A Most Rare 19th Century Imperial Prussian Glaive Short Sword. In Beautiful Condition, Fully Conserved & Hand Polished Throughout

This is a very impressive Prussian short sword with a very wide and substantial broadsword blade. Possibly an 18th century, M1787 early infantry pattern version, of the M1787 Prussian falchion, the single edged wide bladed infantryman's short sword.

Numerous Prussian ordnance blade stamps, and regimental stamps to the hilt.

The Prussian infantry brigade usually had two regiments. Each regiment had three battalions (one fusilier and two musketier) and two grenadier companies. The two grenadier companies of first regiment and two of the second, were detached and formed combined grenadier battalion.
The seven battalions were formed in three lines.

This must be a most rare surviving example, as we have not seen its like for over 40 years, and it appears in no reference books that we can see, only the narrower longer bladed type we can find.

Overall it is in excellent fully original condition in all parts and respects, after spending over 25 hours being hand polished and conserved in our workshop.

Approx 27 inches long overall in its scabbard, blade length 20.75 inches, blade approx 2 inches wide  read more

Code: 25611

Crimean War, Indian Mutiny & Zulu War Service 1831 Pattern General Officer's Sword Mamaluke with Rare Copper Gilt & Leather Mounted Scabbard

This general's sword was bespoke commissioned and thus as used in the Crimean War, the Indian Mutiny, and the Zulu War, by a general of the British army. Most later Generals swords have the brass scabbard, which is still in use today, but the best and earliest types of generals sword have the leather with copper gilt mounted scabbards, as this one has, that was originally designed in the Napoleonic Wars

It is near identical to the sword of General Raglan of the Charge of the Light Brigade fame in the Crimean War. See photo 9 in the gallery of General Lord Raglan with his same sword. General Raglan became commander of the British troops sent to the Crimea in 1854: his primary objective was to defend Constantinople, and he was also ordered to besiege the Russian port of Sevastopol. After an early success at the Battle of the Alma, a failure to deliver orders with sufficient clarity caused the fateful Charge of the Light Brigade at the Battle of Balaclava.

Promoted to major-general in June 1854, it was his service in the Crimean War (1854-56) that brought him to public attention and finally made his reputation.

This sword is also just as used by General Colin Campbell in both the Crimean war and the Indian Mutiny. He commanded the Highland Brigade with notable success at the Battle of the Alma (1854). And at Balaklava (1854), his 'thin red line' of Highlanders repulsed the Russian cavalry assault.

Later in the campaign, Campbell took over command of the 1st Division from the Duke of Cambridge. He also did his best to improve the comfort of his men during the bitter Crimean winter. He was promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Bath in July 1855. Campbell's concern for his men and his prudent desire to keep casualties to a minimum meant that he was much loved by his soldiers. Throughout his career he always stressed the importance of their physical conditioning and mental well-being. When news of the Indian Mutiny (1857-59) reached England in July 1857, the Prime Minister, Lord Palmerston, offered Campbell the position of Commander-in-Chief of India in place of General George Anson, who had just died. He left the following day, arriving in Calcutta in August. Having organised his troops and cleared Lower Bengal of mutineers, Campbell advanced on 9 November with 4,500 men to relieve the besieged garrison at Lucknow. After defeating Tantya Tope at Cawnpore in December 1857, Campbell returned to Lucknow the following March for the final capture of the city.

He attacked in set-piece fashion, moving forward from position to position, after his engineers had constructed bridges across the Gumti River. La Martiniere was captured on 9 March and two days later the Secundra Bagh and the Shah Najaf mosque fell.

The Begum Kothi palace complex was a tougher nut to crack. Severe hand-to-hand fighting led to over 700 rebel deaths. Over the next three days, Campbell's gunners blasted their way through the buildings between the Begum Kothi and the rebel posts in the Kaisar Bagh - the Nawab of Oudh's palace - which was captured on 14 March.

Another general to use a sword as this was Lieutenant-General Sir James Outram, 1st Baronet GCB, KCSI (29 January 1803 – 11 March 1863) was a British general who fought in the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

And another famous British general, that also used a sword just as this fine sword, was Lieutenant-General Frederick Augustus Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford KCB in the Zulu War . Who lost his reputation due to the massacre at Isandlwana, but regained it due to his success at Ulundi. See photo 10 in the gallery of General Thesiger, Baron Chelsford.

Excellent condition hilt, with near all its original mercurial gilt remaining, and fine carved ivory grip plates. It is finely engraved throughout with the traditional cast langets of a wreathed crossed sabre and field marshal’s baton, depicting the rank of general.
Excellent scabbard of leather over mounted with copper gilt fancy mounts bearing much original mercurial hilt remaking. The blade is fully etched with Her Majesty Queen Victoria’s cypher, bright polish with areas of old surface pitting.

