A Sublime Napoleonic Ist Empire French Superior Officer’s Blue & Gilt Officer’s Sword in the Mameluke Style, With Finest Deluxe Grade Chiselled Decor. We Always Try Our Utmost To Offer The Finest or Most Intriguing Pieces We Can From History

With copper mercurial gilt hilt and chequered polished horn grip original gilt scabbard with helmeted Minerva head mounts, twin ring belt fittings with its original, multi looped hanging belt chains, with spring catches.
Finely engraved blue and gilt blade.

Napoleon's Egypt Campaign, that ended in 1801, many Napoleonic officer's adopted the so-called oriental mounted swords, modelled on the Mameluke taken by him from Murad Bey, commander of the Mamelukes, which he holds in his Egypt portrait captured from the Egyptian Marmalukes {see gallery} that eventually became part of Napoleons Imperial Garde.
These swords, in their turn, were captured by the British and similarly adopted as a form of highly favoured officers sword. In fact the mamaluke sabre became the British General's pattern sword that is still in use today. Several of these specific swords were part of a Sotheby's Napoleonic Wars auction in Monaco in 1990, titled "Belles Armes Anciennes Casques et Objects Militaires". The last photo in the gallery is of Joachim Napoleon Murat, King of Naples, brother of Napoleon's Mameluke sword, somewhat similar to our sword, and all based on the sword of Napoleon from Murad Bey.

In May of 1804 Napoleon established the French Empire and with it he brought back the title of Marshal of France, also known as Marshal of the Empire at this time. Abolished by the National Convention in 1793, the title of Marshal of France was officially a civilian appointment but reserved for experienced generals. It was an honor to become a marshal and the marshals received higher pay and privileges. Napoleon wished to gain legitimacy in the eyes of Europe since other nations had the rank of field marshal, and he wished to reward and ensure the loyalty of the generals to his empire and thus they wore such swords of this quality and beauty.

One of his greatest marshals to wear such a sword was Marshal
Marshal of the Empire
Étienne Macdonald
duc de Tarente
Étienne Jacques-Joseph-Alexandre Macdonald. During the spring of 1810, Marshal Macdonald was sent to Spain to take command of the Army of Catalonia. While there he won at Ververa, but in 1811 he fell ill and returned to Paris again. In 1812 Macdonald was given command of the X Corps of the Grande Armée for the campaign against Russia. Macdonald's corps missed most of the fighting of 1812 due to being ordered to hold the left flank, but also due to his command being primarily composed of Prussian and German soldiers, with only his headquarters staff being French. Macdonald's corps laid siege to Riga in August, but they lifted the siege in December during the retreat, just in time for the majority of his force to defect away from the French side due to Prussian nationalism.

Napoleon needed experienced commanders for the campaigns of 1813, and in April of that year Macdonald was given command of the XI Corps. He won at Mersebourg and then commanded the right at the Battle of Lützen. Macdonald continued to lead his men into action, winning at Bischofswerda and then commanding the right at the Battle of Bautzen. That August he was placed in charge of multiple army corps but was then beaten by General Blucher at the Katzbach. Nevertheless, Macdonald continued to serve, and he fought at Leipzig , where after the bridge was blown early he had to swim the Elster River to escape capture. After surviving that escape unlike his fellow marshal Poniatowski, Macdonald resumed his command and then fought at Hanau.

Marshal Macdonald served during the defense of France of 1814, initially defending the Rhine but then being forced to fall back to Meaux. That February he fought at Mormant and Ferté-sur-Aube and then in March he fought at Provins and Saint-Dizier. By Napoleon's side, Macdonald along with Marshal Ney convinced Napoleon that he should give up the war and abdicate in favor of his son, Napoleon II. Macdonald, Ney, and Caulaincourt were then sent to negotiate with the Allies, but ultimately they were unable to secure the throne for Napoleon's son. When Macdonald returned to Napoleon to deliver the terms of surrender, Napoleon gave him the sword of Murad Bey, the Mameluke leader that he had defeated in Egypt.

Minerva, whose helmeted face is depicted and seen on the scabbard mounts, is the Roman goddess of wisdom, justice, law, victory, and the sponsor of arts, trade, and strategy. Minerva is not a patron of violence such as Mars, but of strategic warfare.

