A Most Scarce Antique Samurai Commander's Saihai, A Samurai Army Signalling Baton

Edo period. From a pair of different forms of saihai acquired by us.

For a commander to signal troop movements to his samurai army in battle. A Saihai, a most lightweight item of samurai warfare, and certainly a most innocuous looking instrument, despite being an important part of the control of samurai troop movements in combat, usually consisted of a lacquered wooden haft with metal ends. The butt had a hole for a cord for the saihai to be hung from the armour of the samurai commander when not being used. The head of the saihai had a hole with a cord attached to a tassel of strips of lacquered paper, leather, cloth or yak hair, rarest of all used metal strips. This example uses yak hair.
We show the lord Uesugi Kenshin holding his in an antique woodblock print in the gallery.

The saihai first came into use during the 1570s and the 1590s between the Genki and Tensho year periods. Large troop movements and improved and varied tactics required commanders in the rear to be able to signal their troops during a battle Uesugi Kenshin (February 18, 1530 - April 19, 1578) was a daimyo who was born as Nagao Kagetora, and after the adoption into the Uesugi clan, ruled Echigo Province in the Sengoku period of Japan. He was one of the most powerful daimyos of the Sengoku period. While chiefly remembered for his prowess on the battlefield, Kenshin is also regarded as an extremely skillful administrator who fostered the growth of local industries and trade; his rule saw a marked rise in the standard of living of Echigo.

Kenshin is famed for his honourable conduct, his military expertise, a long-standing rivalry with Takeda Shingen, his numerous campaigns to restore order in the Kanto region as the Kanto Kanrei, and his belief in the Buddhist god of war?Bishamonten. In fact, many of his followers and others believed him to be the Avatar of Bishamonten, and called Kenshin "God of War".  read more

Code: 21517

Choose The Ideal Christmas Gift From Great Britain's Favourite Armoury Antiques & Collector's Shop. Some of The Best Ideas You Could Imagine, For Both Christmas & New Year, Have Come From The Lanes Armoury’. Our 105th Christmas in Brighton

Now moving on towards the end of November, as we all are, this would the perfect time to select a Christmas gift for a loved one {or oneself} from our unique and massive selection of original military antiques, ancient antiquities, and Ist edition novels. Also a fine time for deliveries worldwide to arrive before the Christmas festivities.

This is our 105th year of family trading this coming Christmas, and the dawn of our 106th year. However, we have actually traded in Brighton for well over 200 years, but until WW1 we were principally involved in the fishing trade, especially seafood. In the early 19th century we used to supply the Brighton Royal Pavilion, the palace of King George IVth {formerly the Prince Regent} with shellfish.

Every year, many, many millions of people visit Brighton, and many hundreds of thousands of them find there way here to us. In fact up to two or three thousand often visit us every opening day.
The world famous New York Times included our gallery in their list as one of the very best places to visit in the UK when travelling to Europe from America. Where else in the UK could you leave a store, after a jolly Christmas holiday visit, with a selection of original WW2 Officer’s uniform buttons for only £1.50p each, or an original solid gold and gemstone intaglio carved seal ring once worn 1700 years ago by an Imperial Roman senator. Where you might rub shoulders with a former American President’s First Lady, a Hollywood superstar, {our latest recent superstar visitor was British actor Tom Hardy} or a retired Scottish teacher on a regular visit from the Outer Hebrides.

Incredible things seem to happen here every day, for example, just this week a very nice gentleman arrived after travelling all the way from Hong Kong, just to view, and purchase, one of our most special Japanese swords we were offering, and just as it was being packed up, after our business together was concluded, for its long journey to his home, another gentleman called on the phone with sincere interest in order to buy that very same sword, just a few minutes after the Hong Kong gentleman bought it, and bearing in mind we have many hundreds of swords on offer, and many thousands of intriguing pieces.
This remarkable occurrence was witnessed by one of our oldest friends and a very special regular customer, who was seated witnessing the whole turn of events, and he was amazed at the incredible coincidence, yet, he exclaimed, that so many hundreds of times he has been here in the past near 20 years, and he has seen, first hand, just how often that happens. We are truly a shop of most remarkably diverse visitors, and extraordinary coincidences.

