Welcome to The Lanes Armoury, Britain's Truly Magical Place, Where Thousands of Original & Breathtaking Wonders Are For Sale And New Fantastic Original Treasures Added, Every, Single, Day.

Our beautiful pieces from history are not always just for looking at, some {such as the B3 Pilots Jacket} can still be enjoyed, and even worn, for every one to see.

Recently acquired and added to our web store and also due to be added.

Some superb French Napoleonic weaponry from the Grande Armee. A sword of the commander of the Grenadier Guards in the Crimean War, A fabulous quality and very good Napoleonic Wars Brown Bess, an incredible pair of Zulu War knopkerrie clubs, one a fabulous rare chiefs war club, the other a telegraph wire bound impi warriors war club, NOW BOTH SOLD, and one of the best and beautiful regimental pattern Napoleonic Wars swords, for one of the great Scottish regiments that saw incredible action in the Peninsular war and Waterloo. Also a stunning Martini Henry 450-577 rifle {with both optional bayonet patterns} one of the first 1400 ever made. And, one of the rarest Royal Marines pattern swords, 1796, we have ever seen. Trafalgar battle damaged.
We also have two amazing Japanese swords both Museum pieces, by high ranked smiths, Dewa Daijo Fujiwara Kunimichi circa 1615, and Hamabe Toshizane, 1814.. Plus another super Brown Bess, (now sold ) and a remarkable WW1 German snipers bullet proof armour shield. Some jolly nice Imperial and Third Reich German swords. And a super very rare Victorian tchapka lance cap of the 17th Lancers, of The Charge of the Light Brigade fame. Plus, lots, lots more!

“When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!”

These words were made famous by Alfred Lord Tennyson in his poem, ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’, and refer to that fateful day on 25th October 1854 when around six hundred men led by Lord Cardigan rode into the unknown.

The charge against Russian forces was part of the Battle of Balaclava, a conflict making up a much larger series of events known as the Crimean War. The order for the cavalry charge proved catastrophic for the British cavalrymen: a disastrous mistake riddled with misinformation and miscommunication. The calamitous charge was to be remembered for both its bravery and tragedy.

Recently we also have some superb, British, Victorian swords from the Crimean War, for a new young officer serving in The Zulu War, and one beauty, regimentally marked to the 1st Battalion The Welsh Regiment, for an officer that served in combat Mahdist War (1888): The 1st Battalion was dispatched to Egypt in 1886, playing a key role in the Mahdist War at the Battle of Gemaizah (Suakin) in December 1888, where they were highly praised for their efficiency by their commander, Col.Kitchener.

Colonel Herbert Kitchener, {later to become known as the great Field Marshal Lord Kitchener} who wrote in his dispatches:

‘The half-Battalion of The Welsh Regiment are seasoned soldiers and whatever I asked of them to do they did well. They’re marksmen at Gemaizah Fort and the remainder of the half-Battalion on the left fired section volleys driving the Dervishes from their right position and inflicting severe punishment upon them when in the open. Significantly the Battalion did not lose a man”

Later, the 1st Battalion was dispatched to South Africa in November 1899 for the Second Boer War: it was engaged in Battle of Paardeberg in February 1900, where they suffered heavy losses, and again at the Battle of Driefontein in March 1900

Also, cannon balls from the English Civil War seige. One ball was recovered {in living memory} almost five feet beneath the surface mud. And an incredibly very rare and historical.

Also, see our latest incredible 'Royal' daggers from the 17th century Pattal-hatara (Four Workshops) of the King of Sri Lanka.

Occasionally, as we are Great Britain’s leading gallery of our kind, we have had had such knives, over the past 30 years, before, but nothing as fine as these museum grade examples, from the small collection we were thrilled to have acquired.

We have just also just added to the web store; a German colonels sword surrendered at the formal surrender of the German armed forces in May 1945 to Field Marshal Lord Montgomery, and a beautiful and magnificent samurai swords from the 1600's Tokugawa Shogunate period, one of the most fabulous samurai swords you might ever see. Plus, an Ancient Greek short sword or long dagger From The Greco-Persian Wars era, From the time of the Spartans at Thermopylae, to Alexander the Great's conquest of Persia & Egypt {now sold}

We Are Not Just A Webstore, We Are Always Welcoming Thousands Personal Visitors To View or Buy our Museum Pieces in Our Gallery In Brighton, Every Day* {but Sunday}

Thousands of original, historic, ancient, antique and vintage collectables. For example; from Ancient Rome, China and Greece, to Medieval Japan, and Viking Europe. Covering British, European, and in fact, all worldwide eras of historical events from the past 4000 years, with antiquities, weaponry, armour, object d’art, militaria and fabulous books, from the Stone Age, the Bronze Age and the iron age, and right up to WW2.

Where else in the world could you find, under one roof, original artifacts, such as,; a mace and archer’s ring recovered from the site of Battle of Crecy, a sword of a British Admiral or notorious pirate fleet captain of the Golden Age of piracy of 17th century England, a battle mace, possibly once used by of one the personal guards in the service of the most famous Pharoah, Rameses the Great of Egypt, or, a museum quality 500 year old sword of a samurai clan Daimyo lord, and a pair of gold and enamel Art Deco 1920’s Magic Circle medals awarded to a friend of Harry Houdini. And all of the above, with many, many other Museum pieces, have been just been offered upon the site within the past couple of weeks.

Personalised and unique ‘Certificates of Authenticity’ can be supplied for every, single, purchase.

Our family have been personally serving the public in Brighton for several generations, in fact, for over 105 years.

* Opening hours Monday to Saturday 11.00am till 4.00pm, closed Sundays and Bank Holidays.


See in the gallery Will Young wearing one of our fabulous Victorian tunics, plus, James Marshall ‘Jimi’ Hendrix

And Tom pops in again to pick up a few trinkets the other day, and Liz and Richard pop down to visit us in October 1970  read more

Code: 24055

A Grenadier Guards Officer's Sword From The Lanes Armoury Sold, and Raised £2,465 For The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity, Photographed With H.M. King Charles formerly HRH P.O.W

Swords, over the eons, have been part of the journey of civilised mankind since the days of pre-history, before 1200 bc. And over 3200 years later, even ‘retired’ historic swords can be put to a fine use that they were certainly not entirely designed to perform.
We were absolutely delighted that a sword, from us, once sold at their special charity ball auction. The auction raised in total, £56,000, a most handsome sum.
Mike Hammond, the Chief Executive, wrote to us to say;
"We’ve already had hundreds more of people staying at the house since we opened our doors to military patients and their families, and the sword has helped in funding another 99 days of accommodation for the families".

