Antique Arms & Militaria

A Very Good American Allen and Thurber Pepperbox Revolver Circa 1840

Nicely engraved multi barreled revolver made by a good American maker, Allen and Thurber in Norwich Connecticut. Good tight action and in great condition for it's age. Six revolving barrels with a nipple shield. Bar hammer and fine scroll engraving on the frame. Maker marked on the hammer bar, and 1837 patent and cast steel stamped on the barrel rib. American pepperbox revolvers of that era are rarely seen in the UK these days, and pepperbox revolvers are always highly collectable, as they represent most interesting examples of the first rung on the evolutionary ladder of the modern age revolver. The pepperbox was probably the most sought after multi-shot handgun during the 1840-1850 decade, being as the Colt revolver was just gaining popularity and gearing up for serious production ?and the pepperbox was carried in substantial quantities in California during the Gold Rush era. Most likely many pepperboxes were also still being carried as personal defense weapons during the Civil War by soldiers who were not affluent enough to afford a then more conventional revolver. The Pepper-box, known as the "Gun that won the East", was the most desirable repeating handgun prior to the invention of the revolving cylinder. Its name may have been coined by Samuel Clemens. As with all our antique guns, no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables  read more

Code: 22290

Beautiful ‘Queen Anne’, London, Dragoon Officer's Long Barrel Horse Pistol, Lock Named James Barber A Most Beautiful Example.

12 inch Barrel, bearing early barrel proof stampings of A.R., the crossed sceptre gunsmith proof markings of Queen Anne, 1702-1714, stamped in the early period position, at the top of the breech of the barrel. Later on, and henceforth, proof marks were stamped on the left hand side of the breech. The pistols military furniture is all brass, with a typical officer's type short eared style skull crusher butt cap terminating with a grotesque mask the early type, from the time of King William IIIrd, before the long spurred style became fashionable in the 1740's. The lock is the early banana form, typical of the earliest 18th century long pistols, with a the good and clear name of Mr. Barbar inscribed. It has a good and responsive action. The stock is fine walnut. It has a single ramrod pipe, also typical of the early Queen Anne style. This would not be a trooper's pistol, but a officer's private purchase example, from one of the great makers and suppliers to the dragoon regiments and officers of his day, during the time of King George IInd. This pistol would have seen service during the War known as King George's War of 1744-48, in America, and the 7 Years War, principally against the French but involving the whole of Europe, and once again, also fought in America. Recognized experts like the late Keith Neal, D.H.L Back and Norman Dixon consider James Barbar to be the best gun maker of his day. Dixon states, "Almost without exception, unrestored and original antique firearms made by James Barbar of London are of the highest quality". In Windsor Castle there are a superb pair of pistols by James Barbar and a Queen Anne Barbar pistol also appeared in the Clay P. Bedford exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Barbar supplied complete dragoon pistols for Churchill's Dragoons in 1745, also guns for the Duke of Cumberland's Dragoons during 1746 to 48, and all of the carbines for Lord Loudoun's regiment of light infantry in 1745.
James was apprenticed to his father Louis Barbar in October of 1714. Louis Barbar was a well known gun maker who had immigrated to England from France in 1688. He was among many Huguenots (French Protestants) who sought refuge in England after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes by Louis XIV in 1685. Louis was appointed Gentleman Armourer to King George I in 1717, and to George II in 1727. He died in 1741 .

James Barbar completed his apprenticeship in 1722 and was admitted as a freeman to the Company of Gunmakers. By 1726 James had established a successful shop on Portugal Street in Piccadilly. After his father's death in 1741, James succeeded him as Gentleman Armourer to George II, and furbisher at Hampton Court. He was elected Master of the Gunmakers` Company in 1742. James Barbar died in 1773.

The book "Great British Gunmakers 1740-1790" contains a detailed chapter on James Barbar and many fine photographs of his weapons. This lovely pistol is 19 inches long overall. It has had some past overall service restoration within the past 100 years. The mainspring, stock were replaced, as was the ramrod. But, it is often the case as this pistol may likely have seen somewhat rigorous combat service during its working life for upwards of 80 years. It is a beautiful looking pistol, and a fine looking example of the early British military pattern gunsmiths. As with all our antique guns no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables  read more

Code: 21363

A Fabulous Royal Bronze Battle Mace From 2,500 to 3,200 Years Old. From the Era of Rameses the Great of Egypt, to Darius, King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire. As Used By The Shardanas Warriors from Sardinia Who Fought for Rameses II Against the Hittite