The blades scabbard has some inside denting at the base, and the blade has some natural age wear to the blue and gilt. Of course this sword’s original owner is now unknown, as none of its history was recorded or saved, however, once accurately known, a sword such as this could be valued anything from treble, to one hundred times its current price, simply depending on how famed he was then or now, or, how important he was to Napoleon and his campaigns. Marshal Nay’s sword for example could easily be valued from one to several million pounds.  read more

Code: 25207

A Most Scarce French Marine Flintlock M.1786 / An.IX 1800's Carbine. A French Sea Service Musket Carbine of the Napoleonic Ships of the Line

A most scarce sea service gun, made by the French imperial arsenals in Belgium. The main difference between this and the standard French Army An IX {year 9} carbine is that the Navy carbine’s centre band was brass and the Army’s was iron, brass not rusting at sea. These carbines were usually issued to sharpshooters manning the upper platforms of French warships, and it might well have been a carbine of this pattern that was used to shoot Admiral Nelson.

This is a version of French M.1786 carbine musket, which was shorter and lighter than the earlier issued pattern.
After some slight modifications, the weapon was distributed to various ships of the line in the Navy, with two brass barrel bands, and to hussar/ cavalry units, the cavalry versions would be supplied with a large sling swivel bar fitted to the near side of the carbine, combined with one steel, and one brass barrel slide. Barrel underside stamped G* by French inspector, Joseph Guichard, his An IX inspector stamp M1786/ Marine garnitures, 1803-5. Guichard was usually based at St. Etienne.

Napoleonic Belgium 1799-1814

Liège was the home of the fourth largest arms manufacturer in Napoleons period known as the 1st Empire. Between 1798 and 1813, the Belgian departments furnished over 200,000 troops and sailors, about 6 percent of the population, for Napoleon's armed forces.

The Battle of Trafalgar, (October 21, 1805), was a naval engagement of the Napoleonic Wars, which established British naval supremacy for more than 100 years; it was fought west of Cape Trafalgar, Spain, between Cádiz and the Strait of Gibraltar. A fleet of 33 ships (18 French and 15 Spanish) under Admiral Pierre de Villeneuve fought a British fleet of 27 ships under Admiral Horatio Nelson.

Nelson was outnumbered, with 27 British ships of the line to 33 allied ships including the largest warship in either fleet, the Spanish Santísima Trinidad. To address this imbalance, Nelson sailed his fleet directly at the allied battle line's flank, hoping to break the line into pieces. Villeneuve had worried that Nelson might attempt this tactic but, for various reasons, had made no plans for this eventuality. The plan worked almost perfectly; Nelson's columns split the Franco-Spanish fleet in three, isolating the rear half from Villeneuve's flag aboard Bucentaure. The allied vanguard sailed off while it attempted to turn around, giving the British temporary superiority over the remainder of their fleet. In the ensuing fierce battle 20 allied ships were lost, while the British lost none.

Nelson's own HMS Victory led the front column and was almost knocked out of action. Nelson was shot by a French musketeer during the battle, and died shortly before it ended. Villeneuve was captured along with his flagship Bucentaure. He attended Nelson's funeral while a captive on parole in Britain. The senior Spanish fleet officer, Admiral Federico Gravina, escaped with the remnant of the Franco-Spanish fleet (a third of the original number of ships); he died five months later of wounds sustained during the battle.

The victory confirmed the naval supremacy Britain had established during the course of the eighteenth century, and was achieved in part through Nelson's departure from prevailing naval tactical orthodoxy.  read more

Code: 25206

A Superb, Really Rare, French, Napoleonic Short Sea Service Boarding Pistol. The Pistolet De Bord Maritime, Modele 1786, Manufacture Nationale De Tulle Circa 1792

Used in the French navy during the Battles of the Nile and Trafalgar. Very good, tight and crisp action. Likely a war trophy of Trafalgar. French sea service pistols are far more rare than their British equivalents, due to the fact there were fewer French ships, and that so many French ships-of-the-line being captured or sunk by the British Royal Navy, between the 1790's to 1805 Such as when the French Fleet was soundly thrashed in the Egypt campaign at the Nile in 1798, and a little later the French and Spanish fleet, in 1805, were once again soundly thrashed and captured by Admiral Nelson at Cape Trafalgar.

The Battle of the Nile, was a battle that was one of the greatest victories of the British admiral Horatio Nelson. It was fought on August 1, 1798, between the British and French fleets in Abū Qīr Bay, near Alexandria, Egypt.

