A Very Rare and Historical 1822 Presentation Sword to Ensign Alexander Samson of the Caribbean, 1st West India Regt. In 1855, From Col. Lockyer Freestun ‘Great Officer’ of the Knights Hospitallers of Jerusalem. Two Men Of The Regt. Were V.C. Winners

The West Indian Regiment was one of the great British colonial regiments, it was awarded 11 battle honours, and two of its other ranks volunteers, during its most notable history, were awarded the Victoria Cross, the rarest and most valuable medal for valour and gallantry in the entire military world.

The regiment was made up of black volunteers, and was one of the greatest and heroic regiments, fighting in the British Army, first for the King then for the Queen and Country. In many respects this is one of the forgotten historic regiments of the British Army, formed, in greater part, for the benefit of British freed slaves fleeing from the Americas, that was as heroic as the famous, WW2, US Army Airforce and 500 RAF airmen, known as the Tuskegee Airmen, but, around 100 years before.

This is very rare sword indeed, with a fabulous pierced VR Gothic half basket hilt, sharkskin multi wire bound grip, all steel combat scabbard and deluxe grade fully etched blade, presentation inscribed, and it is in simply beautiful condition for its age.

Surviving, antique, British Army, West India Regimental swords are exceptionally rare, but an officer's presentation sword is so rare that this is the first we have ever seen in over 40 years, and it is possible no other surviving example may still be in existance within the collecting world, or even in museum collections.

Presented by a most highly decorated and exceptional army officer who was both a Colonel of The British Army of Queen Victoria, A Colonel of the Spanish Army of The Queen of Spain and a ‘Great Officer’ of the Knights Hospitallers of Jerusalem.

Presented in 1855 by Col William Lockyer Freestun, formerly of the 93rd Highland Regt. Of Foot was also a Colonel in the service of Her Catholic Majesty the Queen Regent of Spain. Who was granted the titles of Knight and Star of the Royal and Distinguished Order of Charles 3rd, Knight of the First Class of the National and Military Order of San Fernando, and Knight of the Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic for his gallantry and approbations in facing the enemy in the field. These orders he was granted permission to accept by Her Majesty Queen Victoria, personally, on August 14th 1840, and with concession and especial mark of Her Royal favour, be thus granted all due titles in Her Majesty's College of Arms. On the 23rd of June 1860 Her Majesty further granted a British Knighthood to Col. Lockyer Freestun who was also a Great Officer of the Knights Hospitallers of Jerusalem.

Ensign Sansom served with much honour in the West Indian Regiment for around 38 years rising to the esteemed rank of Colonel of the regiment. The West India Regiments (WIR) were infantry units of the British Army recruited from and normally stationed in the British colonies of the Caribbean between 1795 and 1927. The new West India Regiments saw considerable service during the period of the Napoleonic Wars, including participation by the First WIR in the occupation of the French island of Marie-Galante in 1808. The Regiments were later involved in the War of 1812, both on the Atlantic coast and in the Gulf of Mexico, taking part in the British attack on New Orleans. In 1800 there were 12 battalion-sized regiments which were seen as valuable also for dealing with revolts in the West Indies colonies. With numbers decreased by the effects of the Slave Trade Act of 1807, there was a shortfall of around five thousand at the start of the War of 1812, and the war offered hope of new recruitment from slaves, yearning to serve as free men, fleeing the United States. However only eight joined the regiments from the Chesapeake Bay area in 1814, and a further thirteen on the coast of Georgia early in 1815. Following the end of the War of 1812, numbers were progressively reduced
incorporating into the 1st West India Regiment the Carolina Corps that had been in existence since 1779, the original intention was both to recruit free black personel from the West Indian population and to purchase slaves from the West Indian plantations. The eighth of the newly raised regiments (Skerrett's) was disbanded the following year but the quality of the new corps led to a further five West India Regiments being raised in 1798.

In 1807 all serving black soldiers recruited as slaves in the West India Regiments of the British Army were freed under the Mutiny Act passed by the British parliament that same year. In 1808 the Abolition Act caused all trading in slaves to be "utterly abolished, prohibited and declared to be unlawful". In 1812 a West African recruiting depot was established on Blance Island in Sierre Leone to train West African volunteers for the West India Regiments. But it needs also to be remembered that we were in the forefront of abolishing the slave trade and that, even as Napoleon threatened our very survival, we devoted a substantial part of the Royal Navy to hunting down and destroying the slave traders. Many British ships and lives were lost in the process. By 1816 the end of the Napoleonic Wars and the reduction of the West India regiments to six enabled this depot to be closed.

The free WIR soldiers became a valued part of the British forces garrisoning the West Indies, where losses from disease and climate were heavy amongst white troops. The black Caribbean soldiers by contrast proved better adapted to tropical service. They served against locally recruited French units that had been formed for the same reasons. Free black Caribbeans soldiers played a prominent and often distinguished role in the military history of Latin America and the Caribbean

The 1st West India Regiment from Jamaica went to the Gold Coast of Africa to fight in the Ashanti War of 1873-4
Battle honours
Dominica, Martinique 1809, Guadeloupe 1810, Ashantee 1873?74, West Africa 1887, West Africa 1892-93 & 94, Sierra Leone 1898
The Great War (2 battalions): Palestine 1917?18, E. Africa 1916-18, Cameroons 1915-16.

