V2 fuel chemist. (Handed to US Agents). He did not surrender in Bavaria as the Allied military want us to believe.
The capture of the designer of the Nazi V2 (who went on to the NASA Saturn V), Prof. von Braun and his brother. (Some men were convinced they were some of the scientists they caught!) Did they surrender in Bavaria as the Allied military want us to believe or was that staged afterwards? (see Beau Bête for details and FREE preview PDF, in Reading)
Team 55 under Glanville captured the entire Nazi Naval records collection at ‘Tambach Castle’.
Team 4 under Job(e) captured the Bremen dockyards with type 21; 25 submarines and destroyers. Then took the surrender of Bremerhaven and captured Naval HQ SS Europa and Z29 Destroyer. (All handed over to US Agents).
Team 2 Postlethwaite captures the Torpedo testing facility at Ekenförde.
Another team captured Admiral Dönitz (as Führer).
And many other things yet to be revealed by the government!
Ref; https://www.30au.co.uk
An amazing historic collection of information, including. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beau-B%C3%A9te-assigned-Flemings-intelligence/dp/B08R7XYHXW

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 trading  read more

Code: 25712

A Most Fabulous, Large, Ancient Bronze Coiled Serpent Armilla or Armlet Arm Ring, From The 2nd Millenium B.C., From the Eras of the Pharoahs Ahmenhotep To Tutankhamun

One of two we acquired from an ancient antiquity collection, not quite a pair but very similar from the same period and country of origin, and we are offering them separately, but they were in fact often worn with one on each arm and may indeed came from the same tomb etc. 200 years or so ago. See catalogue item number 24880

Over 3,300 to 3500 Years Old, 18th dynasty ancient Egyptian period, that includes Pharoah Ahmenhotep, Queen Nefertari, the most venerated Queen in Egyptian history, Pharoah Thutmose III, who became known as the greatest military pharaoh ever, and the most famous Pharoah in history, Tutankhamun.

A bronze serpent armilla arm ring that could be worn at the top of the arm or on the forearm, as it was adjustable in its day, expanding to the size required.

Worn by ancient Egyptian men or women of status, and we show pictures of original tomb art depicting figures of Egyptian dieties such as Osiris, almost all wearing armillae, but in their case likely made of gold, but the bronze type such as this would be polished bright and appear as gold as well.
Arm decoration and ornamentation was a very important sign of status and position in Ancient Egyptian society, and as it did in all the empires that followed over the next two thousand years. An intricate gold armlet from the artifacts of Nubian Queen Amanishakheto is displayed in the State Museum of Egyptian Art, in Munich, Germany. The armlet features a gold winged goddess. Another beautiful gold armlet is exhibited in Cairo Museum bearing the name of the pharaoh, Ahmose I, founder of the 18th Dynasty. The ancient Greeks and Romans also wore armlets, which were usually made from bronze or gold, and some of which were in the shape of serpents, winding plants, or embellished with images of gods and goddesses. Large, heavy armlets had hoops on the backs that attached to garments to help support their weight.

The Ancient Egyptian Dynasty XVIII was founded by Pharoah Ahmose I, the brother or son of Kamose, the last ruler of the 17th Dynasty. Ahmose finished the campaign to expel the Hyksos rulers. His reign is seen as the end of the Second Intermediate Period and the start of the New Kingdom. Ahmose's consort, Queen Ahmose-Nefertari was "arguably the most venerated woman in Egyptian history, and the grandmother of the 18th Dynasty." She was deified after she died. Ahmose was succeeded by his son, Amenhotep I, whose reign was relatively uneventful.

Amenhotep I probably left no male heir and the next pharaoh, Thutmose I, seems to have been related to the royal family through marriage. During his reign, the borders of Egypt's empire reached their greatest expanse, extending in the north to Carchemish on the Euphrates and in the south up to Kurgus beyond the fourth cataract of the Nile. Thutmose I was succeeded by Thutmose II and his queen, Hatshepsut, who was the daughter of Thutmose I. After her husband's death and a period of regency for her minor stepson (who would later become pharaoh as Thutmose III) Hatshepsut became pharaoh in her own right and ruled for over twenty years.

Thutmose III, who became known as the greatest military pharaoh ever, also had a lengthy reign after becoming pharaoh. He had a second co-regency in his old age with his son Amenhotep II. Amenhotep II was succeeded by Thutmose IV, who in his turn was followed by his son Amenhotep III, whose reign is seen as a high point in this dynasty.

