Brown urushi lacquer with superb well-head mon, with six ken and red lacquer interior

Four ring symbolic tahen top mount. The samurai believed that through the tehen the spirit of Hachiman, the god of war, could pass into them. For this reason this hole on the kabuto is sometime sometimes called hachiman-za, literally "the seat of Hachiman". In this jingasa the tahen aperture is covered with a removable cap.

From The Collection of Likely The World's Greatest Authority and Author On Japanese Polearms & Their Use

In the armour of the Edo period, the tehen was richly adorned with multi-layered decorations, sometimes made of various metals. There are some schools of armorers where the tehen was so well finished and precise that it was covered only with a small iron rim, and sometimes not even with that. In the latter case it is possible to appreciate the value of the kabuto and admire the mastery of those who made it. At the rear a ring is fixed at the back of the helmet, designed to carry a small identification flag (Kasa jirushi no kan).

Apart from protection (the main function), a jingasa carried out the functions essential to caps: sunshade and rainshelter. It played too the role of a marker indicating the status of the wearer’s family in society. They were used as a container or weapon too. Jingasa developed both in shape and decoration during the Edo era (1603-1867) and were a symbol of samurai culture. Some Jingasa was a conical helmet most commonly worn with Ashigaru Armour, others were dished and round and a few had an upturned brim like this example so the firing of arrows in combat would be unhindered by a wide brim at the front.

It was typically made of hardened lacquered leather, or wood or a pressed composition somewhat like papier mache but also sometimes with iron. The jingasa could also commonly be marked with the mon of the lord or clan to help identify the warrior's side on a battlefield.

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

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

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

Overall in very nice condition for age with small lacquer wear marks.

Photo in the gallery from renowned Japanese director Takashi Miike 's classic, 13 Assassins (Jûsan-nin no shikaku). Where a samurai lord, surrounded by his bodyguard of samurai under attack, wears his same jingasa.  read more

Code: 26208

Edo period samurai karuta tatami dou in the hara-ate style. The decorated tatami armour, such as this beautiful example, was usually worn by the high-class Samurai, while the lower class wore more simple versions.

This fabulous armour was previously in two famous collections, first, Henry Russell Robinson's Collection, then, later, sold to the Roald Knutsen Collection. Henry Russell Robinson was Keeper of Armour at the Tower of London, and likely displayed this armour coat in the Tower of London for his exhibition on Japanese Armour there. The Japanese Armour exhibition in 1965, which featured samurai artefacts arranged to demonstrate evolving defensive technologies and cultural contexts, drawing thousands of visitors to the Tower.

The lower ranking samurai would likely wear a folding mail helmet with tatami kusari folding armour. When worn by a higher rank samurai, or daimyo, it would be likely worn with a fine jingasa helmet, such as our example, item code 26208, that came from the same collection.

Kusari Katabira (Chain Mail Armour Coat) is a style of tatami yoroi or "folding armour" used by Daimyo, samurai warriors, their retainers and ashigaru (foot soldiers) during the feudal Sengoku and slightly more peaceful Edo era of Japan.

A simply stunning black urushi lacquer, and pure gold decorated, Nichiren-shu Ryu no Maru dragon mon centre panel. Many types of this form of combat armour are plain black, however this is one of the most beautiful we have ever seen.

Two woodblock prints in the gallery of samurai in combat wearing kusari chain mail armour

The beauty of this form of samurai armour is that it can also be amazingly displayed, wall mounted, within a large bespoke frame, in the same manner as a silk kimono.

Kusari tatami armour (chain mail folding armour) is a lightweight, portable Japanese defense featuring mail (kusari) sewn onto cloth or leather, often reinforced with small plates. Used during the Sengoku/Edo periods, it allowed for quick deployment, easy transport, and was worn by samurai, retainers, and ashigaru (foot soldiers) for combat.
Part of the tatami (folding) armor family, it was designed to be collapsed or folded for easy storage.
Kusari (Mail): Japanese mail typically consisted of riveted or butted iron rings in a 4-in-1 pattern, often connected to small, square/rectangular plates (karuta) or hexagonal plates (kikko).
The mail was commonly stitched onto hemp linen or leather backing, forming armored jackets known as kusari katabira or yoroi katabira.
Included kusari tatami dō (cuirass), karuta tatami dō (plate-and-mail cuirass), and kusari gusoku (full suit of mail).
Ideal for scouts, high-ranking samurai on the move, or for wear under regular clothing by guards.
Variations in Tatami Armour
Karuta Tatami: Focuses on small iron or leather squares (karuta) connected by mail, often backed with cloth.
Kikko Tatami: Uses small, hexagonal plates (kikko) hidden or exposed within the mail/cloth structure.