This beautiful, antique, historical sword has just returned from over twenty hours of artisan hand cleaning and polishing revealing its true beauty once more

The Mamaluke pattern British Army General's sword evolved from the swords captured at the Battle of The Nile and were brought back as war trophies by Admiral Lord Nelson. These beautiful ivory hilted swords so impressed The Duke of Wellington, and his senior officers, they were worn and adopted for wear during the Napoleonic Wars. There are several portraits of Wellington and his Generals in full uniform and adorned with such swords. The pattern was formally adopted by the British Crown as The Generals pattern in 1831, although a General could choose to wear the 1822 type, the Gothic Hilted sword. This sword is from the era from the Indian Mutiny, the Crimean War, the Zulu War and The Egypt Campaign. A beautifully etched blade with full General's symbol of crossed Baton and Sabre and Queen Victoria's cypher Crown VR.
Antique ivory, exemption to the Ivory Act 2018
Submission reference
CJ293615
Antique ivory, however old, cannot be imported into the USA.  read more

Code: 25610

A Mid 19th Century, French,1840 Mounting For A Crystal Witch Ball Scrying Glass. A Most Fine, Bronze, Ancient Greek Form Triple Sphinx Stand. A Most Intriguing Classic Antique Collector's Item Of The Esoteric Mystical Arts and Occultism

Part of a wonderful collection of esoteric mystical collectable works of art were were delighted to acquire.

The crystal ball was used by gazing into their centre, for the divination of the future, and the answering of questions. As well as the warding off of evil spirits and misfortune. A fascinating treasure - of great artistic quality.

The Greek sphinx would essentially remain a lion with a woman's bust. It was sometimes given the attributes of a Greek goddess like a feathered crown, a necklace with a spiral, and a row of spirals on its wings. The sphinx was represented on precious objects, often made of ivory and gold, like crowns and thrones. At the end of the Bronze Age, the sphinx practically disappeared from the Greek world, only to be reintroduced during the 8th century BC. From this time on, it was often represented on vases and sometimes confused with the centaur. Sphinxes were put into active situations, for example accompanying a hero to combat or surrounding Athena, and wearing helmets, diadems, or floral crowns.

From the 6th century BC, the sphinx was sometimes associated with death and destruction. Oedipus fought the creature to free the city of Thebes that it was terrorizing. The first representations of this myth seem to date back to the 6th century BC. A famous example of later iconography are the paintings by Gustave Moreau.

Witch balls were found in England in the 1600 and 1700s originally to ward off evil spirits and spells. By the 1800s witch balls crossed the Atlantic to New England. They also spread to other parts of Europe, being found in Italy, France, and Constantinople. The witch ball originated among cultures where harmful magic and those who practiced it were feared. They are one of many folk practices involving objects for protecting the household. The word witch ball may be a corruption of watch ball because it was used to ward off, guard against, evil spirits. They may be hung in an eastern window, placed on top of a vase, or for the very wealthy set upon a decorative gold stand, either pedestal, or figural, or suspended by a cord (as from the mantelpiece or rafters). They may also be placed on sticks in windows or hung in rooms where inhabitants wanted to ward off evil.

Superstitious European sailors valued the talismanic powers of the witch balls in protecting their homes. Witch balls appeared in America in the 19th century and larger, more opaque variations are often found in gardens under the name gazing ball. This name derives from their being used for divination and scrying where a person gazes into them dreamily to try to see future events or to see the answers to questions. However, gazing balls contain no strands within their interior. The witch ball holds great superstition with regard to warding off evil spirits in our particular English counties of East Sussex and West Sussex. The tradition was also taken to overseas British colonies, such as the former British colonies of New England, and remains popular in coastal regions. Apparently, our Hawkins forebears ship’s that sailed across to the New World in the 1600’s, for both trade, emigres, and pilgrims, would carry at least one witch ball hung within a net on board. Our paternal grandmother hung one such in a net from her home’s East window all her life until her death in the 1980’s.

The history of the crystal ball as a device can be traced as far back as to the Medieval Period in central Europe (between 500 – 1500 AD) and in Scandinavia (1050 – 1500 AD). The very ancient art of using reflective surfaces in divination is called scrying and is almost as old as man himself. Queen Elizabeth I consulted Dr John Dee, philosopher, mathematician and alchemist for advice in government and a smoky quartz ball that belonged to Dee is now in the British Museum. Any antique crystal spheres are very desirable especially if a well-known reader has used them. This is the best one we have ever seen quite simply and it must have belonged to someone who took their craft incredibly seriously as it would have been tremendously expensive to make at the time.

