Owned by the Earl of Portsmouth, Two Large and Beautiful Volumes,The History of the Life of King Henry IInd.

And of the age in which he lived, in five books,: to which is prefixed, a history of the revolutions of England from the death of Edward the Confessor to the birth of Henry the Second / by George Lord Lyttelton Printed for W. Sandby and J. Dodsley, 1767 [second printing] 2 impressive and original leather bound volumes, from the personal library of the Earl of Portsmouth. Three books of the set are contained in these two, beautiful, large volumes. George Lyttelton, studied at Eton (1725) and Oxford (1726) before touring the Continent (1728-31) before becoming intimate with Pope's circle at Twickenham. He was secretary to the Prince of Wales (1732-44), member of Parliament from Okehampton (1735-56); succeeded as 5th baron Lyttleton 1751, and was lord of the treasury (1744-54) and Chancellor of the Exchequer (1755-56). As an opposition politician, Lyttleton was allied to the Prince of Wales; as a poet he was associated with his near-neighbor at Hagley Park, William Shenstone.

His life was detailed by Samuel Johnson's Lives of the Poets series, published in 3 volumes between 1779 and 1781. In it Dr Johnson states 'His last literary production was his "History of Henry the Second," elaborated by the searches and deliberations of twenty years, and published with such anxiety as only vanity can dictate. The story of this publication is remarkable. The whole work was printed twice over, a great part of it three times, and many sheets four or five times. The booksellers paid for the first impression; but the changes and repeated operations of the press were at the expense of the author, whose ambitious accuracy is known to have cost him at least a thousand pounds. He began to print in 1755. Three volumes appeared in 1764, a second edition of them in 1767, a third edition in 1768, and the conclusion in 1771.

Andrew Reid, a man not without considerable abilities and not unacquainted with letters or with life, undertook to persuade Lyttelton, as he had persuaded himself, that he was master of the secret of punctuation; and, as fear begets credulity, he was employed, I know not at what price, to point the pages of "Henry the Second." The book was at last pointed and printed, and sent into the world. Lyttelton took money for his copy, of which, when he had paid the pointer, he probably gave the rest away; for he was very liberal to the indigent. When time brought the History to a third edition, Reid was either dead or discarded; and the superintendence of typography and punctuation was committed to a man originally a comb-maker, but then known by the style of Doctor. Something uncommon was probably expected, and something uncommon was at last done; for to the Doctor's edition is appended, what the world had hardly seen before, a list of errors in nineteen pages. Each volume is 11.5 inches x 9.25 inches x 2 inches  read more

Code: 22555

Imperial German WW1 Wound Badge

The Wound Badge (Verwundetenabzeichen) was a military decoration first promulgated by Wilhelm II, German Emperor on 3 March 1918, which was awarded to wounded or frostbitten soldiers of the Imperial German Army during World War I.
During the Battle of the Somme in October 1916 Hitler received a wound in his left thigh when a shell exploded at the entrance to the dispatch runners' dugout. He was sent for almost two months to the Red Cross hospital at Beelitz in Brandenburg, and was awarded the Wound Badge in black on 18 May 1918. On 15 October 1918, he and several comrades were temporarily blinded due to a British mustard-gas attack. After initial treatment, Hitler was hospitalized in Pasewalk in Pomerania, and was still these when he learned of Germany's defeat on 10 November. The Wound Badge is one of the 3 medals that Hitler wore constantly on his uniforms (but rarely with civil clothes). Hitler's badge being a World War I award, there was no swastika on the helmet of his version. While issued pieces were seamless with pebbled surface, privately purchased badges in most cases had a cut-out design: we can see photographic evidence of Hitler wearing both versions. All versions of the Wound Badge were worn on the lower left breast of the uniform or tunic. The badge was worn below all other awards on the left.  read more

Code: 23626

A Good And Most Interesting Tuareg Nomadic Berber Sword From The Western African Regions To North Africa