Amenhotep III's reign was a period of unprecedented prosperity, artistic splendour, and international power, as attested by over 250 statues (more than any other pharaoh) and 200 large stone scarabs discovered from Syria to Nubia, Amenhotep III undertook large scale building programmes, the extent of which can only be compared with those of the much longer reign of Ramesses II during Dynasty XIX. Amenhotep III's consort was the Great Royal Wife Tiye, for whom he built an artificial lake, as described on eleven scarabs.

Akhenaten, the Amarna Period, and Tutankhamun

Akhenaten and his family adoring the Aten. Second from the left is Meritaten, daughter of Akhenaten.
Amenhotep III may have shared the throne for up to twelve years with his son Amenhotep IV. There is much debate about this proposed co-regency, with different experts considering that there was a lengthy co-regency, a short one, or none at all.

In the fifth year of his reign, Amenhotep IV changed his name to Akhenaten and moved his capital to Amarna, which he named Akhetaten. During the reign of Akhenaten, the Aten became, first, the most prominent deity, and eventually came to be considered the only god. Whether this amounted to true monotheism continues to be the subject of debate within the academic community. Some state that Akhenaten created a monotheism, while others point out that he merely suppressed a dominant solar cult by the assertion of another, while he never completely abandoned several other traditional deities.

Later Egyptians considered this "Amarna Period" an unfortunate aberration. After his death, Akhenaten was succeeded by two short-lived pharaohs, Smenkhkare and Neferneferuaten, of which little is known. In 1334 Akhenaten's son, Tutankhaten, ascended to the throne: shortly after, he restored Egyptian polytheist cult and subsequently changed his name in Tutankhamun, in honour to the Egyptian god Amun. His infant daughters, represent the final genetically related generation of the Eighteenth Dynasty
Ancient Egyptian art shows both men and women wearing pairs of armlets.

The 10th Duke of Hamilton had a strong interest in Ancient Egyptian mummies, and was so impressed with the work of mummy expert Thomas Pettigrew that he arranged for Pettigrew to mummify him after his death. He died on 18 August 1852 at age 84 at 12 Portman Square, London, England and was buried on 4 September 1852 at Hamilton Palace, Hamilton, Scotland. In accordance with his wishes, Hamilton's body was mummified after his death and placed in a sarcophagus of the Ptolemaic period that he had originally acquired in Paris in 1836 ostensibly for the British Museum. We have been acquiring similar such items from Duke's descendants from the family's 'Grand Tour' collection for the past 30 years or more.  read more

Code: 24823

A Most Fabulous, Large, Ancient Bronze Coiled Serpent Armilla or Armlet Arm Ring, From The 2nd Millenium B.C., From the Eras of the Pharoahs Ahmenhotep To Tutankhamun

One of two we acquired from an ancient antiquity collection, not quite a pair but very similar from the same period and country of origin, and we are offering them separately, but they were in fact often worn with one on each arm and may indeed came from the same tomb etc. 200 years or so ago. This example has a small pattern of indents at both ends, to appear like serpent's heads.

Over 3,300 to 3500 Years Old, 18th dynasty ancient Egyptian period, that includes Pharoah Ahmenhotep, Queen Nefertari, the most venerated Queen in Egyptian history, Pharoah Thutmose III, who became known as the greatest military pharaoh ever, and the most famous Pharoah in history, Tutankhamun.

A bronze serpent armilla arm ring that could be worn at the top of the arm or on the forearm, as it was adjustable in its day, expanding to the size required.

Worn by ancient Egyptian men or women of status, and we show pictures of original tomb art depicting figures of Egyptian dieties such as Osiris, almost all wearing armillae, but in their case likely made of gold, but the bronze type such as this would be polished bright and appear as gold as well.
Arm decoration and ornamentation was a very important sign of status and position in Ancient Egyptian society, and as it did in all the empires that followed over the next two thousand years. An intricate gold armlet from the artifacts of Nubian Queen Amanishakheto is displayed in the State Museum of Egyptian Art, in Munich, Germany. The armlet features a gold winged goddess. Another beautiful gold armlet is exhibited in Cairo Museum bearing the name of the pharaoh, Ahmose I, founder of the 18th Dynasty. The ancient Greeks and Romans also wore armlets, which were usually made from bronze or gold, and some of which were in the shape of serpents, winding plants, or embellished with images of gods and goddesses. Large, heavy armlets had hoops on the backs that attached to garments to help support their weight.

The Ancient Egyptian Dynasty XVIII was founded by Pharoah Ahmose I, the brother or son of Kamose, the last ruler of the 17th Dynasty. Ahmose finished the campaign to expel the Hyksos rulers. His reign is seen as the end of the Second Intermediate Period and the start of the New Kingdom. Ahmose's consort, Queen Ahmose-Nefertari was "arguably the most venerated woman in Egyptian history, and the grandmother of the 18th Dynasty." She was deified after she died. Ahmose was succeeded by his son, Amenhotep I, whose reign was relatively uneventful.