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham is home to the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, which treats UK military patients injured or wounded anywhere around the world.
The hospital charity built Fisher House, a home away from home for military patients and their families to stay whilst they are having medical treatment.

You can see more about Fisher House at their website www.fisherhouseuk.org All donations will be most gratefully received.

A photo in the gallery is of HM King Charles when as HRH Prince Charles, opening Fisher House.  read more

Code: 17336

A Fine Renaissance Heraldic ‘Grand Tour’ Antique Armour. Armour Breastplate Stunningly Etched With Heraldic Beasts, The Form of Armour Worn by Renaissance Noblemen From The Era Of the Borgias. Such as Cesare Borgia.

A beautiful piece of chest parade armour, with an etched crest of nobility comprising three winged Griffins and a central Lion rampant within a shield. The Griffin (or Gryphon) is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle. Combining the attributes of the "King of the Beasts" and the "King of the Air", it was thought to be especially powerful and majestic.

A fabulous object d’art from the early ‘Grand Tour’ era, when young members of the nobility travelled around Europe and acquired classical art, original antiquities and all form of stunning ‘Grand Tour’ pieces. The were representations ‘after’ the original classical antiques, from Ancient Rome, Greece and the Italian Renaissance.

In the right location this stunning breastplate armour will look magnificent. One could create a 'stand of arms' with a pair of crossed swords mounted behind the armour

It was in this era that great Continental tourists and travelers such as Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, his wife, Mary, and John William Polidori, travelled Europe and took up residence in palatial villas on the Swiss and Italian lakes. It was during such a tour, by those just mentioned, who were in their ‘Grand Tour’ years, while in their villa on Lake Geneva, in the Year Without Summer’ in 1816, wrote, one stormy night, The Vampyre {by Polidori} and Frankenstein, The Modern Prometheus, {by Mary Shelley}. Bearing in mind this was merely by means of a distraction from the poor weather. Can you imagine, the stratospheric talent of such like, that two of the greatest origin stories of horror, ever written, and still as read and performed in the performing arts, as much today as they were 200 years ago, were created in the same house, by two English travellers, at the very same time, and as a mere ‘distraction’ due to boredom.


A light armour breastplate, 16th century style in the manner of the 1550's, with old restoration, 19th century and earlier.

Parade armour became an elaborate and ornate Renaissance art form intended to both glorify war, and flatter the military prowess of the royal subject. Surviving examples include decorated shields, helmets, and full suits of armour. Delaune was an important contributor to the form, and Henry II of France commissioned a number of similar works, including a panel for his horse, and some bucklers (shields) now in the Louvre, both by Delaune. In addition surviving works for Henry include a full suit at the Museum of Ethnology,

In the ‘Grand Tour’ era of 19th century France such pieces of fine art were created for the highly classical ‘after the antique’ market. Such as gilt bronze miniature copies of ‘Napoleons’ column in Place Vendome, and small yellow simulated marble versions of Ancient Greek and Roman columns and arches, and architectural features, and sometimes whole structures, such as Cleopatra’s Needle. Bronzes and marbles ‘after the antique’ of busts of Roman Emperor’s, and elegant statuary. Companies such as Granger of Paris, that worked in the 1840's, created wonderful miniature suits of armour, mounted on horse armour or free standing, and they are of incredibly detailed quality. Such pieces by Granger are in such incredible demand, by collectors or interior decorators, that can they achieve values in the tens of thousands of pounds, even approaching six figures today, and for most that are no more than two feet or around 50 cms high complete. Wondrous full size armour was also created, such as extravagant armour helmets from the Renaissance, the designs made fore the kings of France in the 16th century. Also shields, gauntlets, and gorgets exactly as this fabulous piece. That were ideal for classical art displays and interior décor of the finest Georgian country estates, and the glorious Palladian terraced mansion houses in the cities, such as London, Edinburgh, Bath and Brighton.


Last picture in the gallery is a painting by
Madeleine Boulogne (French, 1648–1710)
Titled;
Pieces of parade armour, a plumed helmet, a pistol in a case, a gilt ewer, a silver perfume burner, a jewellery box, a trumpet and a flag on a partly-draped cassone. 18.5 inches x 14.5 inches  read more

Code: 21569

A Wonderful, Very Early Period, 17th Century Flintlock Long Buccaneer's 'Fleet Captain's' or Pirate Pistol By Martin of Angers, Anjou, France. From The Real Pirates of The Caribbean & Port Royal Period The So-Called 'Golden Age of Piracy' Circa 1680

An absolute typical and beautiful form of the earliest and most elegant flintlocks of the 17th century, and just as favoured by Pirate Fleet Captains and Buccaneers during the golden age of piracy. Superb walnut stock, earliest form steel mounts, long barrel, and early barrel form ramrod pipes. Long eared steel 'skull crusher' buttcap, and early, typical 17th century 'banana shaped' lock, with florid scroll engraving to the lock plate and engraved with the gunsmiths name, Martin, Angers {Angers is partially obscured through age wear}. Twin nearside lock screws.
Martin is recorded in Angers sometime before 1680 and up to 1710, but his Christian name is not known. Angers was one of the principal provincial gunmaking centres - other significant Angers gunmakers were Boular, Bleiberg, and Pierre Monlong.

In the mid to late 17th century,m in the Western world, the period from the 1680s to the 1720s, has come to be known as the ‘Golden Age’ of piracy.

This was a time of heightened pirate activity, when thousands of ships in the Atlantic and beyond became the prey of roving bands of sea-robbers. Many of the most infamous pirates and buccaneers from history come from this era, Edward 'Blackbeard' Teach, Captain William Kidd, Anne Bonny, 'Calico' Jack Rackham, Henry Morgan, Stede Bonnet and more.

The Caribbean and the east coast of North America were the main areas that saw a surge in activity in the early 1700s. Ships carrying expensive cargoes were often intercepted, and stolen goods were sold in nearby islands and European colonies. Some pirates operated further afield, off the West African coast or in the Indian Ocean, where the island of Madagascar became a key base.