As a former client, world renowned author, John Osborne, once said to Mark,
“It’s quite extraordinary, you can see just about everyone you could imagine here, and if you haven’t seen them yet, there’re probably on their way!’

Unique, ancient, antique and vintage beautiful items are our specialty, and be sure and certain that anything from us will be the best choice you can make this Christmas time. Just arrived this week! some stunning cannon balls fired at Waterloo. Plus, our current selection ranges from a collection just acquired of really great and rare bayonets, British German & French, antique WW1 and WW2, from a collector who wanted the very best he could find over the past 40 years. Including rare French examples from the 'Russian contract' during WW1, that were uncovered in Ukraine in the late 90's, and some French Foreign Legion bayonets, acquired from a French Foreign Legion reserve armoury depot clear-out in the 70's. Plus stunning and rare Japanese samurai swords including a beautiful, original 'Tamashigiri Cutting Test' antique samurai katana signed by high rated master smith, Masashige Tegarayama, 手柄山正繁 with a highly rare Tamashigiri Cutting Test, By Gonnosuke Komatsubara, Dated 1799 to some super Ist Edition Charles Dickens novels, and various fabulous, wonderful and utterly beautiful antique Victorian dragoon dress helmets. Also a stunning collection of historical, provenanced original Napoleonic War cannon balls and a huge French Howitzer explosive round { now inert}.

All kinds of other unique and fabulous conversation pieces, including some delightful volumes, have been acquired lately, such as, for example, a 1st edition of The Third Man by Graham Greene, one of David senior’s fellow imbibers at our neighbours ancient establishment, The Cricketers, Brighton’s 500 year old inn.

Another part of our original Japanese katana acquisitions arrived, and as usual many are stunning beauties and A Superb Choice For This Christmas, And a Special Price Too! A Very Good World War II Imperial Japanese Army Officer's Katana with a famous family's silver clan mon

We have had arrive here recently, some more really wonderful, original pieces of history. And as usual, this occurs almost every single day, {except Sunday} sometimes many times in a day if we are fortunate. Being one of all the world’s collectors favourite stores, some incredible artifacts are almost magnetically drawn to our doorstep every opening hour.

Every item, as usual, will be accompanied with our unique, presentation quality, 'Certificate of Authenticity' that will not only fully certify it's genuineness, but it will detail the circumstance of it's origin, and where and when it may have been used in it's specific or generic history.
Where else in Britain could you walk out of the store this Christmas with an original souvenir from Alexander the Great's battle with the Persians in 334 B.C, from only £65, to a fabulous unique handmade gold, diamond and ruby 'Mystery Watch' once owned by movie legend, Elizabeth Taylor, for just under £180,000, or, a 2500 year old ancient Chinese sword that may very likely have once been the sword of a king!, and how about a fabulous 'Shaturnal' a Moghul War-Elephant cannon

We are very proud to offer a superb selection of ancient antiquities, swords, daggers and spears from all the major past empires and civilisations of the world from over the past 3,500 years. In fact many recognise our unique and original selection is likely the best and most comprehensive to be seen, and offered for sale, anywhere in Europe, and possibly even the world over.

This Christmas season we can offer thousands of pieces, including, such as, a fabulous complete set of Charles Dickens novels

"Outside of a dog, man's best friend is a book. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."

— GROUCHO MARX
{and yes, he was a visiting customer as well, in around March 1965}

And please be further assured, all gift purchases may be changed after Christmas for any form of suitable alternatives.

"Doesn't someone you know deserve something unique from The Lanes Armoury". Just look at a few of our thousands of pages of delectable offerings, that vary from a very rare Rowntree’s WW2 munitions factory Rescue Officer’s helmet, to an Iceni chieftain’s chariot rein mount from the Roman-Celtic war with Queen Boudicca in England 2000 years ago, to very rare Italian Renaissance 16th century prince's dagger, to crossbow bolts recovered from the Battle site of Bannockburn {23–24 June 1314}, to some exceptional swords from the Napoleonic Wars, some belonging to several of Napoleon's generals. One, is a presentational grade sabre, somewhat akin to the fabulous Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund swords awarded to hero’s of the wars with Napoleon {but fortunately, not for the 100,000 pounds plus cost that they can command today}, &, to a superb Gurkha’s WW2 military issue kukri for just a few hundred pounds. Everything is possible through our portals, for all budget ranges, from just a few pounds to six figures.

