A Superb Spencer Carbine, The Best Carbine Rifle of the American Civil War, & The Wild West. One of The 500 Guns Of The ‘Colorado Shipment’ & Used In The ‘Post Colorado War’ Indian Wars, Between the Southern Cheyenne, Arapaho, & Brulé and Oglala Sioux

An absolutely cracking example in superb condition for age, probably one of the best we have seen in years, and comparable or possibly better to one we had last year, which was, until then, the finest we had seen anywhere in the last 10 years. Complete with its removable and reloadable magazine. Serial numbered 33k range.

It bears a US inspector’s cartouche stamp on the stock, and that particular inspector is seen on the Colorado issue range, within the 33k serial numbered guns, this is rare in that only 500 carbines from this serial numbered range were transferred to the Colorado territory, and this is only the second we have ever seen, both in that rarely seen 33k serial number sequence.

Colorado, in the world famous Rocky Mountains aka ‘The Rockies’, was at the very heart of what is known today as the “Wild West’ period, and it went through an incredible series of historical events at this time, it was not granted statehood till August 1st 1876, as President Andrew Jackson vetoed it in 1865, it had an amazing and violent ‘Gold Rush’ period during the war, and it was experiencing all manner of difficulties and dangers regarding the breaking of the Fort Laramie Treaty, which became known as the the Colorado War, between the warring Native American tribes, such as between the Southern Cheyenne, Arapaho, and allied Brulé and Oglala Sioux. It became the centre of so many Hollywood ‘Wild West’ films in the entire 20th century, in the telling of the stories of Colorado and ‘The Rockies’ that one way or another it became one of the most famous territories and states of America around the world.

In modern movie times the 1860 Spencer Rifle was used by Clint Eastwood and Morgan Freeman in ‘The Unforgiven’ and in ‘3.10 to Yuma’ by Christin Bale

The Spencer was the most advanced infantry weapon in the world of its times, it was patented in 1860 by Christian Spencer, a machinist who worked in Hartford. Conn. For Sharps and developed the Spencer on his own time. We are offering this simply superb example that is in great condition for its age. This carbine was a fundamental game changer of the entire Civil War. Although Confederates captured some of these weapons, the South's armament industry was unable to manufacture much of the ammunition due to a shortage of copper. It is only a small exaggeration to state that this cartridge decided the outcome of the Civil War.
Col. John T. Wilder said of them:"Hoover's Gap was the first battle where the Spencer repeating rifle had ever been used, and in my estimation they were better weapons that has yet taken their place, being strong and not easily injured by the rough usage of army movements, and carrying a projectiile that disabled any man who was unlucky enough to be hit by it." One of his soldiers wrote about the Spencer that it "never got out of repair. It would shoot a mile just as accurately as the finest rifle in the world. It was the easiest gun to handle in the manual of arms drill I have ever seen. It could be taken all to pieces to clean, and hence was little trouble to keep in order -- quite an item to lazy soldiers." According to Smith Aktins, a colonel in Wilder's regiment, it was "the best arm for service in the field ever invented, better than any other arm in the world then or now, so simple in its mechanism that it never got out of order, and was always ready for instant service.".

Major-General James H. Wilson, who was instrumental in crushing Hood at Nashville (15-16 Dec. 1864) and defeated Forrest at Selma (2 April 1865), wrote the following about them: "There is no doubt that the Spencer carbine is the best fire-arm yet put into the hands of the soldier, both for economy of ammunition and maximum effect, physical and moral. Our best officers estimate one man armed with it is equivalent to three with any other arm. I have never seen anything else like the confidence inspired by it in the regiments or brigades which have it. A common belief amongst them is if their flanks are covered they can go anywhere. I have seen a large number of dismounted charges made with them against cavalry, infantry, and breast-works, and never knew one to fail. It was the world's first practical repeater and fired a .52 calibre metallic rimfire cartridge (patented by Smith & Wesson in 1854 and perfected by Henry in the late 1850's} which completely prevented gas leakage from the back because the brass casing expanded on ignition to seal the chamber. It had a "rolling block" (actually a rotating block) activated by lowering the trigger guard. This movement opened the breech and extracted the spent cartridge. Raising the lever caused a new cartridge, pushed into position by a spring in the 7-round magazine, to be locked into the firing chamber. The 7-round magazine was located in the stock.
The Spencer was easy to manufacture (given the requisite industrial infrastructure), had relatively few parts, many of which were in common with the Sharps rifles, and was cheaper than other repeaters on the market such as the Henry. It also turned out to be extremely reliable under battlefield conditions. Its great advantage over the muzzle loading rifles such as the Enfields and Springfields lay not only in the rapidity of fire, but also in the ability of the shooter to aim each shot. In a normal battle situation, the muzzle loaders were fired in an aimed manner only the first few shots, thereafter it was usually a case of hurried fire after frantic loading. A trained soldier could get off two or three shots a minute with them until the barrel fouled with lead deposit. With the Spencer the soldier could fire 20 to 30 times a minute when necessary, taking advantage of the cartridge box which held 10 preloaded magazines. The only disadvantage of the Spencers was the relatively small powder charge in the cartridge which limited its range. Some marksmen therefore preferred the single shot Sharps breechloader which used paper or linen cartridges with a larger powder charge and had greater range. With the Sharps you could fire about 10 times a minute. But for the cavalry which fought mostly at close range, the Spencer was the weapon of choice.

