A Stunning Edo Period Tettsu {iron Plate} Krishitan {Christian.} Tsuba, Of The Holy Cross, Heavenly Eight Pointed Stars in Gold, & The River Of Life in Silver. In Superb Condition & From A Very Fine Collection of Tsuba.

A stunning Krishitam sukashi piercing of the cross with a silver river and gold eight pointed star inlays. With a kozuka hitsu-ana, and kogai hitsu ana
The Bible starts with an account of a river watering the Garden of Eden. It flowed from the garden separating out into four headwaters. The rivers are named, flowing into different areas of the world,

Eight pointed stars symbolise the number of regeneration and of Baptism. The Stars and The River as Christian Symbols, are images or symbolic representation with sacred significance. The meanings, origins and ancient traditions surrounding Christian symbols date back to early times when the majority of ordinary people were not able to read or write and printing was unknown. Many were 'borrowed' or drawn from early pre-Christian traditions.
The Hidden Christians quieted their public expressions and practices of faith in the hope of survival from the great purge. They also suffered unspeakably if captured and failed to renounce their Christian beliefs.

In Silence, Endo depicts the trauma of Rodrigues’ journey into Japan through his early encounter with an abandoned and destroyed Christian village. Rodrigues expresses his distress over the suffering of Japanese Christians and he reports the “deadly silence.”

‘I will not say it was a scene of empty desolation. Rather was it as though a battle had recently devastated the whole district. Strewn all over the roads were broken plates and cups, while the doors were broken down so that all the houses lay open . . . The only thing that kept repeating itself quietly in my mind was: Why this? Why? I walked the village from corner to corner in the deadly silence.

...Somewhere or other there must be Christians secretly living their life of faith as these people had been doing . . . I would look for them and find out what had happened here; and after that I would determine what ought to be done.”

- Silence, Shusaku Endo

Two images in the gallery are drawings of bronze fumi-e in use during the 1660s in Japan, during the time of the persecution. Each of these drawings mirrors actual brass fumi-e portraying Stations of the Cross, which are held in the collections of the Tokyo National Museum

The current FX series 'Shogun' by Robert Clavell is based on the true story of William Adams and the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyesu, and apart from being one of the very best film series yet made, it shows superbly and relatively accurately the machinations of the Catholic Jesuits to manipulate the Japanese Regents and their Christian convert samurai Lords.

Oda Nobunaga (1534–82) had taken his first step toward uniting Japan as the first missionaries landed, and as his power increased he encouraged the growing Kirishitan movement as a means of subverting the great political strength of Buddhism. Oppressed peasants welcomed the gospel of salvation, but merchants and trade-conscious daimyos saw Christianity as an important link with valuable European trade. Oda’s successor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537–98), was much cooler toward the alien religion. The Japanese were becoming aware of competition between the Jesuits and the Franciscans and between Spanish and Portuguese trading interests. Toyotomi questioned the reliability of subjects with some allegiance to the foreign power at the Vatican. In 1587 he ordered all foreign missionaries to leave Japan but did not enforce the edict harshly until a decade later, when nine missionaries and 17 native Kirishitan were martyred.

After Toyotomi’s death and the brief regency of his adopted child, the pressures relaxed. However, Tokugawa Ieyasu, who founded the great Tokugawa shogunate (1603–1867), gradually came to see the foreign missionaries as a threat to political stability. By 1614, through his son and successor, Tokugawa Hidetada, he banned Kirishitan and ordered the missionaries expelled. Severe persecution continued for a generation under his son and grandson. Kirishitan were required to renounce their faith on pain of exile or torture. Every family was required to belong to a Buddhist temple, and periodic reports on them were expected from the temple priests.

By 1650 all known Kirishitan had been exiled or executed. Undetected survivors were driven underground into a secret movement that came to be known as Kakure Kirishitan (“Hidden Christians”), existing mainly in western Kyushu island around Nagasaki and Shimabara. To avoid detection they were obliged to practice deceptions such as using images of the Virgin Mary disguised as the popular and merciful Bōsatsu (bodhisattva) Kannon, whose gender is ambiguous and whom carvers often render as female.