These are highly interesting swords of the nomadic Berber, and are known for their most attractive decorative features.
All patterned tooled leather hilt mounts, scabbard and fittings. Long principle sword with three smaller companion daggers fitted into recessed sheaths on the scabbard. Blades decoratively engraved throughout. It is a style of sword traditionally associated with the Tuareg, a nomadic people predominantly of Berber origin. The Tuareg long dominated the central and west-central areas of the Sahara desert, including portions of what is now Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso, Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, and Morocco, and had a reputation as effective warriors and as highwaymen. Broad blade. The sword has a straight crossguard with flattened grip and the whole form is based around the Crusader's swords that were captured in the region in the 12th to 14th centuries. This sword is late 19th century or later in good overall condition.

Not only an iconic sword of the Berber warrior nomads but a highly attractive decorative piece for display.

Overall 37 inches long in scabbard  read more

Code: 22536

A Wonderful, Original, German 'Zweihander' Great Sword, 16th Century. Probably The Most Impressive And Largest Sword Ever Used in Historic Warfare. Following the Form of Sword Made Famous By The Scots in The Time Of Sir William Wallace

This Spectacular Original Great Sword, just a half inch under six feet long, is a simply stunning original antique artefact of history, that is also a remarkable 'statement' piece. It is taller than the average man, and worthy of a primary display position in any noteworthy location, wether albeit in a castle, an armoury, museum or a private home, this piece displays its dramatic form with grandeur and nobility alongside great beauty.

We consider ourselves very lucky indeed if we are able to acquire such a fabulous type of sword available on the collectors market today

Around 500 years old, this ‘Great Sword’ is a later example of their earliest most famous appearance in the great wars in Scotland against the English, during the reign of Edward Ist, the principle of the original design and use of the ‘Great Sword’ remained the same for around 300 years.

Effectively it is the weapon of the so called ‘berserker’ warrior, who was skilled at running full pelt at the enemy positions, with the spinning great sword rotating above his head, terrifyingly clearing a way through defensive pikemen and the such, in order for the offensive charge of his fellow infantry and cavalry warriors behind him to breakthrough the defensive enemies ranks.

This is a most incredible and stunningly beautiful example of its type, with a long early straight double-edged blade, tapering to a sharp point and formed with a pair of near full length fullers on each face, struck with a brass inlaid running wolf mark on one face (with small hairlines and overall a natural russetted surface) rectangular ricasso with engraved border, struck with a series of armourers' marks on each side including a Pi and cross and orb, and crowned head with running wolf in gold. The armourer’s mark representing the blade work of Johannes Wundes, and all of these armourers marks are indicative of his fine work. The sword is fitted with a later crescentic defensive hooked, iron cross-guard, comprising pair of drooping quillons with tightly scrolling terminals each with an additional lug front and back, formed en suite. An inner and outer ring-guard each filled with a fleur-de-lys, fluted globular pommel, decorated throughout with scrolls, and designed for the Landsknecht Mercenary Foot Knights, for use as a hugely effective, offensive sword, and, as we previously described, swung around the head in a fast rotational movement [in essence, just like a helicopter blade] to create a twelve foot circle of terror and destruction.

An experienced Landsknecht warrior could be designated a Doppelsoldner, an armoured foot soldier who served as the backbone for the armed formation in battle (and was paid double for it) and also, in addition to being armed with the pike, as more recent recruits, they could also be alternatively employed wielding a 6-to-8-foot-long (1.8 to 2.4 m) halberd or partisan, or, more famously, a Zweihander (literally: "Two-hander") such as this sword, a two-handed sword as long as 180 cm (6 ft). These great war swords could be swung in a great circular arc [somewhat akin to a helicopter motion] and thus, incredibly effectively, used to knock the forward pointed long pikes, held by enemy pikemen, aside, that were wielded by a phalanx of pikemen, thus creating disorder among the tightly-arranged enemy pikemen in order to break through their lines.