The French Revolutionary general Napoleon Bonaparte in 1798 made planned for an invasion of Egypt in order to constrict Britain’s trade routes and threaten its possession of India. The British government heard that a large French naval expedition was to sail from a French Mediterranean port under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte

Determined to find the French fleet, he sailed to Egypt once more, and on August 1 1798 he sighted the main French fleet of 13 ships of the line and 4 frigates under Admiral François-Paul Brueys d’Aigailliers at anchor in Abū Qīr Bay.

Although there were but a few hours left until nightfall and Brueys’s ships were in a strong defensive position, being securely ranged in a sandy bay that was flanked on one side by a shore battery on Abū Qīr Island, Nelson gave orders to attack at once. Several of the British warships were able to maneuver around the head of the French line of battle and thus got inside and behind their position. Fierce fighting ensued, during which Nelson himself was wounded in the head. The climax came at about 10:00 PM, when Brueys’s 120-gun flagship, L’Orient, which was by far the largest ship in the bay, blew up with most of the ship’s company, including the admiral. The fighting continued for the rest of the night; just two of Brueys’s ships of the line and a pair of French frigates escaped destruction or capture by the British. The British suffered about 900 casualties, the French about 9,000.

The Battle of the Nile had several important effects. It isolated Napoleon’s army in Egypt, thus ensuring its ultimate disintegration. It ensured that in due time Malta would be retaken from the French, and it both heightened British prestige and secured British control of the Mediterranean.

The Battle of Trafalgar, (October 21, 1805), was a naval engagement of the Napoleonic Wars, which established British naval supremacy for more than 100 years; it was fought west of Cape Trafalgar, Spain, between Cádiz and the Strait of Gibraltar. A fleet of 33 ships (18 French and 15 Spanish) under Admiral Pierre de Villeneuve fought a British fleet of 27 ships under Admiral Horatio Nelson.

Nelson was outnumbered, with 27 British ships of the line to 33 allied ships including the largest warship in either fleet, the Spanish Santísima Trinidad. To address this imbalance, Nelson sailed his fleet directly at the allied battle line's flank, hoping to break the line into pieces. Villeneuve had worried that Nelson might attempt this tactic but, for various reasons, had made no plans for this eventuality. The plan worked almost perfectly; Nelson's columns split the Franco-Spanish fleet in three, isolating the rear half from Villeneuve's flag aboard Bucentaure. The allied vanguard sailed off while it attempted to turn around, giving the British temporary superiority over the remainder of their fleet. In the ensuing fierce battle 20 allied ships were lost, while the British lost none.

Nelson's own HMS Victory led the front column and was almost knocked out of action. Nelson was shot by a French musketeer during the battle, and died shortly before it ended. Villeneuve was captured along with his flagship Bucentaure. He attended Nelson's funeral while a captive on parole in Britain. The senior Spanish fleet officer, Admiral Federico Gravina, escaped with the remnant of the Franco-Spanish fleet (a third of the original number of ships); he died five months later of wounds sustained during the battle.

The victory confirmed the naval supremacy Britain had established during the course of the eighteenth century, and was achieved in part through Nelson's departure from prevailing naval tactical orthodoxy. The belt hook was removed in its working life. Belt hook screw mount still remains in place  read more

Code: 25204

A Cased Very Fine English Transitional Percussion Rifled Revolver. This Fine Cased Revolver Set is An Absolute Beauty To Behold.

Decorative engraving to the side plate, bar hammer and butt-cap. Finely chequered grips. Complete in it's original wooden carrying case containing a copper powder flask, steel bullet mold. Cap box and brass tipped wooden clearing rod. Overall length of the pistol inches. The blue baize lined case measures inches with a brass plaque to the lid. The action in very good working order and in excellent condition retaining some of it's original blued finish. A development from the pepper-box was the transitional revolver. This weapon uses the same action but with one barrel attached to the front of a pepper-box cylinder. James Ewell Brown “Jeb” Stuart (1833-1864) was a U.S. Army officer and later a Major General and cavalry commander for the Confederate States of America during the Civil War (1861-65). In 1857 he was shot in the chest at point blank range with a pepper-box by a Cheyenne warrior, Stuart survived probably due rumour has it, to a very weak powder charge. Guns of this type also saw use in the Mexican War as an alternative to the Colt revolver, most notably by General Winfield Scott. During the Mexican-American War (April 25, 1846 – February 3, 1848) U.S. forces under General Winfield Scott entered Mexico City and raise the American flag over the Hall of Montezuma, concluding a devastating advance that began with an amphibious landing at Vera Cruz six months earlier.