Amenhotep I probably left no male heir and the next pharaoh, Thutmose I, seems to have been related to the royal family through marriage. During his reign, the borders of Egypt's empire reached their greatest expanse, extending in the north to Carchemish on the Euphrates and in the south up to Kurgus beyond the fourth cataract of the Nile. Thutmose I was succeeded by Thutmose II and his queen, Hatshepsut, who was the daughter of Thutmose I. After her husband's death and a period of regency for her minor stepson (who would later become pharaoh as Thutmose III) Hatshepsut became pharaoh in her own right and ruled for over twenty years.

Thutmose III, who became known as the greatest military pharaoh ever, also had a lengthy reign after becoming pharaoh. He had a second co-regency in his old age with his son Amenhotep II. Amenhotep II was succeeded by Thutmose IV, who in his turn was followed by his son Amenhotep III, whose reign is seen as a high point in this dynasty.

Amenhotep III's reign was a period of unprecedented prosperity, artistic splendour, and international power, as attested by over 250 statues (more than any other pharaoh) and 200 large stone scarabs discovered from Syria to Nubia, Amenhotep III undertook large scale building programmes, the extent of which can only be compared with those of the much longer reign of Ramesses II during Dynasty XIX. Amenhotep III's consort was the Great Royal Wife Tiye, for whom he built an artificial lake, as described on eleven scarabs.

Akhenaten, the Amarna Period, and Tutankhamun

Akhenaten and his family adoring the Aten. Second from the left is Meritaten, daughter of Akhenaten.
Amenhotep III may have shared the throne for up to twelve years with his son Amenhotep IV. There is much debate about this proposed co-regency, with different experts considering that there was a lengthy co-regency, a short one, or none at all.

In the fifth year of his reign, Amenhotep IV changed his name to Akhenaten and moved his capital to Amarna, which he named Akhetaten. During the reign of Akhenaten, the Aten became, first, the most prominent deity, and eventually came to be considered the only god. Whether this amounted to true monotheism continues to be the subject of debate within the academic community. Some state that Akhenaten created a monotheism, while others point out that he merely suppressed a dominant solar cult by the assertion of another, while he never completely abandoned several other traditional deities.

Later Egyptians considered this "Amarna Period" an unfortunate aberration. After his death, Akhenaten was succeeded by two short-lived pharaohs, Smenkhkare and Neferneferuaten, of which little is known. In 1334 Akhenaten's son, Tutankhaten, ascended to the throne: shortly after, he restored Egyptian polytheist cult and subsequently changed his name in Tutankhamun, in honour to the Egyptian god Amun. His infant daughters, represent the final genetically related generation of the Eighteenth Dynasty

Ancient Egyptian art shows both men and women wearing pairs of armlets.

The 10th Duke of Hamilton had a strong interest in Ancient Egyptian mummies, and was so impressed with the work of mummy expert Thomas Pettigrew that he arranged for Pettigrew to mummify him after his death. He died on 18 August 1852 at age 84 at 12 Portman Square, London, England and was buried on 4 September 1852 at Hamilton Palace, Hamilton, Scotland. In accordance with his wishes, Hamilton's body was mummified after his death and placed in a sarcophagus of the Ptolemaic period that he had originally acquired in Paris in 1836 ostensibly for the British Museum. We have been acquiring similar such items from Duke's descendants from the family's 'Grand Tour' collection for the past 30 years or more.

82mm across at its widest point.  read more

Code: 24880

3rd Century Roman Axe-Adze 'Dolabra' Roman Empire to Byzantine Period For The Construction of Military Forts & Bridges, To The Making of Seige Weapons, Such as Catapulta and Ballista In Times Of Combat Used From the 3rd to 14th Century. A Tool & Weapon

In complete condition, without repair and restoration, The form used by Rome for over a 1000 years. Just arrived after two weeks of hand conservation in our workshop.
Ancient Roman utility axe used from the construction of military forts and bridges, to the making of seige weapons in time of combat, and it doubled as an incredibly effective combat weapon. Almost identical to another iron dolabra recovered recently from the Harzhorn event, from the time of Emperor Maximinus Thrax 235 to 236 ad .{see photo in the gallery.}
The Roman Battle of Harzhorn ;
The battle between Roman legionaries and auxiliary troops and Germanic tribes around 235 AD on the western edge of the Harz Mountain.