The populace at large remained unaware that the Kakure Kirishitan managed to survive for two centuries, and when the prohibition against Roman Catholics began to ease again in the mid-19th century, arriving European priests were told there were no Japanese Christians left. A Roman Catholic church set up in Nagasaki in 1865 was dedicated to the 26 martyrs of 1597, and within the year 20,000 Kakure Kirishitan dropped their disguise and openly professed their Christian faith. They faced some repression during the waning years of the Tokugawa shogunate, but early in the reforms of the emperor Meiji (reigned 1867–1912) the Kirishitan won the right to declare their faith and worship publicly.

Some wear to the gold and silver inlays on the reverse side.  read more

Code: 25311

A Beautiful, Edo Period, 18th century Hanbo, A Samurai Warrior's Face Armour Mask

Black lacquer decor throughout, with vermillion lacquer interior. The expression is fierce/noble with protruding chin, the shape is elegant and very well refined. three lame yodarekake, with hooked standing cord pegs. Face armour, of this type is called hanbo.

They were worn with the Samurai's armours to serve as a protection for the head and the face from sword cuts. There are 4 types of face armour mask designs that came into general use in Japan: happuri (which covers the forehead and cheeks), hanbō (covers the lower face, from below the nose all the way to the chin), sōmen (covers the entire face) and the me-no-shita-men (covers the face from nose to chin). We can also classify those mask depending on their facial expressions, most of which derive from the theatre masks. It has an asenagashino ana a hole under the chin to drain off perspiration and orikugi two projecting studs above the chin to provide a secure fastening to the wearer. In the 16th century Japan began trading with Europe during what would become known as the Nanban trade. Samurai acquired European armour including the cuirass and comb morion which they modified and combined with domestic armour as it provided better protection from the newly introduced matchlock muskets known as Tanegashima. The introduction of the tanegashima by the Portuguese in 1543 changed the nature of warfare in Japan causing the Japanese armour makers to change the design of their armours from the centuries old lamellar armours to plate armour constructed from iron and steel plates which was called tosei gusoku (new armours). Bullet resistant armours were developed called tameshi gusoku or (bullet tested) allowing samurai to continue wearing their armour despite the use of firearms.


The era of warfare called the Sengoku period ended around 1600, Japan was united and entered a relatively peaceful Edo period. However, the Shoguns of the Tokugawa period were most adept at encouraging clan rivalries and conflicts and battles were engaged throughout the empire. This of course suited the Shogun very well, while all his subordinate daimyo fought each other they were unlikely to conspire against him. Samurai use continued to use both plate and lamellar armour as a symbol of their status but traditional armours were no longer necessary for war, but still for battle. The face armour was not designed to have any nose protection fitted, the lacquer is original Edo period throughout with vermilion red lacquer in the interior face portion, the exterior lacquer has a fair amount of age flaking over around 6-8% of the neck defence lames.  read more

Code: 23686

A Fine Edo Tsuba Kaga Kyoto Praying Mantis, Cricket Butterfly in Gold Inlay. From WW2 British RAF Commander & Hero Air Marshal Dowding's Collection

Circa 1730 from the family of Air Marshal Lord Dowding, commander of the Royal Airforce in WW2.

Iron plate inlaid with silver and gold superior Kaga Kyoto school tsuba of fine quality. After Hanabusa Itchō, a very popular subject in Japanese art in the late 17th to 18th century.
Tsuba were made by whole dynasties of craftsmen whose only craft was making tsuba. They were usually lavishly decorated. In addition to being collectors items, they were often used as heirlooms, passed from one generation to the next. Japanese families with samurai roots sometimes have their family crest (mon) crafted onto a tsuba. Tsuba can be found in a variety of metals and alloys, including iron, steel, brass, copper and shakudo. In a duel, two participants may lock their katana together at the point of the tsuba and push, trying to gain a better position from which to strike the other down. This is known as tsubazeriai pushing tsuba against each other.