However, another primary use of the two-handed sword, would be to serve as the 'guard' for the standard bearer, for it is a weapon that allows for a few to oppose many.
The Swiss adversaries to the Landsknechts had specifically attempted to prohibit the use of these swords during the late 15th century, as they deemed them unsuitable for the constricted manner of pike warfare.

The handle grip, is now in appearance, showing just the narrow all steel blade tang, but, would originally been leather bound, over partial wood, and leathered right down to the cutting edge of the blade. The original leather and wooden grip would never survive intact for 500 years, being organic it has little ability to last for so many centuries.
52 1/8 in blade, 71.5 inches long overall  read more

Code: 21508

A Very Fine 18th Century Royal Naval Officer’s Sword of Hunting Sword Type

Gilt brass hilt with fluted wooden grip and finely engraved blade with maker mark and Solingen, and hunting scenes. Quillon block decorated with relief hunting horn and hunting devices. Acorn finials and fluted brass pommel.In the days of the early Royal Navy, officers carried short swords in the pattern of hunting swords, with both straight or curved blades, fancy brass mounted single knucklebow hilts with principally stag horn or reeded ebony grips. Although initially designed to protect the huntsman from a close quarter predatory attack, they were far more popular in England for use as naval officers swords, not as their initial design intended, as Britain had far fewer great wild beasts that might threaten a huntsman.
There are numerous portraits in the National Portrait Gallery and The National Maritime Musuem that show British Admirals [such as Benbow and Clowdesly Shovel] holding such swords, often originally made on the continent. 24.5 inches long overall.  read more

Code: 22526

A Fabulous & V.Rare Example of Original Large Art Deco Art. 1929 Original Movie Poster. of "The Lost Zeppelin". The Hollywood Production, Original Swedish Language Version Poster,

In superb condition, a stunning example of original, 1920's Art Deco Hollywood movie artistry. This stunning piece would look amazing in any location.

The Lost Zeppelin [Den Forsvunna Zeppelinaren] Tiffany-Stahl Productions (Los Angeles)

This film, had the association with Frank Capra, and directed by Edward Sloman, distributed by Tiffany productions is based on the crash of the airship Italia, flown by Umberto Nobile, around May 25, 1928 near the North Pole, and the international rescue effort that cost early polar explorer Roald Amundson his life. The pilot who rescued Nobile also crashed when returning to rescue more survivors and had to be rescued himself.

This movie was starring major leading Hollywood stars in their time, including Conway Tearle, who was considered the highest paid Hollywood movie star, during his prime, for several years

Conway Tearle as Commander Donald Hall
Virginia Valli as Miriam Hall
Ricardo Cortez as Tom Armstrong
Duke Martin as Lieutenant Wallace
Kathryn McGuire as Nancy
Winter Hall as Mr. Wilson
Richard Cramer as Radio Announcer (voice)
Ervin Nyiregyhazi as Pianist (uncredited)
William H. O'Brien as Radio Operator (uncredited).

Virginia Valli was an established star at the Universal studio by the mid-1920s. In 1924 she was the female lead in King Vidor's southern gothic Wild Oranges, a film now recovered from film vault obscurity. She also appeared in the romantic comedy, Every Woman's Life, about "the man she could have married, the man she should have married and the man she DID marry."[citation needed] Most of her films were made between 1924 and 1927, and included Alfred Hitchcock's debut feature, The Pleasure Garden (1925), Paid to Love (1927), with William Powell, and Evening Clothes (1927), which featured Adolphe Menjou. In 1925 Valli performed in The Man Who Found Himself with Thomas Meighan.[citation needed]

Her first sound picture was The Isle of Lost Ships with Jason Robards Sr. and Noah Beery Sr. in 1929. Her last film was in Night Life in Reno, in 1931

Conway Tearle turned to Hollywood in 1914 where he would find considerable success playing romantic leads. His first film was The Nightingale, a story by Augustus Thomas about a slum girl (Ethel Barrymore) who rose to be a great opera star.[9] His last was in a 1936 film adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet with John Barrymore. Tearle appeared in some 93 films over his career and at one point was thought to be the highest-paid actor in America. On December 16, 1931, Conway appeared with co-star Kay Francis at the grand opening of the Paramount Theater in Oakland, California, which hosted the premiere of their film The False Madonna, released by Paramount Pictures.