The axe was a fundamental weapon of the Roman to Byzantine soldiers - both on foot and on horseback. Aside from combat, one of the main utility tools of the Roman army was the axe. The adze axe was useful in splitting wood and a fundamental tool needed to do everything from constructing military forts, to building large siege weapons such as catapulta and ballista. In times of war, these axes doubled as highly effective weapons, able to defeat armour, breaking bones and crushing skulls with a single blow. This specific adze axe 'dolabra' was found on an ancient battlefield with a large number of other iron weapons, over a century ago, indicating its final use was in combat. It has now been professionally cleaned and conserved by us recently..

This item was used by the Imperial Roman army and its type by the Byzantine Roman armies defending the Empire's northern border along the Danube River in the present day East Balkans. This region was the northern-most boundary of the Roman Empire for most of its duration and evolution into Byzantium right up until 1336 AD when the area fell under Ottoman rule. In the Balkans, Roman camps and fortresses along the Danube were constantly being challenged by opposing tribes and armies. The river served as a natural barrier against attacks from the north. Collected from a region that was once occupied by the Byzantine Roman military as they fought against the challengers of the Christian Roman Empire, they were utilized by Roman soldiers in one of the many violent and frequent battles that took place in defense of Byzantium.

The dolabra is a versatile axe, of two main types, used by the people of Italy since ancient times. The more curved and longer dolabra could serve as a pickaxe, used by miners and excavators, a priest's implement for ritual religious slaughtering of animals and as an entrenching tool (mattock) and further used in Roman infantry tactics. The shorter less curved regular dolabra (like this one) was used for both construction and combat In the 1st century CE, at the Siege of Augustodunum Haeduorum, where famously, armoured Gallic gladiators were defeated by legionaries wielding such dolabrae. See depictions carved into Trajans column in the gallery for their use in combat.
The Siege of Augustodunum Haeduorum (modern Autun, France) took place between 269 and 270 AD, during the reign of the Gallic Emperor Victorinus. The city, which had declared allegiance to Claudius Gothicus, was besieged by Victorinus' troops for seven months before being captured and plundered.

Early Roman Dolabra.
General Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo famously once said, "you defeat the enemy with a pickaxe"

We show in the gallery a recently excavated near pair to our dolabra found in the famous Harzhorn Event. Not only is it a near identical pair to ours, it was in the identical condition state as ours before both were conserved. See the photo of theirs and ours side by side in the gallery before and after conservation. Note the state of corruption of our iron dolabra {before connservation} is absolutely identical to the state of iron corruption of the Battle of Harzhorn recovered dolabra, before conservation, that had remained buried for around 1800 years, just as was ours.

The term Harzhorn event refers to several connected battles that took place between several thousand Roman legionaries and their auxiliary troops and an unknown number of Germanic tribes around the year 235/236 on the western edge of the Harz Mountains on the Harzhorn hill and represent a comparatively late example of the military presence of the Romans in Germania .

The archaeological sites are located near the Kalefeld district of Wiershausen on the northern edge of the Northeim district of Lower Saxony and initially covered an area of ​​2.0 × 0.5 kilometers (as of April 2009). At the end of 2010, another extensive site was discovered approximately three kilometers away. Both sites are considered by the scientists commissioned to investigate them to be spectacular discoveries of extraordinary scientific importance: Along with the Kalkriese region, they are the best-preserved ancient battlefield in Europe. This offers a unique opportunity to examine the archaeological remains of a Roman army engaged in combat.

To date, around 1,700 artifacts from the fighting have been found (as of summer 2013). Along with the Roman camp at Hedemünden , the Bentumersiel site , the Roman marching camp at Wilkenburg, and the Kalkriese region, the sites around the Harzhorn are one of the largest sites of Roman militaria in northern Germany. This find is also significant because of its context in the historical events at the beginning of the so-called Imperial Crisis of the 3rd century . Previously, historical research had considered such wide-ranging military operations by the Romans to be impossible at this time and in this area. According to current evidence, it is almost certain that the battle belongs in the context of the Germanic Wars of Emperor Maximinus Thrax in 235 and 236.

Dolabrae are mentioned several times in ancient literature, are depicted on the reliefs of Trajan's Column and appear in the finds of imperial military camps, but also in battlefield finds such as in Kalkriese.

11 inches long 2.1 pounds in weight.  read more

Code: 25810

A Impressive Ancient Roman Dolabra Pick-Axe. General Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo Once Famously Said Of This Form Of Dolabra, "You Defeat The Enemy With a Pickaxe". Thus It Was Used For Combat & The Destruction of Fortifications. Used From The 1st Century

Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo (Peltuinum c. AD 7 – 67) was a popular Roman general, brother-in-law of the emperor Caligula and father-in-law of Domitian. The emperor Nero, highly fearful of Corbulo's reputation, ordered him to commit suicide, which the general carried out faithfully, exclaiming "Axios", meaning "I am worthy", and fell on his own sword.

