A Marvelous Museum Quality Samurai Tanto, 15th Century, Signed Sukesada, A Famous Line of Exemplary Master Swordsmiths That Continued From the 1400’s To The End of The Tokugawa Shogunate. This Wonderful Tanto is Around 600 Years Old

The great line of smiths that started in the 15th century when this sword was made, and continued until the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate in the 1860’s. {Tanto, despite being referred to as samurai daggers, are always traditionally regarded as ‘swords’, irrespective of length.}

This is truly a wondrous ancient armour piercing bladed samurai tanto from the mid 1400's, is signed Sukesada, and the beautiful hamon is very clear to see, and is an undulating gunome. Complete with all original Edo period fittings, tsukaito and saya.
The saya is of lobster scale ribbed roiro urushi lacquer, with matte lacquer at the bottom section of the saya.

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.

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!

The fuchigashira mounts are fabulous quality, of multi coloured shakudo and silver decorated over a hand punched nanako ground with carved takebori inro, with pellets of inlaid coral representing the inro's himo mounted ojimi. An inrō (印籠, lit., "pillbox") is a traditional Japanese case for holding small objects, suspended from the samurai's obi worn around the waist when wearing kimono. They are often highly decorated, in a variety of materials and techniques, often using lacquer. The tsuba is a takebori carved with flower petals in incredible detail. The menuki are gold recumbant water buffalo. The tanto was designed primarily as a stabbing weapon, but the edge can be used for slashing as well. Tanto are generally forged in hira-zukuri style (without ridgeline), meaning that their sides have no ridge line and are nearly flat, unlike the shinogi-zukuri structure of a katana. Some tanto have particularly thick cross-sections for armour-piercing duty, and are called yoroi toshi. The tantos primary use was a type of stabbing weapon, however, the blade could also be used for slashing as well. Some tanto were forged with a particularly thick cross section which was thought to aid in piercing the armour of enemies, this type of dagger would be called a yoroi toshi.

A tanto would most often be worn by Samurai, and it was very uncommon to come across a non samurai with a tanto. It was not only men who carried these daggers, women would on occasions carry a small tanto called a kaiken in their obi which would be used for self-defence. In feudal Japan a tanto would occasionally be worn by Samurai in place of the wakizashi in a combination called the daisho, which roughly translates as big-little, in reference to the big Samurai Sword (Katana) and the small dagger (tanto). Before the rise of the katana it was more common for a Samurai to carry a tachi and tanto combination as opposed to a katana and wakizashi.

As once told to us by an esteemed regular visitor to us here in our gallery, and the same words that are repeated in his book;

“In these textures lies an extraordinary and unique feature of the sword - the steel itself possesses an intrinsic beauty. The Japanese sword has been appreciated as an art object since its perfection some time during the tenth century AD. Fine swords have been more highly prized than lands or riches, those of superior quality being handed down from generation to generation. In fact, many well-documented swords, whose blades are signed by their makers, survive from nearly a thousand years ago. Recognizable features of the blades of hundreds of schools of sword-making have been punctiliously recorded, and the study of the sword is a guide to the flow of Japanese history.”
Victor Harris
Curator, Assistant Keeper and then Keeper (1998-2003) of the Department of Japanese Antiquities at the British Museum. He studied from 1968-71 under Sato Kenzan, Tokyo National Museum and Society for the Preservation of Japanese Swords

Overall 13.5 inches long overall, 9.25 inch blade  read more

Code: 23245

.An Ancient Samurai Nambokochu Era Hira Zukuri Ancient Tanto Circa 1390. Stunning Polished Giant Rayskin {Kairagi-Gawa} Saya. Twin Clan Mon of Nakui Kagetaka of Triple Pawlonia Leaves Interspersed With Three Ken Swords.

This most ancient original short sword has a simply stunning and superb quality, original, Edo period, polished giant kairagi ray skin saya, "Kairagi" means "Ume Blossom Skin".When you polish the skin, Ume Blossom patterns will appear.
Kairagi-same is very rare. In simply fabulous condition, with a kogai pocket containing its highest grade and quality shakudo kogai, with a shakudo clan mon onlaid, of Nakui Kagetaka.

Kagetaka was born the eldest son of Nukui Tsugumune in Noto Province. Kagetaka's grandfather, Nukui Fusasada, had risen to be the most influential member of the Hatakeyama clan. In a bid to reclaim power, Fusasada was killed in 1555 by Hatakeyama Yoshitsuna. In response, the Nukui clan rose in an unsuccessful revolt, leading to Kagetaka fleeing to Kaga Province for safety. He remained in Kaga until 1566, when Yoshitsuna was subsequently cast out by other clan retainers, clearing the way for Kagetaka to return back to the Hatakeyama.

Within a few years, the much larger Oda and Uesugi clans began competing for control over the lands that Kagetaka called home. Chō Tsugutsura used this escalating conflict to attack Kagetaka and his allies, driving him into allaince with the Uesugi. Tsugutsura in turn called for aid from the Oda, but was isolated because the Oda were bogged down by their own inconvenient insurrection (Matsunaga Hisahide chose that moment to declare his own rebellion). By 1577, the main army of Uesugi Kenshin invaded Nanao Castle, with Kagetaka secretly aiding Kenshin by collaborating with Yusa Tsugumitsu to murder Chō Tsugutsura and the rest of the Chō clan.

While Nukui Kagetaka failed to kill Tsugutsura, he did manage to retake Nanao castle. Kagetaka maintianed this control until Kenshin died in 1578. With Kenshin gone, the Oda moved in and placed Nanao castle under seige. Kagetaka chose to abandon the castle to the Oda and Tsugursura, seeking shelyer with the Uesugi. In 1582, Kagetaka joined Uesugi Kagekatsu on campaign to retake Noto, but he was killed in battle against Sakuma Morimasa and Maeda Toshiie during the Arayama War.