The following year Tearle scored a major hit on Broadway in the original 1932 production of Dinner at Eight, creating the role of fading screen idol Larry Renault, a role that would later be played on film by John Barrymore. His last two Broadway appearances were in short productions of Living Dangerously in 1935 and Antony and Cleopatra two years later

Ricardo Cortez appeared in over 100 films. He began his career playing romantic leads, and when sound cinema arrived, his strong delivery and New York accent made him an ideal heavy. While his main focus was character acting, he occasionally was able to play leading men. He played opposite Joan Crawford in Montana Moon (1930), and was the first actor to portray Sam Spade in the original pre-Code version of The Maltese Falcon (1931); the latter film was later overshaded by the 1941 remake with Humphrey Bogart in the lead. He co-starred with Charles Farrell and Bette Davis in The Big Shakedown (1934), and with Al Jolson and Dolores del Río in Wonder Bar (1934). In 1936, Cortez replaced Warren William as Perry Mason in The Case of the Black Cat.

We never normally comment on the investment potential of any collectable, but the potential for all movie posters is now huge.This early 1920s original poster represents, potentially, incredibly good value. For example an original 1933 poster for King Kong can today command a price in excess of $244,500 [the last example sold for this was in 1999] and the previous record for the most valuable poster sold at auction was held by a movie poster of the 1931 film 'Dracula', which was sold for US $525,800.The current record-holder, the “international” version of the Metropolis poster – the same Heinz Schulz-Neudamm design as number 3 minus the German writing. The clean lines and delicate shading make this a wonder to behold. It sold for $690,000 in 2005 allegedly by Leonardo diCaprio A one-sheet poster for the 1931 Frankenstein, starring Boris Karloff, which went for a then-record of $198,000 in 1993. the Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers dance film Flying Down to Rio from 1933, which fetched $239,000 in 2008. The Bride of Frankenstein from 1935, which fetched $334,600 in 2007, The Mummy from 1932 and when it sold for $435,500 in 1997

Sotheby's Auctioneers, have a current poster auction. Here are a few estimated price examples; Lawrence of Arabia poster estimated as £8,000 to £12,000, a French version of Dr No poster is £5,000 to £8,000, Star Wars £7,000 to £10,000, The Danish language version poster of the Invisible man [1935] £4,000 to £6,000 King Kong re-Release poster 1956 £5,000 to £,8,000, Breakfast At Tiffanys 1961 £5,000 to £8,000, the Dutch language poster of Flying Down to Rio 1933 £7,000 to £10,000, The French Re-Release poster, 1931 of Buster Keaton's The Navigator £5,000 to £8,000, and Kill Bill Vol 2 [2004] £2,000 to £3,000.

We show in the gallery another current record holder for the movie poster of Metropolis this one was bought for $690,000 in 2005. Another of the same sold in 2012 for $1.2 Million

Our poster is sold unframed for delivery, for collection though it has a very good frame at present. Some reflections in the photos are due to the glass in the current frame]

Poster size approx 29 x 42 inches  read more

Code: 24615

A Fine & Rare Celtic Iron Axe Head 1800 to 2300 Years Old. The Form of Axe Faced By The Legionnaires of Caesar in His Wars in Gaul

3rd century BC-2nd century AD. An iron axehead with rectangular-section socket, flared blade with gently curved cutting edge. Celtic armies first came to the attention of historians when the Gauls, led by their king Bran (Brennus), sacked Rome in 390 BCE, and again in 279 BCE when they looted Delphi as they passed through Greece on their way to Asia. The Celts attacked the Romans again in 225 BCE and were frequent mercenary allies of Carthage during the Punic Wars. The Celts thus gained a reputation with Latin and Greek writers for being fierce warriors and skilled horsemen who also fielded chariots in battle. Julius Caesar faced them when he invaded Gaul. They were light, pulled by two horses, and had an open front and back with double hoops at the sides. Containing two men they were used to attack enemy cavalry first by throwing javelins and then one man dismounted to fight on foot while the rider drove the chariot to a safe distance to await a retreat if necessary. Caesar describes them as driven with great skill and so were a highly manoeuvrable weapon of disruption and attack.