Corbulo's early career is unknown but he was suffect consul in AD 39 during the reign of Caligula, his brother-in-law through Caligula's marriage to Corbulo's half-sister Milonia Caesonia.

After Caligula's assassination, Corbulo's career came to a halt until, in AD 47, the new Emperor Claudius made him commander of the armies in Germania Inferior, with a base camp in Colonia (Cologne).

The new assignment was a difficult one and Corbulo had to deal with major rebellions by the Germanic Cherusci and Chauci tribes. During his stay in Germania, the general ordered the construction of a canal between the rivers Rhine and Meuse. Parts of this engineering work, known as Fossa Corbulonis or Corbulo's Canal, have been found at archaeological digs. It ran largely parallel to the modern-day Vliet canal, which connects the modern towns of Leiden (ancient Matilo) and Voorburg (Forum Hadriani). Upon reaching lower Germania, Corbulo employed both the army and naval squadrons of the fleet patrolling the Rhine and the North Sea, eventually expelling the Chauci away from the Roman Provinces and instituting a rigorous training program in order to ensure maximum effectiveness of his legions. He supposedly executed two legionaries after they were found to have laid aside their swords when labouring in the construction of fortifications on a marching camp. Corbulo is famously, purported to have said, "You defeat the enemy with a pickaxe."
The Siege of Augustodunum Haeduorum
Legionaries used dolabrae to defeat armoured crupellarii gladiators.
An instance occurred in 21 AD during the Florus and Sacrovir revolt, where enemy rebels used heavily armored gladiators called crupellarii as their front ranks. The Romans could not pierce the armour of the crupellarii with their swords, so they retrieved their pickaxes and mattocks to batter the rebel gladiators into submission.

In complete condition, without repair and restoration, The form used by Rome for over a 1000 years.
This ancient Imperial Roman utility pick axe (dolabra) was used from the construction of military forts and bridges, to the destruction of enemy fortifications, and it further doubled as an incredibly effective weapon against armoured enemies of Rome, yet just as effective for the tearing down of walled defences. Another iron, axe-adze dolabra was recovered recently from the Harzhorn event, from the time of Emperor Maximinus Thrax 235 to 236 ad .{see photo in the gallery.}
The Roman Battle of Harzhorn ;
The battle between Roman legionaries and auxiliary troops and Germanic tribes around 235 AD on the western edge of the Harz Mountain.

The axe was a fundamental weapon of the Roman to Byzantine soldiers - both on foot and on horseback. Aside from combat, one of the main utility tools of the Roman army was the axe. The pick axe was useful in splitting wood and a fundamental tool needed to do everything from constructing military forts, to building large siege weapons such as catapulta and ballista. In times of war, these axes doubled as highly effective weapons, able to defeat armour, breaking bones and crushing skulls with a single blow and destroying enemy fortifications. This specific long adze axe 'dolabra' was found on an ancient battlefield with a large number of other iron weapons, over a century ago, indicating its final use was in combat. Professionally cleaned and conserved.

This item was used by the Imperial Roman army, and similar versions still used by later Byzantine Roman armies defending the Empire's northern border along the Danube River in the present day East Balkans. This region was the northern-most boundary of the Roman Empire for most of its duration and evolution into Byzantium right up until 1336 AD when the area fell under Ottoman rule. In the Balkans, Roman camps and fortresses along the Danube were constantly being challenged by opposing tribes and armies. The river served as a natural barrier against attacks from the north. Collected from a region that was once occupied by the Byzantine Roman military as they fought against the challengers of the Christian Roman Empire, they were utilized by Roman soldiers in one of the many violent and frequent battles that took place in defense of Byzantium.

The dolabra is a versatile utility axe {either axe -adze, or pick axe} used by the people of Italy since ancient times. This dolabra could serve as a pickaxe, used by miners and excavators, a priest's implement for ritual religious slaughtering of animals, as an entrenching tool (mattock) and also used in Roman infantry combat tactics. In the 1st century CE, at the Siege of Augustodunum Haeduorum, armoured Gallic gladiators were defeated by legionaries wielding dolabrae. The Siege of Augustodunum Haeduorum (modern Autun, France) took place between 269 and 270 AD, during the reign of the Gallic Emperor Victorinus. The city, which had declared allegiance to Claudius Gothicus, was besieged by Victorinus' troops for seven months before being captured and plundered.