2.5 inches x 2.25 inches  read more

Code: 21757

A Fabulous, Original, Royal Naval 32 Pounder Cannon Ball Fired From One Of The 32 Pounder Cannon, The Largest Cannon of the Royal Naval 100 Gunner, Man o'War, Ist Rate Warships In Nelson's Fleet Such As HMS Victory, Into The 'Formidable'

Within “Naval Gunnery”, by Captain H. Garbett R.N., published in 1895, the greater part of the volume deals with the breech-loaders of the 1890s, but, the first chapter discusses the smooth-bore cannon era in considerable detail. A full account is provided of how a 32-pounder – the largest type of gun carried by Victory and her contemporaries – was served. Due to their size and weight these weapons were carried on the “gundeck”, the lowest tier, 30 of them in total on Victory. The next level up, the middle-gundeck, carried 24-pounders, and above that again the upper-gundeck with 12-pounders. Guns of the latter size were also carried in the open on the quarterdeck and forecastle, where the close-range, large calibre Carronades were also mounted.

The ship carried only enough men to crew the guns on one side of the ship only and should it be necessary to fight on both sides simultaneously – as when breaking the French line at Trafalgar – the guns could only be served with half-crews. The weapons were heavy – a 32-pounder’s barrel alone weighed almost three tons – and considerable strength was demanded to run them out and to train them on target.

The cannon balls in our collection were recovered from the Formidable while it was in dock in Plymouth and taken to a local hostelry, and kept as a garden ornaments, near the port as a battle souvenir from the last battle in the Trafalgar campaign in the Battle of Cape Ortegal, where it was captured and taken as a prize from north-west Spain that saw Captain Sir Richard Strachan defeat and capture a French squadron under Counter-admiral Pierre Dumanoir le Pelley. It is sometimes referred to as Strachan's Action. The French ship Formidable was captured by the Royal Navy at the Battle of Cape Ortegal on November 4, 1805. Following her capture, she was sailed to a British port and arrived at Plymouth, England, where she was "laid up in ordinary" and later commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Brave.
The Formidable, an 80-gun ship of the line, was one of four French ships of the line that escaped the Battle of Trafalgar only to be captured shortly after by a British squadron under the command of Admiral Sir Richard Strachan. She arrived in Plymouth later that year, where the process of condemning the ship as a prize and taking her into the Royal Navy began.

To have been recovered from the French third rate ship of the line we presume it must have hit the ship in combat once fired at her by a 32 pounder, either at Cape Trafalgar or Cape Ortegal.

4 November 1805 marks the Battle of Cape Ortegal in the 3rd Coalition War when Captain Sir Richard Strachan’s 4 British ships-of-the-line & 4 frigates defeated Rear Admiral Pierre Dumanoir le Pelley’s 4 French ships-of-the-line. The battle completed the shattering victory at Trafalgar. It ensured British naval dominance for the rest of the Napoleonic Wars.
Dumanoir led the French van at Trafalgar. He escaped & sailed south. On 2 November, he saw 36-gun HMS Phoenix patrolling the area. He chased it. It led him to Strachan, firing its cannons to alert him. Dumanoir fled. Strachan chased him. At 05:45, 4 November, 36-gun HMS Santa Margarita closed on Dumanoir’s rearmost ship, 74-gun Scipion. At 09:30, 36-gun HMS Phoenix joined in. Strachan was 6 miles behind. Scipion fired her stern guns at the frigates. They kept on her, slowing her down. At 11:45, Dumanoir formed line-of-battle. Strachan also formed line, bringing his ships-of-the-line to Dumanoir’s starboard side.
Dumanoir brought his ships around to attack. But Strachan had formed his frigates into a second line on Dumanoir’s port, catching him in a crossfire. By 15:00, Scipion & Dumanoir’s 80-gun Formidable surrendered. 74-guns Duguay Trouin & Montblanc fled. 74-gun HMS Hero & Strachan’s 80-gun HMS Caesar captured them by 15:30. Strachan lost 24 dead, 111 wounded. Dumanoir lost 730 dead/wounded. His ships were commissioned into Britain’s navy. The crews were imprisoned. Ortegal completed Britain’s naval victory. France’s remaining 5 ships were bottled up in Cadiz. Britain now ruled the waves.

