A Beautiful Ancient Viking War Hammer. An Iron Hammer-Axe From 900 to 1000 Years Old in Fabulously Preserved Condition

An iron war hammer-axehead with wide bearded blade, round socket and a rounded hammer section with expanded end extension to the rear.

In 793, terror descended on the coast of Northumbria as armed raiders attacked the defenceless monastery of St Cuthbert on Lindisfarne. The terrified monks watched helplessly as the invaders made off with a haul of treasure and a clutch of captives. It was the first recorded raid by the Vikings, seaborne pirates from Scandinavia who would prey on coastal communities in north-western Europe for more than two centuries and create for themselves a reputation as fierce and pitiless warriors. The Anglo-Saxon cleric Alcuin of York wrote dramatically of the Lindisfarne raid that the church was spattered with the blood of the priests of God, despoiled of all its ornaments given as a prey to pagan peoples and subsequent (mainly Christian) writers and chroniclers lost few opportunities to demonise the (mainly pagan) Vikings. Yet, though they undeniably carried out very destructive and violent attacks, from small-scale raids against churches to major campaigns involving thousands of warriors, the Vikings formed part of a complex and often sophisticated Scandinavian culture. As well as raiders they were traders, reaching as far east as the rivers of Russia and the Caspian Sea; explorers, sending ships far across the Atlantic to land on the coastline of North America five centuries before Columbus; poets, composing verse and prose sagas of great power, and artists, creating works of astonishing beauty.Their victims did not refer to them as Vikings. That name came later, becoming popularised by the 11th century and possibly deriving from the word vik, which in the Old Norse language the Vikings spoke means bay or inlet. Instead they were called Dani (Danes) there was no sense at the time that this should refer only to the inhabitants of what we now call Denmark pagani (pagans) or simply Normanni Northmen In medieval Scandinavian languages, a Vikingr is a pirate, a freebooter who seeks wealth either by ship-borne raids on foreign coasts or by waylaying more peaceful seafarers in home waters. There is also an abstract noun Viking, meaning ‘the act of going raiding overseas

In the world of collecting early weaponry an axe is defined as it’s head, it’s haft was separate often made of vulnerable woods that can not survive the ravages of time.

One of the most famous Viking axes is Helm (named after the Norse death goddess), which belonged to King Magnus of Norway and Denmark. He is said to have inherited the weapon from his father, Olav Haraldsson of Norway, whose ax features prominently in Norway’s national coat of arms. Some Viking axes if they were wielded by a particularly strong and skilled warrior could even cut through chainmail and helmets. When King Magnus’s poet credited the king with being able to split heads like firewood, he wasn’t necessarily being hyperbolic. Writing about the pre-Viking Franks and their use of throwing axes, the Francisca, Procopius makes it clear that the Franks threw their axes immediately before hand to hand combat with the purpose of breaking shields and disrupting the enemy line while possibly wounding or killing an enemy warrior. The weight of the head and length of the haft would allow the axe to be thrown with considerable momentum to an effective range of about 12 m (40 ft). Even if the edge of the blade were not to strike the target, the weight of the iron head could cause injury. The francisca also had a psychological effect, in that, on the throwing of the francisca, the enemy might turn and run in the fear that another volley was coming. It is most logical that the Vikings may well have adopted this system of axe throwing combat from the earlier Franks, as it seemed most effective in numerous combat arenas.