Introduced in Jan. 1862, it found its first major use by Col. John Wilder's Indiana "Lightning Brigade" of mounted infantry at Hoover's Gap during the Tullahoma Campaign (22 June - 3 July 1863). The firepower and speed of this unit overwhelmed Wheeler's cavalry guarding the southern end of this pass and allowed George H. Thomas's 14th infantry corps to place itself on the flank of the Confederate General Hardee. This sudden development misled Hardee into thinking he had been outflanked by the entire Union Army of the Cumberland, and he retreated without orders back to Tullahoma, 15 miles in his rear. Wilder then spearheaded the turning movement to the east of Tullahoma, and this in turn undermined Bragg's entire defensive line, and he had to pull back into Chattanooga. At the price of about 500 casualties the Union Army advanced 100 miles and made military history. Later, at the battle of Chickamauga (19-20 Sept. 1863), his troops used them with decisive effect on the first day, keeping Bragg's troops from cutting the road to Chattanooga, and slowing Longstreet's attack on the second day. This is the scarcer Burnside Spencer Repeating Rifle Contract Carbine,

Made in Providence Rhode Island This specimen is one of the Burnside Contract, making it much scarcer and thus rarer than those standard carbines made by the Spencer Repeating Rifle Company. Out of the 34,000 made by Burnside, over 30,000 were purchased by the U.S. government, which in gun production numbers, during this period, 30,000 was a most small contract indeed.

On October 16, 1868, 500 Burnside Contract Spencer Carbines were transferred by the Ordnance Department to the Colorado Territory. The Ordnance inspector cartouche remain visible on the left side of the stock behind the sling ring bar, this particular Ordnance stamp is also the ones used for the 500 Colorado Territory guns shipment.

Thousands of people had flooded into Colorado between 1858-1861 trying to find quick riches. As a result, the Colorado territory was born. This was the first time that a concentrated group of people had began to settle the region. It was almost immediately filled with wealth, trade, and rail transportation. By 1865, more than 1 million ounces of gold had been found. But this now overpopulated area had spilt out and violated an already unstable situation; The Treaty of Fort Laramie had been broken. The Treaty was meant to establish boundaries and offer peace, internally and externally, among both the United States and Natives. The American miners settling on the Native land only exaggerated the existing conflicts between tribes. The result ended up being years of war between multiple tribes and the U.S. Government, in what is now known as the Colorado War.
As the conflicts ceased, population growth flourished, and resources kept flowing, the territory became a state on August 1, 1876. Colorado could have been a state a little sooner if President Andrew Jackson didn’t issue a veto against the statehood in 1865. A lot of American history happened in a short span of time. Colorado played a huge role in the history of the American West, making the potential of this rifle in our opinion very special indeed.
As with all our antique guns no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables  read more

Code: 23152

A Personalised & Named Naval Sword of an 1804 Naval Hero Commodore of a British East Indiaman Fleet & His Original Framed Portrait

One of the great naval war heroes of the Napoleonic Wars, who won a commanding victory over a far superior French battle fleet in 1804. A super sword personally named to him. He was a famous King George IIIrd period naval fleet commander hero of the wars with Napoleon. His greatest achievement came during the Napoleonic Wars, in 1804, when having been appointed commodore of the Royal East India Volunteers and one of the company's fleets, that was carrying in today’s value almost a billion pounds sterling of cargo. He came across a far superior armed fleet, a French heavily armed battle squadron under Rear-Admiral Comte de Linois, which was raiding British shipping in the area.

Through simply remarkable and skillfull seamanship, and exemplary aggressive tactics, he fooled the French commander into thinking that the British convoy was escorted by powerful naval forces, instead of very lightly armed East Indiamen, and the French Admiral, horrified by what he assumed were a few, British, Royal Naval armed escort ships, decided not to risk attacking the convoy, and fled.The commodore skilfully compounded the deception by taking his lightly armed merchants and chasing the French away, despite the considerable disparity of force. Having saved the convoy from almost certain destruction, he was hailed as a hero throughout the kingdom, lavishly rewarded with praise, money, and a knighthood, and thus spent the last years of his life in most comfortable and well deserved retirement.

The Naval Chronicle declared at the time;

‘We cannot sufficiently express our opinion of the coolness, intrepidity, and skill, with which the Commander of this Fleet, unaccustomed as he was to the practice of naval engagements, provided against every emergency, and prepared his plans, either for attack or defence, as the manoeuvres of the French Admiral might render it expedient for him to adopt either the one of the other. His conduct was worthy of the experience and science of our most approved and veteran Admirals, while the ardour and promptitude with which his orders were obeyed and his plans executed by the several Captains under his command, may have been rivalled, but can scarcely be exceeded in the most renowned of our naval exploits. ‘
See the last photos in the gallery of famous paintings of the time depicting his battle and victory His near life size portrait accompanies his sword. The pictures in the gallery will show the brass sword hilt has been battle repaired, for the commodore, with immense skill on the shell guard and knuckle bow. The picture frame has some small areas of gesso and gilt the bottom that are missing, the blade has no scabbard.