The Lanes Armoury described by the 'New York Times' as one of the very best stores and destinations to visit when in Europe.
A living, breathing gallery that is a huge walk around ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’, containing thousands of original historical and magical pieces from the ancient long past, to the near recent. In fact, from 300,000 years of human history, and 100 million years of world history.

We are certainly not the biggest premier store in Europe recommended by the New York Times, in fact we are probably the smallest, but what we lack in size, apparently, we more than make up for in amazement, and wonder, and, the family have been trading in antiques in Brighton for over 104 years. Prior to that, we traded in Brighton caught shellfish for the previous 100 plus years, with our licensed shellfish concessions for the entire Brighton coastline.

For example, we added recently items that range from a Samurai Ancestral Sword Around 600 years old {or more}, a WW2 Japanese Officer's Sword With An Ancestral Blade 450 Years Old, an original late Koto to shinto samurai’s daisho, a stunning ‘Agincourt’, hand-and-a-half knights sword, a Seige of Troy era Bronze Age sword, incredibly rare original Viking warriors sword around 1000 years old, a beautiful samurai’s disguised fan dagger, plus, Ancient Roman Gladiator's rings for both for a Gladiator and Gladiatrix, around 1700 years old.

Google just let us know our updated Google entry just past the amazing 1,000,000 { one million } searches in order to find out our location in order to visit us here in Brighton, England.

Twenty Four Years Ago, After 80 Years Trading in Brighton, We Were Honoured by Being Nominated & Awarded by BACA, In The Best Antique & Collectables Shop In Britain Awards 2001
Presented by MILLER'S Antiques Guide, THE BBC, HOMES & ANTIQUES MAGAZINE, for the British Antique & Collectables Awards. The version of the antique dealers ‘Oscars’ of Britain.


In the gallery, the first photo, is a wonderful daybreak photo, taken the at the farm two Christmas seasons ago, December 2023. Showing what some are calling the South of England's 'Sky-on-Fire' Daybreak. You can see in the far distance in his retirement paddock the late Judy Hawkins's beloved former UK 'Supreme Champion' Scottish Highland grey pony, that was a frequent competitor against the late queen's Highlands at Windsor Castle. In his prime, he had his own worldwide fan club, and competition followers. Photo 7 in the gallery is old “Governor’ and his little chum “Roger” waiting for their morning apples at our farm last year, sadly, they are now no longer with us. Photo 8 is a typical example of everyday new arrivals in the gallery. Photo 9 is Judy and Holly, ten years apart, first watching "Governor" in competition, then Holly alone, with her horse, following on in her late devoted grandmother's passion, and, the family tradition. Our family have been entranced by our love of animals since modern memory, but principally dogs and horses, for over 200 years. Of course, in regards to horses, the first 130 years was by necessity, as then you couldn’t get anything done, in both the domestic or business world, at all, without them, but the past 70 years has been for love, pleasure and joy alone.
This year has been a tough one for our equine life. First we lost Governor, then Roger, then just last week, Arrow. But the many decades of joy they brought us all, and hopefully the joyous life they all led with us here, more than makes up for our feelings of loss and sadness.

The last photo in the gallery is an autographed photo, given to Mark personally, by the late, great, 40th President of The United States, Ronald Reagan in the Oval Office of The White House.  read more

Code: 25540

A Most Scarce Antique Samurai Commander's Saihai, A Samurai Army Signalling Baton

Edo period. From a pair of different forms of saihai acquired by us.
For a commander to signal troop movements to his samurai army in battle. A Saihai, a most lightweight item of samurai warfare, and certainly a most innocuous looking instrument, despite being an important part of the control of samurai troop movements in combat, usually consisted of a lacquered wooden haft with metal ends. The butt had a hole for a cord for the saihai to be hung from the armour of the samurai commander when not being used. The head of the saihai had a hole with a cord attached to a tassel of strips of lacquered paper, leather, cloth or yak hair, rarest of all were metal strips. This is the metal strip version.

We show the lord Uesugi Kenshin holding his saihai, in an antique woodblock print, in the gallery.