Occultism, a group of esoteric religious traditions emerging primarily from 19th-century Europe. In particular, the term occultism is associated with the ideas of the French Kabbalist and ceremonial magician Éliphas Lévi as well as the various figures, both in France and abroad, who were strongly influenced by his writings. In the academic study of esotericism, the term is often used in a broader sense to characterize all esoteric traditions that have adapted to an increasingly secular, globalized, and scientific world, including Spiritualism, Spiritism, Wicca, and the New Age milieu.
History
The term occultism derives from occult, itself adopted from the Latin word occultus, meaning “hidden” or “secret.” In medieval and early modern Europe this term had been used in reference to “occult properties,” or forces that, even if invisible to the human eye, were believed to exist within material objects. In the 16th century the term occult gained additional meanings, coming to also describe specific traditions of thought, usually called “occult sciences” or “occult philosophies.” Among the traditions repeatedly labeled under these terms were alchemy, astrology, and magia naturalis (“natural magic”), all of which are now typically regarded as forms of esotericism.
The earliest known use of the term occultism comes from French, where l’occultisme appears in Jean-Baptiste Richard’s 1842 work Enrichissement de la langue française (“Enrichment of the French Language”). The word’s popularization nevertheless results largely from its use by Alphonse Louis Constant, a French author who published a series of books under the pseudonym Éliphas Lévi in the 1850s and ’60s. Sometimes referred to as the “founder of occultism,” Lévi was a committed Roman Catholic and socialist interested in many older esoteric traditions, including ceremonial magic, Kabbalah, and the use of the tarot. In his writings, most notably his highly influential Dogme et rituel de la haute magie (The Doctrine and Ritual of High Magic; 1854–1856), he wrote about a purported ancient and universal tradition of spiritual wisdom, the knowledge of which could help bridge the modern divide between science and religion. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, many of the influential French figures who were inspired by Lévi—including Stanislas de Guaita, Joséphin Péladan, and Papus—also went on to describe their beliefs and practices as occultisme.
Scrying, also referred to as "seeing" or "peeping," is a practice rooted in divination and fortune-telling. It involves gazing into a medium, hoping to receive significant messages or visions that could offer personal guidance, prophecy, revelation, or inspiration

Scrying has been practiced in many cultures in the belief that it can reveal the past, present, or future. Some practitioners assert that visions that come when one stares into the media are from the subconscious or imagination, while others say that they come from gods, spirits, devils, or the psychic mind, depending on the culture and practice. There is neither any systematic body of empirical support for any such views in general however, nor for their respective rival merits; individual preferences in such matters are arbitrary

Undoubtedly, Nostradamus is the most recognized of scryers. In the sixteenth century, in ancient France, he was an astrologer and physician. He wrote in poetic quatrains which referenced future events. In his day, working as a magician conflicted with the law. His predictions were veiled to allow him to fly under the radar in that sense.

The Crystal Ball is a painting by John William Waterhouse completed in 1902. Waterhouse displayed both it and The Missal in the Royal Academy of 1902. The painting shows the influence of the Italian Renaissance with vertical and horizontal lines, along with circles "rather than the pointed arches of the Gothic".

Another painting in the gallery. Part of a private collection, the painting, by Pieter Claesz circa 1628, Still Life with Crystal Ball which depicts a crystal ball, a wand, a book of ceremonial magic, and a woman "weaving a spell", has been restored to show the skull which had been covered by a previous owner.

Yet another painting is Leonardo da Vinci's 'Salvator Mundi' Circa 1500, of Jesus Christ bearing a crystal ball in his left hand.
Approx Overall the the crystal ball is very good indeed but just the odd near invisible age marking.
15cm high  read more

Code: 25502

French Cavalry-of-the-Line Flintlock Pistol M1816 for Cuirassiers, Dragoons and Lancers, Ordnance Converted to Percussion in 1822

It has all its complete and original parts completely conserved, serviced, and cleaned by hand. Including a walnut half-stock, iron and brass mounts, ramrod lacking, and butt-cap, the lock inscribed for the French arsenal manufacture, 'M.re Rle de M? {possibly Manufacture Royale de Mutzig}. French Royal restoration period, with numerous inspector's stamps throughout all parts.

Used by the French line regiments of the cuirassiers, dragoons, or lancers from 1816 up to and including the Crimean war.

Good tight action, sound barrel. Many pistols of this type were also imported to the USA during the Civil War. At the time of the Crimean War, the army of the Second Empire was a subscripted army, but was also the most proficient army in Europe. One of the more famous groups were the Zouaves. According to Captain George Brinton McClellan, an American Military Observer, the Zouaves were the "most reckless, self-reliant, and complete infantry that Europe can produce. With his graceful dress, soldierly bearing, and vigilant attitude, the Zouave at an outpost is the beau ideal of a soldier."
The French army consisted of the Imperial Guard infantry, the line infantry including the Foreign Legion, cavalry, artillery, and engineer troops. Sources suggest that between 45,000 and 100,000 French forces were involved at one time or the other in the Crimea. Service in the French army was for seven years, with re-enlistments in increments of seven years. The Battle of Eupatoria was the most important military engagement of the Crimean War on the Crimean theatre in 1855 outside Sevastopol.

Ottoman forces were being transferred from the Danube front to the Crimean port of Eupatoria and the town was being fortified. Upon direct orders from the Czar who feared a wide-scale Ottoman offensive on the Russian flank, a Russian expeditionary force was formed under General Stepan Khrulev aiming to storm the base with a force variously estimated between 20,000 to 30,000.

Khrulev hoped to take the Ottoman garrison by surprise on February 17, 1855. His intention failed to materialise, as both the Ottoman garrison and the Allied fleet anticipated the attack.

The Russian artillery and infantry attacks were countered by heavy Allied artillery fire. Failing to make progress after three hours and suffering mounting casualties, Khrulev ordered a retreat.

This reverse led to the dismissal of the Russian Commander-in-Chief Aleksandr Sergeyevich Menshikov and probably hastened the death of Nicholas I of Russia, who died several weeks after the battle.