Honours and awards
Private Samuel Hodge of the WIR was awarded the Victoria Cross in 1866 for courage shown during the capture of Tubab Kolon in the Gambia. Private Hodge was the second black recipient of this decoration the first being Able Seaman William Hall of the Royal Navy. In 1891, Lance Corporal William Gordon of the 1st Battalion WIR received a VC for gallantry during a further campaign in the Gambia. Promoted to sergeant, Jamaican-born William Gordon remained in employment at regimental headquarters in Kingston until his death in 1922.  read more

Code: 22501

A Singularly Fabulous Ancient Koto Period 15th Century Katana Circa 1480. Very Likely Formerly a Nodachi Great Sword. Officially Shortened by Bakufu Edict To Katana Length in 1617. With Stunning Heianjo School Tsuba

A very fine and beautiful and most rare 600 year old Koto katana that looks absolutely spectacular, with an o-suriage blade, with full length hi groove, and with a notare hamon that undulates with extraordinary depth into the blade.

The tang has two intersperced mekugiana, {mounting peg holes} the current one being several inches from the other, which would indicate it was an incredibly long sword, a nodachi or odachi.

To qualify as an odachi, the sword in question must have had an original blade length over 3 shaku (35.79 inches or 90.91 cm).

However, as with most terms in Japanese sword arts, there is no exact definition of the size of an odachi.

The odachi's importance died off after the Siege of Osaka of 1615 (the final battle between Tokugawa Ieyasu and Toyotomi Hideyori). The Bakufu shogunal government set a law which prohibited holding swords above a set length (in Genna 3 (1617), Kan'ei 3 (1626) and Shoho 2 (1645)).
After the law was put into practice, odachi were cut down to the shorter legal size. This is one of the reasons why odachi are so rare.

Since then many odachi were shortened to use as katana, we feel this was when have been when this blade was shortened, likely in 1617.

Odachi or Nodachi were very difficult to produce because their length makes heat treatment in a traditional way more complicated: The longer a blade is, the more difficult (or expensive) it is to heat the whole blade to a homogenous temperature, both for annealing and to reach the hardening temperature. The quenching process then needs a bigger quenching medium because uneven quenching might lead to warping the blade.

The blade has no combat damage of any kind, just natural surface minuscule age pin prick marks, and it has been untouched since it came to England in the 1870's.

All original Edo mounts and saya, with Higo mounts inlaid with gold leaves and tendrils, and original Edo period turquoise blue tsuka-ito (柄糸) over gold and shakudo menuki (目貫):of flowers, on traditional giant rayskin samegawa.

The saya is finely ribbed with silk cord ribbing under black lacquer, with carved buffalo horn kurigata (栗形) and kaeshizuno (返し角) and It has a fine and large four lobed mokko gata tsuba (鍔 or 鐔) form, with punch marks, sekigane inserted in the nakago ana, a look of a great strength, and a lightly hammered ground to effect a stone like surface, on the both sides, from the natural folding of the plate. It is pierced in delicate manner on top and bottom with stylised warabite, bracken shoots, and on either side of the central opening with large irregular ryohitsu shaped apertures of two hisago. The iron plate is finely inlaid on both sides and on the rounded rim with a thin roped band made in brass, and decorated all around the edge in brass hirazogan in a design of bellflower blossoms, clementis leaves and tendrils, flushing to the surface, and known as Chinese grass or karasuka. The formal design in negative silhouette is straightforward, the lowering of the level of the surface between the rim and the seppadai contributes to a sense of stability, the metal has a deep purplish patina, and the entire guard has a rustic appearance. This very pleasing masterpiece exhibits a nice feel due to the simplicity of the design.
This ko sukashi work is the ultimate in simplification. this severe, unemotional work is a deep humanity that speaks to us today. This strict style marks the dividing line between youthful severity and older warm humanity. All of these traits make this an exceptoional work of Heianjo school, in a style influenced by workers of Yoshiro school of the Koike family in Kyoto and as a gift from one Daimyo to another. The size, quality of inlay, and condition all confirm the excellent craftsmanship characteristic of this school. This is probably a transition piece between the Onin and the Heianjo school. This style of tsuba often given the designation of Heianjo school, could also be from the last period of onin brass inlay style of the Muromachi period. Yoshiro tsuba are originated from the Heianjo Zogan school, active in the second half of the 16th century. Naomasa was the most famous member of the large Koike family school, he took the technique and style to the highest level. Early Edo period tsuba. 17th Century. Overall condition of the tsuba is excellent.

To place it in context as to just how old this sword is, in its British time-scale comparison, it was made, in Japan, in the era of the 'Wars of the Roses' between King Richard IIIrd and King Henry VIIth.