Commodore Nathanial Dance was also awarded a £100 Lloyds Patriotic Fund Sword, today such a sword could be worth up to £200,000.

Antique ivory, 'worked' declaration submission, but we can only sell this sword within the UK, it is not allowed for export. Ivory, however old cannot be imported into the USA.  read more

Code: 23559

Rare 1st Edition 'Reveries or Memoirs Upon The Art of War', Printed in 1757

An important classic. First Edition in English. (8-1/4 x 10-1/2 inches) leather bound of 195 pages, and a page of advertisements for other books by the publisher. 40 copper plates, some fold out, on 34 pages. First edition in English of a classic 18th century military work by Saxe (1696-1750) the renowned soldier. The book is divided into 2 parts, the first examining the raising, feeding, clothing, exercising, paying, encamping, and moving of an army, and the 2nd covering the strategic aspects of combat, including attack and defence in various terrains. A nice rare copy with former owner's and name plate, Thomas Best of Park House, Boxley, Kent. Added some original Letters, upon various Military Subjects, wrote by the Count to the late King of Poland, and M. de Folard, which were never before made public: Together with His Reflections upon the Propagation of the Human Species. Translated from the French. This is the first edition in English of a classic military work by one of the world's most famous soldiers. At the age of twelve, Dresden-born Maurice de Saxe (1696?1750) entered the Saxon army, beginning a long and successful military career that culminated in his promotion to Marshal of France, where he retained full command of the main army in Flanders directly under Louis XV. Again and again, de Saxe achieved enormous victories over his enemies, becoming one of the greatest military leaders of the eighteenth century. Combining his memoirs and general observations with brilliant military thinking, Reveries on the Art of War was written in a mere thirteen days. Introducing revolutionary approaches to battles and campaigning at a time of changing military tactics and leadership styles, it stands as a classic of early modern military theory.
De Saxe's Reveries offered numerous procedural innovations for raising and training troops. His descriptions for establishing field camps were soon standard procedure. His ideas advanced weapon technology, including the invention of a gun specially designed for infantrymen and the acceptance of breech-loading muskets and cannons. De Saxe heightened existing battle formations by introducing a specific attack column that required less training, and he rediscovered a military practice lost since the ancient Romans ? the art of marching in cadence. He even delved into the minds and emotions of soldiers on the battlefield, obtaining a deeper understanding of their daily motivations.
Written by a military officer of great acumen, Reveries on the Art of War has deeply impacted modern military tactics. Enduringly relevant, this landmark work belongs in the library of anyone interested in the history, tactics, and weapons of European warfare. We show a wax miniature of the books owner, Thomas Best, in full military uniform. The miniature is held as part of the Victoria and Albert Museum Collection.  read more

Code: 21247

A Magnificent 18th Century Silver Hilted Small Sword with Colichmarde Blade. This Is One Of The Most Beautiful We Have Seen in Several years

A combination of the finest 18th century artisan's skill of both a silversmith and bespoke swordsmith. Circa 1759 possibly by William Kinman of London. no silver hallmark was required due to The 'Act of 1738' the Plate Offences Act 1738, & the 1738 exemptions, which exempted the requirement of an assay mark for gold and silver mounts of swords, daggers, pistols and guns

General George Washington, later the first President of the United States, had a near identical sword that he used during his service as commander of the new American Army in the American War of Independance from 1776 onwards

Ideal in its day for duelling or close quarter combat, as well as being a simply fabulous, finest quality sword of immense beauty. Fine cast and chased silver hilt in the elegant rococo style with double shell guard single knucklebow and pas dans. The grip has silver banding interspersed with herringbone pattern twisted silver wire. The guard has enchanting workmanship with a scrolling, pierced, rococo Arabesque pattern. Colishmarde blade with blackened steel finish. The highly distinctive colishmarde blades appeared in 1680 and were popular during the next 40 years at the royal European courts. The colichemarde bladed swords had a special popularity with the officers of the French and Indian War period. Even George Washington had a very fine one just as this example.

The colichemarde descended from the so-called "transition rapier", which appeared because of a need for a lighter sword, better suited to parrying. It was not so heavy at its point; it was shorter and allowed a limited range of double time moves.The colichemarde in turn appeared as a thrusting blade too and also with a good parrying level, hence the strange, yet successful shape of the blade.