The kogai or sword needle, was a samurai's hairdressing tool. The main parts of the kogai are the grip section called do (胴), the needle itself called sao (棹 or 竿) and the little scoop at the back of the grip called mimikaki (耳掻). The saya is polished samegawa, that is then termed Kairagi-Gawa that is transformed giant ray skin, as samegawa, was, at the time of the samurai, some one of the most expensive and highly prized forms of decoration, effectively super hardened marine leather, to be used on sword scabbards, saya. It was the same material as is used on sword hilts under the binding, but the large and small protruding nodules were hand polished, for hundreds of hours, to create a highly polished flat surface, that was then hand dyed and thus created a decorated scabbard with immense natural beauty, and created at huge expense for the time.
Very attractive tsuba of an oval copper plate with inlaid shakudo and gold takebori figures of a mounted samurai and retainers, beneath Mount Fuji at the horizon. Copper and gold onlaid fushigashira on a botanical theme. The blade is most ancient and beautiful looking. A samurai weapon perfect for one who is interested in ancient samurai history and the form of original weapons carried at that time. In the late fourteenth century, the Kantō region was dominated by powerful warrior families. Of these, the Uesugi were the most powerful. They were able to take advantage of the fighting that erupted between families in the region to advance their own interests. In 1368, the Utsunomiya family revolted against the Kamakura headquarters of the Muromachi regime, because they had lost their shugo posts to the Uesugi. The Uesugi family was able to extend their influence by amassing shugo military governor posts under their jurisdiction, and by enfoeffing vassals in the Kantō region at the expense of other families. One could advance a theory that the Kantō region had become semi-independent from Kyoto, and that the Kamakura headquarters of the Muromachi regime existed because of Uesugi support. The Uesugi family was legally recognized by the Muromachi regime by their appointment to the Kantō kanrei post because of their unassailable position. The blade’s hamon is very narrow indeed, typical for blades of such great age, and thus due to its great age, and its yakiba partially contacts with the edge.

As once told to us by an esteemed regular visitor to us here in our gallery, and the same words that are repeated in his book;

“In these textures lies an extraordinary and unique feature of the sword - the steel itself possesses an intrinsic beauty. The Japanese sword has been appreciated as an art object since its perfection some time during the tenth century AD. Fine swords have been more highly prized than lands or riches, those of superior quality being handed down from generation to generation. In fact, many well-documented swords, whose blades are signed by their makers, survive from nearly a thousand years ago. Recognizable features of the blades of hundreds of schools of sword-making have been punctiliously recorded, and the study of the sword is a guide to the flow of Japanese history.”
Victor Harris
Curator, Assistant Keeper and then Keeper (1998-2003) of the Department of Japanese Antiquities at the British Museum. He studied from 1968-71 under Sato Kenzan, Tokyo National Museum and Society for the Preservation of Japanese Swords

Overall 20 inches long in saya, blade inches 13.25 from tsuba to tip long  read more

Code: 24451

Wonderful Antique Indo Persian, Mughal, Large Ram's Head Ceremonial & Instrument of War Mace 'Chob', A Thing of Rare Beauty. the Detailing of The Ram's Head Is Superb

A most beautiful, impressive and sizeable piece of zoomorphic object d'art, a noble court ceremonial mace. Paintings in miniature and chronicles of the Mughal court reveal that ceremonial maces were often richly ornamented and made of luxurious materials, this piece being a fine example, still has traces of its original silvered surface. The Chob (or ceremonial mace) in India, is a story of the past that echoed with the different versions of luxury being a part of daily life in India. The old kings and the maharajas in the mughal empire celebrated their daily routine with pristine, beautiful and valuable objects that exuded refined craftsmanship and the finest detail. These luxury objects are still evident in some states of the country which have initiated to preserve their story of heritage by different means .

One of these particular object is that of a ceremonial mace, popularly called the Chob. It was used as an instrument for war as well as in ceremonies comprising of Indian Mughal rituals. In Indian ceremonial context it was observed as a symbol of (authority) in and around the society of those times .
Chobs were present in Mughal court paintings depicted around the mace-bearers (stick bearers), standing inside the barrier of railings around the ruler, identified by its particular shape. Indian arms and furniture objects were profusely covered with very rich and fine materials for decoration. Emperor Jehangir( r.1605 ? 27 ) has clearly mentioned in his memoirs to a six flanged mace shashpar made out of solid gold. ( refer -The Tuzuk-I-Jahangir,or,Memoirs of Jehangir , trans.. Alexander Rogers ,ed. Henry Beveridge ;London ,1909;vol-1 ).
With a stunning mace head of a representation of the head of a ram, surmounting a spiral form haft. These exquisite objects of desire and utility came to life due to their surface treatment with material that could be be easily used in adornment . The native crafts of Awadh and northeastern parts of India played a pivotal role, the craftsmen were commissioned to carve out such bespoke creations for the maharajas and nobility. The functions of these ceremonial maces were of regulating entry to the immediate precincts of the throne. If you observe in the Padshanamah manuscript, for example, they are seen in presentation scenes in which objects of value are in evidence or where some level of security is needed for a barrier. King of the world: The Padshanamah, an imperial mughal manuscript from the Royal Library, Windsor Castle. One picture in the gallery shows the Mughul Maharaja's Ceremonial 'Chob' bearers marching in the parade carrying the simpler ball type Chobs. Hollow construction mace, with small impact dent to the rear head and an old repair to one rams ear. 22 inches long overall.  read more

Code: 22517

A Stunning Italian 'Order of the Crown of Italy' in Gold; Knight's Cross Medal. With Polychrome Transluscent Enamel Of The Crown Of Savoy

In Gold and enamels, 37 x 39mm, enamels superbly intact without chipping, original ribbon, extremely fine condition. Gold-edged white enamel cross pattee alisee with gold knots between the arms, on laterally-pierced ball suspension; the face with a circular central deep blue translucent enamel medallion bearing the gilt crown of Savoy with red, with white and green jewels, encircled by a gold ring; the reverse with a gold circular central medallion bearing a crowned black enamel eagle, an oval red enamel shield with a white enamel cross on its breast; The Order of the Crown of Italy was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Vittorio Emanuel II, to commemorate the unification of Italy in 1861. It was awarded in five degrees for civilian and military merit.

Compared with the older Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (1572), the Order of the Crown of Italy was awarded more liberally and could be conferred on non-Catholics as well; eventually, it became a requirement for a person to have already received the Order of the Crown of Italy in at least the same degree before receiving the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus.