The real Pirates of the Caribbean
"The ‘golden age’ of piracy coincided with the expansion of English, later British, colonial activity around the Caribbean," writes Blyth. "This began in earnest with the capture of Jamaica from Spain in 1655." While piracy has been traditionally portrayed as a male-dominated pursuit, historical evidence suggests that women actively participated in piratical activities during various periods. In the Golden Age of Piracy, from the late 17th to the early 18th centuries, the presence of women in pirate crews became more pronounced. Anne Bonny and Mary Read are two notable examples of women who defied societal norms and navigated the perilous waters of piracy alongside their male counterparts. Their inclusion in pirate crews challenged prevailing gender roles and added a layer of complexity to the maritime lore of the era.

The story of Henry Morgan

Henry Morgan, a British privateer turned pirate, rose to prominence as a cunning strategist and a master of raiding Spanish colonies. Born circa 1635 in Wales, Morgan's early life remains relatively obscure, with scant historical records providing details about his upbringing. His maritime career began as a privateer, authorized by English authorities to harass Spanish colonies and shipping interests in the Caribbean during a period marked by geopolitical tensions between England and Spain.

Sir Henry Morgan was a unique individual in the history of buccaneering. He started out life as an indentured servant on a plantation in Barbados, but worked himself up to become one of the most notorious buccaneers there ever was, receiving not only praise from his uncouth brethren of the coast, but also from his king, who rewarded him with the a knighthood and a lofty position. Morgan had connections running in all levels of society, from the lowest dregs, his mutinous crewmen, to the highest echelons of nobility. Together with his loyal friend and crony, Sir Thomas Modyford, he rampaged the Spanish territories in the Caribbean, his name inspiring fear along the vast coastline of New Spain and its dependencies. Through his network he was able to operate as a broker between criminals from various countries and a nation state, culminating in the biggest amphibious buccaneering raid ever in the Caribbean and the destruction of the once proud city of Panama, of which the ruins can still be visited today. The expected end for a man of his making would be at the gallows, or swinging from the gibbet in some port or another. But not for Sir Henry Morgan. His networking skills protected him, set him up with a respectable position after his career as a buccaneer, and provided him with the luxury of drinking himself to death in the comfort of his own home at the ripe age of 53; a fate most other pirates must have surely envied him for. His exploits in the plunder of Port Royal and the attack on Spanish merchant ships contributed to the era’s rich folklore and became the stuff of legends. Sabatini based the first part of the story of Blood on Henry Pitman, a surgeon who tended the wounded Monmouth rebels and was sentenced to death by Judge Jeffreys, but whose sentence was commuted to penal transportation to Barbados where he escaped and was captured by pirates. Unlike the fictional Blood, Pitman did not join them, and eventually made his way back to England where he wrote a popular account of his ordeal. For Blood's life as a buccaneer, Sabatini used several models, including Henry Morgan and the work of Alexandre Exquemelin, for historical details

The motivations for women to join pirate crews were as diverse as those of their male counterparts. Some, like Anne Bonny and Mary Read, disguised themselves as men to gain access to the adventurous and lucrative world of piracy. Their ability to conceal their gender allowed them to operate freely within the confines of a pirate ship, participating in raids, engaging in combat, and earning the respect of their fellow crew members. The reasons for adopting a pirate's life were multifaceted, often stemming from a desire for economic independence, a rejection of societal constraints, or a quest for personal freedom in an era when opportunities for women were limited.

Original engravings in the gallery of;

Anne Bonny, as pictured in Charles Johnson’s 1724 book A General History of the Robberies and Murders of the most notorious Pyrates. Anne Bonnya (disappeared after 28 November 1720) was a pirate who served under John Rackham. Amongst the few recorded female pirates in the Golden Age of Piracy, she has become one of the most recognized pirates of the era, as well as in the history of piracy in general.
The first biography of Bonny comes from Captain Charles Johnson's 1724 book A General History of the Pyrates. In August 1720, Bonny, Rackham, and another woman, Mary Read, together with about a dozen other pirate crewmembers, stole the sloop William, then at anchor in Nassau harbor, and put out to sea. The crew spent months in the West Indies attacking merchant ships. Bonny took part in piracy alongside the men, handing out gunpowder to fellow pirates, a job usually referred to as a powder monkey. On 5 September 1720, Governor Rogers put out a proclamation, later published in The Boston Gazette, demanding the arrest of Rackham and his associates. Among those named are Anne Bonny and Mary Read

Portrait of Capt. Sir Henry Morgan, as pictured in Alexandre Exquemelin's Piratas de la America (1681) It is probable that in the early 1660s Morgan was active with a group of privateers led by Sir Christopher Myngs attacking Spanish cities and settlements in the Caribbean and Central America when England was at war with Spain. It is likely that in 1663 Morgan captained one of the ships in Myngs' fleet, and took part in the attack on Santiago de Cuba and the Sack of Campeche on the Yucatán Peninsula

Engraving of Capt. Stede Bonnet with a Jolly Roger flag from A General History of the Pyrates (1724) Stede Bonnet (c. 1688 – 10 December 1718) was an English pirate who was known as the Gentleman Pirate because he was a moderately wealthy landowner before turning to a life of crime. Bonnet was born into a wealthy English family on the island of Barbados, and inherited the family estate after his father's death in 1694. Despite his lack of sailing experience, Bonnet decided he should turn to piracy in the spring of 1717. He bought a sailing vessel, the Revenge, and traveled with his paid crew along the Eastern Seaboard of what is now the United States, capturing other vessels and burning other Barbadian ships.

Bonnet set sail for Nassau in the Bahamas, to the haven for pirates known as the "Republic of Pirates", but he was seriously wounded en route during an encounter with a Spanish warship. After arriving in Nassau, Bonnet met the infamous pirate Blackbeard. Incapable of leading his crew, Bonnet temporarily ceded his ship's command to Blackbeard. Before separating in December 1717, Blackbeard and Bonnet plundered and captured merchant ships along the East Coast. After Bonnet failed to capture the Protestant Caesar, his crew abandoned him to join Blackbeard aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge. Bonnet stayed on Blackbeard's ship as a guest, and did not command a crew again until summer 1718, when he was pardoned by North Carolina governor Charles Eden and received clearance to undertake privateering against Spanish shipping interests. Bonnet was tempted to resume his piracy but did not want to lose his pardon, so he adopted the alias "Captain Thomas" and changed his ship's name to Royal James. He had returned to piracy by July.