For reference of type see; Cf. Sedov, B.B. Finno-Ugri i Balti v Epokhi Srednevekovija, 1987, table CXXIV 7".  read more

Code: 25459

A Most Fine Original Copper-Bronze Imperial Roman Legionary's Military Bravery Award Armilla, {Bracelet} Awarded for Military Gallantry Around 1700 Years Old

Awarded in the reign of Constantine I "the Great" Flavius Valerius Constantinus. He was the first Christian emperor and founder of Constantinople. Sole ruler of the Empire after defeating Maxentius in 312 and Licinius in 324. Died of natural causes after his 30 year reign

An Armilla (plural Armillae) was an armband bracelet awarded as a military decoration (donum militarium) to soldiers of ancient Rome for conspicuous gallantry. Legionary (citizen) soldiers and non-commissioned officers below the rank of centurion were eligible for this award, but non-citizen soldiers were not. However, a whole auxiliary regiment could be honoured by a title as an equivalent award, which in this case would be Armillata ("awarded bracelets"), or be granted Roman citizenship en masse as a reward. This entitled an auxiliary regiment to add the appellation civium Romanorum (Roman citizens) to its list of honours.


A very fine circa 300 AD. Imperial Roman Armilla, around 1700 years old in superb condition with natural verdigris patination. It is incised and punched in typical Roman military style. A fine cast bronze Armilla bracelet with rectangular section and tapering terminals with stylised Phalera type punch marks and one pierced, repeated numerous times, and numerous, typical military engraved lined panels, with hammered dot decor, and open ended flattened pierced spatula terminals.

A Phalera was a disk, usually made of gold, silver, bronze or glass, and worn on the breastplate during parades by Roman soldiers who had been awarded it as a kind of medal. Roman military units could also be awarded Phalerae for distinguished conduct in action. These circular disc awards were often mounted on the staffs of the unit's standards see photo in the gallery of one such standard in a German Museum.

Armillae were armband style bracelets awarded as a military decoration. The rank of the soldier in question determined the metal from which the bracelet was made either gold, silver or bronze. These bracelets were not for everyday wear but were occasion pieces worn at special military and civic events such a triumphs, religious ceremonies and games.
Roman military honours were not awarded posthumously, but those won during a soldier's lifetime were often proudly shown on his sarcophagus or cenotaph. The armillae awarded to senior centurion Marcus Caelius of Legio XVIII, for example, are evident on his funerary monument, and three pairs of armillae can be seen on the memorial panel at Villa Vallelunga in Italy which depicts the awards granted to veteran C. Vibius Macer during his years of active service.

Military armillae were modelled on those worn by the Celts. The tradition of using Celtic-style torcs and armillae as Roman military decorations had its beginnings in 361 BC when Titus Manlius Torquatus (consul 347 BC) slew a Gallic chieftain of impressive size in single combat. He then stripped the bloodstained torc from the corpse's neck and placed it around his own as a trophy. The Romans were initially daunted by the fearsome appearance of the Gauls, whose elite warriors were "richly adorned with gold necklaces and armbands". The torc was the Celtic symbol of authority and prestige. By his action, Torquatus in effect took the vanquished chieftain's power for his own, and created a potent, visible token of Roman domination. As such, over time the torc and also the armilla were adopted as official awards for valour, taking on the role of symbolic war trophies.

Armillae were made in a substantial masculine style and produced in a variety of designs: a solid, hinged cuff, sometimes inscribed with legionary emblems or decorated with incised patterns; an open-ended spiral; a chunky, rounded bracelet with open or overlapping ends; or a torc in miniature. Armillae which were open-ended or had overlapping ends often featured knobs or snake-heads as terminals.

The tombstone of Marcus Caelius who was the First centurion of the 18th Legion. His brother set up this monument to commemorate his death in the ‘bello Variano’, he is wearing his military gallantry award Armilla above his right wrist. See photo 7 in the gallery.