The order has been suppressed by law since the foundation of the Republic in 1946. However, Umberto II did not abdicate his position as fons honorum and it remained under his Grand Mastership as a dynastic order. While the continued use of those decorations conferred prior to 1951 is permitted in Italy, the crowns on the ribbons issued before 1946 must be substituted for as many five pointed stars on military uniforms. Following the demise of the last reigning monarch in 1983, the order, founded by the first, is no longer bestowed. Notable recipients of the order were; Major General Robert A. McClure, father of U.S. Army Special Operations, Director of Information and Media Control at Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF) during World War II
Brigadier General Billy Mitchell, United States Army air power advocate.
Charles Poletti, Governor of New York, and Colonel in the United States Army; served in Italy during World War II. Painting in the gallery by Karel Zadnik (1847-1929), painted in Bilowitz in 1912 of Count Hugo II Logothetti who is wearing his Italian Order of the Crown of Italy around his neck. Silk ribbon with small old staining.  read more

Code: 20481

A Very Fine, Late Middle Ages, Early Hand-Bombard, Iron Mortar Cannon. The Earliest Form of Ignition Battle Weapon That Developed into The Hand Pistole & Blunderbuss

Used in both the field of combat or from a castle battlement. This fine piece would make a wonderful display piece, perhaps set on a small plinth. Ideal for a desk, bookshelf or mantle.

The weapon that provided the name to the Royal Artillery rank of bombardier, and the word 'bombardment'.

A hand bombard was the larger version of the handgonne or hand cannon, yes still a good size for handling.
Small enough and light enough to be manoeuvred by hand and thus then loosely fixed, or semi-permanently fixed, in either an L shaped wooden block and used like a mortar, or, onto a length of sturdy wooden haft, from three feet to five foot long to be used almost musket like and bound with wrought iron bands see illustration in the photo gallery of these medievil variations of mounting. The precursor to the modern day pistol and musket from which this form of ancient so called handgonne developed into over the centuries. It is thought that gunpowder was invented in China and found its way to Europe in the 13th Century. In the mid to late 13th Century gunpowder began to be used in cannons and handguns, and by the mid 14th Century they were in relatively common use for castle sieges. By the end of the 14th Century both gunpowder, guns and cannon had greatly evolved and were an essential part of fortifications which were being modified to change arrow slits for gun loops. Bombards and Hand cannon' date of origin ranges around 1350. Hand bombards and hand cannon were relatively inexpensive to manufacture, but the skill required to make them was considerable, but they were not that accurate to fire. Nevertheless, they were employed for their shock value. In 1492 Columbus carried one on his discovery exploration to the Americas.
Conquistadors Hernando Cortez and Francisco Pizzaro also used them, in 1519 and 1533, during their respective conquests and colonization of Mexico and Peru. Not primary arms of war, hand bombards and hand cannon were adequate tools of protection for fighting men.

See Funcken, L. & Funcken F., Le costume, l'armure et les armes au temps de la chevalerie, de huitieme au quinzieme siecle, Tournai,1977, pp.66-69, for reconstruction of how such hand cannons were used.
At the beginning of the 14th century, among the infantry troops of the Western Middle Ages, developed the use of manual cannons (such as the Italian schioppetti, spingarde, and the German Fusstbusse).

Photo of the hand bombard recovered from the well at Cardiff Castle, by Simon Burchell - Own work

External width at the muzzle 3.25 inches, length 8 inches. Weight 10.2 pounds  read more

Code: 25213

Wonderful High Grade, Samurai Dagger From The Koto Era, Armour PiercingTanto By Kanesada. A Tanto of Likely A Highest Ranked Retainer of the Great Takeda Shingen 武田 信玄 & Bearing His Silver Mon {Crest}. Around 500 Years Old

Likely used by a high ranking samurai retainer in service of the great samurai commander of legend, Takeda Shingen, and bearing his clan mon menuki upon the tsuka {hilt} beneath the tsuka-ito {silk wrap}.

Takeda Shingen (武田 信玄, December 1, 1521 – May 13, 1573) was daimyo lord of Kai Province during the Sengoku period of Japan. Known as the "Tiger of Kai", he was one of the most powerful daimyo of the late Sengoku period, and credited with exceptional military prestige. Shingen was based in a poor area with little arable land and no access to the sea, but he became one of Japan's leading daimyo. His skills are highly esteemed and on par with Mōri Motonari.


The blade had a few small surface marks that we had removed by a Japanese trained artisan and it now looks incredible

Armour piercing Koto blade circa 1530, with superb original Edo period fittings koshirae, including silver copper alloy mounts and a gilt dragon saya ornament. Hammered gold over copper alloy oval tsuba, and silver clan mon menuki within the tsuka hilt wrap of the four interlocking diamonds of Takeda Shingen's clan.

The saya is decorated in superb cinnabar lacquer, the favoured colour and symbol of Takeda Shingen his armour was entirely based on this colour and the tsuka wrapped in black silk over Takeda kamon on giant rayskin.

In 1548, Shingen defeated Ogasawara Nagatoki in the Battle of Shiojiritoge and then took Fukashi in 1550.
After conquering Shinano, Shingen faced another rival, Uesugi Kenshin of Echigo. The feud between them became legendary, and they faced each other on the battlefield five times in the Battles of Kawanakajima. These battles were generally confined to controlled skirmishes, neither daimyo willing to devote himself entirely to a single all-out attempt. The conflict between the two that had the fiercest fighting, and might have decided victory or defeat for one side or the other, was the fourth battle, during which the famous tale arose of Uesugi Kenshin's forces clearing a path through the Takeda troops and Kenshin engaging Shingen in single combat. The tale has Kenshin attacking Shingen with his sword while Shingen defends with his iron war fan or tessen. Both lords lost many men in this fight, and Shingen in particular lost two of his main generals, Yamamoto Kansuke and his younger brother Takeda Nobushige. In 1563, allied with Hojo Ujiyasu, he captured Matsuyama Castle in Musashi Province. Takeda Shingen then took Kuragano in 1565 and Minowa Castle. He then moved against the Hojo by attacking Hachigata Castle then engaged in the Siege of Odawara (1569). He successfully withdrew after Hojo Ujiteru and Hojo Ujikuni failed to stop him in the Battle of Mimasetoge.Shingen and Tokugawa Ieyasu "came to terms" and occupied the "former Imagawa territory." They both fought against Yoshimoto's heir, Imagawa Ujizane. After defeating the intervention forces commanded by Hojo Ujimass of Sagami, Shingen finally secured the Suruga, formerly base of the prestigious Imagawa clan, as a Takeda asset in 1569.
Upon securing Takeda control over Suruga, northern Shinano, and western Kozuke, Shingen moved to challenge the Oda-Tokugawa alliance, leading a formidable force of over 30,000 into the latter's territories in Totomi, Mikawa, and Mino in 1572.