Celtic warriors were known for their long hair and imposing physique. They are depicted in Greek art with their distinctive long shields (wooden panels covered in decorated hide) and long swords. Such was the respect for Celtic warriors that Hellenistic kings who defeated Galatian armies were given the title of soter, meaning ‘saviour’. Although Galatian armies were almost always defeated by their more disciplined and better-equipped enemies in single battles, once conquered, they did fight successfully as mercenaries in many Hellenistic and Roman armies.156 grams, 82mm (3 1/4").  read more

Code: 23412

A Wonderful, & Most Rare New Zealand Maori Jade Large Hand Axe 13th-17th Century Pounamu Toki

Some of the most fascinating objects in British museum collections come from many far flung places all over the world. They arrived in their collections due to the explorers and travellers gathering trinkets and objects of curios during the 19th century. One such object is this Pounamu Toki or the Greenstone Axe from New Zealand. These axes were used as a tool for daily work as well as being employed in ceremonial form.

We have had several over the past 50 years but unfortunately, none of them have ever had their handles remaining. They retain considerable meaning for the Maori, as Greenstone is known as the God Stone, and to the Europeans, Jade. They are imbibed with mysticism and sacred power to the Maori. Greenstone is a sacred material and most rare. It occurs naturally in the South island of New Zealand and is found in several areas and has been discovered in rivers as boulders or pebbles or washed up on the coast.

Maori myth and legend is attached to the greenstone and its origins. The Ngati Waewae tribe tells of a legend about a fearsome Taniwha (sea monster) and a beautiful princess kidnapped by the Taniwha. The princess eventually gets turned to greenstone on the riverbed. This myth tells how the greenstone was created. 6.25 inches long x 3.5 inches wide.  read more

Code: 21861

Good Heavy Original Italian Infantry Papal Army Helmet Cabasset c.1570 From The Papal Armoury

Good Heavy Italian Infantry Helmet Cabasset c.1570, hammered steel raised from a single plate, medial ridge with pear stalk finial, border retains its original brass rosettes (2 missing) each embossed with a ring of 6 stars, stepped flared brim with turned over edge, retaining original linen lining band inside. 19cms tall. Good condition. Provenance: The
Papal Armoury; and London dealers Fenton & Sons Ltd. Fenton and Sons, Antique Arms and Armour, traded in London from 1894-1927. and supplied, amongst others, the British Museum. [Interesting aside, we used to supply them, [Fentons] in the 1920's]. This and a few others were acquired by Fentons in 1919 and were listed in their catalogue. They were all from the Papal Armoury in Rome made for the Barberini family.
The Barberinis supplied the armour and cabassets for the papal army in the late 16th century, a period fraught with anarchy and bandits and direct attacks on papal territories by Parma. The close association led to Maffeo Barberini becoming Pope Urban VIII. His brother Taddeo was made Supreme Commander of the Papal Army. The helmets, including this one, were from the papal armoury and served through the papal wars. It is estimated that about 4500 men served the papal army and most would have worn cabassets, making the original number of the group well over 4000. Others from the group are now in the Musio Storico Vaticano the Old Papal armoury now in the Vatican Historical Museum in the Lateran Palace, Rome. The Papal Army was the loosely-construed army of volunteers and mercenaries in the service of the Italian Papal States, active from the 8th century until the capture of Rome by Italy in 1870. The Papal States maintained a sizeable military during the Middle Ages, using it to fight against the Holy Roman Empire and its Ghibelline allies. During the 1300s, the Papal States began to employ the services of condottieri, mercenaries who sold their services to the extremely wealthy Catholic Church. These forces would be instrumental to the defence of the Pope during the Italian Wars of the 15th and 16th centuries, with Cesare Borgia leading the Papal Army on a campaign of conquest that added several new city-states and regions to the Papal States' territories. Painting in the gallery of the Massacre of San Bartolome in the Catholic-Protestant Religious Wars, where the French crown aided by Queen Catherine de Medici, mother of the French King, with the Pope's blessing, slaughtered ten of thousands of Huguenots what is considered the second deadliest religious war in European history (surpassed only by the Thirty Years' War, which took eight million European lives) The pope was so delighted with the massacre he ordered a Te Deum to be sung as a special thanksgiving (a practice continued for many years after) and had a medal struck with the motto Ugonottorum strages, (Latin: " slaughter of the Huguenots 1572"  read more