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

Code: 26060

Very Fine Regimental Officer's Sword WW1 of the 5th Prussian Jäger Battalion (1st Silesian). Imperial Prussian Eagle Guard With Crest of Kaiser Willhelm IInd. Commanded By Crown Prince Wilhelm of Prussia the Heir of Kaiser Wilhelm IInd. Sword No 1

1889 pattern. Stamped on the guard for the first officer of the 5th Jäger Battalion, the 1st Company, Sword Number 1. Stamped on the hilt, 5.J.1.1, in it it’s matching numbered scabbard. Used in the 1914 Schlieffen Plan, the Battle of the Ardennes, and the Battle of Verdun and Marne. Overall the sword is in excellent condition, with its original multi wire bound sharkskin grip fully original and intact. Bronze guard, with the personal monogram of the Kaiser upon the grip, and guard depicting the Imperial Prussian Eagle, pieced and in relief. Double fullered blade and it’s original all steel combat scabbard. The blade bears the Kaiser Wilhelmi W Crown proof inspection mark
The 5th Prussian Jäger Battalion (1st Silesian)
AKA The Jäger-Batallion von Neumann (1.Schlesisches ) Nr.5 was formed in 1808 as the 1. Schützen-Abteilung (Schlesische). They fought Napoleon at the Battles of Leipzig and Waterloo, Revolutionaries in Baden in 1849, Austria- Hungary at Königgrätz in 1866 and France again at Wörth and Sedan in 1870. Since 1901 Archduke Ferdinand Carl of Austria-Hungary was honorary Colonel in Chief of the battalion.

In 1914 they were garrisoned at Hirschberg (modern Jelenia Góra, Poland) and formed part of the V Army Corps. During the First World War they served on the Western Front, notably at the Battles of the Marne and Verdun.

On mobilisation, V Corps was assigned to the 5th Army forming part of centre of the forces for the Schlieffen Plan offensive in August 1914 on the Western Front.

In August 1914 the command of 5th Army was assigned to Crown Prince Wilhelm of Germany, heir to the Hohenzollern throne, with General Schmidt von Knobelsdorf serving as his chief of staff, and would remain thus until late 1916. The opening hostilities on the Western Front saw the Crown Prince's 5th Army, along with the neighboring 4th Army (commanded by Albrecht, Duke of Württemberg), acting at the center of the Schlieffen plan attack into Belgium and France. On 21 August 1914, in what became known as the Battle of the Ardennes, the 4th and 5th Armies advanced into the Ardennes to counter a thrust by the French 3rd and 4th Armies. Over the next two days 5th Army played a major part in halting the opposing French forces. By 23 August, after taking heavy losses and being outmaneuvered strategically, the two French armies were driven into retreat. Following the German 5th Army's victory in the Battle of the Ardennes it moved to Verdun, where it would remain until 1918. In February 1916 the Crown Prince's 5th Army would launch Operation Gericht, the German offensive that began the Battle of Verdun, one of the bloodiest and longest battles in history. Late in 1916, after suffering terrible losses in its efforts at Verdun, General Max von Gallwitz assumed control of 5th Army. Before the close of the war 5th Army fought in several noteworthy actions, including the Battle of Saint-Mihiel, in September 1918, when it was defeated by the American Expeditionary Force under John J. Pershing. The Fifth Army continued to oppose the AEF's Meuse-Argonne Offensive until the Armistice of 11 November 1918. At the end of the war it was serving as part of Heeresgruppe Gallwitz

It was still in existence at the end of the war in Armee-Abteilung C, Heeresgruppe Gallwitz on the Western Front.

Wilhelm, German Crown Prince, Crown Prince of Prussia (Friedrich Wilhelm Victor August Ernst; 6 May 1882 – 20 July 1951) was the eldest child of the last Kaiser, Wilhelm II, German Emperor, and his consort Augusta Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, and thus a great-grandson of Queen Victoria, and distant cousin to many British royals, such as Queen Elizabeth II. As Emperor Wilhelm's heir, he was the last Crown Prince of the German Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia, until the abolition of the monarchy.