A long {28 inches in length} blade, measured tsuba to tip  read more

Code: 24866

A Beautiful Shinto Katana By Kaga Kiyomitsu With NTHK Kanteisho Papers

With super original Edo period koshirae mounts and fittings. Higo fuchigashira with pure gold onlay with a war fan and kanji seal stamp. Shakudo menuki under the hilt wrap of samurai warriors fighting with swords and polearm. Iron plate o-sukashi tsuba, black lacquer saya with buffalo horn kurigata. Superb hamon and polish with just a few aged surface stains see photo 7

The Hamon is the pattern we see on the edge of the blade of any Nihonto (日本刀) and it is not merely aesthetic, but is due to the differential tempering with clay applied to weapons in the forging process. Japanese katanas are unique in the way of the forging process, where apart from the materials the system is tremendously laborious. In short, before temper, the steel has different clays applied that when submerged in water causing the characteristic blade curvature and the pattern of the hamon. This also causes the katanas to be flexible and can be very sharp, since the hardening of the steels at different temperatures causes a part of the sword to be softer and more flexible called Mune or loin and the other harder and brittle, thus having a High quality cutting edge capable of making precise and lethal cuts.
There are various types and variants, some simple and others very complex. Depending on how the clay is applied, it will form some patterns or others.

According to legend, Amakuni Yasutsuna developed the process of differential hardening of the blades around the 8th century. The emperor was returning from battle with his soldiers when Yasutsuna noticed that half of the swords were broken:
Amakuni and his son, Amakura, picked up the broken blades and examined them. They were determined to create a sword that will not break in combat and they were locked up in seclusion for 30 days. When they reappeared, they took the curved blade with them. The following spring there was another war. Again the soldiers returned, only this time all the swords were intact and the emperor smiled at Amakuni.
Although it is impossible to determine who invented the technique, surviving blades from Yasutsuna around AD 749–811 suggest that, at the very least, Yasutsuna helped establish the tradition of differentially hardening blades.

By the time Ieyasu Tokugawa unified Japan under his rule at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600, only samurai were permitted to wear the sword. A samurai was recognised by his carrying the feared daisho, the big sword daito, little sword shoto of the samurai warrior. These were the battle katana, the big sword, and the wakizashi, the little sword. The name katana derives from two old Japanese written characters or symbols: kata, meaning side, and na, or edge. Thus a katana is a single-edged sword that has had few rivals in the annals of war, either in the East or the West. Because the sword was the main battle weapon of Japan's knightly man-at-arms (although spears and bows were also carried), an entire martial art grew up around learning how to use it. This was kenjutsu, the art of sword fighting, or kendo in its modern, non-warlike incarnation. The importance of studying kenjutsu and the other martial arts such as kyujutsu, the art of the bow, was so critical to the samurai, a very real matter of life or death, that Miyamoto Musashi, most renowned of all swordsmen, warned in his classic The Book of Five Rings: The science of martial arts for warriors requires construction of various weapons and understanding the properties of the weapons. A member of a warrior family who does not learn to use weapons and understand the specific advantages of each weapon would seem to be somewhat uncultivated. We rarely have swords with papers for our swords mostly came to England in the 1870's long before 'papers' were invented, and they have never returned to Japan for inspection and papers to be issued. However, on occasion we acquire swords from latter day collectors that have had swords papered in the past 30 years or so., and this is one of those.  read more

Code: 23597

Fabulous, Superb & Historical Service Issue 1856-8 Two Band Enfield Yataghan Sword Bayonet Used With P1853 Enfield Rifles In The Indian Mutiny, The Opium War in China, The American Civil War, 1861-65 & The Japanese Boshin War & The Satsuma Rebellion

All came to us from the collector who bought them in Japan from another collector, so by definition they conclusively were used in all of those campaigns, as the Japanese bought them for the Boshin War, from the American's who purchased them from Britain for the Civil war as army surplus after we had retired them from our war service in India, China, & Burma.

Absolutely bright as a button, hand polished and conserved, for the next 200 years, in our workshop. This example from the collection shows it has been hit either with a musket ball or rifle bullet that impacted on the inside scabbard throat steel mount. This would demonstrate the flight path as between the hip of the soldier {or samurai} and the bayonet when worn on his waist belt. The ball or bullet impact was a glancing blow but quite clear {see photo 3 in the gallery}.

This bayonet was part of a stunning collection of probably the most historical, service issue, bayonets ever used in the 19th century, and this one of these very bayonets was used in combat over five different campaigns, covering four continents, by five different combatant armies. One British, two American {North and South} and two Japanese {Imperial and Anti Imperial Samurai} . All are to be sold separately, most with scabbards, some without.

Original ordnance stamps and inspection marks abound, and regimental gun rack number on the hilt {possibly American}.

The rifle that this sword bayonet was designed for the P1853 two band Enfield rifle, and was first used in the late Indian Mutiny at the "Seige and Relief of Lucknow". With a chequered leather grip with rivets, and screw affixed retaining spring. Good, long, Yataghan blade in bright polish. Excellent leather.
The regiments that used this bayonet sword also took part in the Second Opium War in China, the Third Anglo-Burmese War, and this bayonet, along with tens of thousands of other service issue rifles and bayonets, were then sold to America in the Civil war, purchased by both the North, and the South. {See photos in the gallery of Union and Confederates with the Enfield rifles and their yataghan bayonets.}
Then after the Civil War thousands of Confederate purchased Enfields were sold to Japan's Tokugawa Shogunate, and used in the Boshin war, and their Satsuma Rebellion by the samurai anti imperialist army.