Code: 23583

A Fabulous 18th Century Carved Spiral Hilted Royal Naval Officer’s Short Sword

With spiral carved green stained bone hilt. Long slender blade with GR crown stamp. Brass S quillon crossguard with dome top brass pommel. Made in the 1770's, and used by a Royal Naval midshipman and officer right through to the end of the Napoleonic Wars era. A most beautiful Royal Naval officer's sword/long dirk of very nice quality indeed. hilted swords stained green became ultra high fashion in the mid to third quarter of the 18th century, in fact General George Washington carried a green stained spiral hilted sword in his role as commander-in-chief of the American Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. In the National Maritime Museum is a most similar S quillon carved hilted short sword dirk that is inscribed to the reverse of the locket, and engraved with the words 'GIVEN TO MID HORATIO NELSON R.N. H.M.S. RAISONNABLE BY MAURICE SUCKLING R.N. 1770'. According to a label attached to this dirk, until 1878, it was in the possession of Mrs Earwater, wife of Mr Thomas Earwater, solicitor of Somerset House, and aunt of the late Admiral S.V.Y. de Horsey, son of Admiral Sir Algenon de Horsey. As a boy, William Westley Manning often saw the dirk, which was displayed in Mrs Earwater's drawing room at Carlton Vale, St John's Wood, London. He purchased the dirk on the 20th May 1936 and after his death it was offered for sale as a genuine Nelson relic. It is likely that the dirk may have been made as early as 1770 and could therefore have belonged to Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805). See the sword given to Nelson in the gallery photo 9.

We show original paintings of naval officers wearing this very type of edged weapon. One is of Captain William Rogers capturing the 'Jeune Richard', on the 1st October 1807, the sword at his waist belt appears to be a near identical dirk/sword. There are several other near identical examples, in the National Maritime Collection, and practically every officer from Nelson down to his midshipmen carried one similar at some time or another during their naval career, in combat service, in the late 18th to early 19th century. It would be an amazingly effective close combat weapon, both offensive or defensive, and would certainly do any eminently suitable job as was demanded of it. Although traditionally known as midshipman's dirks or swords these useful edged weapons were also worn at the time by officer's of all ages and rank while serving and in combat [see picture in the gallery]. The rank of midshipman originated during the Tudor and Stuart eras, and originally referred to a post for an experienced seaman promoted from the ordinary deck hands, who worked in between the main and mizzen masts and had more responsibility than an ordinary seaman, but was not a military officer or an officer in training. The first published use of the term midshipman was in 1662. The word derives from an area aboard a ship, amidships, but it refers either to the location where midshipmen worked on the ship, or the location where midshipmen were berthed.

By the 18th century, four types of midshipman existed: midshipman (original rating), midshipman extraordinary, midshipman (apprentice officer), and midshipman ordinary. Some midshipmen were older men, and while most were officer candidates who failed to pass the lieutenant examination or were passed over for promotion, some members of the original rating served, as late as 1822, 23 This The blade bears an official ordnance Crown GR stamp of King George IIIrd. It has a small hairline crack to one side of the hilt. Overall 28.5 inches long 24 inch blade  read more

Code: 21978