Photo number 8 in the gallery show the blade now looking stunning, the previous photos in the gallery show it prior to the professional attention undertaken, to show how much it has improved.

As once told to us by an esteemed regular visitor to us here in our gallery, and the same words that are repeated in his book;

“In these textures lies an extraordinary and unique feature of the sword - the steel itself possesses an intrinsic beauty. The Japanese sword has been appreciated as an art object since its perfection some time during the tenth century AD. Fine swords have been more highly prized than lands or riches, those of superior quality being handed down from generation to generation. In fact, many well-documented swords, whose blades are signed by their makers, survive from nearly a thousand years ago. Recognizable features of the blades of hundreds of schools of sword-making have been punctiliously recorded, and the study of the sword is a guide to the flow of Japanese history.”
Victor Harris
Curator, Assistant Keeper and then Keeper (1998-2003) of the Department of Japanese Antiquities at the British Museum. He studied from 1968-71 under Sato Kenzan, Tokyo National Museum and Society for the Preservation of Japanese Swords  read more

Code: 21324

A Superb Original 12th Century Crusader Knights Templar Medieval Knight's Dagger, A Shortened Knightly Sword, with Crucifix Hilt. The Blade Bears The Remains of a Templar Cross, Inlaid, in Gold Alloy Latten, Upon One Blade Face Below The Hilt

Originally made for and used by a Knights Templar, Knight Hospitaller, in the early 12th century as a sword, then, in or around the the same century it was damaged, and reformed by a skilled sword smith, it was shortened and then used as a knightly dagger, very likely continually until the reign of King Henry Vth into the Battle of Agincourt era circa 1415.
Possibly damaged in the second crusade, retained as a family heirloom and historic treasure, to be used as a crucifix form hilted knightly dagger. A millennia ago it would have had a wooden handle but long since rotted away.
See photo 7 in the gallery to show a carved grave stone of a crusader knight who has a the same form of shortened sword cruciform hilted dagger upon his right thigh.

This wonderful original Medieval period antiquity would make a spectacular centre-piece to any new or long established fine collection, or indeed a magnificent solitary work of historical art, for any type of decor both traditional or contemporary. What a fabulous original ‘statement piece’ for any collection or decor. In the world of collecting there is so little remaining in the world from this highly significant era in European and British history. And to be able to own and display such an iconic original representation from this time is nothing short of a remarkable privilege. A wonderful example piece, from the ancient knightly age. Effectively, from this time of almost a thousand years ago, from a collectors point of view, little else significant survives at all, only the odd small coin, ring, or, very rarely seen, and almost impossible to own, carved statuary.

This fabulous dagger was reformed in the medieval crusades period by cutting down the upper third of the sword; the blade being broad, with shallow fuller and square shoulders, the guard narrow and tapering towards the ends; it bears a later formed 'acorn' style pommel. See Oakeshott, E., Records of the Medieval Sword, Woodbridge, 1991. 942 grams, 47cm (18 1/2"). From a private family collection; previously acquired from a collection formed before 1990; thence by descent. The weapon started life as a two-edged sword, probably of Oakeshott's Type XV with broad tang and narrow guard. There is a trace of crucifix, inlay, in latten, a gold-bronze alloy, below the shoulder to one face, which likely was a templar crucifix symbol. {see photo 9 in the gallery}

It is likely that the sword was damaged in combat at the time of the post Norman conquests of England, and thereafter, in the early second crusades, and using the damaged knight's long sword, probably in combat during the second crusade in the Holy Land, a large knightly dagger was created, by removing the unusable part, and re-pointing the shortened blade.
This superb piece could only be used by the rank and status of Templar Knight, or, such as Knight Hospitallar ,as the lower orders below knight, were not permitted the use or ownership of fine knightly form swords or daggers


The Knights Templar were an elite fighting force of their day, highly trained, well-equipped, and highly motivated; one of the tenets of their religious order was that they were forbidden from retreating in battle, unless outnumbered three to one, and even then only by order of their commander, or if the Templar flag went down. Not all Knights Templar were warriors. The mission of most of the members was one of support – to acquire resources which could be used to fund and equip the small percentage of members who were fighting on the front lines. There were actually three classes within the orders. The highest class was the knight. When a candidate was sworn into the order, they made the knight a monk. They wore white robes. The knights could hold no property and receive no private letters. They could not be married or betrothed and could not have any vow in any other Order. They could not have debt more than they could pay, and no infirmities. The Templar priest class was similar to the modern day military chaplain. Wearing green robes, they conducted religious services, led prayers, and were assigned record keeping and letter writing. They always wore gloves, unless they were giving Holy Communion. The mounted men-at-arms represented the most common class, and they were called "brothers". They were usually assigned two horses each and held many positions, including guard, steward, squire or other support vocations. As the main support staff, they wore black or brown robes and were partially garbed in chain mail or plate mail. The armour was not as complete as the knights. Because of this infrastructure, the warriors were well-trained and very well armed. Even their horses were trained to fight in combat, fully armoured. The combination of soldier and monk was also a powerful one, as to the Templar knights, martyrdom in battle was one of the most glorious ways to die.

The Templars were also shrewd tacticians, following the dream of Saint Bernard who had declared that a small force, under the right conditions, could defeat a much larger enemy. One of the key battles in which this was demonstrated was in 1177, at the Battle of Montgisard. The famous Muslim military leader Saladin was attempting to push toward Jerusalem from the south, with a force of 26,000 soldiers. He had pinned the forces of Jerusalem's King Baldwin IV, about 500 knights and their supporters, near the coast, at Ascalon. Eighty Templar knights and their own entourage attempted to reinforce. They met Saladin's troops at Gaza, but were considered too small a force to be worth fighting, so Saladin turned his back on them and headed with his army towards Jerusalem.