THE HOME OF ORIGINAL AND AFFORDABLE ANCIENT ANTIQUITIES & ANTIQUE COLLECTABLES IN BRITAIN.

The Lanes Armoury, world renown as Britain's favourite specialist collectors shop, and also a font of historical and educational information that is detailed with every single item. We detail each piece alongside its historical context, either generic or specific, for those that may wish to read, learn, or be informed, as opposed to simply acquire collectable items. It is probably one of the oldest companies of our kind in the whole of Europe and we have been established through generations, as specialists in armoury antiques, militaria collectables, and specialist books, since the early 1900’s, and thus we have continued to be one of the largest in the world today. We are also very pleased to know we are also studied and read by academics and students from hundreds of universities around the world, by those that are interested in not only British but worldwide history.
For this reason we also like to be known as a learning and researching website.
Everyday we are contacted by historians that wish to make contributions to our detailed information for our pieces, and to thus add to our constant dedication to impart historical knowledge, that may be unknown to many of our millions of viewers.

Overall in super condition for age, very nice and crisp action, good steel all over with just minor traces of usual old surface pitting, very small contemporary repairs to the walnut stock with small losses to the forestock wood trim, bottom half of the brass tipped rammer lacking.
19.5 inches long overall.

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 trading  read more

Code: 25750

Antique Victorian Regimental Other Ranks Helmet {Chapka} Of the 17th Lancers Of The 'Charge Of The Light Brigade' Fame

Victorian 17th Lancers Helmet {a chapka lance cap} One of the great British cavalry regiments that took part in the Charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War.

“When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!”

These words were made famous by Alfred Lord Tennyson in his poem, ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’, and refer to that fateful day on 25th October 1854 when around six hundred men led by Lord Cardigan rode into the unknown.

The charge against Russian forces was part of the Battle of Balaclava, a conflict making up a much larger series of events known as the Crimean War. The order for the cavalry charge proved catastrophic for the British cavalrymen: a disastrous mistake riddled with misinformation and miscommunication. The calamitous charge was to be remembered for both its bravery and tragedy.

The 17th Lancers (Duke of Cambridge's Own) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, raised in 1759 and notable for its participation in the Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War. The regiment was amalgamated with the 21st Lancers to form the 17th/21st Lancers in 1922.


In December 1857 the regiment arrived in India to reinforce the effort to suppress the Indian rebellion against British rule. By the time the regiment was prepared for service, the rebellion was effectively over, although it did take part in the pursuit of Tatya Tope, the rebel leader. During the course of the pursuit, Lieutenant Evelyn Wood earned the Victoria Cross for gallantry. The regiment returned to England in 1865. The regiment became the 17th Regiment of Lancers in August 1861. When, in 1876, it gained Prince George, Duke of Cambridge as its colonel-in-chief, the regiment adopted the title of the 17th (The Duke of Cambridge's Own) Lancers.


The regiment was sent to Natal Colony for service in the Anglo-Zulu War and fought at the Battle of Ulundi under Sir Drury Curzon Drury-Lowe in July 1879. The regiment was deployed inside a large British infantry square during the attack by the Zulu Army, which had surrounded the British. When the attack appeared to be wavering, the regiment was ordered to advance: their charge routed the warriors with heavy loss and proved to be decisive. The regiment returned to India the same year, remaining there until about 1890 when they returned to England.


Second Boer War
In February 1900 a contingent from the regiment, comprising Lieutenant-Colonel E. F. Herbert and 500 troops, was deployed to South Africa for service in the Second Boer War, and arrived to Cape Town on the SS Victorian early the next month. The contingent missed the large pitched battles, but still saw action during the war. In 1900, Sergeant Brian Lawrence won the regiment's fifth and final Victoria Cross at Essenbosch Farm. The contingent's most significant action was at the Battle of Elands River (Modderfontein) in September 1901. C Squadron was attacked by a unit of Boers under the command of Jan Smuts; the Lancers mistakenly assumed the unit was friendly because of their attire. The Boers immediately opened fire, attacking from both the front and the rear. The Lancers suffered further casualties at a closed gate that slowed them down. Only Captain Sandeman, the squadron commander, and Lieutenant Lord Vivian survived. The regiment suffered 29 killed and 41 wounded before surrendering, while Boer losses were just one killed and six wounded.


They stayed in South Africa throughout the war, which ended June 1902 with the Peace of Vereeniging. Four months later, 540 officers and men left Cape Town on the SS German in late September 1902, and arrived at Southampton in late October, when they were posted to Edinburgh.

Painting in the gallery of the 17th Lancers in the Charge of the Light Brigade in this case the lancers wear the 'foul weather' covered helmet version. And another painting of the 17th Lancers in India, this time the cap is covered in the dessert cover, and the third painting of the 17th Lancers in the Zulu War wearing the regulation pith helmet  read more

Code: 26188

A Most Rare Large Aviation Medal For the Acceptance Run of the 'LZ 4'.Zeppelin

Medal 1908, by A. Galambos. On the acceptance run of the 'LZ 4'. Germania with sword in the right wreath medallion of Count Zeppelin under oak, right a crowd of faces in an auditorium and an airship above / winged male figure with torn chain over globe and cloud. Kaiser 292.3, Gutt 14
Obverse — Goddess Germania with Sword in right hand. 60 mm. They made a smaller 33 mm silver version, and a small undated bronze version 33mm but this is the very rare, large gilt bronze version, of 60mm
Dir/ Danken/ Deine/ Deutschen.
A. Galambos on bottom
inscription — 4. 5. August 1908 on the left. A. Galambos. The Zeppelin LZ 4 was a German experimental airship constructed under the direction of Ferdinand von Zeppelin. First flown on 20 June 1908, it made a series of successful flights including a 12-hour flight over Switzerland. It was destroyed when it caught fire after landing to carry out engine repairs during a projected 24-hour endurance trial.This disaster proved fortunate for Zeppelin: donations by the German public raised 6.5 million marks, so guaranteeing the future of his development of airships. . At Westfälische Auktionsgesellschaft
Auction 71, 29-30 April 2014, a much smaller silver more common version of this medal sold for 480 euro.  read more

Code: 23707

A Very Fine British ‘Brown Bess’ India Pattern Infantry Musket, Of The Napoleonic Wars Period. For Over One Hundred Years The British ‘Brown Bess’ Was The Most Famed and Feared Musket In The World. No Army In The World Failed To Respect Them

You would have to go a long way to find a better untouched example of a regulation ‘3rd Pattern’ ‘Brown Bess’ from the Napoleonic wars, and most importantly used from Quatre Bras and Waterloo

The stock has super patina, very sound, great condition, untouched and devoid of restoration and a great and fabulous feel of quality and heft.
A perfect example of an historic original Napoleonic ‘sleeper’ A musket, that once retired from British Army combat service, was placed in sound and dry storage, and has remained untouched for nigh on 200 years.