A fine example of an English percussion transitional revolver in its original case retaining much of its original finish.  read more

Code: 25205

Most Attractive Koto Period Tanto Around 600 Years Old Imperial White Ito

Fitted with an original suite of mounts from the Edo period, decorated with fine gold and patinated copper takebori of shi shi lion dogs. Original Edo brown laquer saya, with kodzuka pocket {to fit a utility knife}.
This is a most handsome ancient samurai dagger from the muromachi era, with a jolly nice early blade showing good running itame grain in the hada.

In the Nambokucho era, the tanto were forged to be up to forty centimetres as opposed to the normal one shaku (about thirty centimetres) length. The tanto blades became thinner between the uri and the omote, and wider between the ha and mune. At this point in time, two styles of hamon were prevalent: the older style, which was subtle and artistic, and the newer, more popular style. Blades could be of exceptional quality. As the end of the period neared, the average blade narrowed and the sori became shallow. 3 interesting and deliberate small cuts made into the tang. Not part of the mounting process so added by the dagger's owner. On western antique weaponry this often means each cut represents a vanquished foe. In Japanese culture it may mean the same, or may not, but either way it is most intriguing. 10 inch blade from tsuba to tip. 16.3 inches long overall in saya.  read more

Code: 21612

A Most Fine King George IIIrd Boxlock Flintlock By Bolton of London, Named for its Owner William Seal of Amington

effectively with built-in provenance. Made by John H Bolton, London and inscribed to its owner on the barrel. The pistol has excellent original finish and has just returned from a 'no expense spared' gunsmith service and the action is now as crisp as you could wish. Concealed trigger and sliding safety, Tower of London proved barrel, turn off barrel for breech loading. Super walnut grip. Unlike most firearms which have the hammer located off to the side of the pistol, a boxlock pistol had the hammer located directly on top of the pistol. They were called a boxlocks because all of the working mechanisms for the hammer and the trigger was located in a box or receiver directly below the top mounted hammer. While the hammer obstructed the aim of the user, this system had the advantage of making the gun more compact and concealable than other pistols. The first boxlock pistols were flintlock and where later made in percussion lock. Unlike modern firearms, these pistols were not mass produced, but were hand made in gunsmith's workshops. As with all our antique guns no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables. Shown for illustration purposes only with a typical powder flask, as it would once have used  read more

Code: 23548

Superb Indo Persian 18th Century Silver Decor Hilted Sword With Damascus Blade

A superb Moghul, period sword, with a very good Damascus steel blade. Silver decorated iron Lahore hilt decorated with stunning design with matching lined cap pommel. Strong and powerful blade of substance. There are clear indications that this particular hilt is of Punjab manufacture: the fat vase shape of the grip section, the slightly forward angle of the quillons and the beautiful silver koftgari.

A sword as popular within the Sikh Empire as the Mughal Empire.

The hilt [also known as tulwar] comprises langets with lotus-head outlines, domed quillons, and a centrally swollen grip. A knuckle guard with a terminal that recurves toward the disc-pommel which has been attached with a pointed sunburst plaque, a decorative feature further fitted at its centre with a dome and lotus bud finial.

Emperor Aurangzeb was the last significant Mughal emperor of India. His reign lasted from 1658 to 1707. During this phase, the empire had reached its largest geographical expansion. Nevertheless it was during this time period that the first sign of decline of the great Moghul Empire was noticed. The reasons were many. The bureaucracy became corrupted and the army implemented outdated tactics and obsolete weaponry. The Moghul Empire was descended from Turko-Mongol, Rajputorigins. It reigned a significant part of the subcontinent of Asia from the initial part of the 16th century to the middle of the 19th century. When it was at the peak of its power, around the 18th century, it controlled a major part of the Asian subcontinent and portions of the current Afghanistan. To understand it's wealth and influence, in 1600 the Emperor Akbar had revenues from his empire of ?17.5 million pounds, and 200 years later, in 1800, the exchequer of the entire British Empire had revenues of just ?16 million pounds. 31 inch blade [measured across the curve]. No scabbard  read more

Code: 22647

Roman 1st century, Large, Lead Sling Bullet, Acquired Near Camulodunum-Colchester-In the 1820's