Once Saladin and his army had moved on, the Templars were able to join King Baldwin's forces, and together they proceeded north along the coast. Saladin had made a key mistake at that point – instead of keeping his forces together, he permitted his army to temporarily spread out and pillage various villages on their way to Jerusalem. The Templars took advantage of this low state of readiness to launch a surprise ambush directly against Saladin and his bodyguard, at Montgisard near Ramla. Saladin's army was spread too thin to adequately defend themselves, and he and his forces were forced to fight a losing battle as they retreated back to the south, ending up with only a tenth of their original number. The battle was not the final one with Saladin, but it bought a year of peace for the Kingdom of Jerusalem, and the victory became a heroic legend.

Another key tactic of the Templars was that of the "squadron charge". A small group of knights and their heavily armed warhorses would gather into a tight unit which would gallop full speed at the enemy lines, with a determination and force of will that made it clear that they would rather commit suicide than fall back. This terrifying onslaught would frequently have the desired result of breaking a hole in the enemy lines, thereby giving the other Crusader forces an advantage.

The Templars, though relatively small in number, routinely joined other armies in key battles. They would be the force that would ram through the enemy's front lines at the beginning of a battle, or the fighters that would protect the army from the rear. They fought alongside King Louis VII of France, and King Richard I of England. In addition to battles in Palestine, members of the Order also fought in the Spanish and Portuguese Reconquista.

According to author S.Tibble, and in his new book, Templars, the Knights Who Made Britain, he details a very convincing and gripping history, that the Templars, famous for their battles on Christendom’s eastern front, were in fact dedicated peace-mongers at home. They influenced royal strategy and policy, created financial structures, and brokered international peace treaties—primarily to ensure that men, money, and material could be transferred more readily to the east.

Charting the rise of the Order under Henry I through to its violent suppression following the fall of Acre, Tibble argues that these medieval knights were essential to the emergence of an early English state. Revealing the true legacy of the British Templars, he shows how a small group helped shape medieval Britain while simultaneously fighting in the name of the Christian Middle East

This dagger would have likely been used continually past the era of King Richard for another 200 years into to the 1400's, past the Battle of Crecy and into the Battle of Agincourt era, for knightly swords and daggers were extraordinarily valuable, and simply never discarded unless they were too damaged to use and beyond repair. From the time after Agincourt, knightly dagger patterns changed to become longer and much narrower, with considerably smaller guards. There were three main later dagger types then, called called rondel, ear and ballock. Almost every iron weapon that has survived today from this era is now in a fully russetted condition, as is this one, because only some of the swords of kings, that have been preserved in national or Royal collections are today still in a fairly good state of preservation and condition. This dagger is certainly in good condition for its age, it’s cross guard is, as usual, mobile, as organic wooden grips almost never survive in weapons of such great age.
Daggers bespoke made or adapted from earlier long swords of this form were clearly used well into the age of Henry Vth as carved marble and stone tombs, or monumental brasses, covering buried knights within churches and cathedrals are often adorned in full armour combined with such knightly daggers and swords, and they are also further depicted at the time in illuminated manuscripts or paintings of knightly battles such as of Crecy, Poitiers and Agincourt at the time.  read more

Code: 23420

A Superb & Rare, Near Mint, WW2 Imperial Japanese Naval Officer's Kai Gunto Sword Tachi. Signed 23rd Generation Fujiwara Kanefusa Saku Kore Mint Condition Blade, with Unusual Brown Ishime Lacquer Saya, Brown Silk Battle Wrapped Tsuka, On Black Samegawa

The sword is inscribed 濃州 関 住 二 代, 藤原 兼 房 作 之. The 23rd generation Kanefusa who was born in 1900.

濃 ,州 Noushu,
関住 SekiJyu 、
二十三 23、
代dai,
藤 原 fujiwara
兼 房 Kanefusa,
作 saku,之kore
In our opinion this is a "near impossible to better" WW2 Japanese officer's sword, likely the best example of its kind, by Kanefusa, available on the world market today! An original, WW2 Naval officer's kai gunto sword, used and carried by of an officer of the {formerly} divine Emperor Hirohito's Imperial Navy in WW2. The blade had a few light stains but it has just returned from the stains being professionally removed by a Japanese trained polisher and it now looks mint or better. Gunome, Midare or Gunome-Midare hamon. Some kanefusa blades bear inscriptions about awards or being prize winning blades. Sho or Seki tang stamps may appear on the nakago. Some of his naval officer's swords were probably a special order from a group of naval officers with association to the Minatogawa battleship.
The Kanefusa lineage of swordsmiths of Mino Province dates back to the Muromachi era in the 1400's. The 23rd generation Kanefusa worked during the WW II era and was a direct descendant of this famous line of swordsmiths. This lineage continues today with the 25th generation Kanefusa. The 23rd generation Kanefusa's name was Kato Koichi. He was born in 1900. During the Showa period he studied under Kato Jumyo and worked in Seki (Mino / modern Gifu prefecture). During the war years he made many blades for the military, both army and navy, and for civil officials. He won numerous awards in sword exhibitions and contests during this period. He was ranked 1st Seat (National Swordsmith) in the 6th Exhibition of Swords held in 1941 (Slough). He was ranked Kibin no Retsu in 1942 by Kurihara Hikosaburo at the Tosho Banzuke (J.Kim). Many of his blades are signed as being prize winning blades. Blades by the 23rd generation Kanefusa have received origami from the NBTHK or NTHK. This school of swordsmiths is noted for making a special style of hamon known as "Kanefusa midare".