All the fittings are very good, a superb regulation length barrel, lock, trigger guard, butt plate, etc, ramrod, sling swivels and brass mounts. With a fine leather strap, good action, good proof marks, good inspection stamps, good dating. Effectively, everything you would want to see in an infantryman’s musket, that was contracted, supplied to the British infantry, and used in the last great battles of Napoleon from 1814 when he was first defeated, and most importantly, in his last Hurrah, the 100 Days War, Napoleonic lady desperate gamble to reclaim his title, his throne and empire, culminating at Quatre Bras and Waterloo, what a historical beauty!

In fact he very nearly succeeded, if it wasn’t for the tactical skill of the iron Duke, and his indomitable army, of fearless English, Scottish, Irish and Welsh infantryman and the great Prussian volunteers of the KGL. With the able last minute assistance from Field Marshal Blucher (*who, interestingly, and allegedly, believed he was pregnant during Waterloo) and his Prussians, direct from their battle and defeat at Ligny.

One of the 142,970 British contract made 'India Pattern' muskets turned over by the East India Co. army to the British Board of Ordnance for the Napoleonic wars, due to the urgent need for arms to counter Napoleon's massive armament reserve.

The lock is stamped by the primary, senior ordnance inspector, Richard Duce {his mark of Crown 2}. Who was also the controller of tempering & hardening of locks, after their arrival from the stores for fitting to the musket, and apparently he inspected all the EIC bess that were handed over to the British Ordnance for the Napoleonic Wars. An account that was confirmed to us by our friend and historic colleague, Howard Blackmore of the Tower of London armoury.

The musket was the standard weapon issued to the British soldier throughout the 18th and early-19th centuries. It would be the 'India', also known as the 'Third Pattern' Brown Bess musket that would play a central and pivotal role in the wars against Revolutionary and Napoleonic France.

By the end of the American Revolutionary War in 1783, the British Army was armed with the Pattern 1777 and Pattern 1779(S) Short Land Pattern musket. This was a musket made to the strict quality guidelines of the Board of Ordnance, and was characterised by its 42 in barrel. After the war the expectation was for a period of peace, a time when the need for Ordnance materials would be low, so the standing contracts for the Pattern 1777 and the Pattern 1779(S) musket were cancelled. Parliament was not prepared to fund equipment it deemed unnecessary, so financial retrenchment was the order of the day. No change there then

The world changed in 1793, a mere 10 years after the loss of the American colonies. Britain found itself once again at war, this time with Revolutionary France. An army now reduced in size to an authorized strength of only 44,432 men had to be expanded rapidly, along with the local militia and volunteer forces. The call for muskets was huge. Indeed, in 1793 the total stock of muskets in armouries around Britain, including the central arsenal at the Tower of London, was around a mere 60,000. The stocks held in French arsenals amounted to over a very sensible 700,000.

Something needed to be done. At first the Board of Ordnance tried to ramp up production of the Short Land Pattern muskets by engaging new contractors. Yet despite producing over 31,000 muskets in 1793 the numbers were still woefully inadequate for the expanding forces.

The Board of Ordnance had to fill the gap. They did this by ordering 10,000 muskets from the Birmingham gun trade and 10,000 from their usual emergency suppliers in Liege, Belgium. However this was still not enough, especially as the private contractors in both Birmingham and London were hard at work fulfilling orders for the private trade and for the East India Company, one of the biggest private purchasers of military arms. To begin to solve this lack of supply the Master General of the Ordnance, the Duke of Richmond, suggested to the government that they persuade the East India Company to sell their stocks of muskets to the government and also to agree not to place any further orders until the Ordnance's requirements were met.

The duke wrote to the Home Secretary, Henry Dundas, on the matter. As Chairman of the Board of Control of the East India Company Dundas had earlier been instrumental in securing parliamentary approval for the renewal of the East India Company's monopoly. The duke stated that he was: 'aware how unpleasant it must be to take such a step, and to deliver out to our troops these East India Company muskets, but ... the least important must give way to the most; and you will be best able to judge whether the East India Company can admit of a delay in respect of theses arms. And altho' they might not be quite so perfect as ours, they undoubtedly must be serviceable ones, and such as the new Raised Corps must put up with on the current Emergency.'

This suggestion was met with agreement, and the idea of introducing the East India Company's arms into British Army service was conceived. By the end of 1794 the East India Company had delivered 29,920 muskets into government stores, all that they could spare. Indeed transactions for East India Company muskets would continue throughout the duration of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. By 1815, the East India Company had sold the Board of Ordnance at least 142,970 small arms.

The musket that the East India Company supplied was one originally designed by General Lawrence for East India Company service, altered and simplified by Lieutenant Colonel Edward Windus in 1771. The musket in Company service became known as the 'Windus' pattern. In 1795, the Board of Ordnance began to order 'India Pattern' muskets on its own account and by 1797 it officially adopted the musket as the Model 1793 and began to place substantial orders for it with the Birmingham gun trade.

The Model 1793 India Pattern musket was standardized by the Board of Ordnance in 1797, taking account of its comparable cheapness, simplicity of design and ease of manufacture. By the end of 1797, the Birmingham gun trade was able to deliver some 72,000 muskets to the government proof house at Bagot Street. The success of this model was self evident, along with its slightly modified successor the Model 1809 India Pattern. They produced at an average price of 18 shillings and 5 pence (roughly £3,000 in today's money).

This fabulous example was one of those desperately required Brown Besses.

The Brown Bess musket was the standard weapon of the British infantry for more than a century. Soldiers on both sides of the War of 1812 employed it in battle, staring down its barrel at opponents across distances of less than a hundred yards.

Flintlock musket
The Brown Bess musket was the standard weapon of the British for more than a century.
British foot soldiers marched into battle with this musket—nicknamed “Brown Bess”—for more than 100 years. British redcoats used the Brown Bess to fight the War of Independence in the colonies, and many of their opponents in the Americans’ Continental army used it as well. British soldiers fighting in the Napoleonic wars carried it into battle, and it was the principal firearm used by the infantrymen who fought the War of 1812.