As for the battle's strategic importance, it confirmed that allied total command of the sea would ensure that the threat to the Russian flank would remain for the duration of hostilities. For the allies, possession of Eupatoria meant that the total investment of Sevastopol remained a viable option. For the Russians, they could not afford to commit unlimited resources from their vast army to the Crimea, for fear of a lightning allied thrust from Eupatoria closing the neck of the peninsula at Perekop.

For the Ottomans, their Army had regained its self-esteem and to some extent its reputation; most French and British realised this, although others including the high command would stubbornly refuse to make further use of their fighting abilities in the Crimean theatre. A very nice example of French cavalry percussion pistol (Ref. "French Military Weapons 1717-1938", by James E. Hicks, pp. 81 and 94).

Hand specialist conservation and preservation of original items is one of our fundamental tenets, it is not unusual for us to expend up to ten times the cost of an item in order to preserve a piece for the future, and to return it to how it once looked for posterity. Of course over restoration can be worse than no restoration at all so every care is made to ensure exactly the right amount of conservation is undertaken by our specialist and highly trained world renown artisans,

Photo in the gallery of the same pistol in the belt of an American Civil War Union trooper  read more

Code: 24803

An Extra Fine Condition Classic, Cased Pair of Late 18th to Early 19th Century Damascus Barrelled Duelling Pistols by Finest London Maker. Original Mahoghany Case with Tools and Accessories

A superb cased pair, in original case, very similar and from the same design, and form as another very fine cased pair, commissioned from the same finest maker in London, in circa 1800, and formerly in the Billionaire J.P.Morgan's Family Collection.

J. P. Morgan was a 19th century and early 20th century world renown American banker and philanthropist, he was subsequently categorised as America's greatest banker, whose reorganising skills and actions, in the great panic of 1907, saved America's monetary system

The famed gunsmith (1790-1841), produced finest flintlock guns in High Holborn London, from 1793-1839. her was Gun maker to the Duke of Kent, Prince Edward and King William IV.

Browned octagonal smooth 16 bore barrels are marked “London” on each pistol’s barrel. Locks with original case hardening, waterproof pans, bridled roller frizzens, chamfered lockplates with rebated tails, and high breasted cocks with open centres, are fitted with sliding safeties, and are engraved with feather flourishes and name under pans on the lock face. Traditional English style walnut stocks that have wraparound micro checkering with mullered borders on bag grips. “Stand of Arms”engraved trigger guards have stylized pineapple finials, and fabulous original mirror blueing. Stocks attach to the barrels with two sliding barrel slides. Horn tipped rosewood ramrods are held by two nicely filed, beaded, steel pipes. Both ramrods have steel, ball extractor worms. Original mahogany case has dual pivoting hook closure, and inlet foldaway handle. The interior is lined in traditional and original green pill-napped cloth, with maker paper label on lid depicting pair of gentlemen gunners and their dogs. Case contains leather covered duelling pistol 'powder and ball' powder flask, loading rod with mushroom tip, Covered compartments with turned brass knobs on covers, for the containing of flints and balls and screw thread from the single top jaw screw.

Excellent condition overall. Stocks are excellent, retaining most of their original finish, edges and checkering sharp and very crisp, with a number of small use surface dents, handling marks. Locks and frizzens are crisp, one top jaw screw now lacking half thread of the screw. Case is very fine retaining most of its original finish with small slice out by interior by the front right retaining hook. Interior cloth is fine with light marks and soiling from contact with guns and accessories. Label is fine, slightly foxed and dented from contact with frizzen springs. Accessories are all fine.

He was born to Thomas and Elizabeth in 1772, at Croscombe in Somerset. Nothing is known of his early years, but in 1792 his name appears in a Holborn rate book for the address of two hundred and thirty three High Holborn. This address had, until the latter part of the eighteenth century been occupied by a John Field and his father–in–law John Clarke. Alongside his name in the rate book was that of ‘Widow Field’, a jeweller. At this time William was aged only 20 years and it is not fully understood under what pretext he started at this address. It is probable that he had been working at the location as an apprentice silversmith, as a business had operated there under the names of ‘Field & Clarke, silversmiths’ between the years 1784 and 1793.

The process of the name changing from Field and Clarke to his started when John Field died around 1790. Entries with his name are recorded in the Holborn rate books from 1783 until 1790. In 1791 his name is still listed, but underlined and the word ‘Widw’ inserted. Records suggest John Clarke survived until at least May 1793, but it is probable he died around this time.

John Field’s marriage to Sarah Clarke had resulted in one surviving child, also called John born circa 1779 in the County of Middlesex. Following the death of John the elder William Parker married his widow Sarah on the 1 July 1792. It is not unusual for a new business to trade under an established name and this probably accounts for the name Field surviving in various forms for a few more years. Entries in trade directories confirm that by 1796-1797 William was operating under his own name as a sole trader, a situation that would continue until his death in 1841.