On this Pickle Night, November 6th, we remember one of the smallest ships with one of the greatest legacies: HMS Pickle 🎉
Under Lieutenant John Richards Lapenotière, Pickle was “the swiftest ship in Nelson’s fleet,” and after the Battle of Trafalgar she was entrusted with carrying home the official dispatches announcing victory... and the loss of Lord Nelson, 220 years ago this month.
After battling through fierce storms, Lapenotière made landfall at Falmouth on 4 November 1805, then journeyed 271 miles to London by post-chaise, changing horses 21 times in 37 hours to deliver his message to the Admiralty:
“Sir, we have gained a great victory. But we have lost Lord Nelson.”

6 inch solid round shot ball. Weighing in at 28.8 pounds, {weight lost through 1/4 inch surface corruption}

Picture 5 in the gallery is a painting of the Redoubtable and the other ‘prize’ ships captured at Cape Ortegal being towed back to Plymouth.

Photos aboard HMS Victory of the 32 pounder gun deck, one of these cannon, or another like it from Nelson’s fleet, would have fired this cannonball into the Redoubtable. Photos by Francis Sartorius II - http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/12066.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28503147  read more

Code: 25988

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

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: 25987

A Superb, Original, Napoleonic Wars, Peninsular Campaign, Siege of Badajoz, 1812, French 8" Explosive Type Howitzer Ball. Used In the Defence of Badajoz. In Fabulous Condition For Age

A large and most impressive hollow iron mortar ball weighing around 30lb. In superb excavated condition, but as it was barely in the usually dry ground {a missfire as it failed to explode} for 15 years or so, it has only basic surface wear. Brought back to England in the 1820's from Badajoz, found during a 'Grand Tour' of Spanish, Napoleonic Wars, Peninsular Campaign battle sites.

The gun crews were composed of 5 men. In 1808, one 6 inch mortar type, with a 3 men crew was added to the list. There was also an 8 inch mortar, outside the Gribeauval system. For these calibres, the bombs could be loaded by one single man and the hooks were not needed.

The 8-inch howitzer was classified as a heavier piece used for siege and fortress artillery.
Consequently, the 8-inch howitzer was primarily deployed during the sieges of strongholds and fortified towns during the Napoleonic Wars, both for defensive, and, offensive barrages.
Specific examples of battles or campaigns where French siege artillery, including 8-inch howitzers, would have been used include:
The Siege of Zaragoza (1809)
The Siege of Badajoz (1812), where grenades (also fired from howitzers) were used as a defensive weapon alongside the large 8" Howitzer balls
The Siege of Tarragona (1811)
The Siege of Cadiz (1810-1812), where 9-inch and 11-inch howitzers (a later innovation) were also used
In the field, Napoleon favored mobility and speed, which led to the extensive use of the lighter 4-, 8-, and 12-pounder cannons and the 6-inch howitzer, often employed in "grand batteries" to concentrate devastating fire on specific points of the enemy line. The 8-inch howitzer, being heavier and less mobile, was not suited for regular mobile field warfare and was usually reserved for more static siege operations.