This sword appeared at about the same time as the foil. However the foil was created for practising fencing at court, while the colichemarde was created for dueling. With the appearance of pocket pistols as a self-defense weapon, the colichemardes found an even more extensive use in dueling.
This was achieved thanks to a wide forte (often with several fullers), which then stepped down in width after the fullers ended.The result of this strange shape was a higher maneuverability of the sword: with the weight of the blade concentrated in one's hand it became possible to maneuver the blade at a greater speed and with a higher degree of control, allowing the fencer to place a precise thrust at his/her adversary. This sword is a true work of art, in it's beauty form, quality and balance. One photo in the gallery is of General Burgoyne surrendering his similar gilt sword after the Battle of Saratoga in October 1777. Another portrait of George Washington with his very similar solid silver sword sword.

The blade is age blackened steel with original untouched centuries old old patina  read more

Code: 23170

A Scarce German WW2, Luftwaffe officer's or Possibly SS Officer's Sword or Dagger Belt Hanger Mount

The only confusion in regards to this original Third Reich WW2 private purchase officer's sword or dagger hanger, is that it is either extra dark blue that appears black, or its black that in some light appears, possibly, extra dark midnight blue.

The “Schutzstaffel” (Hitler’s elite black guard) carried a variety of unofficial swords until 1936 with the introduction of the “SS-Ehrendegen”. This sword was presented to high-ranking SS men or new officers upon completion of their training in SS officer schools. The medium width, polished blade contained a long fuller along the upper half. A black painted grip was banded with silver wire strands and fronted with a round silver emblem containing the SS “Sigrune”. The silver cross guard blended into the thin “D” guard which ended under the pommel cap. The ferule had beautifully chiseled oak leaves in silver with darkened recesses. Swords were typically marked with Sigrune acceptance marks on the “D” guard base and scabbard throats. Scabbards were black painted steel with silvered toe and throat sections, the later containing a single hanging ring. SS NCO swords took the similar design of the officer swords, but without the wire wrap or handle emblem. The pommel cap of NCO swords displayed an engraved Sigrune emblem. Due to shortages during the war, and the fact that not all SS officers were not awarded swords, some SS men carried army pattern or police swords instead of SS models.

When Hitler’s military was defeated, all “weapons” in the hands of German citizens, including ceremonial blades were to be turned into the occupying forces. After the victors carefully picked out the more valued pieces, countless others left were destroyed by being run over with heavy vehicles, burned in piles of debris, buried in bomb craters or thrown into deep bodies of water. Despite the wholesale destruction, thousands of Third Reich swords did survive in the hands of Allied veterans to be proudly brought home as symbols of their victory. These would eventually find their way into modern collections to be prized and studied by the keepers of history.

Despite looking as a relatively small accessory to the wearing of the sword and dagger in uniform in the 3rd Reich period, hangers and belt mounts are highly collectible, because so few mounts survive, simply due to the sword or dagger, being a fine and desirable souvenir piece of German surrendered war booty in 1945, yet its mounts and belt fittings were almost always more usually ignored, thus left behind, and, or, destroyed. Some sword and dagger mounts are now remarkably valuable, for example, a first year manufactured, 1936 SS maker stamped and dated complete sword hanger belt mount not including the belt itself could comfortably sell for over one thousand, and possibly up to two thousand pounds.

This would make a very nice addition to any German WW2 sword or dagger display.  read more

Code: 24480

Koto Period Samurai Katana, Circa 1550 From The Muramachi Era, A Most Fine Blade with Midare and Large Waves Hamon, & Nioi & Nie Deki, a Masame & Itame Hada, in Very Good Polish, Shibuishi Dragon Fly Fuchi Kashira

Fine Edo saya in superb condition decorated under clear urushi lacquer with pine needles and entwined silver wire. Very good Edo tsuba of iron {tettsu} with mokume wood grain body and a bamboo mimi {rim} with bamboo leaves. Wonderful quality shibuishi fuchi -kashira of takebori dragonflies with a gold seal. Just returned from a interior decorators display in Grosvenor Sq. London.

Nie (沸) literally means "seethe" or "boil." In Japanese sword connoisseurship, it is the name of larger martensite crystals that appear on the polished surface of some traditionally made Japanese swords, which sometimes look like bubbles of boiling water rising to the surface. Nie mostly forms along the temperline, but on some swords is also seen on the blade's surfaces. Nie & nioi
When the crystals are so small that the naked eye cannot make them out individually, and they appear like a whitish mist, it is called nioi (匂), literally "fragrance". Nioi is present to some extent on all blades, but when no or very little nie is present, we speak of nioi-deki (匂出来). When the work shows nie throughout, we call it nie deki (沸出来) where deki means workmanship or interpretation.

Japan was once known as the “Land of the Dragonfly”, as the Emperor Jimmu is said to have once climbed a mountain in Nara, and looking out over the land, claimed that his country was shaped like two Akitsu, the ancient name for the winged insects, mating.

Dragonflies appeared in great numbers in 1274 and again in 1281, when Kublai Khan sent his Mongol forces to conquer Japan. Both times the samurai repelled the attackers, with the aid of huge typhoons, later titled Kamikaze (the Divine Winds), that welled up, destroying the Mongol ships, saving Japan from invasion. For that reason, dragonflies were seen as bringers of divine victory.