Describing the Roman Dolabra.
Gnaeus Domitius Corbulo said, "you defeat the enemy with a pickaxe"

The term Harzhorn event refers to several connected battles that took place between several thousand Roman legionaries and their auxiliary troops and an unknown number of Germanic tribes around the year 235/236 on the western edge of the Harz Mountains on the Harzhorn hill and represent a comparatively late example of the military presence of the Romans in Germania .

The archaeological sites are located near the Kalefeld district of Wiershausen on the northern edge of the Northeim district of Lower Saxony and initially covered an area of ​​2.0 × 0.5 kilometers (as of April 2009). At the end of 2010, another extensive site was discovered approximately three kilometers away. Both sites are considered by the scientists commissioned to investigate them to be spectacular discoveries of extraordinary scientific importance: Along with the Kalkriese region, they are the best-preserved ancient battlefield in Europe. This offers a unique opportunity to examine the archaeological remains of a Roman army engaged in combat.

To date, around 1,700 artifacts from the fighting have been found (as of summer 2013). Along with the Roman camp at Hedemünden , the Bentumersiel site , the Roman marching camp at Wilkenburg, and the Kalkriese region, the sites around the Harzhorn are one of the largest sites of Roman militaria in northern Germany. This find is also significant because of its context in the historical events at the beginning of the so-called Imperial Crisis of the 3rd century . Previously, historical research had considered such wide-ranging military operations by the Romans to be impossible at this time and in this area. According to current evidence, it is almost certain that the battle belongs in the context of the Germanic Wars of Emperor Maximinus Thrax in 235 and 236.

Dolabrae are mentioned several times in ancient literature, are depicted on the reliefs of Trajan's Column and appear in the finds of imperial military camps, but also in battlefield finds such as in Kalkriese.

Picture 8 in the gallery is of our other Dolabra, identical to one found in a recent excavation at the Imperial Roman Harzhorn battle sites of 265AD, before conservation and after, compared to ours. Picture 10 is this long Dolabra before and after conservation. Note the state of corruption of both dolabra is absolutely identical to the state of iron corruption of the Battle of Harzhorn recovered dolabra, that had remained buried for around 1800 years, just as was ours.

11 inches long measured straight, 14 inches along its curvature. 2 pounds in weight

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 trading  read more

Code: 25811

A Vintage Carved Aboriginal Culture Wunda Parrying Shield With a Chip Carving Design of Kangaroo and Emu.

Very nice quality & stands as a piece of art as well as an Aboriginal implement.
It is a good size (22" long x 4" at the widest) & handcarved from a heavy solid grain timber, possibly West Australian Mulga It is in very nice condition

Best of all is the quality of the decoration, it has one kangaroo and two emu on the back (handle side) & a wonderful scene with three kangaroos & two emu on the front. Even the background has been carved with a fine textured look which must have taken some time, no doubt the artist really had talent & took pride in the quality of their work.

Australian Aboriginal shield come in many different forms depending on the tribe that made them and their function. Aboriginal shields come in 2 main types, Broad shields, and Parrying shields. Parrying shields parry blows from a club whereas broad shields block spears. Shields for parrying are thick strong and narrow whereas broad shields are wide but thin. Aboriginal shields were made from different materials in different areas, they were made from buttress root, mulga wood and bark.
This shield was probably also used as a ceremonial dance shield.

19th to 20th century.  read more

Code: 16780

A Simply Outstanding Norman Period Medieval Sculpture Circa 11th Century. A Biblical Portrait Bust From The Old Testament. Likely Removed From a Norman Church or Monastery In the Dissolution of the Monasteries

Up to 1000 years old or later, a carved stone ancient British corbel, weighing almost 55 pounds, from such as a Norman church, monastery or even castle. It is a fabulous carved head of a the grimacing first man, Adam, he from the Garden of Eden, as told in the Old Testament Book of Genesis. His face likely revealing his regret of his being cast out by God, with his wife Eve, to face the misery of life after leaving God’s paradise, after succumbing to the serpents temptation via Eve. No doubt an allegory of the warning of the consequence that awaits those that fail in their devotion and duty. Interestingly it is one of the great historic myths that it was an apple tree within which the serpent appeared, with his poisonous apple, but there is no mention of an apple or apple tree at all in the tale. It was simply the fruit of the forbidden tree that bore peri, which just means fruit, of no particular or defined kind. It could just have easily been a peach, or even a kumquat.