A quote from a Confederate officer's diary,
"Every short two-band Enfield which came into possession of any of our men was taken away and given to these men sharpshooters ... But there were not enough and some of them had the common long Enfield."
It would appear that by mid-war in the Confederate Service, while the infantry was provided with the longer rifle-muskets where possible, the shorter rifles (US or Enfield) were preferred for use by the Cavalry:

Gen. Basil Duke noted of Morgan's Cavalry, they did not even like the American shorter carbine length muzzle loaders (musketoons):

"Morgan's Cavalry in the west preferred the British arm they called the "medium Enfield" the two band rifle. The short Enfield carbine they found convenient to carry, but deficient in range and accuracy. The long-Enfield (three band) they found inconvenient to carry, and difficult to use (as was sometimes necessary) on horseback. Regardless, in that command one company had the long Enfield, another the short, and another the medium.

We bought the entire small collection from the widow of a 'best of British Empire rifles and bayonets, plus French and German bayonets collector’, who acquired them over the past 40 plus years, and only ever kept the very best he could afford to keep. Act fast they are selling really fast, three rifles and eight bayonets and a cutlass have sold in two days alone. Top quality and condition,19th and 20th century scarce British French and German collectables are always the most desirable of all. These Victorian British made bayonets were all used in the above mentioned conflicts, including this one offered here, that were eventually sold to Japan, via a very circuitous route, by America, who in their turn had purchased them from England for the American Civil War. This one and all of the others were acquired by our English collector, from a former Japanese collector of Boshin War and Satsuma Rebellion militaria some decades ago.

They are perfect historical examples of just how far traveled British made arms and bayonets were, journeying around the world in their combat service lifetime.

The Confederates imported more Enfields during the course of the war than any other small arm, buying from private contractors and gun runners and smuggling them into Southern ports through blockade running. It has been estimated that over 900,000 P53 Enfields were imported into America and saw service in every major engagement from the Battle of Shiloh (April 1862) and the Siege of Vicksburg (May 1863), to the final battles of 1865. The gun was highly sought after in the Confederate ranks. According to a survey taken by British officials during the early stages of war on the arms of the Western Confederate Forces, nearly 70% were armed with smoothbore arms, such as the Model 1842 Springfield. Later in the war the same survey was taken, they found that more than 75% had acquired a rifle, mainly the Pattern 1853 Enfield.

The P53 Enfields capabilities were largely lost by the lack of marksmanship training by both the Union and Confederacy. Most soldiers were not trained to estimate ranges or to properly adjust their sights to account for the "rainbow-like" trajectory of the large calibre conical projectile. Unlike their British counterparts who attended extensive musketry training, new Civil War soldiers seldom fired a single cartridge until their first engagement. After the end of the war, hundreds of formerly Confederate Enfield 1853 muskets were sold from the American arms market to the Tokugawa shogunate, as well as some prominent Japanese domains including Aizu and Satsuma. These units were later used in the Boshin War, and some remaining in Satsuma were also used by rebelling former samurai in the Satsuma Rebellion about a decade later.

The end of the American Civil War in 1865 had made a huge number of obsolete percussion muzzleloading rifles and rifle muskets available on the secondary market from international arms traders like Schuyler, Hartley & Graham. While these guns were being replaced with modern metallic cartridge breechloaders in most of the world, a muzzleloading Enfield pattern rifle or rifle musket was a huge technological advantage against the traditional smoothbore Tanegashima-tsutsu matchlocks in Japan. Other firearms found their way into Japan through western traders as well, ranging from Spencer Carbines to Smith & Wesson Model No 2 revolvers, and everything in between. The traders were only too happy to arm what was looking to be a Japanese civil war. It is also worth noting that there is the possibility that these bayonets, in addition to almost certainly being used by pro-Imperial forces during the Meiji Restoration of 1868-1869, may well have seen use again during the Saga Uprising of 1874 by the anti-Imperial rebels in that province. Photos in the gallery show an 1860’s Japanese anti Imperial samurai rebels armed with an Enfield rifle, with its Yataghan long sword-bayonet upon his belt,

Priced for UK mainland delivery only. For export delivery, please POA  read more

Code: 25997

A Superb Original Waterloo Recovered Souvenir '6 Pounder ' Royal Artillery Cannon Ball Fired at La Haye Sainte During The Battle, Recovered From The Farm. With Clear impact Site To The Ball.

Napoleonic Wars cannon ball recovered from a Waterloo excavation well over 190 years ago. One of three we just acquired that were brought back from Waterloo to England over 190 years ago, the first was sold by us recently.

At the Battle of Waterloo, the British Royal Artillery deployed 6-pounder cannons, from which this ball was fired, a relatively light artillery piece that fired a 6-pound (approximately 2.7 kg) solid iron ball. These cannons, introduced in 1793, were crucial for supporting cavalry charges and were easier to manoeuvre than heavier guns.