Upon Japan’s surrender the Emperor had to surrender his divine status.
Ideal for the collector of the very best surviving officer's swords of WW2.
A rare 1937 pattern Kai Gunto, with a fine signed blade. With all it's original gilded mounts and fittings, with near mint conserved dark brown ishime stone lacquer saya. Traditional pattern naval style flattened knot battle-wrap ito over black samegawa. The blade is absolutely near perfect and near flawless, with all it's original finish, and fully signed tang. It has its original naval pattern ‘rising sun’ tachi tsuba with twin large seppa dai. This sword would, effectively, be near impossible to upgrade if you wanted the best possible available, regulation, deluxe grade tachi sword, as commissioned by a Japanese naval officer in WW2, in absolutely superb, conserved, condition. Only the tsuba has signs of old storage marks. Effectively, it appears just like the day it was surrendered in 1945 or better

Brown lacquer sayas are rare for naval swords, with black the most commonly found colour, although, a brown polished rayskin option was popular, but a very expensive option at the time, though a brown lacquer finish, with a single belt mount, finish is rarely seen.

The illustrative photo shows three Imperial Japanese Naval flying officers, the central figure carrying the same sword.

The air crewmen of a Ginga bomber that hit the allied aircraft carrier, Randolph. From left to right): Chief Flight Petty Officer Takeshi Igai (navigator), Lieutenant Koetsu Fukuda (pilot), and Chief Flight Petty Officer Kenji Ota (radioman).

The WW2 Japanese pilots, by tradition, carried their kai gunto swords aboard their planes, in a special metal almost cylindrical case affixed to the cockpit side, including the kamikaze pilots, which might be another reason that kai gunto swords are rare to find, as most pilots and their planes perished in combat, as did so many of the Imperial Japanese Naval combat vessals, that were sunk by the allied fleets. They carried their sword airborne in WW2 as part of their bushido tradition, in that, although they might never face hand to hand combat on land, unless if they landed in an emergency or survived a crash on land, but if they were to perish in their aircraft the sword would still be by their side.  read more

Code: 25395

A Finely Detailed Original Ancient Egyptian Shabti a Representation of a Mummified Human Tomb Figure, The Afterlife Servant of the Mummy, in Faience Blue Glazed Late Period, Dynasty XXVI, 664-525 B. C. From the Tomb of the Female Owner Bastet-ir-dis

Around 2500 years old. One of two we acquired, excavated from a tomb, and part of a collection formed before the 1970's. A light blue and green composition shabti comprising the remaining upper body, head and shoulders with crossed arms holding crook and flail, wearing a tripartite wig and false beard, semi-naturalistic detailing to the faces. A shabti (also known as shawabti or ushabti) is a generally mummiform small figurine found in many ancient Egyptian tombs. They are commonly made of blue or green glazed Egyptian faience, but can also consist of stone, wood, clay, metal, and glass.

We had two previously from the same collector that bore an inscription {these latest pair are not inscribed, but came from the same tomb} that included the name of the female owner Bastet-ir-dis (which can be translated as 'it was Bastet who gave it' i.e. the lady was the gift of the goddess Bastet), highlights the popularity of this feline deity during the Late Period and Ptolemaic/Roman times. Bastet was a protector of the sun god Re as well as being associated with motherhood and fertility. Bastet-ir-dis's name is preceded by 'the Osiris', a common appellation in shabti inscriptions of this and earlier periods, which associates the deceased with the preeminent ancient Egyptian god of the Underworld. The name was followed by the epithet 'true of voice' or 'justified', an attestation of the deceased's good character as judged by a divine tribunal that decided whether a person could enter the eternal Hereafter. Then follows the phrase 'born to' which would have been accompanied by the name of Bastet-ir-dis's mother on the now missing portion of these figures.

We show two other shabti found in other tombs of the children of Bastet-ir-dis, plus amazingly the actual sarcophagus of Bastit-ir-dis sold at Christies over 20 years ago, in 2001, for $30,550. Original Egyptian Sarcophagus have increased in desirability in the past 20 odd years exponentially, with some fetching as high as $1,000,000 {likely due because it is now forbidden to remove all antiquities from Egypt}

National Museum of Liverpool Shabti of Psamtek born of Bastet-ir-dis
664 BC - 525 BC (Dynasty 26)

British Museum number
Shabti of Padipep
Named in inscription: Bastet-ir-dis (born of)

An Ancient Egyptian painted Wood Anthropoid Sarcophagus of Bastet-ir-dis
Late Period, Dynasty XXVI, 664-525 B. C.
Gessoed and painted depicting the deceased, the lady Bastet-irdis, wearing a striated vulture cap covered wig, and a falcon terminated broad collar, the entire surface of the lid with mythological vignettes, funerary deities and their accompanying inscriptions, the principle among which are a kneeling, winged Isis, and the deceased on a bier; the join of the lid to the box decorated with an undulating serpent, the box with two long funerary offering formulae for the benefit of Bastet-irdis, the back with a profile figure of the "Goddess of the West" Sold originally in the Antiquitie sale, Sotheby's London, 8 December 1994, lot 100

The inscription includes the name of the female owner Bastet-ir-dis (which can be translated as 'it was Bastet who gave it' i.e. the lady was the gift of the goddess Bastet), highlights the popularity of this feline deity during the Late Period and Ptolemaic/Roman times. Bastet was a protector of the sun god Re as well as being associated with motherhood and fertility. Bastet-ir-dis's name is preceded by 'the Osiris', a common appellation in shabti inscriptions of this and earlier periods, which associates the deceased with the preeminent ancient Egyptian god of the Underworld. The name is followed by the epithet 'true of voice' or 'justified', an attestation of the deceased's good character as judged by a divine tribunal that decided whether a person could enter the eternal Hereafter. Then follows the phrase 'born to' which would have been accompanied by the name of Bastet-ir-dis's mother on the now missing portion of these figures.

The meaning of the Egyptian term is still debated, however one possible translation is ‘answerer’, as they were believed to answer their master’s call to work in the afterlife. Since the Fourth Dynasty (2613–2494 BC), for instance, the deceased were buried with servant statuettes like bakers and butchers, providing their owners with eternal sustenance. after the death of Cleopatra in around 37 b.c. and the close of the Ptolomeic Dynasty, no shabti were produced for service in Egyptian mummy's tombs. A spell was oft written on the shabti so that it would awaken as planned, this is the 'shabti spell' from chapter six of the Book of the Dead and reads as follows:

"O shawabti, if name of deceased is called upon,
If he is appointed to do any work which is done on the necropolis,
Even as the man is bounden, namely to cultivate the fields,
To flood the river-banks or to carry the sand of the East to the West,
And back again, then 'Here am I!' you shall say"1
2,000 to 2300 years old. From the Last pharoes of Egypt, that lasted for 275 years, up to the era of Julius Caeser, Cleopatra and Mark Anthony. With The last pharoah almost being the son of Julius Caeser, Caesarian but his mother famously committed suicide, and with the death of Cleopatra, thus the pharoic dynasties ended. Egyptian Blue Glazed Faience Ptolemaic dynasty sometimes referred to as the Lagid dynasty after Ptolemy I's father, who was a Macedonian Greek
The royal dynasty which ruled the Ptolemaic Kingdom in Ancient Egypt during the Hellenistic period. Their rule lasted for 275 years, from 305 to 30 BC. The Ptolemaic was the last dynasty of ancient Egypt.