It was formerly part of the Henry Russell Robinson's private collection. (7 May 1920, Hackney, London - 15 January 1978) He became Keeper of Armour at The Tower Of London, and it is likely this suit was part of a display of Japanese armour he organised for display in the Tower of London. The Japanese armour exhibition in 1965, which featured samurai artefacts arranged to demonstrate evolving defensive technologies and cultural contexts, drawing thousands of visitors to the Tower.

He was a British military armourer and historian.He served in the RAF during the Second World War making models interpreting aerial photographs. This was when he met Sir James Mann, Master of the Armouries at the Tower of London. Robinson joined the staff of the Tower Armouries in 1946 as a Temporary Assistant, before rising to Assistant Keeper and finally, in 1970, Keeper of Armour.

Robinson was a founder member and president of the Arms and Armour Society. In 1965, he was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. In 1977, he was awarded an honorary MA by the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Between 1967 and 1969, he (a practical armourer) worked with Charles Daniels to interpret and reconstruct the Roman armour nowadays known as 'lorica segmentata'. He produced a series of reconstructions of the two sub-types of armour from the Roman site at Corbridge and one from Newstead in time for them to be exhibited at the 1969 Congress of Roman Frontier Studies held in Cardiff.

His work on the armour featured in one of his best-known books, The Armour of Imperial Rome. Published in 1975 by Lionel Leventhal at the Arms and Armour Press, it included line illustrations by his friend, Peter Connolly. Robinson's system of categorizing Roman helmets has been widely adopted in the UK and USA but never really found favour in Europe.

Robinson was not only known for Roman armour, since he worked on an exhibition of Japanese armour at the Tower Armouries and subsequently wrote two books on the subject. He was also an authority on Native American artefacts and was responsible for the production of the replica of the revised reconstruction of the Sutton Hoo helmet and wrote a guide to the Stibbert Museum.  read more

Code: 26204

6950.00 GBP

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Part of the amazing collection, accumulated over 70 years, of edged weapons, helmets and armour that we acquired, from the late great collector and one of the most famous and first martial art practitioners and sensei in the UK, that shall be added soon for sale, once conserved in the workshop.

His number one friend and dojo ‘sempai’ was also our great friend and work colleague of 40 years.

This wonderful 300 year old naginata, signed Mondonosho Masakiyo , is not only an incredible weapon of combat, but made as a representation of Daitō Kanshō's great spear, called Seiryūtō, and it appears illustrated in the author's second seminal work on samurai polearms and their combat use, of 'Japanese Spears: Polearms and Their Use in Old Japan' published in 2004.

The original version is a very most fabulous polearm of legend, and represented in the book, written in the 14th century, Suikoden, and appears in chapter 62, used by Daito Kansho.

Daitō Kanshō was born in Hotō-gun, the grandson of Juteikō (Shouting hou), and was a descendant of the great general, Kan-u Unchō (Guanyu Yunchang), during the time of the Three Kingdoms; he is thought to have greatly resembled him. He was a municipal guard and always used a glaive called a 'seiryūtō', or ‘green dragon’ the origin of his nickname, Daitō (big spear). While he was young, he became well versed in martial arts and weaponry and his style of fighting was similar to that of Kan-u.

Famous prints, that we we show in the gallery, depicts the battle of Tōshōfu (Dongchang fu) where Kanshō is blocking the stones that are being thrown by Botsu-usen Chōsei (Zhang Qing), using the butt of his enormous glaive to parry them. He was considered particularly brave to fight against Chōsei who was famous for being able to hit his target with a stone ten times out of ten.
This print of Kanshō forms a diptych with a print of Chōsei in Kuniyoshi's Suikoden.

We have also acquired the collector's prized nagamaki great sword, almost six feet long in its koshirae. Early or pre Azuchi Momoyama period, circa 1550. The type of samurai sword you very, very rarely see in Europe today outside of a museum, and often not in most museums either. This is one of the rarest types, an example that escaped the Shogun's *edict to cut the nagamakis and no-dachis down to regular katana sword length, as he believed swords that were over length for regular close quarter combat and should be shortened. {see details below}

We show a famous woodbloock print of Hosokawa Sumimoto carrying his nagamaki while on horse back. Our nagamaki was likely made within eighty years or so of Sumimoto's sword, just around the time of the Battle of Sekigahara. From the dimensions in the print, our blade is likely around a foot longer than his nagamaki.