The saihai first came into use during the 1570s and the 1590s between the Genki and Tensho year periods. Large troop movements and improved and varied tactics required commanders in the rear to be able to signal their troops during a battle Uesugi Kenshin (February 18, 1530 - April 19, 1578) was a daimyo who was born as Nagao Kagetora, and after the adoption into the Uesugi clan, ruled Echigo Province in the Sengoku period of Japan. He was one of the most powerful daimyos of the Sengoku period.
While chiefly remembered for his prowess on the battlefield, Kenshin is also regarded as an extremely skillful administrator who fostered the growth of local industries and trade; his rule saw a marked rise in the standard of living of Echigo.

Kenshin is famed for his honourable conduct, his military expertise, a long-standing rivalry with Takeda Shingen, his numerous campaigns to restore order in the Kanto region as the Kanto Kanrei, and his belief in the Buddhist god of war Bishamonten. In fact, many of his followers and others believed him to be the Avatar of Bishamonten, and called Kenshin "God of War".  read more

Code: 21511

A Rare Early German WW1 'Butcher' Bayonet S98/05 o.S. (ohne Sage} with Steel Scabbard By Fichtel and Sachs

WW1 issue date and Imperial German inspection stamped and dated 1916
Designed to fit the Mauser Gew 98 rifle. The Seitengewehr 98/05 was introduced into the the Prussian army in late 1905, as a replacement for the 98/02 for engineers and pioneer troops, as the 98/02 was deemed too long and heavy for its intended purpose. Initial production was in two versions, the first plain backed, and the second with 29 double teeth. The earliest scabbard was leather with steel throat and chape mounts, later changed to all steel that was better for trench warfare combat. T
he bayonet as typical of German blades did not have more than a vestigial muzzle ring, relying on the length of the hilt mounting to fix the blade to its rifle. The plain back version was identified as the S98/05 or S98/05 o.S. (ohne Sage - without saw) and the saw back as the S98/05 S or m.S. (mit Sage - with saw).

The Western Front became so fixed primarily because of a lopsided revolution in military tactics and technology. Simply put, advances in offensive warfare had not developed at the same rate as those in defensive warfare. In the early years of World War I, a force could protect itself with barbed wire, stationary machine guns, and rapid-fire artillery, but it could attack only with infantry armed with bolt-action rifles. This lack of parity between an attacker and a defender meant that new offensives rarely succeeded and almost always resulted in enormous casualties. The war in the west therefore settled into a prolonged stretch of trench warfare in which neither side could gain a clear advantage.  read more

Code: 25999

A Very Good 19th Century Masai Warrior's Lion Hunter's Long Spear

With superb patina.
The spear has long been the weapon of choice of the Maasai. It is used to defend cattle, community and the warrior himself against wild animals and invaders. Constructed from wood and iron, it is deemed to be the single most valued personal possession after livestock. There are countless romanticized tales that center around these tall, imposing Maasai giants, fighting courageously against man and beast. They are the mighty lion hunters of Africa, brave of heart and the able assassins of any human attacker. In fact, it is the dream of every Maasai warrior to kill an enemy by dispatching a deadly spear wound to the front torso. In doing so he would gain the highest honor from his kinsmen. The lengthened long lion hunting spear offered here is a classic Maasai favorite. The long heavy iron spear head was designed specially to bring down lions.The weapon has a two piece configuration. The spear heads are attached by hardened wax to the wooden grip  read more

Code: 25998

A Most Rarely Seen, Antique Ceremonial, Head-Hunters Sword 'Pusaka Magic' Dohong, A Borneo, Dyak Shamen's, Kayanic Art Ritual Sword, With a Carved, Twin-Head Hilt

This is an amazing dohong, a Borneo kayanic art carved twin headed hilt sword, given to a previous owner, by a Dyak headhunter shamen, with a hardened skin scabbard, possibly goatskin. It’s condition is superb with stunning natural age patina to the carved wooden hilt. Kayanic art is most distinctive in the depiction of carved heads, with an owl-like style of heart shaped face carving