Wilhelm became crown prince at the age of six in 1888, when his grandfather Frederick III died and his father became emperor. He was crown prince for 30 years until the fall of the empire on 9 November 1918. During World War I, he commanded the 5th Army from 1914 to 1916 and was commander of the Army Group German Crown Prince for the remainder of the war. After his return to Germany in 1923, he fought the Weimar Republic and campaigned for the reintroduction of the monarchy in Germany. After his plans to become president had been blocked by his father, Wilhelm supported Adolf Hitler's rise to power, but when Wilhelm realised that Hitler had no intention of restoring the monarchy, their relationship cooled. Wilhelm became head of the House of Hohenzollern on 4 June 1941 following the death of his father and held the position until his own death on 20 July 1951.

Blade 33.5 inches long, overall length in scabbard, 41 inches

Small denting to the scabbard.  read more

Code: 25235

1st Edition, Japanese Spears Polearms and Their Use in Old Japan Roald Knutsen,

Hardcover. Condition: Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Good.
By our local, world renowned sensei, and martial art expert and exponant, Roald Knutsen, who was the sensei of our 30 year late colleague, senpei, Christopher Fox, who was both a nihonto and Iaido expert of 40 years, and a remarkable exponent of all his martial arts in his own right.

This book charts the evolution of Japanese pole-arms from the bronze spears of the Yayoi period right up to to the Meiji Restoration; deals with the history and development of each category of spear; besides the blades, the shafts & mounts are described in detail; outlines the schools of spear and sword fencing from the early 14th century; a very necessary addition to the library of anyone interested in arms and armour; fully illustrated. Japanese spear-weapons mainly comprise the naginata (similar to the European glaive) and types of yari (pike / halberd). Hoko are a hook weapon.

This is the first book in English to provide a fully illustrated guide to the use of polearms - ranging from the earliest halberds and spears reaching Japan from the Asian mainland to the sophisticated naginata, nagamaki and various forms of yari used by the Japanese samurai through the medieval period. While the sword remains the best known of Japanese weapons, it was the halberd (naginata) and then the yari that dominated the battlefields up to the early seventeenth century, and thereafter the yari became an important status symbol to many warrior families. Additionally, the authors focus on the actual method of use of these weapons, hitherto an almost unknown aspect in the West.  read more

Code: 25110

A Very Interesting & Beautiful French Leather Book on the Royal Marines And French Marines 1815 to I863 Les Marines de la France et de L'Angleterre 1815-1863 by Raymond, M. Xavier

From the Royal Artillery Regimental Library, then transferred to the Royal Artillery Mess in Shoeburyness

An absolute gem of reference work volume comparing two branches of the marines of both nations. Printed by Librairie De L. Hachette Et. Cie, in Paris, in French.

Former Regimental Library and Mess books of military reference and interest are very collectable indeed.

Tri-colour leather with gilt tooled lettering to the spine and gilt stamped compartments, marble and leather sides . A few scuffs to the leather spine, cloth boards lightly rubbed. Marbled endpapers, with a regimental bookplate of the Royal Artillery to the inside cover

7inches x 5 inches  read more

Code: 24426

After Waterloo By Frye Beautiful Leather and Gold Tooled Volume Published 1908

beautiful leather binding with gold tooling. bearing the ex libris label with family crest of its owner Cecil E Byas, reknown collector who died in 1938, and part of his collection was bequethed to the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge.
Printed on handmade paper. The account by British Army major W E Frye of his travels around Europe in the aftermath of the Battle of Waterloo. As well as giving his opinions on the various European towns and cities he passes through, he vividly describes European culture in the early 19th Century, with detailed accounts of the Theatre, Opera and the Arts in France, Italy & Switzerland in particular. His experiences of post-Waterloo Europe left him with an generally positive view of Napoleon and the book gives an interesting insight into the contemporary opinions of the French leader and his effect on Continental Europe.  read more

Code: 23765

A Rare Admiralty Publication of A List of the Flag Officers and Other Commissioned Officers of His Majesty's Fleet In 1st January 1818. Printed By S Brooke, Paternoster Row, London. Superbly Bound In Red Morocco Leather With Gold Titling

Excellent condition for age overall.

Due to their intended use and frequent updates, original copies of these lists are rare surviving examples.