Hosokawa Sumimoto (1489–1520) was a prominent samurai commander during Japan's Muromachi period, often depicted in art holding or associated with the nagamaki, a distinctive, long-handled Japanese sword.
The nagamaki is a type of sword developed from the Odachi but has the reach of a polearm too. It offers versatile combat techniques, and has the cutting power and technique of a sword with the reach of a longer weapon/polearm.

The nagamaki ("long wrapping") is a sword with a blade length similar to a katana or considerably longer, our nagamaki has a 43 inch blade, and with a very long tsuka {handle} sometimes equal in length to the blade that is wrapped in cord or leather. Ours is wrapped in leather as is the saya, then over decorated in a pattern. It was used for powerful sweeping and slicing strokes, particularly effective for infantry against cavalry.

To appreciate the heft and greatness of this sword, by just reading here, it is around 70% longer than a more usual long katana, and around 50% wider, and thicker, thus, likely six to eight times heavier. Once mounted it is likely the most impressive, original, and early samurai sword you will ever likely see or handle, a true behemoth of a museum piece.

*The Tokugawa shogunate did not issue a single, specific edict exclusively to reduce sword lengths but rather, in 1603, shortly after establishing the Tokugawa Shogunate, they enacted strict regulations that mandated all swords—including the massive no-dachi (field swords) and nagamaki, —be restricted to a specific, shorter length.
Many long no-dachi and nagamaki blades used in the previous warring era (Sengoku) were cut down at the tang (the handle part) and reduce the blade length to meet the new, shorter regulations to fit with the standard daishō (pair of swords) that samurai were allowed to carry.

It also needs overall conservation, and will be shown and offered for sale once completed.

As of this time we know of no other original length Nagamaki available on the worldwide collectors market today. In over 100 years we can recollect only owning three before, and we have likely handled in that time more original Japanese swords than any other still remaining antique sword dealers in the world today.  read more

Code: 26202

Overall this sword is is superb condition, all the handachi mountings are original Edo period, as is the saya and its urushi ishime lacquer. The tsuka-ito has a geometric weave pattern, and also original Edo period. The delightful Edo tsuba is iron, with a relief Aoi leaf pattern, and signed. The pair of Edo menuki are pure gold over shakudo of deep takebori samurai war ponies in fully saddled riding tack, without riders..
The kozuka, side knife, has a Higo school iron handle depicting two Minogame turtles, particularly the minogame (straw-raincoat turtle), represent wisdom and are said to live so long that algae grows on their shells, resembling a tail.

Chitosemidori is a traditional Japanese colour that resembles the dark green colour of Japanese pine needles. The name “Chitosemidori” comes from the Japanese pine, symbolizing longevity due to its evergreen nature. This colour is significant because it represents enduring beauty. According to legend, it remains unchanged even after 1,000 years, reflecting the timeless nature of the Japanese pine.

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 or boxes.After heating and filtering, urushi can be applied directly to a solid, usually wooden, base. Pure urushi dries into a transparent film, while the more familiar black and red colours are created by adding minerals to the material. Each layer is left to dry and polished before the next layer is added. This process can be very time-consuming and labour-intensive, which contributes to the desirability, and high costs, of traditionally made lacquer goods. The skills and techniques of Japanese lacquer have been passed down through the generations for many centuries. For four hundred years, the master artisans of Zohiko’s Kyoto workshop have provided refined lacquer articles for the imperial household.

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

The Japanese samurai and their famously iconic swords lasted relatively unchanged for 1200 years. A Nara period tachi sword of 700 ad was not that much different from a late Tokugawa period tachi sword of 1860. Compare that to Europe, every style and pattern of sword was used, and dramatic changes meant all forms of sword, and sword combat, changed and evolved from century to century. Yet in Japan the form changed little, the style was excellent from the very earliest period, and all that was required was incremental small improvements and very subtle changes. A samurai armed with a sword from 700 ad, would not appear that much changed 1100 years later. However, the samurai sword had been improved, and improved more, to a standard of quality excellence, after 500 years, that remained unrivalled throughout the world. A sword steel that was the finest steel ever created by mankind, a steel so fine that it bears no useful comparison to every other finest blade steel ever made. Damascus is likely the closest, but still way, way, below Japanese samurai sword steel. If Japanese samurai steel, ranked in first place, was compared to a formula one racing car, Damascus or pattern welded sword steel, ranked in second place, would be the equivalent to a twenty year old New York taxicab by comparison.