The French garrison at the Siege of Badajoz in 1812 did not make significant use of howitzers in an offensive capacity, but, records indicate they possessed and used howitzers considerably in a defensive role, particularly for firing shells and grapeshot from the ramparts and in sorties against the British and Portuguese infantry assaults. The british assaults were performed by the volunteer men known as the 'Folorn Hope'
A forlorn hope is a band of soldiers or other combatants chosen to take the vanguard in a military operation, such as a suicidal assault through the breach of a defended position, or the first men to climb a scaling ladder against a defended fortification, or a rearguard, to be expended to save a retreating army, where the risk of casualties is high. Such men were volunteers motivated by the promise of reward or promotion, or men under punishment offered pardon for their offenses, if they survived.
:
Defensive Use: The French, under the command of General Philippon, were well-equipped with various types of artillery for the city's defense. They used their guns and these howitzers to inflict heavy casualties on the British and Portuguese besiegers during the construction of siege trenches and during the final assault on the breaches.
Eyewitness accounts from earlier sieges (e.g., May 1811) specifically mention the French bringing a "Royal Howitzer" out to the area of the Picurina hill during a sortie to fire shells into the allied camps, demonstrating their use of this type of ordnance.

By the time of the final British assault in April 1812, the French garrison was running short of ammunition for their heavy guns and howitzers, which forced them to be economical with their fire to save what they had for the final resistance. This would have limited the overall use of howitzers during the latter stages of the siege.
Defenses at Breaches: During the final assault, the French used a variety of measures to defend the breaches, including explosives, harrows, and chevaux de frise, alongside heavy musket and artillery fire from the ramparts and retrenchments.
In essence, French howitzers were a component of the city's overall defensive artillery, used for firing explosive shells and other close-range ammunition against the besiegers' lines and attacking columns.

Colin Campbell leading the 'Forlorn Hope' in the assault, a painting by William Barnes Wollen

I9th century painting of the Siege of Badajoz in the gallery showing very clearly the trajectory and explosive power of the Howitzers used by both the British and French forces at the same time during the assault.

French Bronze Howitzer photos By PHGCOM - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5283907

The cast iron ball is empty thus perfectly inert and safe.  read more

Code: 25984

A Beautiful & Impressive Shinto Period Long Samurai Tanto Circa 1650

In all original Edo period fittings, including a pair of dragon menuki underneath original Edo two colour striped tsuka-ito, a flying goose in iron Higo fuchi complimented with a carved buffalo horn kashira, a super tsuba in iron with a takebori dragon around half of the edge to match the menuki. Original Edo lacquer saya in black ishime [stone finish] inset with an original Edo Kogatana utility knife, of a fine Oni demon tokebori kozuka on a nakago ground of patinated copper, the demon has a pure gold decorated sash onlaid. The habaki [blade collar] is finely and deeply chiselled at the botom half with a plain contrasting top half. The hira-zukuri blade is beautifully polished with a very clear and well defined deep notare hamon. The whole tanto is very attractive indeed, and all of the fittings, wrap tsuka and saya have been likely completely untouched or restored in around 150 years. The tanto is commonly referred to as a samurai's knife or dagger. The blade can be single or double edged [this one is single edged] with a length between 15 and 30 cm (6-12 inches, in Japanese 1 shaku). The tanto was designed primarily as a stabbing weapon, but the edge can be used for slashing as well. Tanto are generally forged in hira-zukuri style (without ridgeline), meaning that their sides have no ridge line and are nearly flat, unlike the shinogi-zukuri structure of a katana. Some tanto have particularly thick cross-sections for armour-piercing duty, and are called yoroi toshi. The tanto was invented partway through the Heian period. With the beginning of the Kamakura period, tanto were forged to be more aesthetically pleasing, and hira and uchi-sori tanto becoming the most popular styles. Near the middle of the Kamakura period, more tanto artisans were seen, increasing the abundance of the weapon, and the kanmuri-otoshi style became prevalent in the cities of Kyoto and Yamato. Because of the style introduced by the tachi in the late Kamakura period, tanto began to be forged longer and wider. The introduction of the Hachiman faith became visible in the carvings in the hilts around this time. The hamon (line of temper) is similar to that of the tachi, except for the absence of choji-midare, which is nioi and utsuri. Gunomi-midare and suguha are found to have taken its place.