Dragonflies never retreat, they will stop, but will always advance, which was seen as an ideal of the samurai. Further, although the modern Japanese word for dragonfly is Tombo, the old (Pre Meiji era) word for dragonfly was Katchimushi. “Katchi” means “To win”, hence dragonflies were seen as auspicious by the samurai.

Insects in general have been celebrated in Japanese culture for centuries. The Lady Who Loved Insects is a classic story of a caterpillar-collecting lady of the 12th century court; the Tamamushi, or Jewel Beetle Shrine, is a seventh century miniature temple, once shingled with 9,000 iridescent beetle forewings. In old Japanese literature, poems upon insects are to be found by thousands, Daisaburo Okumoto is director of the Fabre Insect Museum. An avid insect collector and a scholar of French literature, he has translated many of Fabre's works. He ascribes the popularity of insects in Japan to national character. It seems like Japanese eyes are like macro lenses and Western eyes are wide-angle, he says. A garden in Versailles, it's very wide and symmetrical. But Japanese gardens are continuous from the room and also very small. We feel calm when we look at small things. The medieval Japanese monk Yoshida Kenko put it this way: “If man were never to fade away like the dews of Adashino, never to vanish like the smoke over Toribeyama, how things would lose their power to move us!

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  read more

Code: 25334

An Extremely Rare Example of a Vijayanagara Hooded Katar From South India,16th To Early 17th century.

Graduating triangular blade, engraved at the grip with two facing yali or leogryph (a part lion and part griffin), with some bird-like features. This mythological creature could be added to fine hooded katars by engraving to the hooded Katars as a means of spiritual protection in the battlefield. The Yali is a mythical creature seen in many South Indian temples, often sculpted onto the pillars. It may be portrayed as part lion, part elephant and part horse. The Vijayanagara Empire originated in the South of India through small Hindu Kingdoms as a resistance to the Muslim invasions from the North. These types of Hooded Katars are seen in the statues at Seshagiri Rayar Mandapam and were the staple of the Empire. As the Vijayanagara Empire slowly declined in the 17th century, this style of Katar declined and Katars without the hood became prominent.
This most rare Vijaynagara Katar exhibits the classical and traditional design, staying true to its roots. The blade is long, strongly tapering, with multiple grooves and fullers. The blade is also very sturdy and tight. Also if you notice the examples provided by Elgood, some of the katars do feature this type of blade. The grooves are deep and precisely cut and hold a consistent spacing and design, which adds to its aesthetic appeal. The blade is longer than the usual hooded Katars, which points towards this being an original blade, rather than a cut down european blade that is found on most other hooded katars on the market. The shield (hood) is a thick solid steel with a clean finish, engraved with floral designs and a yali. The Yali is a mythical creature seen in many South Indian temples, often sculpted onto the pillars. It may be portrayed as part lion, part elephant and part horse, and in similar shapes. Also, it has been sometimes described as a leogryph (part lion and part griffin), with some bird-like features. This mythological creature was added to the hooded Katars as a means of spiritual protection in the battlefield.

The handle bars are wide and larger than the typical Katar to match the aesthetic and size of the Vijaynagara Katar. The width of the handle bars provide an excellent protective layer for the user, but also creates an imposing presence when held due to the sheer size of the Katar. The grips features balls which give the user a good grip.  read more

Code: 25353

A Superb Old English-Viking Large 'Winged' Spear Javelin Head With Later Haft. A Vital Component in 'Shield Wall' Battles Over 1000 Years Old

Overall darkened natural patina with age and areas of a pitted surface, but overall in incredibly well preserved condition. Diamond section blade round socket with a pair of flat topped wings square section semi hooked below. It has three double rivet holes at the base of the socket for haft fixing.
The later haft was created for a museum type display to show how it was originally used. Although recovered a long time past, it was incredibly fortunate it was buried an area, likely in England, that was in a highly inorganic material that caused minimal degradation and corrosion over the past millennia, such as fine textured clay soils.

Although some of the leaf spears were light and controllable with one hand, the more massive spearheads were undoubtedly two-handed and suitable for heavy cut-and-thrust, usable as swords in all respects. Their functional aspect is often multiplied by wings, which, among other things, act as a cross-guard. When used on ground, these massive variants had to be exceptionally useful against both cavalry and infantry, while in cavalry use they could be used as cutting, anti-infantry weapons. It is difficult to imagine that such massive spearheads would be placed on very long shafts. In iconography, the spears are usually as high or slightly taller than the wearer. In archeology, the spearheads are often located next to the head, but it is not clear whether the shaft was broken before being placed in the grave or not (eg Belošević 2007: 275; Kouřil 2005: Abb. 4, 6, 15, 16).

Anglo-Saxon England or Early Medieval England, existing from the 5th to the 11th centuries from soon after the end of Roman Britain until the Norman Conquest in 1066, consisted of various Anglo-Saxon kingdoms until 927, when it was united as the Kingdom of England by King Æthelstan (r. 927–939). It became part of the short-lived North Sea Empire of Cnut, a personal union between England, Denmark and Norway in the 11th century.