The Brown Bess had several distinctive features. It was a large-calibre weapon: the bullet it fired was a lead ball up to three-quarters of an inch in diameter, three times the diameter of a modern .22-caliber rifle round. The inside of its barrel was smooth: unlike more accurate “rifled” muskets used by the famous rifle regiments, the Brown Bess had a smooth bore with no grooves to make its fire more accurate. Soldiers loaded the musket through the muzzle, which meant that each bullet had to be forced down a longer than three foot barrel before firing. Even trained soldiers could only launch two or three shots per minute.

Because the weapon was slow to load and relatively inaccurate (experienced soldiers generally estimated its range between 50 and 100 yards), armies developed tactics that helped compensate for its shortcomings. The limitations of smoothbore muskets like the Brown Bess forced units employ “linear tactics,” in which a hundreds of soldiers stood in neat lines, shoulder-to-shoulder and out in the open. While such tactics appear decidedly unstealthy to twenty-first century eyes, they proved essential on the battlefields of all the conflicts which Britain was involved.
There, stealth was a low priority. Packing the men into blocs allowed officers to coordinate their troops’ fire into synchronized volleys. Firing a hundred guns in the same direction at once helped ensure that at least some, often most of the inaccurate musket balls found their targets. And grouping the men into neat lines out in the open helped commanders ensure that few of their troops gave in to the natural instinct to flee.

Of course, packing troops into blocks and fighting in the open required tremendous discipline from the individual soldiers. Infantrymen had to stand exposed to enemy fire as they loaded and fired their own muskets. And in some situations, soldiers learned the grisly dangers of fighting in lines—as at the Battle of New Orleans in the 1812 war, where American artillery attacked the exposed British formations with devastating effect.

The last photo in the gallery shows a photograph of one section of the collection in the museum of Waterloo, taken in around 1900, showing all the weapons of Waterloo en situ, including all the protagonists {British, French, Prussian and Belgian muskets, swords, pistols, armour uniforms, etc}. The museum was founded and owned by a veteran of the 7th Hussars that fought at Waterloo

*While Blucher’s "pregnancy" was a metaphor, it was widely joked about by contemporary figures as a sign of his mental exhaustion and stress following the war.  read more

Code: 26181

A Super & Historical Brown Bess Flintlock Musket. In Its Final Service Days, Part of the Arms Used by The Expeditionary Sailing Schooner & Steam Ship of the River Niger. Engraved With the Name of The 1st Propeller Driven Exploring Steamship

The Schooner and expedition was under the command of Dr. William Balfour Baikie, R.N. a famed explorer and renown anti-slaver.

The musket is in super condition made by Bond of London. Complete with its standard, regulation, bayonet {pitted overall} Regulation Brown Bess barrel .750 inch bore, and of 39 inches long, stamped with Board of Ordnance view and proof markings of circa 1790. Typical all brass mounts and fittings, trigger guard side plate fore-end and butt plate, with both steel sling swivels present, and a fine walnut stock. the ships name, 'Pleiad' engraved to the butt tang with the ship's gun's gun-rack numbering, '4'. The regulation trigger guard has a large number engraved, 22 this may likely be a previous use regimental number such as the Cheshire Regt, {the 22nd Foot}

Edward Bond was at 45 Cornhill, London, from 1800 to 1830, during this time he was joined by William, they moved to Lombard St. in around 1830

The vessel, named the Pleiad, was an extremely interesting and historical sailing ship. It was built by John Laird, and she was a sailing schooner, and, an auxiliary steam ship, with a unique 'lifting' propeller, and is said to have been the first exploring vessel to have been fitted with an additional propeller. Her length was 105 feet and her beam 24 feet. She had a 40-horse-power engine.

The Pleiad was schooner rigged, and the lifting propeller prevented the screw from retarding her speed under sail. This was before coaling stations were established on the route, and the vessel was intended to carry her coal from England under sail and to reserve it for use on the Niger.

William Baikie M.D. (1825-1864) was born in Orkney and studied medicine at Edinburgh University. He joined the Royal Navy in 1848 and soon attracted the notice of Sir Roderick Murchison who secured Baikie the post of surgeon and naturalist to the Niger Expedition in 1854. One of Baikie’s most important observations was on the use of quinine to prevent malaria as no one on the expedition contracted the disease. During the expedition, the senior officer, Consul John Beecroft, died and Baikie took command. Ascending the Benue about 250 miles beyond the point reached by former explorers, he returned and reached the mouth of the Niger, after a voyage of 118 days, without the loss of a single man. The expedition was partly funded by Laird of Birkenhead -- the 266-ton screw yacht Pleiad was designed by William Laird Jr and built by John Laird of Birkenhead to meet whatever unknown challenges cropped up, and was well armed with a single 12pdr gun, four swivel guns, a number of Minie guns together with pistols, shotguns and trade muskets. Baikie also used it for his second expedition of 1857 but it was wrecked in rapids. Baikie determined to carry out the purposes of the Expedition. He first considered establishing a British Consular Agency at Kabba but faced opposition from the local king of the region of Niger -- probably because Baikie was an anti-slaver firmly against the slave trade, which still provided a generous income for some tribal leaders and especially the local king. Instead, he chose Lokoja as the base of his future operations, it being the site of the model farm established by the Niger Expedition of 1841, and abandoned on the death of most of the white settlers. After Baikie's death, the British government abolished the consulate (1866), but the trading post remained influential. The district where Baikie had worked so successfully was finally secured for the UK through private enterprise some 20 years later and Lokoja became the capital of the Northern Nigeria Protectorate. Baikie wrote up the 1854 Expedition in his Narrative of an exploring voyage up the rivers Kwóra and Binue (commonly known as the Niger and Tsádda) in 1854.

Thanks to Laird’s forethought on all points she did well. Knowing the climate by experience, he insisted on keeping the number of Europeans to the minimum. The Pleiad left under the command of Dr. William Balfour Baikie, R.N., who dosed the ship’s company with quinine night and morning. When she reached Fernando Po, Dr. Baikie learned that Beecroft had died. Baikie decided to go up the river. He had engine trouble and the Pleiad ran aground several times, but he reached the confluence of the Niger and the Benue. Baikie ascended the Benue farther than any white man before him. Unfortunately the river began to fall. Baikie left the little vessel and went on farther by canoe until he was sure that Barth was not in the district. Then he returned to the Pleiad.