During the era of the Northern and Southern Courts, the tanto were forged to be up to forty centimetres as opposed to the normal one shaku (about thirty centimetres) length. The blades became thinner between the uri and the omote, and wider between the ha and mune. At this point in time, two styles of hamon were prevalent: the older style, which was subtle and artistic, and the newer, more popular style. With the beginning of the Muromachi period, constant fighting caused the greater production of blades. Blades that were custom-forged still were of exceptional quality. As the end of the period neared, the average blade narrowed and the curvature shallowed Overall 21.25 inches long, blade 12 inches [1 shaku] long tsuba to tip.  read more

Code: 23041

A Superb, Gendaito, Japanese Traditionally Hand Made Officer's Katana By A Famous Gendaito Sword Maker, & Signed Ichihara Ichiryushi Nagamitsu, With His Kakihan, and Silver Clan Kamon Of the Fujii

In excellent condition overall, the signed blade bearing the smiths signature with his personal kakihan at the bottom of his name. A kakihan is a rarely seen feature that is a personal symbol for the smith, that can either take the form of a chisel engraved kanji on the nakago or a seal stamp, at the base of the tang, beneath the signature, this is a rare and exclusive personal identification mark. One can see it clearly in the photo of the signature on the blade in the gallery, it is the last kanji at the bottom beneath his name. Kakihan can also be found used by tsuba makers. The blade shows a very fine hamon and is in original superb polish, and all the traditional WW2 sword fittings are very good plus. Metal saya covered in combat leather. The tsuka bears a very good silver kanji clan kamon crest, of the Fujii family of traditional samurai.

Nagamitsu is one of the most famous names in the history of Japanese swords. There have been various swordsmiths named Nagamitsu who worked from the mid 1200’s through the 1940’s. The most famous of them worked in Bizen, although swordsmiths by this name are recorded as having worked in Satsuma, Yamato, Yamashiro and other locations.

Ichihara Ichiryushi Nagamitsu worked during the Showa Era in the 1930’s and 1940’s. He was the one of the famous gendaito smiths who was often thought to be the so-called Director of Okayama Prison, and who men under his control to make fine gendaito known as Emura swords. However, some now believe this is not the case.

It has been established that Nagamitsu was a participant in the first Army Shinsakuto Exhibition held in 1944, in which he entered under the name of Ichihara Nagamitsu. Nagamitsu resided in Okayama and is mentioned in the Tosho Zensho by Shimizu which lists him as a Rikugun Jumei Tosho (Army approved swordsmith) and as a member of the Rikugun Gunto Gijutsu Tenrankai. He was awarded the Kaicho-sho prize at a sword competition held by Riku-gun Gunto Sho-rei Kai before the war.

Some Nagamitsu blades will have a small, faint “saka” stamp on the nakago or nakago-mune. This indicates a blade made for the Osaka Rikugun Zoheisho (Osaka Army Arsenal). Several smiths including Ichihara Nagamitsu, Gassan Sadakatsu, Kawano Sadashige and Kosaka Masayoshi made blades for the Osaka Rikugun Zoheisho.

Swordsman Saruta Mitsuhiro, head of the Musashi Dojo Ryuseika of Osaka, used a blade made by Ishiryushi Nagamitsu to perform kabutowari (helmet cutting). The blade successfully cut several centimeters into the iron plate helmet without sustaining significant damage, thus demonstrating the excellent quality and resilience of Nagamitsu’s swords.
This hand forged katana is a finest quality Gendaito, made by a Kaicho-sho prize winning swordsmith  read more

Code: 25370

A Rare and Very Fine WW1 German Sniper's Scharfschutzengewehr Optical Scope. Some Of The Best & Most Desirable Sniper Scopes Are 20th Century Fine German Examples Such As This

WW1 German Sniper Optical Scope, steel body scope with bracket fittings to the lower section. Top focusing mount is maker marked “Rudiger & Bischoff Braunschweig”. Remains of the blued finish. Optics remain clear. Photo in the gallery of German snipers in WW1 and a cabinet of original snipers kit, including the rifle and sniper site, in the Imperial War Museum. During World War I, snipers appeared as deadly sharpshooters in the trenches. At the start of the war, only Imperial Germany had troops that were issued scoped sniper rifles. Although sharpshooters existed on all sides, the Germans specially equipped some of their soldiers with scoped rifles that could pick off enemy soldiers showing their heads out of their trench. At first the French and British believed such hits to be coincidental hits, until the German scoped rifles were discovered. During World War I, the German army received a reputation for the deadliness and efficiency of its snipers, partly because of the high-quality lenses that German industry could manufacture.