The typical battle involved both sides, Anglo Saxons, and Vikings or Normans forming shieldwalls to protect against the launching of missiles, and standing slightly out of range of each other.

Stephen Pollington has proposed the following sequence to a typical shieldwall fight . {Stephen Pollington is an English author who specialises in Anglo-Saxon England and the Old English language}

Preliminaries – The lines are drawn up and leaders make pre-battle inspirational speeches
Advance to close quarters – A battle cry would be raised and one or both shieldwalls would advance
Exchange missiles – Both sides shoot arrows and throw javelins, axes and rocks to break the enemy's resolve
Shield to shield – One or other side closes the short gap and attacks, using spears and swords, protecting themselves and pushing with shields to try to break the enemy line. If neither line broke, both sides would draw back to rest. More missiles would be exchanged, and then the two lines would close again. This would continue until one line broke through the other, perhaps aided by the death of a leader or capture of a banner.
Rout and pursuit – One side would begin to give way. A final stand might be made by some, as at Maldon, but most would flee. The victors would pursue, killing all they could catch.
Individual combat style
Individual warriors would run forward from the ranks to gain velocity for their javelin throws. This made them vulnerable due to their being exposed, having left the protection of the shield wall, and there was a chance of being killed by a counter throw from the other side.citation needed This is epitomized in the following excerpt:

"So then did Aethelgar's child enbolden them all, Godric to battle. Often he sent forth spears, deadly shaft sped away onto the Vikings thus he on this people went out in front of battle, cutting down and smiting, until he too on the battlefield perished." (The Battle of Maldon. 320-4.)

If a warrior was killed in the 'no man's land' between shieldwalls, someone from the other side might rush out to retrieve the valuable armour and weapons, such as extra javelins, sword, shield and so on from the corpse. The one best positioned to retrieve the body was often the thrower of the fatal javelin as he had run forward of his shield wall too in order to make his throw. Exposing himself like this, and even more so during his attempt to retrieve the slain's gear, was a great mark of bravery and could result in much valuable personal gain, not only in terms of his professional career as a retainer, but also in material wealth if the equipment were valuable.
Due to the very visible and exposed nature of these javelin-throwing duels, we have some detailed descriptions which have survived, such as the following passage. The first part describes thrown javelin duels, and the latter part describes fighting over the corpses' belongings.

"Advanced again to fierce battle, weapons raised up, shields to defence, and towards these warriors they stepped. Resolute they approached Earl to the lowest Yeoman: each of them intent on harm for the enemy. Sent then a sea-warrior a spear of southern make that wounded the warrior lord. He thrust then with his shield such that the spear shaft burst, and that spear-head shattered as it sprang in reply. Enraged became that warrior: with anger he stabbed that proud Viking who had given him that wound. Experienced was that warrior; he threw his spear forward through the warrior's neck, his hand guiding so that he this ravager's life would fatally pierce. Then he with another stab speedily pierced the ravager so that the chainmail coat broke: this man had a breast wound cut through the linked rings; through his heart stuck a deadly spear. The Earl was the better pleased: laughed then this great man of spirit, thanking the Creator for the day's work which the Lord had given him. And so then another warrior a spear from the other side flew out of hand, which deeply struck through the noble Aethelred's retainer. To him by his side stood a young man not fully grown, a youth on the battlefield, who valiantly pulled out of this warrior the bloody spear, Wulfstan's child, Wulfmaer the younger; and so with blinding speed came the shaft in reply. The spear penetrated, for that who on the Earth now lay among his people, the one who had sorely pierced. Went then armed a man to this Earl; he desirous of this warrior's belongings to take off with, booty and rings and an ornamental sword. Then Byrhtnoth drew his sword from its sheath broad and bright of blade, and then struck the man's coat of mail. But too soon he was prevented by a certain sea-scavenger, and then the Earl's arm was wounded. Fall then to the ground with his gold-hilted sword: his grip unable to hold the heavy sword, or wield the weapon." (The Battle of Maldon. 130-58.)

Reconstructions of fighting techniques suggested by Richard Underwood in his book Anglo Saxon Weapons and Warfare suggest two primary methods of using a spear. You can use it over arm – held up high with the arm extended and the spear pointing downwards. Used this way you could try and attack over the enemy shield against head and neck. Or you could use it underarm with the spear braced along the forearm. This was more defensive and was good for parrying the enemy spear and pushing against his shield to keep him away but was not much use offensively.


Picture in the gallery from the Codex Aureus of Echternach, 1030-1050AD
Germanisches Nationalmuseum in Nuremberg, Germany.

Another picture of an archaeological detailed drawing of a warrior's grave site, showing large winged spear and sword. From Abramowicz – Nadolski – Poklewski-Koziełł 1959:

17 inches long. Weight 0.5 lb

The later haft was made purely for museum grade display purposes, while we can send it within the UK it is far too long to export.  read more

Code: 25386

A Fine Scarce, Antique, Chinese Dadao Sword, Ching Dynasty. Used From the Opium Wars and The Boxer Rebellion. The Ching or Qing Dynasty Was Founded From 1644 and Ruled Until 1912.