He traded her cargo, and she sailed back to England without the loss of a man by disease or accident, a new and wonderful event in the story of the Niger. He established that the river which Barth had reached was the one which flowed into the Niger.

The National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, have two matched examples of pistols from the set of the arms in the ship's arms locker, also named for the Pleiad, and similarly made by Bond of London, Object IDs AAA2432 & AAA2432.2. Another brace of pistol from the gun locker of the Pleiad and named as such sold at auction for just shy of £4,000.

To demonstrate the historical interest and status of the ship's voyage of exploration, an original copy of the book written by Dr. William Balfour Baikie, R.N., detailing his voyage aboard the Pleiad, published in 1856, can fetch upwards of £1,000. See a photo of his book in the gallery. For information and education purposes only, book not available

Narrative of an exploring voyage up the rivers Kwóra and Binue (commonly known as the Niger and Tsádda) in 1854.
Baikie, William Balfour
Published by London : Murray, 1856

The gun and action are very good for age, with an incredibly tight and crisp action, with just age and wear commensurate for its period and use both at sea and river. Small sliver of wood lacking forward of the lockplate, on the inside, beneath the barrel. The bayonet pitted overall.  read more

Code: 24859

Stunning & Very Rare Kings Royal Rifles Corps Officer's 'Battle Honour Blade' Presentation, Wilkinson Sword Co. Combined Combat and Dress Sword, Used In WW2. A Deluxe Grade Bespoke Beauty. Ideal For Current Service Use In ‘The Rifles’

This is likely the finest British battle honour bladed sword we have ever had the privilege to acquire and possess. In near mint condition and better than any we have ever seen in the numerous museum collections, such as the National Army Museum and the Imperial War Museum.

The next owner of this sword would be likely the bearer of the finest, historical issue, KRRC {now known as The Rifles} officer’s sword still in existence today. Yet it is ‘parade ground’ ready for any currently serving, or yet due to serve, officer of The Rifles today.

With KRRC battle honour embellished blade, etched with the regiments battle honours awarded to the regiment up to the close of WW1 in 1918. Made in 1931 by Wilkinson Sword Co. and used by an officer in the KRRC through WW2. It is very rare to find a KRRC ‘Battle Honour’ presentation pattern sword, in fact this is the first we have seen in over 20 years.

Despite being almost 100 years old it is still the current service pattern of sword for a Rifles officer today. Especially as it now has the same pattern of hilt currently in use bearing King Charles’ crown { the same crown symbolising his late beloved grandfather King George VIth.}

The King's Royal Rifle Corps was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army that was originally raised in British North America as the Royal American Regiment during the phase of the Seven Years' War in North America known as 'The French and Indian War.' Subsequently numbered the 60th Regiment of Foot, the regiment served for more than 200 years throughout the British Empire.

The King's Royal Rifle Corps (KRRC) served extensively in World War II as a motorized infantry regiment, fighting in France (1940), North Africa, Greece, Italy, and Northwest Europe (1944–45). Key actions included the defense of Calais, the battle of Sidi Rezegh, and operations with armored divisions, winning 41 battle honors.Key Theatres and Battalions:1940 (France): The 2nd Battalion was captured at Dunkirk after fighting in the defense of Calais, while other territorial battalions (Queen Victoria's Rifles, The Rangers, Queen's Westminsters) also served.North Africa (1940–43): The 1st Battalion served with the 7th Armoured Division, and later the 2nd Battalion joined the campaign. They were heavily involved in the motorized, fast-moving, and intense tank battles.Italy (1943–45): 1st and 2nd Battalions fought throughout the Italian campaign, protecting tanks and conducting operations in close, mountainous country.North-West Europe (1944–45): The 2nd Battalion landed in Normandy, fighting in the Battle of Normandy and Operation Market Garden.

In the First World War the 1st Battalion landed at Rouen as part of the 6th Brigade in the 2nd Division in August 1914 for service on the Western Front. It saw action at the Battle of Mons in August 1914, the First Battle of the Marne and the First Battle of the Aisne in September 1914 and First Battle of Ypres in October 1914. It fought at the Battle of Festubert in May 1915, the Battle of Loos in September 1915 and the Battle of the Somme in Autumn 1916 before taking part in the advance to the Hindenburg Line, the Battle of Arras in November 1917, the Battle of Cambrai in November 1917, the Second Battle of the Somme in Autumn 1918 and the Battle of the Selle in October 1918.
The 2nd Battalion landed at Le Havre as part of the 2nd Brigade in the 1st Division in August 1914 for service on the Western Front and saw action at the Battle of Aubers Ridge in May 1915.
The 3rd Battalion landed at Le Havre as part of the 80th Brigade in the 27th Division in December 1914 for service on the Western Front and saw action at the Second Battle of Ypres in April 1915.

The 4th Battalion landed at Le Havre as part of the 80th Brigade in the 27th Division in December 1914 for service on the Western Front and saw action at the Second Battle of Ypres in April 1915 but moved to Salonika in November 1915 before returning to France in June 1918.
New armies
The 7th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 41st Brigade in the 14th (Light) Division in August 1914 for service on the Western Front and saw action the Second Battle of Ypres in May 1915, the Battle of Delville Wood in July 1916 and the Battle of Flers Courcelette in September 1916 as well as the advance to the Hindenburg Line, the Battle of Arras in April 1917, the Battle of Langemark in August 1917, the First Battle of Passchendaele in October 1917 and the Second Battle of Passchendaele in November 1917 before taking part in the Battle of St Quentin in March 1918 and the Battle of the Avre in April 1918.

The 8th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 41st Brigade in the 14th (Light) Division in May 1915 for service on the Western Front and saw action most of the same battles as the 7th Battalion. The 9th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 42nd Brigade in the 14th (Light) Division in May 1915 for service on the Western Front and saw action most of the same battles as the 7th and 8th battalions.

The 10th (Service) Battalion and 11th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 59th Brigade in the 20th (Light) Division in July 1915 for service on the Western Front and saw action at the Battle of Mont Sorrel in June 1916, the Battle of Delville Wood in July 1916 and the Battle of Guillemont in September 1916 as well as the Battle of Flers Courcelette in September 1916, the Battle of Morval in September 1916 and the Battle of Le Transloy in October 1916 before taking part in the advance to the Hindenburg Line, the Battle of Langemarck in August 1917, the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge in September 1917, the Battle of Polygon Wood in September 1917 and the Battle of Cambrai in November 1917.