Ptolemy, one of the seven somatophylakes (bodyguard companions), a general and possible half-brother of Alexander the Great was appointed satrap of Egypt after Alexander's death in 323 BC. In 305 BC, he declared himself Pharaoh Ptolemy I, later known as Sōter "Saviour". The Egyptians soon accepted the Ptolemies as the successors to the pharaohs of independent Egypt. Ptolemy's family ruled Egypt until the Roman conquest of 30 BC.

Like the earlier dynasties of ancient Egypt, the Ptolemaic dynasty practised inbreeding including sibling marriage, but this did not start in earnest until nearly a century into the dynasty's history. All the male rulers of the dynasty took the name Ptolemy, while queens regnant were all called Cleopatra, Arsinoe or Berenice. The most famous member of the line was the last queen, Cleopatra VII, known for her role in the Roman political battles between Julius Caesar and Pompey, and later between Octavian and Mark Antony. Her apparent suicide at the conquest by Rome marked the end of Ptolemaic rule in Egypt.


Richard Lassels, an expatriate Roman Catholic priest, first used the phrase “Grand Tour” in his 1670 book Voyage to Italy, published posthumously in Paris in 1670. In its introduction, Lassels listed four areas in which travel furnished "an accomplished, consummate traveler" with opportunities to experience first hand the intellectual, the social, the ethical, and the political life of the Continent.

The English gentry of the 17th century believed that what a person knew came from the physical stimuli to which he or she has been exposed. Thus, being on-site and seeing famous works of art and history was an all important part of the Grand Tour. So most Grand Tourists spent the majority of their time visiting museums and historic sites.

Once young men began embarking on these journeys, additional guidebooks and tour guides began to appear to meet the needs of the 20-something male and female travelers and their tutors traveling a standard European itinerary. They carried letters of reference and introduction with them as they departed from southern England, enabling them to access money and invitations along the way.

With nearly unlimited funds, aristocratic connections and months or years to roam, these wealthy young tourists commissioned paintings, perfected their language skills and mingled with the upper crust of the Continent.

The wealthy believed the primary value of the Grand Tour lay in the exposure both to classical antiquity and the Renaissance, and to the aristocratic and fashionably polite society of the European continent. In addition, it provided the only opportunity to view specific works of art, and possibly the only chance to hear certain music. A Grand Tour could last from several months to several years. The youthful Grand Tourists usually traveled in the company of a Cicerone, a knowledgeable guide or tutor.

The ‘Grand Tour’ era of classical acquisitions from history existed up to around the 1850’s, and extended around the whole of Europe, Egypt, the Ottoman Empire, and the Holy Land.
1.3/4"). Fair condition very old repair to mid section.  read more

Code: 25667

A Finally Detailed Original Ancient Egyptian Shabti a Representation of a Mummified Human Tomb Figure, The Afterlife Servant of the Mummy, in Faience Blue Glazed Late Period, Dynasty XXVI, 664-525 B. C. From the Tomb of the Female Owner Bastet-ir-dis

Around 2500 years old. One of two we acquired, for sale seperately, excavated from a tomb, and part of a collection formed before the 1970's. A light blue and green composition shabti comprising the remaining upper body, head and shoulders with crossed arms holding crook and flail, wearing wig and false beard, semi-naturalistic detailing to the faces.
We had two previously from the same collector that bore an inscription {these latest pair are not inscribed, but came from the same tomb} that included the name of the female owner Bastet-ir-dis (which can be translated as 'it was Bastet who gave it' i.e. the lady was the gift of the goddess Bastet), highlights the popularity of this feline deity during the Late Period and Ptolemaic/Roman times. Bastet was a protector of the sun god Re as well as being associated with motherhood and fertility. Bastet-ir-dis's name is preceded by 'the Osiris', a common appellation in shabti inscriptions of this and earlier periods, which associates the deceased with the preeminent ancient Egyptian god of the Underworld. The name was followed by the epithet 'true of voice' or 'justified', an attestation of the deceased's good character as judged by a divine tribunal that decided whether a person could enter the eternal Hereafter. Then follows the phrase 'born to' which would have been accompanied by the name of Bastet-ir-dis's mother on the now missing portion of these figures.

We show two other shabti found in other tombs of the children of Bastet-ir-dis, plus amazingly the actual sarcophagus of Bastit-ir-dis sold at Christies over 20 years ago, in 2001, for $30,550. Original Egyptian Sarcophagus have increased in desirability in the past 20 odd years exponentially, with some fetching as high as $1,000,000 {likely due because it is now forbidden to remove all antiquities from Egypt}

National Museum of Liverpool Shabti of Psamtek born of Bastet-ir-dis
664 BC - 525 BC (Dynasty 26)

British Museum number
Shabti of Padipep
Named in inscription: Bastet-ir-dis (born of)

An Ancient Egyptian painted Wood Anthropoid Sarcophagus of Bastet-ir-dis
Late Period, Dynasty XXVI, 664-525 B. C.
Gessoed and painted depicting the deceased, the lady Bastet-irdis, wearing a striated vulture cap covered wig, and a falcon terminated broad collar, the entire surface of the lid with mythological vignettes, funerary deities and their accompanying inscriptions, the principle among which are a kneeling, winged Isis, and the deceased on a bier; the join of the lid to the box decorated with an undulating serpent, the box with two long funerary offering formulae for the benefit of Bastet-irdis, the back with a profile figure of the "Goddess of the West" Sold originally in the Antiquitie sale, Sotheby's London, 8 December 1994, lot 100

The inscription includes the name of the female owner Bastet-ir-dis (which can be translated as 'it was Bastet who gave it' i.e. the lady was the gift of the goddess Bastet), highlights the popularity of this feline deity during the Late Period and Ptolemaic/Roman times. Bastet was a protector of the sun god Re as well as being associated with motherhood and fertility. Bastet-ir-dis's name is preceded by 'the Osiris', a common appellation in shabti inscriptions of this and earlier periods, which associates the deceased with the preeminent ancient Egyptian god of the Underworld. The name is followed by the epithet 'true of voice' or 'justified', an attestation of the deceased's good character as judged by a divine tribunal that decided whether a person could enter the eternal Hereafter. Then follows the phrase 'born to' which would have been accompanied by the name of Bastet-ir-dis's mother on the now missing portion of these figures.