John Field the younger is often referred to as William’s ‘son-in-law’, but was in fact his step-son. In the nineteenth century the term ‘in-law’ meant related by marriage, but also extended to children, which is not the case now, when we would use the term step-son. William and Sarah appear to have had no other children, but John did marry and went on to have seven children of his own, three boys and four girls. The two eldest boys, John William Parker Field and William Shakespeare Field were to follow their father and grandfather’s trade as gun makers.

As a gun maker he was a well known for producing a range of weapons from standard issue items to the finest duelling pistols. He later started to produce truncheons and other articles such as handcuffs, swords and rattles, and had the major contracts to supply arms and truncheons to the Metropolitan police of London.

In the gallery is a coloured engraving of a famous news event in 1789. A representation (not caricatured) of the duel between the Duke of York and Lennox on Wimbledon Common on 26 May 1789. Lennox (left) fires at the Duke, who fires in the air. Above the Duke's head is written (in ink) 'Fire again Sir'. The two seconds stand beside their principals: Lord Winchilsea (left) and Lord Rawdon (right). In the distance is a man on horseback. Trees and grass form a background.

We also have the extraordinarily rare, original list of the contents of these cased guns and tools, as was hand written and supplied by Mr Parker with the cased pair when they were delivered to their original owner..

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of trading  read more

Code: 24937

A Stunning Quality Edo Period Tanto Fuchi In Shakudo and Pure Gold. Incredible Fine Quality Chisselled Takebori Carving of Rats Around a Gold Koku Traditional Rice Bale. Signed with Kikihan

Decorated shakudō (copper/gold alloy) with a hammered ground of fine nanako (fish-roe) points and decorated with rats and an applied pure gold rice bale. Signed Sadachika with kao (the artist's personal kakihan art signature seal). A wondeful indication of his skill, one can clearly see with a 10x magnifying glass the rats individual hairs on their body.

This is probably by the master fuchgashira maker Nomoto Sadachika, although relatively little is known about him, other than he worked in the later Edo period, his skill is self evident and was obviously exemplary.

In old Japanese culture the illustration of the rat in art was not a negative connotation, but a positive one. The presence of rats symbolised a successful harvest, so their presence was a symbol of good fortune,

Nanako Ji: "fish roe ground" A surface decoration produced by forming very small raised bosses by a sharply struck punch or burin called 'nanako tagane'. Shakudo is the metal most often used, but copper and gold are quite often employed. The harder metals, shibuichi, silver and iron are rarely decorated in this way. The size of the dots vary from 0.04" to 0.008" (25 to 125 and inch) and the regularity of the work is marvelous as the dots must be spaced entirely by touch. The dots are usually arranged in straight lines or in lines parallel to the edge of the piece being decorated, but sometimes in more elaborate patterns. Used on guards since the Momoyama period although the technique existed since much earlier periods. Usually done by specialist 'nanako-shi', but sometimes done by the maker of the guard himself. The articles of sword ornamentation made by the Goto artists were practically all on shakudo grounds with nanako finish; after the emergence of the machibori artisans in the mid-Edo period and the popularity of the newly inspired kozuka, shakudo grounds with nanako finish "became the rage". Nanako finish is probably an evolution and refinement of a very old style finish (which it vaguely resembles); "millet finish", 'awa ishime', which is found on some old armorer tsuba. However, awa ishime consisted of small, round dimples punched into the surface of the ground; on the other hand, nanako is formed by striking the ground with a cup-shaped punch to raise, and project upward from the surface, small semi-hemispheric nipples. Since we find nanako finish on old yamagane grounds, it was in use as early as the Kamakura period. It is note-worthy that a nanako finish on a shakudo ground has been used since the time of the first Goto 1440 - 151 in the mitokoromono, "set of three", for use on formal or ceremonial occasions. Later, shakudo nanako became the regular finish for use by the metal artisans. (deleted repeated sentences) In applying nanako, meticulous and scrupulous care must be used in positioning and striking the "cupping tool" in order to achieve fine, regular, carefully and closely spaced, identical results, row after row. Careless, imprecise and even coarse workmanship can be detected in the nanako of some older works and on "ready made" products, but work of later years, executed with infinite and scrupulous care, are beautiful beyond belief. However, even the finest of execution of nanako finish applied to brass (shinchu) or shibuichi fails to carry the distinct air of refinement and elegance of similar work on shakudo. The very elegance of nanako workmanship reflects not only the extraordinary skills of the Japanese in the execution of minute, detailed work, but also their tremendous patience and artistic inspiration. It is said that blindness of nanako workers at thirty years of age was usual because of the microscopic and meticulous work so carefully and patiently executed. On many old tsuba, pre-dating the period of the Goto, one encounters nanako laid in horizontal or vertical rows; on subsequent work nanako was applied along curved lines conforming to the shape of the tsuba.

Shakudo {that can be used to make samurai sword mounts and fittings} is a billon of gold and copper (typically 4-10% gold, 96-90% copper) which can be treated to form an indigo/black patina resembling lacquer. Unpatinated shakudo Visually resembles bronze; the dark colour is induced by applying and heating rokusho, a special patination formula.