During the First World War, the static movement of trench warfare and a need for protection from snipers created a requirement for loopholes both for discharging firearms and for observation. Often a steel plate was used with a "key hole", which had a rotating piece to cover the loophole when not in use.Imperial German Scharfschutzengewehr (Sharpshooters rifle in German) Model 1898 sniper rifle in 7.92x57 or more commonly known as 8mm Mauser. At the beginning of World War 1 no country had a "sniper program" as we know it today. Germany in 1915 outfitted the most experienced marksmen (typically pre-war game wardens and poachers) with specially selected factory rifles and equiped them with optical hunting sights. These early telescopic sights usually consisted of 2.5x, 3x and 4x power, produced by manufactures like Görtz, Gérard, Oige, Zeiss, Hensoldt, Voigtländer Rudiger & Bischoff and various civilian models from manufacturers like Bock, Busch and Füss. These rifles were standard 1898 Military Model which held exceptionaly high accuracy at the factory. They were fitted with a Model 1898AZ carbine bolt and optic and issued to an individual Soldier (Soldat) instead of a unit. Due to the very high usage of steel armor piercing ammunition the barrels were rapidly erroded and the life span for accuracy was between 1000-2500 rounds, often less, before having to be replaced. Soon the British army began to train their own snipers in specialized sniper schools. Major Hesketh Hesketh-Prichard was given formal permission to begin sniper training in 1915, and founded the First Army School of Sniping, Observation, and Scouting at Linghem in France in 1916. Starting with a first class of only six, in time he was able to lecture to large numbers of soldiers from different Allied nations, proudly proclaiming in a letter that his school was turning out snipers at three times the rate of any such other school in the world.

He also devised a metal-armoured double loophole that would protect the sniper observer from enemy fire. The front loophole was fixed, but the rear was housed in a metal shutter sliding in grooves. Only when the two loopholes were lined up—a one-to-twenty chance—could an enemy shoot between them. Another innovation was the use of a dummy head to find the location of an enemy sniper. The papier-mâché figures were painted to resemble soldiers to draw sniper fire. Some were equipped with rubber surgical tubing so the dummy could "smoke" a cigarette and thus appear realistic. Holes punched in the dummy by enemy sniper bullets then could be used for triangulation purposes to determine the position of the enemy sniper, who could then be attacked with artillery fire. He developed many of the modern techniques in sniping, including the use of spotting scopes and working in pairs, and using Kim's Game to train observational skills. An original complete Imperial German Scharfschutzengewehr (Sharpshooters rifle in German) Model 1898 GEW98 rifle, with its scope, just as this one, can now fetch over $11,000.  read more

Code: 23342

A Scarce Infanterie Seitengewehr Model 1871 Mauser Rifle Bayonet With Full Regimental Markings to Sword and Scabbard

The Mauser Model 1871 adopted as the Gewehr 71 or Infanterie-Gewehr 71, or "Infantry Rifle 71" ("I.G.Mod.71" was stamped on the rifles themselves) was the first rifle model in a distinguished line designed and manufactured by Paul Mauser and Wilhelm Mauser of the Mauser company and later mass-produced at Spandau arsenal.

Irish Republicans imported some 1,500 single-shot 1871 Mausers in the Howth gun-running for the nationalist militia called the Irish Volunteers in 1914. They were used in action by the Volunteers in the Easter Rising of 1916, the rebellion aimed at ending British rule in Ireland which began the Irish War of Independence. The 1871 Mauser became known in Ireland as the "Howth Mauser"  read more

Code: 24977