Acquired with the family’s Crimean War Land Transport sword (now sold) and their WW2 FS commando knife, 2nd Pattern {now sold} and WW2 combat helmet.

A List of Flag Officers and other Commissioned Officers of His Majesty's Fleet; with dates of their respective commissions.
Including, and bound within, book two, An Alphabetical List of the Post Captains, Commanders, and Lieutenants of His Majesty's Fleet with the dates of their respective commissions. The two books lists are within this single volume.


His Majesty's Fleet included a list of Flag Officers and commissioned officers, published by the Admiralty in London January 1818. This list, titled "A List of the Flag-Officers of His Majesty's Fleet...", was likely organized by rank and seniority, with dates of commission, and also included an alphabetically organized list by rank for easier reference. The list would have included several elderly officers who served in the 7 Years War, American Revolutionary War, and later in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars,and War of 1812 published by the Admiralty Ist January 1818

Beautifully bound in red Morocco leather with gilt tooling embellishment throughout, naturally aged and most beautiful. Also it is an essential piece of original history, perfect for officer research of all currently still serving after the Napoleonic Wars

It served as an official record and was likely used for administrative purposes within the Admiralty.
Historical Significance:
The document is valuable for understanding the structure and personnel of the Royal Navy during specific periods, including those who served during major conflicts like the American War of Independence and the Napoleonic Wars.
Rarity:
Due to their intended use and frequent updates, original copies of these lists are rare surviving examples.  read more

Code: 25880

A Simply Wonderful Original Trojan War Period Full Length Bronze Sword Blade, 21 Inches Long. Circa 1200 B.C.Archean Greeks, the Mycenean Greeks, The Trojans & The Hitites. From The Warring Times Of Menalaus King of Sparta & King Agamemnon

2nd millennium BC. A simply fabulous historical ancient bronze sword with stunning natural aged patination of richest dark emerald green. Long, tapering, raised median ridged blade with graduating parallel, multiple, low ridges, alongside the central rib, only a very short, cylindrical, partial tang remains. Originally it would have been fitted with a likely organic hilt of possibly ivory or carved horn or hardwood. A sword that would have been eagerly traded with the Archean Greeks, the Mycenean Greeks, the Trojan peoples and The Hitites.

In the gallery we show museum exhibited Attic pottery of the time with ancient Minoans fighting the Minotaur, and illustrations where the ancient Trojan and Mycenaean warriors, all are using the exact form of sharply graduating sword, all having that most identifiable central median rib, as this beautiful sword.

The trade of Bronze Age weaponry followed trade routes that started in the the Assyrian Empire, East of Babylon, right through to the Mediterranean region, and all of empires and kingdoms in between. Also, all manner of Bronze Age utilitarian wares, personal adornments, and tools came from this famed bronze smithing region and their trading merchants.

In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans (Greeks) after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus, king of Sparta. The war is one of the most important events in Greek mythology and has been narrated through many works of Greek literature, most notably Homer's Iliad. The core of the Iliad (Books II – XXIII) describes a period of four days and two nights in the tenth year of the decade-long siege of Troy; the Odyssey describes the journey home of Odysseus, one of the war's heroes. Other parts of the war are described in a cycle of epic poems, which have survived through fragments. Episodes from the war provided material for Greek tragedy and other works of Greek literature, and for Roman poets including Virgil and Ovid.

The ancient Greeks believed that Troy was located near the Dardanelles and that the Trojan War was a historical event of the 13th or 12th century BC, but by the mid-19th century AD, both the war and the city were widely seen as non-historical. In 1868, however, the German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann met Frank Calvert, who convinced Schliemann that Troy was a real city at what is now Hisarlik in Turkey. On the basis of excavations conducted by Schliemann and others, this claim is now accepted by most scholars.