From part four of our original ancient arrow heads, spears, lead sling bullets, antiquities and rings from an 1820 Grand Tour Collection. The Battle of Camulodunum, also known as the Massacre of the Ninth Legion, was the major military victory of the Iceni and their allies over an organised Roman army during the revolt of Boudica against the Roman occupation of Britain. A large vexillation of the Legio IX Hispana were destroyed by the rebels. While attempting to relieve the besieged colonia of Camulodunum (Colchester, Essex), legionaries of the Legio IX Hispana led by Quintus Petillius Cerialis, were attacked by a horde of British tribes, led by the Iceni. Possibly 80% of the Roman foot-soldiers were killed in the battle. The event is recorded by the historian Tacitus in his Annals. The Iberian auxiliaries or legionaries were the most famous of the Roman 'slingers' in the roman armies.In AD 60 or 61, the southeastern area of the island rose in revolt under Boudica, while the Roman governor, Gaius Suetonius Paulinus, was campaigning in Wales. The Iceni were joined by the Trinovantes, and their first target was Camulodunum, formerly the Trinovantian capital, now a colonia or settlement of discharged Roman soldiers. Tacitus reports it was poorly defended, and archaeology confirms its former military fortifications had been levelled by this time. The colonists appealed for aid to the procurator, Catus Decianus, who sent only two hundred auxiliaries. Camulodunum was burned, and the temple, where the last of the defenders took refuge, fell after a two-day siege. The defenders were massacred.
The Ninth Legion, commanded by Quintus Petillius Cerialis, attempted to relieve the siege. It is unlikely that the entire legionary strength of some 5,000 men was involved in the battle. Detachments of the legion were spread out across a network of small forts; on short notice, Cerialis was likely able to call on only the first cohort, possibly two others, auxiliary infantry, and a unit of some 500 cavalry - a total of perhaps 2,500 men. Cerialis set out from his base in Lindum Colonia (Lincoln). From Lindum, it was a distance of at least 110 miles. They may have taken the Roman road to Camulodunum from Durovigtum (Godmanchester, Cambridgeshire), a march of some 75 miles which would have taken three days.

However, they arrived too late to relieve the colonia. The British tribes had gathered a considerable force by the time Cerialis and the Ninth approached Camulodunum. They overwhelmed the detachment in the field and defeated it, routing the Romans. Tacitus says their entire infantry strength was wiped out, with only Cerialis and his cavalry able to retreat to their fortified camp. According to George Patrick Welch, "In the initial contact and later rear-guard actions he lost about 2,000 men, or one-third of his infantry strength."
Slingers wore three slings. A large one tightened to the waist (to be used in distances of more than 60 metres.), a small, one tightened around his forehead (range 20-25 metres.) and a medium size one always on the hand (with a range up to 60 mts.). They carried the bullets in a goat fur bag hanging from the shoulder. With the large one they could launch 500 grams stones (like a tennis ball) that were able to destroy shields and wood defences. With the small and medium size slings the lead bullets could perforate at short distances (up to 60 metres.) thin armours and helmets. The sling as a weapon was widely used not only by Balearic warriors but by other Iberian warriors and also by Roman auxiliary troops like Greeks, Sicilians, North Africans, but after the Roman conquest of the Balearic Islands elite slingers were always the Balearic that fought in the legions of Julius Caesar. Bullets are usually found on the known battle fields of the Roman conquest.


Every single item from The Lanes Armoury is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of our family’s trading

This bullet weighs 62.5grams, and is 48mm long.  read more

Code: 23804

A Simply Wonderful 16th Century Koto Era Katana, Museum Quality Mounting, With Shakudo & Pure Gold Decorated Menuki of Takeda Shingen in Armour With His Tiger’s Tail Saya Mounted Sword & War Bow

Circa 1580. All original Edo period koshirae fittings and beautiful original Edo cinnabar urushi lacquer saya. The wrap is original Edo lacquered tooled leather over two wonderful pure gold decorated menuki of two armoured menuki, they are likely Takeda Shingen with his distinctive swords saya Mede from a tiger’s tail, and he wears a court cap helmet. The tsuba is a very fine nanban lobed mokko gata tsuba of wonderful dragon form also decorated with gold. The kashira is a kubutogane type, is a pure gold decorated shakudo, and the the fuchi has a takebori superb quality dragon, on a nanako ground.