Shakudo was historically used in Japan to construct or decorate the finest katana fittings such as fuchi-kashira, tsuba, menuki, and kozuka; as well as other small ornaments. When it was introduced to the West in the mid-19th century, it was thought to be previously unknown outside Asia, but recent studies have suggested close similarities to certain decorative alloys used in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome.  read more

Code: 25598

A Beautifully Detailed Early Christian, Ancient Roman Crucifix, Byzantine Empire, 8th to 9th century, Circa 1300 to 1200 Years Old. with Original Ring Mount

Bronze crucifix of Christ in the relief relief orans pose of arms outstretched. A superb, small collection of original, historical, Imperial Roman, Viking and Crusades period artifacts has been acquired by us and will be added over the next week or so. This fine bronze pendant cross was hand forged during the Middle Ages in the cradle of Christianity, the Byzantine Empire. In AD 324, the first Christian Roman Emperor Constantine the Great transferred the Eastern Roman Empire capital to Byzantium, which became Constantinople, known as ''New Rome''. The Byzantine Empire became centred on the capital of Constantinople and was ruled by Emperors in direct succession to the ancient Roman Emperors. With the eventual decline of Rome, the Church of Constantinople became the richest and most influential center of the Christian world. The reign of Justinian the Great in 527-565 marked a blossoming of Byzantine culture with a building program that yielded such masterpieces as the Cathedral Church of the Holy Wisdom of God, Hagia Sophia. Justinian, who is considered a Saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church, created the authority of this Church, which firmly established Christianity throughout the Empire. This Byzantine Empire would exist for more than a thousand years until 1453 and was one of the most powerful economic, cultural, and military forces in Europe and Asia Minor. This superb cross was most certainly worn by a Byzantine citizen as a statement of faith during this amazing age of early Christendom. Picture in the gallery of an 8th century painting 'Christ is the Crucified, and a King'. The details of the painting are, they say; 'He is robed in majesty; He is fastened to the Cross. He wears the royal purple robes with which His scorners intended to mock Him, but He, Alpha and Omega, the first and last Word, the Primogenitor of those who are being saved, confers His own divine dignity onto the very idea of kingship. He wears the glory that inspired the good thief to plead for his salvation, with the confidence of the One whose Sonship makes that salvation possible'.

Richard Lassels, an expatriate Roman Catholic priest, first used the phrase “Grand Tour” in his 1670 book Voyage to Italy, published posthumously in Paris in 1670. In its introduction, Lassels listed four areas in which travel furnished "an accomplished, consummate traveler" with opportunities to experience first hand the intellectual, the social, the ethical, and the political life of the Continent.

The English gentry of the 17th century believed that what a person knew came from the physical stimuli to which he or she has been exposed. Thus, being on-site and seeing famous works of art and history was an all important part of the Grand Tour. So most Grand Tourists spent the majority of their time visiting museums and historic sites.

Once young men began embarking on these journeys, additional guidebooks and tour guides began to appear to meet the needs of the 20-something male and female travelers and their tutors traveling a standard European itinerary. They carried letters of reference and introduction with them as they departed from southern England, enabling them to access money and invitations along the way.

With nearly unlimited funds, aristocratic connections and months or years to roam, these wealthy young tourists commissioned paintings, perfected their language skills and mingled with the upper crust of the Continent.

The wealthy believed the primary value of the Grand Tour lay in the exposure both to classical antiquity and the Renaissance, and to the aristocratic and fashionably polite society of the European continent. In addition, it provided the only opportunity to view specific works of art, and possibly the only chance to hear certain music. A Grand Tour could last from several months to several years. The youthful Grand Tourists usually traveled in the company of a Cicerone, a knowledgeable guide or tutor.

The ‘Grand Tour’ era of classical acquisitions from history existed up to around the 1850’s, and extended around the whole of Europe, Egypt, the Ottoman Empire, and the Holy Land.

Still perfectly wearable, and a good medium size, overall in excellent naturally patinated condition.

Every item is accompanied with our unique, Certificate of Authenticity. Of course any certificate of authenticity, given by even the best specialist dealers, in any field, all around the world, is simply a piece of paper,…however, ours is backed up with the fact we are the largest dealers of our kind in the world, with over 100 years and four generation’s of professional trading experience behind us

45mm high  read more

Code: 25608

Fine Pair of Samurai Sword Mounts, A Fuchigashira In Pure Gold Onlay & Inlay On Shakudo, Soten School, Edo Period {1615-1868} Inscribed Sōheishi Nyūdō Sōten Sei. Taira Atsumori (1169-1184) Riding On Horseback Through Crashing Waves To Escape The Minamoto

Soten school, late, Edo period {1615-1868} By Sōheishi Nyūdō Sōten Sei. It is rare to find Soten work in shakudo or any soft metals as they typically worked in iron

Very likely depicting Taira Atsumori (1169-1184) Riding On Horseback Through Crashing Waves To Escape The Minamoto Warriors. Woodcut By Toyokuni Utagawa,

The founder of the
Soten school, Kitagawa Sōteen I (also called Shūten and possibly Sōheishi Niūdō), flourished about 1650 and, like his successors, worked at Hikone, whence the name Hikone-bori for the style they evolved. The signature of his son, Sōten II (Sōheishi Niūdō), is that most frequently found on tsuba sword guards of this school.