Whether there is any historical reality behind the Trojan War remains an open question. Many scholars believe that there is a historical core to the tale, though this may simply mean that the Homeric stories are a fusion of various tales of sieges and expeditions by Mycenaean Greeks during the Bronze Age. Those who believe that the stories of the Trojan War are derived from a specific historical conflict usually date it to the 12th or 11th century BC, often preferring the dates given by Eratosthenes, 1194–1184 BC, which roughly correspond to archaeological evidence of a catastrophic burning of Troy VII, and the Late Bronze Age collapse. Legend has it that the war originated from a quarrel between the goddesses Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite, after Eris, the goddess of strife and discord, gave them a golden apple, sometimes known as the Apple of Discord, marked "for the fairest". Zeus sent the goddesses to Paris of Troy, who judged that Aphrodite, as the "fairest", should receive the apple. In exchange, Aphrodite made Helen, the most beautiful of all women and wife of Menelaus of Sparta, fall in love with Paris, who quit Sparta with her and returned to Troy. Menelaus's brother Agamemnon, king of Mycenae, led an expedition of Achaean troops to Troy and besieged the city for ten years because of Paris' insult. After the deaths of many heroes, including the Achaeans Achilles and Ajax, and the Trojans Hector and Paris, the city fell to the ruse of the Trojan Horse. The Achaeans slaughtered the Trojans (except for some of the women and children whom they kept or sold as slaves) and desecrated the temples, thus earning the gods' wrath. Few of the Achaeans returned safely to their homes and many founded colonies in distant shores. The Romans later traced their origin to Aeneas, Aphrodite's son and one of the Trojans, who was said to have led the surviving Trojans to modern-day Italy.

Most of our antiquities and artefacts are from 200 year past souvenir accumulations from British ‘Grand Tours’. Beautiful Items and antiquities were oft acquired in the 18th and early 19th century by British noblemen and women touring battle sites in Northern France and Italy, in fact most of Europe and the Middle East, on their so-called ‘Grand Tour’. They were often placed on display upon their return home, within the family’s ‘cabinet of curiosities’, within their country house. Some significant British stately homes had entire galleries displaying the treasures and artefacts gathered and purchased on such tours, and some tours lasted many years, and the accumulated souvenirs numbered in their hundreds or even thousands

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

Code: 26056

Very Rare Ancient 10th Century Viking Fire-Starter, A 'Drepa Upp Eld '. Viking Riders on Horses & Steel Striking Blade. Used With Amadou Touchwood Fungus {Fomes Fomentarius}. To Make Fire At Sea, Whilst Sailing In a Viking Long Boat

Around 1100 years old. with partial ring mount present as it was originally worn as a large but functional pendant.

This kind of highly distinct ‘horse and rider figures’ firesteels must have been symbols of wealth and power of the richest people during the viking age. They have been excavated from several places around western Finland and even from viking age town of Birka, Sweden.The firesteel had a loop in it, so it could be worn in chain, visible for all to see the user's wealth.

Earlier this year we had an amazing other one, a twin Draken head example, likely the very rarest of all the surviving Viking designed fire-starter, and this one may well be as rare as that or somewhat close.

The only other known example of the rarest type of Viking bronze and steel striker, is a specimen from a Chamber Tomb found in in Ekka, Birka, in Uppland. See a photo in the gallery of that example from the Historical, Museum Historiska, Photo taken by Camilla Hällbrink, that one is also, as this one we offer, likely from second half of the 10th century. Museum item number 458255_HST.

How often is it one can own, a rarest, original, Viking artifact, that apparently, according to the national historical museum of Sweden, its only known similar surviving example is in that same museum in Sweden. Our example is of good quality, and in better condition. But of a different scene. There are some other styles that have been found, also in Scandinavian museums


Fire-Starting Using Flint and Steel. The term in Old Norse for percussion fire-making is drepa upp eld, from the verb drepa, "to strike, beat, knock; to produce by a blow or blows", thus drepa upp eld is "to strike up a fire." True flint and steel fire starting is a low temperature method of spark-based fire starting.