Picture 7 in the gallery is of the tsukaito over the war pony menuki. They appear to difference shades of green, but this is an illusion created by the camera photo light. There is no actual difference in colour at all

Overall 27 1/4 inches long in saya, blade 19 3/4 inches long  read more

Code: 26201

4750.00 GBP

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Chinese Bronze 'Two Ring' Jian sword, however both the grip rings are now lacking, as is the pommel. Used in the era of the Seven Kingdoms period, likely in the Kingdom of Wu, up to the latter part of the Eastern Zhou dynasty (475 – 221 BC).

From our wonderful collection of ancient Chinese weaponry we recently acquired, another stunning ancient sword around 2500 years old or more. From the Zhou dynasty, and the area of the King's of Wu, in Chu. as this sword bears old damage it is priced accordingly, yet it is still an ancient piece of great beauty and interest.

Swords of this type are called “two-ring” swords because of the prominent rings formerly located on the hilt. This is the very type of sword used by the warriors serving under the world renowned General Sun Tzu, in the Kingdom of Wu, who is thought by many to be the finest general, philosopher and military tactician who ever lived. His 2500 year old book on the methods of warfare, tactics and psychology are still taught and highly revered in practically every officer training college throughout the world.
We show a painting in the gallery of a chariot charge by a Zhou dynasty warrior armed with this very form of sword.
The Chinese term for this form of weapon is “Jian” which refers to a double-edged sword. This style of Jian is generally attributed to either the Wu or the Yue state. The sword has straight graduated edges reducing to a pointed tip, which may indicate an earlier period Jian.

The blade is heavy with a midrib and tapered edges
A very impressive original ancient Chinese sword with a long, straight blade with a raised, linear ridge down its centre. It has a very shallow, short guard. The thin handle would have had leather or some other organic material such as leather or hemp cord, wrapped around it to form a grip. At the top once had a round, likely dished pommel

The Seven Kingdom or Warring States period in Chinese history was one of instability and conflict between many smaller Kingdom-states. The period officially ended when China was unified under the first Emperor of China, Qin pronounced Chin Shi Huang Di in 221 BC. It is from him that China gained its name.

The Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BCE) was among the most culturally significant of the early Chinese dynasties and the longest lasting of any in China's history, divided into two periods: Western Zhou (1046-771 BCE) and Eastern Zhou (771-256 BCE). It followed the Shang Dynasty (c. 1600-1046 BCE), and preceded the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE, pronounced “chin”) which gave China its name.

In the early years of the Spring and Autumn Period, (770-476 BC) chivalry in battle was still observed and all seven states used the same tactics resulting in a series of stalemates since, whenever one engaged with another in battle, neither could gain an advantage. In time, this repetition of seemingly endless, and completely futile, warfare became simply the way of life for the people of China during the era now referred to as the Warring States Period. The famous work The Art of War by Sun-Tzu (l. c. 500 BCE) was written during this time, recording precepts and tactics one could use to gain advantage over an opponent, win the war, and establish peace.

Sun Tzu was a Chinese general, military strategist, writer, and philosopher who lived in the Eastern Zhou period of ancient China. Sun Tzu is traditionally credited as the author of The Art of War, an influential work of military strategy that has affected both Western and East Asian philosophy and military thinking. His works focus much more on alternatives to battle, such as stratagem, delay, the use of spies and alternatives to war itself, the making and keeping of alliances, the uses of deceit, and a willingness to submit, at least temporarily, to more powerful foes. Sun Tzu is revered in Chinese and East Asian culture as a legendary historical and military figure. His birth name was Sun Wu and he was known outside of his family by his courtesy name Changqing The name Sun Tzu by which he is more popularly known is an honorific which means "Master Sun".

Sun Tzu's historicity is uncertain. The Han dynasty historian Sima Qian and other traditional Chinese historians placed him as a minister to King Helü of Wu and dated his lifetime to 544–496 BC. Modern scholars accepting his historicity place the extant text of The Art of War in the later Warring States period based on its style of composition and its descriptions of warfare. Traditional accounts state that the general's descendant Sun Bin wrote a treatise on military tactics, also titled The Art of War. Since Sun Wu and Sun Bin were referred to as Sun Tzu in classical Chinese texts, some historians believed them identical, prior to the rediscovery of Sun Bin's treatise in 1972.

Sun Tzu's work has been praised and employed in East Asian warfare since its composition. During the twentieth century, The Art of War grew in popularity and saw practical use in Western society as well. It continues to influence many competitive endeavours in the world, including culture, politics, business and sports.

The ancient Chinese people worshipped the bronze and iron swords, where they reached a point of magic and myth, regarding the swords as “ancient holy items”. Because they were easy to carry, elegant to wear and quick to use, bronze swords were considered a status symbol and an honour for kings, emperors, scholars, chivalrous experts, merchants, as well as common people during ancient dynasties. For example, Confucius claimed himself to be a knight, not a scholar, and carried a sword when he went out. The most famous ancient bronze sword is called the “Sword of Gou Jian”.