There are a lot of intriguing interest about this most rare form of shamen's dohong when they appear. They can come in either dagger or short sword form, and both are rare, but due to the fact it was likely used mostly for ceremonial "pusaka magic", many have never seen such a piece to survive. Few such ceremonies had ever been seen by Westerners, as very few outsiders visited the inner Dayak tribes during the 19th century. Of course ceremonial Dyak shamen magic was not always benign, as it could often include head-hunting, so the reticence of strangers to attempt to view such ceremonies was highly understandable

There is however, a somewhat similar carved wood hilted double headed kyanic art example in the National Museum Wereldkulturen in Rotterdam, and from all the ones we have seen, although very few in number of course, they have had all manner of bespoke differences. See photo 10 of that particular similar sword in the gallery

Dayaks are a collection ethic groups that have traditionally lived in the forests in both the Malaysian and Indonesian sides of Borneo. They are distinguished from the Malay population in that for the most part they are not Muslims and distinguished from the Penan in that have traditionally been settled while the Penan were nomadic.

The Dayaks are former head hunters and the original "wild men of Borneo." They continued to practice headhunting after it was outlawed by the Dutch in the 19th century. Up until World War II most of them were river-dwelling head hunters. Now many have been Christianized and forced into settlements. Even though they were the original inhabitants of Borneo they are now greatly outnumbered by Malays and Indonesians. It is believed that most Dayaks lived along the coast until they were driven inland after the arrival of the Malays.

Dayak "psycho-navigators” use visions and dreams to help them find their way in the forest. Dayak shaman practitioners of the "Old Snake religion” describe a hidden highland lake where enormous aging pythons enjoy dancing under the light of the full moon to honor the forest god Aping. Many Dayaks are Christians who have incorporated animists concepts onto their belief scheme. Missionaries went through the trouble of backpacking in paints and brushes to make hellfire scenes on the sides of longhouses. On the positive side missionaries have helped the Dayak clear landing strips which can be used for medical emergencies.

James Brooke wrote in his journal in “Expedition to Borneo of H.M.S. Dido for the Suppression of Piracy”: “The Kayans of the north-west coast of Borneo have one custom in common with the wild tribe of Minkoka in the Bay of Boni. Both the Kayans and Minkokas on the death of a relative seek for a head; and on the death of their chief many human heads must be procured: which practice is unknown to the Dyak. It may further be remarked, that their probable immigration from Celebes is supported by the statement of the Millanows, that the Murut and Dyak give place to the Kayan whenever they come in contact, and that the latter people have depopulated large tracts in the interior, which were once occupied by the former. Source: “The Expedition to Borneo of H.M.S. Dido For the Suppression of Piracy” by Henry Keppel and James Brooke (1847).

The Dayak perform elaborate death ceremonies in which the bones are disinterred for secondary reburial. The Ngaju Dayaks in the Mendawai area of Kalimantan keep alive their ancient burial rituals called Tiwah. Participants wear bizarre masks, with owl-like heart shaped faces, sing, and stage mock attacks. They exhume the bones of the dead, anoint and touch the bones and re-intern them in family “sandung”. (House-shaped boxes on stilts). In the old days headhunting was often include in the ritual.

Interestingly, despite returning from the darkest regions of the interior of Borneo, with this gifted sword, by the original vendors father, a former merchant ship captain, we were reminded, due to a mention from a regular viewer of our site, that we once had a somewhat similar style prestige sword from the Bamum or Tikar people of Cameroon. A tribe known for its similar highly talented artistry and carving. We couldn’t help wondering if there could once possibly have been a connection of some sort between these two native peoples due to the similarity of this wood-carvings artistry, despite around 7,000 mile distance between these peoples across the Indian Ocean. Could the Tikar peoples have made swords inspired by the Borneo version, or indeed could it be the other way around, and a Tikar sword found its way to Borneo. We may never know.

The captains son mentioned his father had a b&w photograph with the entire tribe’s elders after gifting him this sword. Apparently he became a most favoured ‘foreigner’ with the tribe due his supply of important necessities to them in ‘difficult times’. This may have been during the imminent Japanese invasions of that part of the world around the Indian Ocean in WW2.

The overall condition for age is excellent with just a small separation of the hide at the base of the scabbard. 28.5 inches long overall in scabbard, blade 16 inches long

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 our family’s trading  read more

Code: 24466

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