The 12th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 60th Brigade in the 20th (Light) Division in July 1915 for service on the Western Front and saw action most of the same battles as the 10th and 11th Battalions. The 13th (Service) Battalion landed at Boulogne-sur-Mer as part of the 111th Brigade in the 37th Division in July 1915 for service on the Western Front and saw action at the Battle of Morval in September 1916, the advance to the Hindenburg Line and the Battle of Arras in April 1917 as well as the Battle of Passchendaele in Autumn 1917, the Battle of Cambrai in November 1917 and the Hundred Days Offensive in Autumn 1918 before taking part in the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and the Final Advance in Picardy.
Seven members of the regiment received the Victoria Cross. Complete with its field service leather scabbard

This below is the full list of the heroic ‘Battle Honours’ awarded to this most noble of regiments/corps.

Battle of Ahmed Khel
Aisne 1914
Albert 1916
Battle of Albuera
Battle of the Argenta Gap
Arras 1917
Arras 1918 (Battle honour)
Battle of Aubers
B
Siege of Badajoz (1812)
Battle of Arleux
Battle of Bailleul
Battle of Beaurevoir
Battle of Bellewaarde
Battle of Bethune
Battle of Courtrai (1918)
Battle of Drocourt-Queant
Battle of Épehy
Battle of Festubert
Battle of Flers–Courcelette
Battle of Frezenberg
Battle of Gheluvelt
Battle of Goojerat
Battle of Gravenstafel
Battle of Kemmel
Battle of Martinique (1762)
Battle of Menin Road
Battle of Nonne Bosschen
Battle of Rosières
Battle of St. Julien
Battle of the Ancre
Battle of the Canal du Nord
Battle of the Hindenburg Line
Battle of Bazentin Ridge
Battle of Broodseinde
Battle of Bussaco
C
Calais 1940
Battle of Cambrai (1917)
Battle of Cambrai (1918)
Chitral Expedition
D
Defence of Alamein Line
Defence of Ladysmith
Delhi 1857
Battle of Delville Wood
E
Egypt 1882
F
First Battle of the Marne
France and Flanders 1914–18
Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro
G
Battle of Gazala
Greece 1941
Battle of Guillemont
H
Battle of Havrincourt
I
Italy 1943–45
K
Kandahar 1880
L
Relief of Ladysmith
Battle of Langemarck (1917)
Battle of Le Transloy
M
Macedonian front
Martinique 1762
Martinique 1809
Battle of Morval
N
Battle of the Nive
Battle of Nivelle
North-West Europe 1940
O
Battle of Orthez
P
Pekin 1860
Battle of Pilckem Ridge
Battle of Poelcappelle
Battle of Polygon Wood
Battle of Pozières
Battle of the Pyrenees
Q
Quebec 1759
R
Battle of Roliça
S
Battle of St Quentin Canal
Battle of Salamanca
Capture of Schwaben Redoubt
Second Anglo-Afghan War
Battle of the Selle
South Africa 1851–53
South Africa 1879
South Africa 1899–1902
T
Battle of Talavera
Battle of Tell El Kebir
Battle of the Ancre Heights
Battle of the Sambre (1918)
Tobruk 1941
Battle of Toulouse (1814)
V
Battle of Vitoria
Y
Ypres 1914
Ypres 1915
Ypres 1917

A best quality modern example available today would cost ‘from’ £1450 but would not have the Battle Honour presentation blade, and naturally possess no antique historic value at all.

However, 21 years ago when Wilkinson Sword Co. ceased the manufacture of all sword making, a presentation, bespoke, Battle Honour sword would cost well north of £2000. plus vat.  read more

Code: 22171

A Very Good, Original, Napoleonic Wars Period, Imperial Russian Romanov Cavalry Sabre Engraved With The Russian Double Eagle Crest. French Invasion and Retreat From Moscow Period of 1812

Probably 18th to early 19th century from the era of Catherine the Great to Czar Alexander Ist. Russian campaign sabre from the 1812 Russian campaign, Borodino, Smolensk and Moscow. In the cossack sasqua style, worn with the blade cutting side up. With walrus tooth hilt and engraved quillon bearing the Russian Romanov double crowned twin headed eagle crest with two cyrillic letters English equivalent M E within a shield. Leather scabbard with chequered decoration and wire decorative seaming at the throat.
A little known fact about the Napoleon's campaign into Russia is that Napoleon’s army actually lost more men on the way to Moscow than on the way back. The heat, disease, battle and desertion meant that by the time the Russian capital was seen on the horizon he had lost half his men. Nevertheless, what was important to the Corsican General was that he had reached the city. Battles at Smolensk and Borodino along the way had been costly and hard-fought, but nothing Tsar Alexander had done had been able to halt the Imperial juggernaut in its tracks though he had managed to extricate most of the Russian army intact from the fighting. In September the exhausted and bloodied Grand Arm?e reached Moscow with its promise of food and shelter, but it was not to be. So determined were the Russians to resist the invader that they burned their own old and beautiful capital in order to deny its uses to the French. Camped in a burned and empty shell, Napoleon dithered about whether to remain over the bitter winter or claim victory and march home. He was mindful of earlier campaigns into Russia such as that of Charles XII of Sweden a century earlier and made the fateful decision to return to friendly territory rather than face the snows without adequate shelter.

When it became clear that the Russians would not accept a favourable peace, Napoleon marched his troops out of the city in October. It was already too late. As the once-great army trudged across the empty vastness of Russia, the cold set in, as early as the French generals could possibly have feared. And that was the least of their worries. The horses died first, for there was no food for them. Then after the men ate them they started dying too, for all the supplies in Moscow had been burned a month earlier. All the time, hordes of cossacks harassed the increasingly bedraggled rearguard, picking off stragglers and making the survivor’s lives a constant misery. Meanwhile, Alexander ? advised by his experienced generals refused to meet Napoleon’s military genius head-on, and wisely let his army dribble away in the Russian snows. Astonishingly, by the time the remnants of the Grand Armee reached the Berezina river in late November it numbered just 27,000 effective men. 100,000 had given up and surrendered to the enemy, while 380,000 lay dead on the Russian steppes. 89.5 cm long overall  read more

Code: 20830