The 6-pounder was designed to provide lighter, yet still effective, artillery support to the cavalry and infantry.
Ammunition:
They fired various types of ammunition, including round shot (solid iron balls), canister shot (a type of scatter shot), and spherical case shot (a type of shell).
The effective range of the 6-pounder with round shot was around 800-900 yards (732-823 metres), though it could reach up to 1700 yards (1554 metres).
The cannonballs were devastating, capable of inflicting serious injury and damage to both men and horses.

At Waterloo, the 6-pounders were primarily used by the Royal Horse Artillery and some field artillery units, with variations in the types of 6-pounders used.
Captured at Waterloo:
Some French 6-pounder cannons were also captured by the British as trophies of war.
La Haye Sainte:
The strategic farmhouse of La Haye Sainte was a focal point of fighting, where the 6-pounder was used extensively.

We show in the gallery a photo of a Waterloo cannon ball embedded in a cemetery wall, from Waterloo Relics by Bernard & Lechaux

Another identical cannon ball is now in the National Army Museum, see gallery.
NAM Accession Number
NAM. 1999-05-8-1

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury, Britain's famous, favourite, and oldest original Armoury Antique store, is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of our family’s trading, and thus, it is a lifetime guarantee.  read more

Code: 25996

Fabulous Collection of Historical Service Issue 1856-8 Two Band Enfield Yataghan Sword Bayonets Used With P1853 Enfield Rifles In The Indian Mutiny, The Opium War in China, The American Civil War, 1861-65 & The Japanese Boshin War & The Satsuma Rebellion

All came to us from the collector of finest bayonets, who bought them in his turn decades ago, from Japan from another collector of weapons used in the Boshin War and the Satsuma rebellion, so, by definition they conclusively were used in all of those campaigns. As the Japanese bought them for the Boshin War, from the American's who purchased them from Britain for the Civil war, as army surplus, after we had retired them from our war service in India, China, & Burma

Absolutely bright as a button, all have been hand polished and conserved, for the next 200 years, in our workshop. As good as any you may see in a museum collection.

Probably the most historical service issue bayonets ever used in the 19th century, and these very bayonets were used in combat in over five different campaigns, covering four continents, by five different combatant armies. One British, two American {North and South} and two Japanese {Imperial and Anti Imperial Samurai} . All are to be sold separately, most with scabbards, some without.

Original British ordnance stamps and inspection marks abound, maker marks, and some regimental gun rack numbers on the hilts British or American.

The rifle that this sword bayonet was designed for the P1853 two band Enfield rifle, and was the type used in the late Indian Mutiny at the "Seige and Relief of Lucknow". Chequered leather grip with rivets, and screw affixed retaining spring. Good, long, Yataghan blade in bright polish. Excellent leather. The regiments that used this bayonet sword took part in the Second Opium War, the Indian Mutiny and the Third Anglo-Burmese War, and tens of thousands of service issue rifles and bayonets were sold to America in the Civil war, purchased by both the North, and the South. See photos in the gallery of Union and Confederates with the Enfield rifles and their yataghan bayonets. After the Civil War thousands of Confederate purchased Enfields were sold to Japan's Tokugawa Shogunate, and used in the Boshin war and the Satsuma Rebellion.The Boshin War (戊辰戦争, Boshin Sensō), sometimes known as the Japanese Revolution or Japanese Civil War, was a civil war in Japan fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and a coalition seeking to seize political power in the name of the Imperial Court.

The war stemmed from dissatisfaction among many nobles and young samurai with the shogunate's handling of foreigners following the opening of Japan during the prior decade. Increasing Western influence in the economy led to a decline similar to that of other Asian countries at the time. An alliance of western samurai, particularly the domains of Chōshū, Satsuma, and Tosa, and court officials secured control of the Imperial Court and influenced the young Emperor Meiji. Tokugawa Yoshinobu, the sitting shōgun, realizing the futility of his situation, abdicated and handed over political power to the emperor. Yoshinobu had hoped that by doing this the House of Tokugawa could be preserved and participate in the future government.

A quote from a Confederate officer's diary,
"Every short two-band Enfield which came into possession of any of our men was taken away and given to these men sharpshooters ... But there were not enough and some of them had the common long Enfield."
It would appear that by mid-war in the Confederate Service, while the infantry was provided with the longer rifle-muskets where possible, the shorter rifles (US or Enfield) were preferred for use by the Cavalry:

Gen. Basil Duke noted of Morgan's Cavalry, they did not even like the American shorter carbine length muzzle loaders (musketoons):

"Morgan's Cavalry in the west preferred the British arm they called the "medium Enfield" the two band rifle. The short Enfield carbine they found convenient to carry, but deficient in range and accuracy. The long-Enfield (three band) they found inconvenient to carry, and difficult to use (as was sometimes necessary) on horseback. Regardless, in that command one company had the long Enfield, another the short, and another the medium.

We bought the entire small collection from the widow of a 'best of British Empire rifles and bayonets, plus French and German bayonets collector’, who acquired them over the past 40 plus years, and only ever kept the very best he could afford to keep. Act fast they are selling really fast, three rifles and eight bayonets and a cutlass have sold in two days alone. Top quality and condition,19th and 20th century scarce British French and German collectables are always the most desirable of all. These Victorian British made bayonets were all used in the above mentioned conflicts, including those here, that were eventually sold to Japan, via a very circuitous route, by America, who in their turn purchased them from England for the American Civil War. All of these were acquired by the English collector, from a former Japanese collector of Boshin War and Satsuma Rebellion militaria some decades ago. As the perfect examples of just how far travelled British made arms and bayonets journeyed around the world in their combat service life.