The Sōten style may be summed up as the marubori-zōgan with the addition of elaborate landscape details. The figures, whether large or small, are either modeled completely in the round, the ground being more or less cut away and the whole enclosed by a border; or else they are in high relief on a solid ground. The work is nearly always in iron, with the nude portions encrusted in silver or copper, the patterns of the garments and the minute botanical details of the landscape being richly overlaid with gold.

The favourite subjects are taken from Chinese history and legend, or represent Japanese battle-scenes, especially from the Gempei campaigns of the 12th century and the Korean expeditions of the Empress Jingō and the Taikō Hideyoshi.

According to The Tale of the Heike, the Taira were scattered by Yoshitsune's attack from the Ichi-no-Tani cliff. Kumagai no Jirō Naozane, while scanning the beach for fleeing soldiers, spotted the young Atsumori swimming towards the fleeing vessels.

Ukiyo-e of Kumagai Naozane and Taira no Atsumori
Kumagai beckoned Atsumori with his fan, taunting Atsumori by saying, “I see that you are a commander-in-chief. It is dishonorable to show your back to an enemy. Return!”

Atsumori returned and they grappled on the beach. Kumagai was stronger. He knocked off Atsumori's helmet to deliver the finishing blow, only to be struck by the beauty of the young noble. Atsumori was “sixteen or seventeen years old, with a lightly powdered face and blackened teeth—a boy just the age of Naozane's own son...”

Kumagai, wishing to spare the life of the boy, asked for Atsumori's name, but the youth refused. He simply said that he was famous enough that Kumagai's superiors would recognize his head when it was time to assign rewards. At that moment, other Minamoto warriors arrived, and Kumagai knew that if he did not kill Atsumori, the other warriors surely would. Kumagai reasoned that it was better if he was the one to kill Atsumori, because he could offer prayers on his behalf for the afterlife.

Kumagai while crying beheaded the youth, searched the body for something to wrap the head in, he came across a bag containing a flute. He realized that Atsumori must have been one of the soldiers playing music before the battle and thought, “there are tens of thousands of riders in our eastern armies, but I am sure none of them has brought a flute to the battlefield. Those court nobles are refined men!”

It is said that the beheading of Atsumori is what led Kumagai to take priestly vows and become a Buddhist monk.

See photo 10 in the gallery of a similar subject fuchigashira in the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Sword-Hilt Collar and Pommel (Fuchigashira)
Japanese ca. 1615–1868 Fuchi inscribed: 藻柄子入道宗典製 Sōheishi Nyūdō Sōten sei (Made by the lay priest Sōheishi Sōten)
Donated by Herman A. E. and Paul C. Jaehne, New York and Coco Beach, Florida (by 1915–43; their gift to MMA).  read more

Code: 25605

A Fabulous NEW YEAR THANK YOU!! For Our Website Viewers. Save Almost £4000 !!!. A Most Beautiful Signed Koto Katana, Circa1500's. All Original Edo Mounts of Onlaid Pure Gold, Silver & Shakudo Fuchi-Kashira of A Samurai Warrior In Armour On Horseback

Offered at well, well below cost, for only £3,750, as our extra special New Year Thank You Hugely Discounted original and superb ancient samurai sword. A circa 500 year old Koto period samurai katana blade, with a signed nakago, Bitchu ju Kuni... {the last part of the name can't be clearly read}.
It has a very good suguha hamon, and a traditional silk bound over samegawa gint rayskin tsuka, with stunning shakudo fuchi-kashira with gold and silver decoration of a takebori samurai on horseback on the kashira, and a samurai by a shoreline with overhanging trees and wave,s on the fuchi, beautiful gold bamboo leaves menuki, circular iron tsuba chiselled with leaves, in its black urushi lacquered saya. Black tsuka-ito over gold bamboo leaves, on samegawa giant rayskin.

The motif of this iron tsuba’s takebori design seems to be numerous conch shells, known as “Horagai” (法螺貝). The conch shell originates from Hinduism and is closely linked to the teachings of Buddha. Historically, Yamabushi (mountain ascetics) used it to convey sermons. The conch was brought to Japan around 806 AD by monks like Kukai (空海) and Saicho (最澄), who returned from Tang China, with five of the eight bringing conch shells. Its sound represents the teachings of Buddha, making it a sacred instrument in Japanese esoteric Buddhism. The conch is one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols in Tibetan Buddhism, symbolizing purity and the dissemination of Buddhist teachings.

Shellfish have been eaten all over the world since ancient times. At the same time, they have been used in a wide variety of applications, such as coins, ornaments, daily necessities, and toys, due to the beauty and preservability of their shells. In Japan, there is also a folk belief that seashells with prominent projections are hung from the eaves to ward off evil spirits, and their names are said to ward off fire, such as the Suijigai (水字貝, 水 means water in Japanese). In addition, ascetic monks who trained in the mountains blew trumpet shells to exorcise evil spirits. During the Warring States period (戦国時代, 1467-1615), trumpet shells were used to signal the formation of battle lines and to boost the fighting spirit. It is only natural that this shell, which was used as a cue in battle and to raise the fighting spirit of soldiers, was incorporated into the decoration of armour, which is the uniform of fighting.