This is one of a stunning collection of original archaic bronze age weaponry we have just acquired and has now arrived. Many are near identical to other similar examples held in the Metropolitan in New York, the British royal collection, and such as the Hunan Provincial Museum, Hunan, China.
As with all our items, every piece is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity  read more

Code: 24876

1495.00 GBP

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A superb knight's 'scorpion tail' or 'battle whip' iron mounted knight's chained mace with screw pin to imbed into a wooden haft, composed of a carinated and facetted head with trapezoidal suspension loop, chain with figure-of-eight links with coiled wire collars, screw with tapering twisted shank and suspension loop with a facetted collar. This chained battle mace had the name of a Scorpion in England or France, or sometimes a Battle-Whip. It was also wryly known as a 'Holy Water Sprinkler'. King John The Ist of Bohemia used exactly such a weapon as well as his sword, but as he was blind, and the act of 'Flailing the Mace' meant lack of site was no huge disadvantage in close combat. Although blind he was a valiant and the bravest of the Warrior Kings, who perished at the Battle of Crecy against the English in 1346. On the day he was slain he instructed his Knights both friends and companions to lead him to the very centre of battle, so he may strike at least one blow against his enemies. His Knights tied their horses to his, so the King would not be separated from them in the press, and they rode together into the thick of battle, where King John managed to strike not one but at least four noble blows. The following day of the battle, the horses and the fallen knights were found all about the body of their most noble King, all still tied to his steed.
According to the Cronica ecclesiae Pragensis Benesii Krabice de Weitmile, when told by his aides that the battle against the English at Crécy was lost and he better should flee to save his own life, John the Blind replied: "Absit, ut rex Boemie fugeret, sed illuc me ducite, ubi maior strepitus certaminis vigeret, Dominus sit nobiscum, nil timeamus, tantum filium meum diligenter custodite. --Far be it that the King of Bohemia should run away. Instead, take me to the place where the noise of the battle is the loudest. The Lord will be with us. Nothing to fear. Just take good care of my son-.

It is difficult to block with a shield or parry with a weapon such as this on a chain because it can curve over and round impediments and still strike the target.

It has a faceted orb mace head connected by a chain, and bar for holding in the hand or affixing to a wooden haft. . Modern works variously refer to this particular weapon as a "mace-and-chain" or "chain mace," and sometimes erroneously label them as simply a "mace" or morning star, terms which technically apply only to rigid weapons. Some historians refer to this weapon as a kettenmorgenstern ("chain morning star") to distinguish it from the rigid weapon. Despite being depicted in medieval manuscripts they were very likely most rare bespoke weapons in their day, and infrequently encountered, as rigid maces, iron or bronze weighted heads, affixed to a wooden hafts, were far simpler to make and thus much less expensive to create.
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

Sir Walter Scott describes the flail in the hands of an unhinged Crusader in his 19th-century novel The Talisman:

“I am Theodorick of Engaddi,” he said,—“I am the walker of the desert—I am friend of the cross, and flail of all infidels, heretics and devil-worshippers.” … So saying, he pulled from under his shaggy garment a sort of flail or jointed club, bound with iron, which he brandished round his head with singular dexterity.

“Thou seest thy saint,” said the Saracen, laughing, for the first time, at the unmitigated astonishment with which Sir Kenneth looked on the wild gestures and heard the wayward muttering of Theodorick, who, after swinging his flail in every direction, apparently quite reckless whether it encountered the head of either of his companions, finally showed his own strength and the soundness of the weapon, by striking into fragments a large stone which lay near him.

“This is a madman,” said Sir Kenneth.

The gallery contains photos of original medieval paintings of chained maces used in knightly combat, and another of a Renaissance tapestry of another chained mace, and an original 17th century engraving. Another final variety the Iberian flail or mangual. This can be seen below at the feet of the figure on the frontispiece of the Handbook of the True Skill of Arms in Thirty-Eight Assertions by Miguel Perez de Mendoza y Quixada, published in 1675. This weapon was a specialized armament meant primarily to oppose rapiers and perhaps two handed swords like montante in combat, the figure standing amongst an armoury of weapons including a zweihander great sword, a maine gauche, numerous swept hilt and cup hilt rapiers, and at his feet, a multi chained mace battle-whip or mangual. Picture 10 in the gallery is another a capture taken from a Renaissance painting

Very good, surface russetted condition, 22 inches long approx., and with great heft.  read more

Code: 24107

1850.00 GBP

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