The tradition of using carved stone corbels perhaps derives from stone vaults, although their ribs normally rise from capitals on wall shafts and these are usually foliate or moulded. However, Romanesque churches had external corbels below the eaves which have their architectural origins in classical brackets (and before that, the ends of roof timbers). Although most frequently carved as human heads, they could be animals, figures or grotesques. Explaining the relative lack of external decoration of churches in comparison with their interiors, William Durandus {who died in Rome in 1296 wrote: ‘for although its outward appearance be despicable, the soul which is the seat of God is illuminated from within’. It has therefore been taken that the grotesques and gargoyles seen on church exteriors are there to defend the building (heaven) and those within it from ever-present evil by fighting the Devil with his own. While literacy increased in the Middle Ages, the great majority of people entering a church would not have been able to read (and in any case, any script was most likely to be in Latin before the 16th century). Medieval people certainly recognised many more scenes from the Bible than modern churchgoers, but there were plenty of other sources of inspiration for painted and carved decoration. Hagiographical stories were widely used to convey Christian messages of morality and duty, yet the stories that concluded in considerably less than perfection also convey the consequences of failing to abide by such positive devotions. Thus in this case Adam started as the ideal of hagiographical perfection, at least in God’s eyes, but faced the painful reality after falling from God’s grace and his expulsion from paradise.

After the Norman Invasion of 1066.
William was quick to bring in Norman nobles, administrators and clerics to run this new section of his Norman empire, and, in fact, he soon left to return to pressing business in Normandy, leaving instructions as he sailed back across the English Channel, returning only when he needed to lead his armies against rebellion.
Most notably this included the Harrying of the North in 1069-70 with the Domesday Book, written some 16 years later, still recording that many villages across the northern counties were ‘laid waste.’ Such was the shocking power and devastation of the occupying Norman force.

At the heart of these plans was Feudalism that, in essence, demanded the domination of the Anglo-Saxon population, both high born and low. But given that the invading force never numbered more than some 10,000 Normans, help would be needed to achieve the subjugation demanded by the new king.
As a result, Odo ordered, on the new king’s instructions, a massive castle building programme, using the famous Norman motte and bailey plans that were so well copied in other parts of the world soon after.
These Norman castles were quickly built by masons and engineers brought in from Normandy, who worked on individual projects up and down the country under the watchful eye of the Master Mason. In general, there would be 2 types of masons who worked under him, the hewers, who carved the stones, and the layers, who placed the stones in to the building.
All of this, of course, was paid for by draconian taxes extracted from the local population. Taxes and tax collection, after all, lay at the heart of why the Domesday Book of 1086 was commissioned and why the surveyors sent out to every English town and village were ordered to be so thorough.
But alongside this huge Norman castle building programme, a huge mirror programme of cathedral building was also put in place, with 15 new Norman masterpieces put up in the next 90 years or so. Of these, 13 still remain, with only 2 lost to us: Old St Paul’s, burnt down in the Great Fire of London in 1666, and Old Sarum, soon replaced by Salisbury Cathedral, pulled down in the reign of Richard the Lionheart.


Photos in the gallery from the Norman church of Saint Mary and Saint David in Kilpeck, Herefordshire, England. It shows one of the well-preserved carved corbels supporting the roof, depicting a hound and a hare, in a delightful style of cartoon-like simplicity. Carved during the mid 12th century AD (late Norman period) by an unknown sculptor of the "Herefordshire School". (Photo by Simon Garbutt).

Another corbel from the Norman Kilpeck Church by Andy Dolman Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic
Four corbels by Ciaran Byrne

13.5 inches high, approx, 55 pounds weight

THE LANES ARMOURY, THE PREMIER HOME OF ORIGINAL AND AFFORDABLE ANCIENT ANTIQUITIES , MILITARY ARMOURY ANTIQUES & COLLECTABLES IN BRITAIN  read more

Code: 25806

A Superb Antique Edo Period Musha-Ningyo Samurai General Warrior Doll. A Uniquely Japanese Art Form Representing The Legendary Samurai

Adorned with full traditional miniature armour of lacquerwork and lacings and court cap jingasa and damask silk clothing, he is holding a katana. He is seated on a traditional stool. Warrior dolls also known as musha-ningyo are very popular as fine Japanese traditional works of art among Western collectors. Embodying the martial spirit of the samurai, these figures are decked out in full military regalia with lacquered armour, weaponry. They frequently represent very specific historical characters and are a fascinating window into Japan’s rich military past. There may be a continuity in the making of the dogū, humanoid figures, by the ancient Jomon culture in Japan (8000-200 BC) and in the Haniwa funerary figures of the subsequent Kofun culture (around 300-600 AD). Expert Alan Pate notes that temple records refer to the making of a grass doll to be blessed and thrown into the river at Ise Shrine in 3 BC; the custom was probably even more ancient, but it is at the root of the modern doll festival or Hinamatsuri. There are various types of traditional dolls, some representing children and babies, some the imperial court, warriors and heroes, fairy-tale characters, gods and (rarely) demons, and also people of the daily life of Japanese cities. Many have a long tradition Musha, or warrior dolls, are usually made of materials similar to the hina dolls, but the construction is often more complicated, since the dolls represent men (or women) seated on camp chairs, standing, or riding horses. Armor, helmets, and weapons are made of lacquered paper, often with metal accents. There is no specified "set" of such dolls; subjects include Emperor Jimmu, Empress Jingu with her prime minister Takenouchi holding her newborn imperial son, Shoki the Demon-Queller, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and his generals and tea-master, and fairy-tale figures such as Momotaro the Peach Boy or Kintaro the Golden Boy. In the nineteenth century ningyo were introduced to the West.