A big and impressive sword with a long single edged blade. Black iron mounts to the leather bound scabbard and sword guard, round pommel wide cord wrapped grip, with plaited sword knot. Made in the Ching {Qing} Dynasty. Used during the Taiping Rebellion, the Opium Wars and into the Boxer Rebellion era, and most likely brought back to England by a soldier that either served in the Taiping Rebellion the Opium War, or defended the legations at the siege in Peking.

This weight of sword was frequently used not only in battle but for executions. All black finish.
The Taiping Rebellion was a widespread civil war in southern China from 1850 to 1864, led by heterodox Christian convert Hong Xiuquan, who having received visions, maintained that he was the younger brother of Jesus Christ against the ruling Manchu-led Qing Dynasty. About 20 million people died, mainly civilians, in one of the deadliest military conflicts in history.

Hong established the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, officially the "Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace", with its capital at Nanjing. The Kingdom's army controlled large parts of southern China, at its height containing about 30 million people. The rebels attempted social reforms believing in shared "property in common" and the replacement of Confucianism, Buddhism and Chinese folk religion with a form of Christianity. The Taiping troops were nicknamed "Long Hair" by the Qing {Ching} government. The Taiping areas were besieged by Qing forces throughout most of the rebellion. The Qing government crushed the rebellion with the eventual aid of French and British forces. The Opium Wars, also known as the Anglo-Chinese Wars, divided into the First Opium War from 1839 to 1842 and the Second Opium War from 1856 to 1860, were the climax of disputes over trade and diplomatic relations between China under the Qing Dynasty and the British Empire. After the inauguration of the Canton System in 1756, which restricted trade to one port and did not allow foreign entrance to China, the British East India Company faced a trade imbalance in favour of China and invested heavily in opium production to redress the balance. British and United States merchants brought opium from the British East India Company's factories in Patna and Benares, in the Indian state of Bengal, to the coast of China, where they sold it to Chinese smugglers who distributed the drug in defiance of Chinese laws. Aware both of the drain of silver and the growing numbers of addicts, the Dao Guang Emperor demanded action. Officials at the court who advocated legalization of the trade in order to tax it were defeated by those who advocated suppression. In 1838, the Emperor sent Lin Zexu to Guangzhou where he quickly arrested Chinese opium dealers and summarily demanded that foreign firms turn over their stocks. When they refused, Lin stopped trade altogether and placed the foreign residents under virtual siege, eventually forcing the merchants to surrender their opium to be destroyed. In response, the British government sent expeditionary forces from India which ravaged the Chinese coast and dictated the terms of settlement. The Treaty of Nanking not only opened the way for further opium trade, but ceded territory including Hong Kong, unilaterally fixed Chinese tariffs at a low rate, granted extraterritorial rights to foreigners in China which were not offered to Chinese abroad, a most favoured nation clause, as well as diplomatic representation. When the court still refused to accept foreign ambassadors and obstructed the trade clauses of the treaties, disputes over the treatment of British merchants in Chinese ports and on the seas led to the Second Opium War and the Treaty of Tientsin.
Hero of China, British General Gordon, was presented with an identical example, and he is carrying his, while dress in his Chinese garb, in the picture shown in the gallery. He was known affectionately as "Chinese" or "China" Gordon. Overall very good condition. He later became known as Gordon of Khartoum, as he was assassinated by the Mahdi's warriors at the end of the siege of Khartoum

The Qing dynasty, officially the Great Qing, was the Manchu-led last dynasty in the imperial history of China. It was proclaimed in 1636 in Manchuria, in 1644 entered Beijing, extended its rule to cover all of China proper, and then extended the empire into Inner Asia. The dynasty lasted until 1912. The Qing Dynasty fell in 1911, overthrown by a revolution brewing since 1894 when western-educated revolutionary Sun Zhongshan formed the Revive China Society in Hawaii, then Hong Kong. In 1911, the Nationalist Party of China held an uprising in Wuchang, helped by Qing soldiers, and 15 provinces declared their independence from the empire. Within weeks the Qing court agreed to the creation of a republic with its top general, Yuan Shikai, as president.

Xuantog abdicated in 1912, with Sun creating a provisional constitution for the new country, which ushered in years of political unrest centered around Yuan.

In 1917, there was a brief attempt to reinstate the Qing government, with Xuantog being restored for less than two weeks during a military coup that ultimately failed.

The Boxer Rebellion, more properly called the Boxer Uprising, or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement was a violent anti-foreign, anti-Christian movement called the "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" in China, but known as the "Boxers" in English. The main 'Boxer' era occurred between 1898 and 1901. This fascinating era was fairly well described in the Hollywood movie classic ' 55 Days in Peking' Starring Charlton Heston and David Niven. The film gives a little background of Ching Dynasty's humiliating military defeats suffered during the Opium Wars, Sino-French War and Sino-Japanese war or the effect of the Taiping Rebellion in weakening the Ching Qing Dynasty. However, situations in which the various colonial powers exerted influence over China (a great source of outrage that drove many Chinese to violence) are alluded to in the scene in which Sir Arthur Robinson and Major Lewis visit the Empress after the assassination of the German minister.