The samurai were roughly the equivalent of feudal knights. Employed by the shogun or daimyo, they were members of hereditary warrior class that followed a strict "code" that defined their clothes, armour and behaviour on the battlefield. But unlike most medieval knights, samurai warriors could read and they were well versed in Japanese art, literature and poetry.
Samurai endured for almost 700 years, from 1185 to 1867. Samurai families were considered the elite. They made up only about six percent of the population and included daimyo and the loyal soldiers who fought under them. Samurai means "one who serves."

Samurai were expected to be both fierce warriors and lovers of art, a dichotomy summed up by the Japanese concepts of to stop the spear expanding into bushido (the way of life of the warrior) and bun (the artistic, intellectual and spiritual side of the samurai). Originally conceived as away of dignifying raw military power, the two concepts were synthesised in feudal Japan and later became a key feature of Japanese culture and morality.The quintessential samurai was Miyamoto Musashi, a legendary early Edo-period swordsman who reportedly killed 60 men before his 30th birthday and was also a painting master. Members of a hierarchal class or caste, samurai were the sons of samurai and they were taught from an early age to unquestionably obey their mother, father and daimyo. When they grew older they were trained by Zen Buddhist masters in meditation and the Zen concepts of impermanence and harmony with nature. The were also taught about painting, calligraphy, nature poetry, mythological literature, flower arranging, and the tea ceremony.

As part of their military training, samurai were taught to sleep with their right arm underneath them so if they were attacked in the middle of the night and their the left arm was cut off the could still fight with their right arm. Samurai that tossed and turned at night were cured of the habit by having two knives placed on either side of their pillow.

Samurai have been describes as "the most strictly trained human instruments of war to have existed." They were expected to be proficient in the martial arts of aikido and kendo as well as swordsmanship and archery---the traditional methods of samurai warfare---which were viewed not so much as skills but as art forms that flowed from natural forces that harmonized with nature.
Some, it is said, warriors, didn't become a full-fledged samurai until he wandered around the countryside as begging pilgrim for a couple of years to learn humility. When this was completed they achieved samurai status and receives a salary from his daimyo paid from taxes (usually rice) raised from the local populace. Swords in Japan have long been symbols of power and honour and seen as works of art.
Shakudo {that can be used to make samurai sword mounts and fittings} is a billon of gold and copper (typically 4-10% gold, 96-90% copper) which can be treated to form an indigo/black patina resembling lacquer. Unpatinated shakudo Visually resembles bronze; the dark colour is induced by applying and heating rokusho, a special patination formula.

Shakudo was historically used in Japan to construct or decorate the finest katana fittings such as fuchi-kashira, tsuba, menuki, and kozuka; as well as other small ornaments. When it was introduced to the West in the mid-19th century, it was thought to be previously unknown outside Asia, but recent studies have suggested close similarities to certain decorative alloys used in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome.
Blade surface has areas of the usual age surface micro thinning seen in Koto blades

Blade 27.25 inches long tsuba to tip, overall sword length in saya 38 inches long  read more

Code: 24182

An 11th Century Norman Long Tanged Arrowhead. Battle of Hastings, Norman Invasion Period, Circa 1066. A Battle Abbey Site Discovered Relic. Could This Indeed Be The Arrow Plucked From King Harold's Eye?..

No, it almost certainly isn't, but, the remotest possibility that it might be, however unlikely, is intriguing. Battle Abbey, as universally agreed by historians, commemorates the site of the battle, and where the king fell and was buried, and the abbey was built on the site by King William, for penance, after his conquest

This arrow head was uncovered around 140 years ago, from the grounds near Battle Abbey in Sussex. By an amateur excavation from the grounds of the Abbey in the 1880's, that recovered this and a Anglo Saxon bronze cloak pin, and it is certainly of the earliest Norman age, from the mid to late 1st century.

Searching for relics of Medieval battles is a notoriously difficult task. Looting and stripping of the dead in the aftermath of fighting was a common occurrence. Unsurprisingly, not a single artefact unequivocally linked to the 1066 battle has ever been found. And make matters more complicated the village of Battle that subsequently grew up around the abbey would have obliterated any traces of the fighting, which limited surveying opportunities to the remaining, undeveloped, open areas, especially in the Victorian age, that naturally was devoid of any modern electronic equipment

The Battle of Hastings, fought on 14 October 1066, is the most famous battle in English history. There is widespread consensus among historians that William the Conqueror founded Battle Abbey in penance for the blood shed at the battle and to commemorate his great victory, on the very spot where he defeated King Harold.

It has been suggested, however, that the battle was not fought here. Several alternative locations have been put forward, including Crowhurst, about three miles south of Battle, and Caldbec Hill, about a mile to the north. Advocates of both sites claim that the Battle Abbey monks invented the association between their abbey and the battlefield in the Chronicle of Battle Abbey, written in the late 12th century, 100 years or more after 1066. However, maybe this arrow could potentially be a usufull addition to the story  read more

Code: 25604