The Vikings, renowned for their seafaring prowess and ingenuity, utilized a unique method for creating fire that involved a specific type of fungus and urine. They employed the touchwood fungus, also known as Amadou (Fomes fomentarius), which grows primarily on birch and beech trees. This fungus, when processed correctly, becomes highly flammable. The Vikings would boil the fungus for several days, then soak it in human urine. The urine contains nitrates, which, when absorbed by the fungus, significantly enhance its ability to catch and sustain a flame.
After the fungus had soaked long enough to absorb sufficient nitrates, it was dried and pounded into a soft, fibrous material. This prepared fungus could then be easily ignited with a spark, making it an excellent tinder for starting fires in harsh and damp conditions. This innovative use of natural resources showcases the Vikings' deep understanding of their environment and their resourcefulness in overcoming the challenges posed by their often cold and wet climate. Their ability to produce reliable fire under adverse conditions, such as in violent stormy seas, was crucial for survival, navigation, and their various activities, including cooking and metalworking.

Every Viking torch lit march had to use exactly such a device to create the flame, every camp fire and every flaming arrow needed exactly this amazing piece of Viking history.

In the gallery are two 19th century paintings by
Everhardus Koster
& Frank Dicksee 1893

Hällbrink, Camilla, Historical Museum

Location: Björkö, North of Borg, Ancient monument: L2017:1478, Parish: Adelsö parish, Municipality: Ekerö municipality, Region: Uppland, Country: Sweden 1878

Picture no 6 is a page of early line drawings of Viking fire-steels in Viking museum collections. Our example is very close to fire-steel number 8

See Cacciandra, V. & Cesati, A., Fire Steels, Turin, 1996, for discussion.  read more

Code: 26046

Superb Original Bronze Medieval Longbow Archer’s Thumb Ring, Late 14th Century. Of the Battle Agincourt 1415. From Our Latest Antiquities Collection Aquisition Recovered From Azincourt and Famous Battle Sites in The 1820’s

For those bowmen that used them in the 13th to 14th-century, archer's thumb rings were essential tools of war.

This archers thumb ring was made circa 1400, over 600 years ago, and this is a superb, beautiful and historical original artifact. Stunning age patination of the copper alloy, with fine border engraving. In superb aged condition.
A thumb ring is a piece of equipment designed to protect the archer’s thumb during archery. It is a ring of that can be made of leather, stone, horn, wood, bone, antler, ivory, metal, ceramics, which fits over the end of the thumb, coming to rest at the outer edge of the outer joint. Typically a flat area extends from the ring to protect the pad of the thumb from the bowstring; this may be supplemented by a leather extension. An absolute iconic original piece of British history. In superb battlefield recovered patinated condition, and very nice indeed. Beautiful Items such as this were oft acquired in the 18th and early 19th century by British noblemen and women touring battle sites in Northern France and Italy, in fact most of Europe and the Middle East, on their so-called ‘Grand Tour’. They were often placed on display upon their return home, within the family’s 'cabinet of curiosities', within their country house. Some significant British stately homes had entire galleries displaying the treasures and artefacts gathered and purchased on such tours, and some tours lasted many years, and the accumulated souvenirs numbered in their hundreds or even thousands. A popular pastime in the 18th and 19th century, comprised of English ladies and gentlemen traveling for many months, or even years, througout classical Europe, and the Middle East, acquiring knowledge and education on the arts, and thus returning with antiquities and antiques as souvenirs for their private collections, and these travels have been thus called ‘Grand Tours’. Although traditional English archers often used three fingers (Mediterranean draw) or finger tabs, but some were obviously trained in the Ottoman style of archery

The Battle of Agincourt was a major English victory in the Hundred Years' War. The battle took place on 25 October 1415 (Saint Crispin's Day) in the County of Saint-Pol, Artois, some 40 km south of Calais. Along with the battles of Crécy (1346) and Poitiers (1356), it was one of the most important English triumphs in the conflict. England's victory at Agincourt against a numerically superior French army crippled France, and started a new period in the war during which the English began enjoying great military successes.