* Dowager Empress - "….the Boxer bandits will be dealt with, but the anger of the Chinese people cannot be quieted so easily. The Germans have seized Kiaochow, the Russians have seized Port Arthur, the French have obtained concessions in Yunnan, Kwan See and Kwantang. In all, 13 of the 18 provinces of China are under foreign control. Foreign warships occupy our harbours, foreign armies occupy our forts, foreign merchants administer our banks, foreign gods disturb the spirit of our ancestors. Is it surprising that our people are aroused?"
* Sir Arthur Robinson - "Your Majesty if you permit me to observe, the violence of the Boxers will not redress the grievences of China"
* Dowager Empress - "China is a prostrate cow, the powers are not content milking her, but must also butcher her."
* Sir Arthur Robinson - "If China is a cow your majesty, she is indeed a marvelous animal. She gives meat as well as milk…." The Dadao was continually used by Chinese Nationalist Army in the 1930's. the Pictures in the gallery of the Boxers 1900 and the combat in the siege.  read more

Code: 25382

19th Century Oil Portrait of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke Of Wellington, The Iron Duke, The Victor Of Napoleon’s Waterloo in 1815, With Marshal Blucher.

After Sir Thomas Lawrence

Portrait of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, K.G., K.B., M.P. (1769-1852), bust-length, in civilian clothes with a military cloak, wearing the insignia of the Order of the Golden Fleece
Oil on canvas, nicely framed.
Lawrence was specially commissioned by George IV to paint a pantheon of military heroes, diplomats and powerful heads of state responsible for the defeat of Napoleon initially in 1814 and ultimately (after his escape from Elba) at the Battle of Waterloo on 18 June 1815. These paintings were initially proposed for Carlton House, but George IV’s plans for Windsor Castle latterly came to include a new room specially created for the display of Lawrence’s portraits: the Waterloo Chamber. The similar posed drawing of Wellington pictured in our gallery was purchased by Sir Henry Russell in 1842 was once believed to be Lawrence's original study for the subsequent oils he painted on which our portait that we offer here is based and it could have been drawn as early as 1814 when Farington noted Wellington's first visit to Lawrence's studio, however, Sir Henry Russell would have been naturally optimistic about his drawing and it was not Lawrence's usual practice to begin a sitting with this type of sketch. It has more the air of being a pencil copy made later from one of the oils and kept in the studio possibly as a reminder or for a present or even made expressly for Lewis's engraving published eventually long after Lawrence's death. The head is similar to that in the Apsley House oil of c.1815-16 but the high collar resembles its later variant painted for Charles Arbuthnot MP, exhibited RA 1822 and multiplied in numerous studio copies. Our painting is 19th century, an oil on canvas, framed in a 20th century gilt and black wooden frame. Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS (1 May 1769 ? 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as Prime Minister. He ended the Napoleonic Wars when he defeated Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

Wellesley was born in Dublin into the Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland. He was commissioned as an ensign in the British Army in 1787, serving in Ireland as aide-de-camp to two successive Lords Lieutenant of Ireland. He was also elected as a Member of Parliament in the Irish House of Commons. He was a colonel by 1796 and saw action in the Netherlands and in India, where he fought in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War at the Battle of Seringapatam. He was appointed governor of Seringapatam and Mysore in 1799 and, as a newly appointed major-general, won a decisive victory over the Maratha Confederacy at the Battle of Assaye in 1803.

Wellesley rose to prominence as a general during the Peninsular campaign of the Napoleonic Wars, and was promoted to the rank of field marshal after leading the allied forces to victory against the French Empire at the Battle of Vitoria in 1813. Following Napoleon's exile in 1814, he served as the ambassador to France and was granted a dukedom. During the Hundred Days in 1815, he commanded the allied army which, together with a Prussian Army under Blucher, defeated Napoleon at Waterloo. Wellington's battle record is exemplary; he ultimately participated in some 60 battles during the course of his military career.

Wellington is famous for his adaptive defensive style of warfare, resulting in several victories against numerically superior forces while minimising his own losses. He is regarded as one of the greatest defensive commanders of all time, and many of his tactics and battle plans are still studied in military academies around the world. After the end of his active military career, he returned to politics. He was twice British prime minister as a member of the Tory party: from 1828 to 1830, and for a little less than a month in 1834. He oversaw the passage of the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829, but opposed the Reform Act 1832. He continued as one of the leading figures in the House of Lords until his retirement and remained Commander-in-Chief of the British Army until his death. Portrait by an unknown artist. However, original late Georgian to Victorian copies of this portrait are extremely popular and in 2014 another copy was estimated to sel at £2,000-£4,000 eventually achieved £27,500.

In frame; 14 inches x 18.25 inches  read more

Code: 23074