Nanako Ji: "fish roe ground" A surface decoration produced by forming very small raised bosses by a sharply struck punch or burin called 'nanako tagane'. Shakudo is the metal most often used, but copper and gold are quite often employed. The harder metals, shibuichi, silver and iron are rarely decorated in this way. The size of the dots vary from 0.04" to 0.008" (25 to 125 and inch) and the regularity of the work is marvelous as the dots must be spaced entirely by touch. The dots are usually arranged in straight lines or in lines parallel to the edge of the piece being decorated, but sometimes in more elaborate patterns. Used on guards since the Momoyama period although the technique existed since much earlier periods. Usually done by specialist 'nanako-shi', but sometimes done by the maker of the guard himself.

The blade has a joyful and elaborate gunome hamon and a hammered silver over copper habaki. The saya is in bulls blood red urushi lacquer, with polished buffalo horn fittings

The first mention of the word "katana" occurred during Japan's Kamakura Period (1185 to 1333). Back then, the word was used to describe a long sword with similar characteristics as the tachi but with a few nuances. The katana, for instance, generally had a longer, more curved blade than its tachi counterpart. Most importantly, however, the katana was stronger and more powerful than the tachi. The Kamakura and Muromachi periods
These two periods are considered as the most important periods of the Samurai sword's development history. Though the exact time frames for these periods is debated the period from 1185 to 1336 was known as the Kamakura while the period from 1337 to 1573 was referred to as the Muromachi period. During these periods, there were many invasions in Japan. As a result, there was need for an effective sword to fend off invaders successfully.

During battle the Japanese warriors found that it was very difficult to draw the old ken straight sword from the scabbard (saya) while fighting on a horseback. Consequently, during the Muromachi period, smiths developed the curved katana sword which was more functional during horseback fighting. Because of the design and effective cutting angles, a Samurai could easily draw their sword from the scabbard and slash their opponents in a single swing. 27.5 inch blade from tsuba to tip.  read more

Code: 21721

A Fabulous and Very Scarce, Mitsunaga Clan Antique Edo Period, High Rank Samurai Kunida-Gura Horse Pack-Saddle From The Clan Baggage Train, with Samurai Matsunaga Clan Kamon Crest Mounts

A stunning piece of Japanese decor, an original samurai horseman's mount for tanegashime {muskets} or even female attendants of the daimyo’s court.

This is probably only the second example of a kunida-gura of this type we have seen in 50 years outside of Japan, and even in Japan, and top quality examples are very scarce indeed.

Not only a functional piece of essential travel samurai equipment but a beautiful work of architectural art in itself.

The whole frame is beautifully decorated with crushed abilone shell and the arch mounts engraved with family clan crest or mon based on the Tsuta mon, Kamon with ivy, which has been used as a pattern since the earliest times in Japan, as a motif. Its elegant shape and the life force to survive by covering all things. The dominant clan with the tsuta mon were the Matsunaga clan ( Matsunaga-shi). It is a Japanese samurai clan who are descended from the Fujiwara clan.

The lineage of Matsunaga Danjo Hisahide strengthen the Matsunaga clan's claim to Fujiwara lineage through Hisahide's nephew, Tadatoshi Naito (also known as Naito Joan and Fujiwara John). Tadatoshi Naito's mother was Naito Sadafusa who was from the Naito clan. The Naito clan are descended from Fujiwara no Hidesato (Hokke (Fujiwara)). Tadatoshi Naito would serve as lord of Yagi castle.
Hisahide's granddaughter, Matsunaga Teitoku also strengthened the Matsunaga clan's link to the Fujiwara clan. Her mother was the older sister of Fujiwara Seika. Teitoku's cousin was Tadatoshi Naito.

Other sources suggest that the Matsunaga clan may have descended from the Minamoto clan and may be the descendants of Takenouchi no Sukune. Such a piece as this to be of such high quality lacquer, finely embelished with abilone, and bearing the clan mon, shows that this is a high ranking piece, for the transport of weapons, armour boxes, and women of the daimyo's court, within the baggage train of a Daimyo. This is a spectacular piece and they are very rarely seen, and the few that have survived over the centuries are more usually the fairly crude utility examples, completely undecorated and very plain. Over the decades we have had early Japanese woodblock prints showing a procession of horses, in a Daimyo's or Shogun's entourage, some occasionally show a pack saddle exactly such as this, with it's distinctive high crested top. They were usually racked with tanegashima arquebuss guns or even polearms. Also, in one early print three women are seated on one example. They may have been attendant's for a Daimyo's consort. We show in the gallery an original Meiji Period photograph of two ladies seated on the same type of saddle, on a ni-uma or konida uma, but a simple plain example of a much lower status.  read more

Code: 22563