Doll collecting has since become a popular pastime in the West. Famous well known collectors from the West include individuals such as James Tissot (1836–1902), Jules Adeline (1845–1909), Eloise Thomas (1907–1982), and Samuel Pryor (1898–1985). During the Meiji period, three men became pioneers in collecting ningyo, Shimizu Seifū (1851-1913), Nishizawa Senko (1864–1914), and Tsuboi Shogoro (1863–1913). The three men are referred to as "Gangu San Ketsu" (the three great toy collectors). They introduced a systematic approach to collecting ningyo in an effort to preserve and document the various forms of ningyo. Shimizu, an artist and calligrapher, put his artistic ability to use by creating an illustrated catalog of his own collection of 440 ningyo dolls. The catalog was published in 1891, under the title Unai no Tomo. Nishizawa, a banker, gathered a significant collection on hina-ningyo. He was an active researcher, collector of stories, documents, and information relating to the development of hina-ningyo during the Edo period. Nishizawa’s son Tekiho (1889–1965) inherited his collection but a great portion of the collection was lost in the Kanto earthquake of 1923. Tsuboi, founder of the Tokyo Anthropological Society, was the most trained of the three, and he brought a scientific element to the collecting of ningyo. Dolls have been a part of Japanese culture for many years, and the phenomenon of collecting them is still practiced. Many collections are preserved in museums, including the Peabody Essex Museum, Kyoto National Museum, and the Yodoko Guest House.
The doll is similar to the work of Maruhei a famous Japanese doll artist from Kyoto
Dimensions: 17.5 inches high
Condition: The doll is in very good condition according to age and with wonderful antique taste. Some wear and fading to fabric in places.  read more

Code: 24815

The Incredible Story of Japanese Urushi Lacquer on Our Original Ancient and Antique Samurai Sword's Saya & Fittings. Without Doubt, Japanese Urushi Lacquerwork & Decor is The Finest Skilled Craftsmanship Of Its Kind In The World

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 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, boxes, samurai sword saya and fittings. 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, taking up to a year for each item, 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.

Photo in the gallery of several examples of exceptionally beautiful urushi lacquer on our currently available antique samurai swords.

We pride ourselves on trying our utmost to provide the largest and most varied selection of original, ancient and antique samurai swords for sale in the world, from which our clients can choose, outside of Japan.

As once told to us by an esteemed regular visitor to us here in our gallery, probably the most respected Japanese sword expert in the world, in order to view and study our Japanese edged weapons and armour gallery, and the very same words he spoke to us, 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.  read more

Code: 24325

Huge & Impressively Bladed 400 Year Old Samurai Tanto Signed Omi Kami Minamoto Kagehiro. Shinto Period From The Province of Settsu

A beautiful and large samurai dagger, with fine 'status' blade. Squared sukashi tsuba in iron, pure gold inlaid shakudo fushi, decorated with a constellation of stars and celestial bodies, that are inlaid with gold over a nanako ground, with a carved and polished buffalo horn kashira.
Pure gold and shakudo menuki of takabori crabs. Fine shakudo kozuka decorated in relief with mount Fuji, two piece habaki. Wide blade without ridge line flat sided with suguha hamon. A most impressive and sizeable tanto.
It has its original Edo period lacquered saya scabbard in rich dark brown urushi lacquer, with a kozuka {utility knife} of shakudo, decorated with a fishermen within a small boat, with Mount Fuiji in the distance. The kozuka blade is very nicely signed.

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

Shakudo Was historically used in Japan to construct or decorate katana fittings such as tsuba, menuki, and kozuka; as well as other small ornaments. When it was introduced to the West in the mid-19th century, it was thought to be previously unknown outside Asia, but recent studies have suggested close similarities to certain decorative alloys used in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. The lacquer surface of the saya has some age bruising etc. due to its vintage.  read more

Code: 22206