A shabti (also known as shawabti or ushabti) is a generally mummiform small figurine found in many ancient Egyptian tombs. They are commonly made of blue or green glazed Egyptian faience, but can also consist of stone, wood, clay, metal, and glass. The meaning of the Egyptian term is still debated, however one possible translation is ‘answerer’, as they were believed to answer their master’s call to work in the afterlife. Since the Fourth Dynasty (2613–2494 BC), for instance, the deceased were buried with servant statuettes like bakers and butchers, providing their owners with eternal sustenance. after the death of Cleopatra in around 37 b.c. and the close of the Ptolomeic Dynasty, no shabti were produced for service in Egyptian mummy's tombs. A spell was oft written on the shabti so that it would awaken as planned, this is the 'shabti spell' from chapter six of the Book of the Dead and reads as follows:

"O shawabti, if name of deceased is called upon,
If he is appointed to do any work which is done on the necropolis,
Even as the man is bounden, namely to cultivate the fields,
To flood the river-banks or to carry the sand of the East to the West,
And back again, then 'Here am I!' you shall say"

2500 years old, the 26th dynasty 664-525 B.C. fortified the culture, which saw a new phase of artistic expression in stone monuments and statuary. Later generations would remember this dynasty as representative of Egyptian history, and would in turn recapitulate Saite forms. From the era around 200 years before the last pharoes of Egypt, known as the Ptolomeic Dynasty that lasted for 275 years, up to the era of Julius Caeser, Cleopatra and Mark Anthony. With The last pharoah almost being the son of Julius Caeser, Caesarian but his mother famously committed suicide, and with the death of Cleopatra, thus the pharoic dynasties ended.

The Ptolemaic dynasty is sometimes referred to as the Lagid dynasty after Ptolemy I's father, who was a Macedonian Greek
The royal dynasty which ruled the Ptolemaic Kingdom in Ancient Egypt during the Hellenistic period. Their rule lasted for 275 years, from 305 to 30 BC. The Ptolemaic was the last dynasty of ancient Egypt.

Ptolemy, one of the seven somatophylakes (bodyguard companions), a general and possible half-brother of Alexander the Great was appointed satrap of Egypt after Alexander's death in 323 BC. In 305 BC, he declared himself Pharaoh Ptolemy I, later known as Sōter "Saviour". The Egyptians soon accepted the Ptolemies as the successors to the pharaohs of independent Egypt. Ptolemy's family ruled Egypt until the Roman conquest of 30 BC.

Like the earlier dynasties of ancient Egypt, the Ptolemaic dynasty practiced inbreeding including sibling marriage, but this did not start in earnest until nearly a century into the dynasty's history. All the male rulers of the dynasty took the name Ptolemy, while queens regnant were all called Cleopatra, Arsinoe or Berenice. The most famous member of the line was the last queen, Cleopatra VII, known for her role in the Roman political battles between Julius Caesar and Pompey, and later between Octavian and Mark Antony. Her apparent suicide at the conquest by Rome marked the end of Ptolemaic rule in Egypt.

Grand Tour souvenirs included a wide variety of sculpture, paintings, and antiquities, and led to Egyptian artefacts being found in the most unexpected places. Today’s visitors to historic houses, like those managed by the National Trust in Great Britain, may encounter an incongruous Egyptian item, like the top part of a small basalt figure, described as a nomarch, on a bedroom chimneypiece at Petworth House, Sussex, or the kneeling statue of Ramesses II on the staircase at The Vyne, Hampshire. Quite possibly, there will be no indication of the object’s age, origins, or purpose. If the visitor is lucky, they will find a display label, or an entry in a guidebook or online catalogue, but the history behind the object’s presence is more commonly unexplained.

Richard Lassels, an expatriate Roman Catholic priest, first used the phrase “Grand Tour” in his 1670 book Voyage to Italy, published posthumously in Paris in 1670. In its introduction, Lassels listed four areas in which travel furnished "an accomplished, consummate traveler" with opportunities to experience first hand the intellectual, the social, the ethical, and the political life of the Continent.

The English gentry of the 17th century believed that what a person knew came from the physical stimuli to which he or she has been exposed. Thus, being on-site and seeing famous works of art and history was an all important part of the Grand Tour. So most Grand Tourists spent the majority of their time visiting museums and historic sites.

Once young men began embarking on these journeys, additional guidebooks and tour guides began to appear to meet the needs of the 20-something male and female travelers and their tutors traveling a standard European itinerary. They carried letters of reference and introduction with them as they departed from southern England, enabling them to access money and invitations along the way.

With nearly unlimited funds, aristocratic connections and months or years to roam, these wealthy young tourists commissioned paintings, perfected their language skills and mingled with the upper crust of the Continent.

The wealthy believed the primary value of the Grand Tour lay in the exposure both to classical antiquity and the Renaissance, and to the aristocratic and fashionably polite society of the European continent. In addition, it provided the only opportunity to view specific works of art, and possibly the only chance to hear certain music. A Grand Tour could last from several months to several years. The youthful Grand Tourists usually traveled in the company of a Cicerone, a knowledgeable guide or tutor.

The ‘Grand Tour’ era of classical acquisitions from history existed up to around the 1850’s, and extended around the whole of Europe, Egypt, the Ottoman Empire, and the Holy Land.

1 1/2" inches high. Fair condition.  read more

Code: 25668