The Confederates imported more Enfields during the course of the war than any other small arm, buying from private contractors and gun runners and smuggling them into Southern ports through blockade running. It has been estimated that over 900,000 P53 Enfields were imported into America and saw service in every major engagement from the Battle of Shiloh (April 1862) and the Siege of Vicksburg (May 1863), to the final battles of 1865. The gun was highly sought after in the Confederate ranks. According to a survey taken by British officials during the early stages of war on the arms of the Western Confederate Forces, nearly 70% were armed with smoothbore arms, such as the Model 1842 Springfield. Later in the war the same survey was taken, they found that more than 75% had acquired a rifle, mainly the Pattern 1853 Enfield.

The P53 Enfields capabilities were largely lost by the lack of marksmanship training by both the Union and Confederacy. Most soldiers were not trained to estimate ranges or to properly adjust their sights to account for the "rainbow-like" trajectory of the large calibre conical projectile. Unlike their British counterparts who attended extensive musketry training, new Civil War soldiers seldom fired a single cartridge until their first engagement. After the end of the war, hundreds of formerly Confederate Enfield 1853 muskets were sold from the American arms market to the Tokugawa shogunate, as well as some prominent Japanese domains including Aizu and Satsuma. These units were later used in the Boshin War, and some remaining in Satsuma were also used by rebelling former samurai in the Satsuma Rebellion about a decade later.

The end of the American Civil War in 1865 had made a huge number of obsolete percussion muzzleloading rifles and rifle muskets available on the secondary market from international arms traders like Schuyler, Hartley & Graham. While these guns were being replaced with modern metallic cartridge breechloaders in most of the world, a muzzleloading Enfield pattern rifle or rifle musket was a huge technological advantage against the traditional smoothbore Tanegashima-tsutsu matchlocks in Japan. Other firearms found their way into Japan through western traders as well, ranging from Spencer Carbines to Smith & Wesson Model No 2 revolvers, and everything in between. The traders were only too happy to arm what was looking to be a Japanese civil war. It is also worth noting that there is the possibility that these bayonets, in addition to almost certainly being used by pro-Imperial forces during the Meiji Restoration of 1868-1869, may well have seen use again during the Saga Uprising of 1874 by the anti-Imperial rebels in that province. Photos in the gallery show two 1860’s Japanese anti Imperial samurai rebels armed with an Enfield rifle, with its Yataghan long sword-bayonet upon his belt, and a similar carbine version.

They will be priced for UK mainland delivery only. For export delivery, please POA.  read more

Code: 25994

Fabulous, Superb & Historical Service Issue 1856-8 Two Band Enfield Yataghan Sword Bayonet Used With P1853 Enfield Rifles In The Indian Mutiny, The Opium War in China, The American Civil War, 1861-65 & The Japanese Boshin War & The Satsuma Rebellion

All came to us from the collector who bought them in Japan from another collector, so by definition they conclusively were used in all of those campaigns, as the Japanese bought them for the Boshin War, from the American's who purchased them from Britain for the Civil war as army surplus after we had retired them from our war service in India, China, & Burma.

Absolutely bright as a button, hand polished and conserved, for the next 200 years, in our workshop.

This bayonet was part of a stunning collection of probably the most historical, service issue, bayonets ever used in the 19th century, and this one of these very bayonets was used in combat over five different campaigns, covering four continents, by five different combatant armies. One British, two American {North and South} and two Japanese {Imperial and Anti Imperial Samurai} . All are to be sold separately, most with scabbards, some without.

Original ordnance stamps and inspection marks abound, and regimental gun rack number on the hilt {possibly American}.

The rifle that this sword bayonet was designed for the P1853 two band Enfield rifle, and was first used in the late Indian Mutiny at the "Seige and Relief of Lucknow". With a chequered leather grip with rivets, and screw affixed retaining spring. Good, long, Yataghan blade in bright polish. Excellent leather.
The regiments that used this bayonet sword also took part in the Second Opium War in China, the Third Anglo-Burmese War, and this bayonet, along with tens of thousands of other service issue rifles and bayonets, were then sold to America in the Civil war, purchased by both the North, and the South. {See photos in the gallery of Union and Confederates with the Enfield rifles and their yataghan bayonets.}
Then after the Civil War thousands of Confederate purchased Enfields were sold to Japan's Tokugawa Shogunate, and used in the Boshin war, and their Satsuma Rebellion by the samurai anti imperialist army.

A quote from a Confederate officer's diary,
"Every short two-band Enfield which came into possession of any of our men was taken away and given to these men sharpshooters ... But there were not enough and some of them had the common long Enfield."
It would appear that by mid-war in the Confederate Service, while the infantry was provided with the longer rifle-muskets where possible, the shorter rifles (US or Enfield) were preferred for use by the Cavalry:

Gen. Basil Duke noted of Morgan's Cavalry, they did not even like the American shorter carbine length muzzle loaders (musketoons):

"Morgan's Cavalry in the west preferred the British arm they called the "medium Enfield" the two band rifle. The short Enfield carbine they found convenient to carry, but deficient in range and accuracy. The long-Enfield (three band) they found inconvenient to carry, and difficult to use (as was sometimes necessary) on horseback. Regardless, in that command one company had the long Enfield, another the short, and another the medium.