After several decades of relative peace, the English had renewed their war effort in 1415 amid the failure of negotiations with the French. In the ensuing campaign, many soldiers perished due to disease and the English numbers dwindled, but as they tried to withdraw to English-held Calais they found their path blocked by a considerably larger French army. Despite the disadvantage, the following battle ended in an overwhelming tactical victory for the English.

King Henry V of England led his troops into battle and participated in hand-to-hand fighting. The French king of the time, Charles VI, did not command the French army himself, as he suffered from severe psychotic illnesses with moderate mental incapacitation. Instead, the French were commanded by Constable Charles d'Albret and various prominent French noblemen of the Armagnac party.

This battle is notable for the use of the English longbow in very large numbers, with the English and Welsh archers forming up to 80 percent of Henry's army. The decimation of the French cavalry at their hands is regarded as an indicator of the decline of cavalry and the beginning of the dominance of ranged weapons on the battlefield.

Agincourt is one of England's most celebrated victories. The battle is the centrepiece of the play Henry V by Shakespeare. Juliet Barker in her book Agincourt: The King, the Campaign, the Battle ( published in 2005) argues the English and Welsh were outnumbered "at least four to one and possibly as much as six to one". She suggests figures of about 6,000 for the English and 36,000 for the French, based on the Gesta Henrici's figures of 5,000 archers and 900 men-at-arms for the English, and Jean de Wavrin's statement "that the French were six times more numerous than the English". The 2009 Encyclopædia Britannica uses the figures of about 6,000 for the English and 20,000 to 30,000 for the French. Part of an original medieval collection we have just acquired, of Viking and early British relics of warfare some from ancient battle sites recovered up to 220 years ago.
When drawing a bow using a thumb draw, the thumb is hooked around the bowstring just beneath the arrow and its grip reinforced with the first (sometimes second) finger. The bowstring rests against the inner pad of the archer's thumb and the thumb ring protects the skin. The bowstring rests against the flat of the ring when the bow is drawn. Today, thumb rings are used by archers practicing styles from most of Asia and some regions of northern Africa. Ishi, the "last wild American Indian", used a thumb draw, but no skin protection.
Thumb rings have been in use in Asia since the Neolithic period. The first examples were likely made of leather,.

As early western armies mainly used peasants as archers, and bowmen fought on foot. some may have needed little training as they already were using bows to hunt, and were indeed required to be trained on archery, usually with a Mediterranean draw. Of course, armies fought foreigners, and probably learnt their opponent's methods/strategies, as well as travelers who brought back hunting/fighting technique, but it may have been marginal amongst archers as the thumb ring draw was difficult to learn.

The regular English and Welsh bowmen fought on foot, but while they fought the major battles on foot, there were mounted archers, those bowmen in the chevauchées against the French. Effective use of the longbow required regular practice and it wasn't easy to just pick up and use one (which is why inferior firearms replaced the bows - the firearms were easier to master). In this period, hunting was the domain of the uppermost classes. The land, and the animals in it, was the property of the king. Poaching could get you hanged.

In the chevauchées it would be unlikely longbows would be used while mounted. Unlikely dismounting to shoot, so using a smaller hunting bow is far more likely. Nobles hunted with shorter handbows commonly, but the bow and the technique were distinct from longbow. Both the length of the longbow, and the posture used for the longbow would make mounted archery quite difficult.

From our latest original antiquities collection arrival, that contain many pieces acquired from famous historical battle sites while on a ‘Grand Tour’ in the 1820’s, such as this superb piece, at Agincourt, and other pieces from such as Crecy and Poitiers, and Paris.

UK size Z 1/2 US size 13  read more

Code: 26053