We bought the entire small collection from the widow of a 'best of British Empire rifles and bayonets, plus French and German bayonets collector’, who acquired them over the past 40 plus years, and only ever kept the very best he could afford to keep. Act fast they are selling really fast, three rifles and eight bayonets and a cutlass have sold in two days alone. Top quality and condition,19th and 20th century scarce British French and German collectables are always the most desirable of all. These Victorian British made bayonets were all used in the above mentioned conflicts, including this one offered here, that were eventually sold to Japan, via a very circuitous route, by America, who in their turn had purchased them from England for the American Civil War. This one and all of the others were acquired by our English collector, from a former Japanese collector of Boshin War and Satsuma Rebellion militaria some decades ago.

They are perfect historical examples of just how far traveled British made arms and bayonets were, journeying around the world in their combat service lifetime.

The Confederates imported more Enfields during the course of the war than any other small arm, buying from private contractors and gun runners and smuggling them into Southern ports through blockade running. It has been estimated that over 900,000 P53 Enfields were imported into America and saw service in every major engagement from the Battle of Shiloh (April 1862) and the Siege of Vicksburg (May 1863), to the final battles of 1865. The gun was highly sought after in the Confederate ranks. According to a survey taken by British officials during the early stages of war on the arms of the Western Confederate Forces, nearly 70% were armed with smoothbore arms, such as the Model 1842 Springfield. Later in the war the same survey was taken, they found that more than 75% had acquired a rifle, mainly the Pattern 1853 Enfield.

The P53 Enfields capabilities were largely lost by the lack of marksmanship training by both the Union and Confederacy. Most soldiers were not trained to estimate ranges or to properly adjust their sights to account for the "rainbow-like" trajectory of the large calibre conical projectile. Unlike their British counterparts who attended extensive musketry training, new Civil War soldiers seldom fired a single cartridge until their first engagement. After the end of the war, hundreds of formerly Confederate Enfield 1853 muskets were sold from the American arms market to the Tokugawa shogunate, as well as some prominent Japanese domains including Aizu and Satsuma. These units were later used in the Boshin War, and some remaining in Satsuma were also used by rebelling former samurai in the Satsuma Rebellion about a decade later.

The end of the American Civil War in 1865 had made a huge number of obsolete percussion muzzleloading rifles and rifle muskets available on the secondary market from international arms traders like Schuyler, Hartley & Graham. While these guns were being replaced with modern metallic cartridge breechloaders in most of the world, a muzzleloading Enfield pattern rifle or rifle musket was a huge technological advantage against the traditional smoothbore Tanegashima-tsutsu matchlocks in Japan. Other firearms found their way into Japan through western traders as well, ranging from Spencer Carbines to Smith & Wesson Model No 2 revolvers, and everything in between. The traders were only too happy to arm what was looking to be a Japanese civil war. It is also worth noting that there is the possibility that these bayonets, in addition to almost certainly being used by pro-Imperial forces during the Meiji Restoration of 1868-1869, may well have seen use again during the Saga Uprising of 1874 by the anti-Imperial rebels in that province. Photos in the gallery show an 1860’s Japanese anti Imperial samurai rebels armed with an Enfield rifle, with its Yataghan long sword-bayonet upon his belt,

Priced for UK mainland delivery only. For export delivery, please POA  read more

Code: 25898

A Good Yoshii School Wakazashi, Likely Muromachi, Signed Yoshii Mitsunori

A good, antique, wakazashi signed Yoshii Mitsunori.

Beautiful blue-green tsuka-ito wrap over a pair of feather form menuki, ton raditional samegawa {giant rayskin}. Higo school iron kashira decorated with a large leaved plant on a plain course plain background. plain iron fuchi.
Very attractive Edo period round plate tetsu tsuba, reminiscent of the Yokoya School, with pronounced mimi rim, engraved with katakiri and kebori on one side with Mount Fuji, and a deeply engraved shishi lion dog.

The Yoshii (吉井派)school was active in Yoshii, near Osafune, beginning in the Nanbokuchô period 1336-1392. Tamenori (為則) is said to have been the founder, followed by Kagenori (景則), Sanenori (真則), Ujinori (氏則), Yoshinori (吉則), Mitsunori, (光則), Morinori (盛則), Naganori, (永則) , Kanenori (兼則), and others. Later generations of smiths used the same names and those who moved to Izumo province are known as the Unshu Yoshii (雲州吉井)smiths.
Most of the Yoshii (吉井)blades were produced during the Muromachi {室町時代,} era, 1336 to 1573.This wakazashi was made during this era.

Their workmanship shows its own distinctive traits and is an unorthodox variation of the Bizen tradition.

By the end of the Muromachi period, the first Europeans had arrived. The Portuguese landed in Tanegashima south of Kyūshū in 1543 and within two years were making regular port calls, initiating the century-long Nanban trade period. In 1551, the Navarrese Roman Catholic missionary Francis Xavier was one of the first Westerners who visited Japan. Francis described Japan as follows:

"Japan is a very large empire entirely composed of islands. One language is spoken throughout, not very difficult to learn. This country was discovered by the Portuguese eight or nine years ago. The Japanese are very ambitious of honors and distinctions, and think themselves superior to all nations in military glory and valor. They prize and honor all that has to do with war, and all such things, and there is nothing of which they are so proud as of weapons adorned with gold and silver. They always wear swords and daggers both in and out of the house, and when they go to sleep they hang them at the bed's head. In short, they value arms more than any people I have ever seen. They are excellent archers, and usually fight on foot, though there is no lack of horses in the country. They are very polite to each other, but not to foreigners, whom they utterly despise. They spend their means on arms, bodily adornment, and on a number of attendants, and do not in the least care to save money. They are, in short, a very warlike people, and engaged in continual wars among themselves; the most powerful in arms bearing the most extensive sway. They have all one sovereign, although for one hundred and fifty years past the princes have ceased to obey him, and this is the cause of their perpetual feuds."  read more

Code: 25993

A Beautiful Late 18th Century Sikh Empire Prince's or High Status Noble's Lahore Tulwar, Gold Inlaid Koftgari Hilt & Finest Wootz Damascus Steel Blade. Returned From a Museum Grade Blade Conservation

The hilt is covered in pure gold koftgari decor, as a symbol of the owner's rank and status.

A superb blade just returned from specialist cleaning and etching to reveal the Damascus steel patterning.

Gold decorated steel Lahore hilt decorated with stunning design with matching pommel disc. Strong and powerful blade of substance. There are clear indications that this particular hilt is of Punjab manufacture: the fat vase shape of the grip section, the very slightly forward angle of the lotus head quillons and the beautiful gold koftgari.

The Tulwar had historically been the quintessential combat sword used by Sikhs as their sacred kirpan due to its superior handling while mounted on horseback. With a curved blade optimized for cutting and slashing with sweeping cuts delivered from the shoulder by a horseman the curved blade of the tulwar could strike repeated blows without the danger of the blade getting stuck in bone or armour. It allowed for fierce slashing on all sides cutting through enemy formations while mounted on horseback.

This tulwar has a curved blade of approximately 72cm in length with a graduating blade where it eventually begins its taper to the point. With its curved blade the point of the sword cannot be very effectively used for thrusting and the Tulwars defensive capabilities are limited. In this circumstance defence was taken up by using the shield (Dhal) in tandem with the Tulwar as an integral duo on the battlefield.

The blade was firmly attached to the hilt of the Tulwar commonly using a heated paste of lac or red dye from the papal tree which when it hardened provided a solid and effective adhesive between the two parts of the sword.

The hilt of the Tulwar has a button on top and a circular dished pommel disk {without domed pommel cap or knuckle bow} featuring the koftgari inlaid design patterns of flowers, in pure hammered gold inlaid into the traditional steel hilt of the Sixh tulwar.
The grip of the Tulwar below the pommel disk narrows at the top and bottom while bulging out in the middle. The crossguard between the grip and the blade features two short but very thick rounded domed quillions.

The index finger could be wrapped around a quillion rather than the grip providing the swordsman with extra maneuverability of the sword. Some Tulwars feature a knuckle guard extending from the quillion to the pommel disk, while others do not, both styles of Tulwars were commonly used by Sikhs. This sword once had a knuckle guard, but removed likely by the prince owner for comfort .

Guru Hargobind, the 6th Sikh Guru is said to have always carried two Tulwars representing his temporal and spiritual authority. They both had gold onlaid hilts.  read more

Code: 22814

A Good German Third Reich Issue Karabinier Kurz Mauser K98k Seitengewehr 84/98. German Kar98k Rifle Bayonet. Fully Blued Finish

Early bakelite gripped, serial numbered blade by 'bym' maker code for Genossenschafts Machinenhaus der Buchsenmacher Ferlach/Karten. Dated 1943.

Waffenamt inspector markings to the pommel, Bayonet blade blued as is the scabbard and hilt. The bayonet fits and extracts perfectly, with perfect functioning rifle button catch.

A bayonet for the standard Mauser arm used by the Heer Army, Kriegsmarine Navy, used before and during the allied liberation of France, and subsequently the whole of the enslaved Western Europe, until, finally, the capture of Berlin by the Red Army. The Karabiner 98 kurz (German; "carbine 98 short", often abbreviated Kar98k or K98k and often incorrectly referred to as a "K98" (which was a Polish Carbine), is a bolt-action rifle chambered for the 7.92 ×57mm Mauser cartridge that was adopted on 21 June 1935 as the standard service rifle by the German Wehrmacht. It was one of the final developments in the long line of Mauser military rifles. Although supplemented by semi- and fully automatic rifles during World War II, it remained the primary German service rifle until the end of the war in 1945.

Overall the bayonet is in very sound and clean condition with a good scabbard. Signs of combat use as usual, but nicely cared for.  read more

Code: 25992