13th-6th century BC. This is a classic style royal baton mace head of the ancient Bronze Age culture. Examples of this mace can be seen in several of the world's finest ancient Near Eastern bronze collections. The shaft is elaborately decorated with raised striking knobs of a herringbone design. This was an effective striking weapon likely used by high-ranking soldiers or royal subjects due to its extremely decorative design. In battle, maces like this were often used by commanders to display rank when giving orders in battle and leading soldiers, inspiring leadership and power. A substantial bronze cudgel and mace with tubular body, ribbed collar, flared rim and panels of raised herringbone ornament. Ist to 2nd Millennium B.C. In use it would have slotted onto a wooden haft. Items such as this were oft acquired in the 18th century by British noblemen touring the Middle East, Northern France and Italy on their Grand Tour. Originally placed on display in the family 'cabinet of curiosities', within his country house upon his return home. A popular pastime in the 18th and 19th century, comprised of English ladies and gentlemen traveling for many months, or even years, throughout classical Europe, and the Middle East, acquiring antiquities and antiques for their private collections. The use of the stone headed mace as a weapon and a symbol od status and ceremony goes back to the Upper Palaeolithic stone age, but an important, later development in mace heads was the use of metal for their composition. With the advent of copper mace heads, they no longer shattered and a better fit could be made to the wooden club by giving the eye of the mace head the shape of a cone and using a tapered handle.

Ramesses the Great, was the third pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty of Egypt. Along with Thutmose III he is often regarded as the greatest, most celebrated, and most powerful pharaoh of the New Kingdom, itself the most powerful period of Ancient Egypt.

The Shardanas or warriors from Sardinia who fought for Ramses II against the Hittities were armed with maces, exactly as this fabulous example, consisting of rounded wooden hafts with the bronze mace heads slotted upon the hafts. Many bronze statuettes of the times show Sardinian warriors carrying swords, bows and original maces.

Darius the Great, was a Persian ruler who served as the third King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire, reigning from 522 BCE until his death in 486 BCE. He ruled the empire at its territorial peak, when it included much of Western Asia, parts of the Balkans (Thrace–Macedonia and Paeonia) and the Caucasus, most of the Black Sea's coastal regions, Central Asia, the Indus Valley in the far east, and portions of North Africa and Northeast Africa including Egypt (Mudrâya), eastern Libya, and coastal Sudan.

Darius ascended the throne by overthrowing the legitimate Achaemenid monarch Bardiya, whom he later fabricated to be an imposter named Gaumata. The new king met with rebellions throughout his kingdom and quelled them each time; a major event in Darius' life was his expedition to subjugate Greece and punish Athens and Eretria for their participation in the Ionian Revolt. Although his campaign ultimately resulted in failure at the Battle of Marathon, he succeeded in the re-subjugation of Thrace and expanded the Achaemenid Empire through his conquests of Macedon, the Cyclades and the island of Naxos as well as the sacked Greek city of Eretria.

Persians used a variety of maces and fielded large numbers of heavily armoured and armed cavalry (cataphracts). For a heavily armed Persian knight, a mace was as effective as a sword or battle axe. In fact, Shahnameh has many references to heavily armoured knights facing each other using maces, axes, and swords. The enchanted talking mace Sharur made its first appearance in Sumerian/Akkadian mythology during the epic of Ninurta. Roman though auxiliaries from Syria Palestina were armed with clubs and maces at the battles of Immae and Emesa in 272 AD. They proved highly effective against the heavily armoured horsemen of Palmyra. Photos in the gallery of original carvings from antiquity in the British Museum etc.; Ashurbanipal at the Battle of Til-Tuba, Assyrian Art / British Museum, London/ 650-620 BC/ Limestone,, An Assyrian soldier waving a mace escorts four prisoners, who carry their possessions in sacks over their shoulders. Their clothes and their turbans, rising to a slight point which flops backwards, are typical of the area; people from the Biblical kingdom of Israel, shown on other sculptures, wear the same dress, on a gypsum wall panel relief, South West Palace, Nimrud, Kalhu Iraq, neo-assyrian, 730BC-727BC.
A recovered tablet from Egypt's Early Dynastic Period (3150-2613 BC) shows a Pharaoh smiting his foe with a war mace. Part of an original collection we have just acquired, of antiquities, Roman, Greek, Middle Eastern, Viking and early British relics of warfare from ancient battle sites recovered up to and around 220 years ago.

Last picture in the gallery; Ramses II A larger-than-life Ramses II towering over his prisoners and clutching them by the hair. Limestone bas-relief from Memphis, Egypt, 1290–24 BCE; in the Egyptian Museum, Cairo

As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity.


This wonderful piece would have been made and traded throughout the Western Asiatic region. 551 grams, 24cm (9 1/4").  read more

Code: 23421

A Very Fine & Most Beautiful 18th Century Royal Naval Officer’s Sword of Hunting Sword Cutlass Type. As Used By Ship's Captain's and Fleet Admirals

Gilt brass hilt with fluted wooden grip and finely engraved blade with maker mark and Solingen, and hunting scenes.

Quillon block decorated with relief hunting horn and hunting devices. Acorn finials and fluted brass pommel.

In the days of the early Royal Navy, officers carried short swords in the pattern of hunting sword cutlasses, with both straight or curved blades, fancy brass mounted single knucklebow hilts with principally stag horn or reeded ebony grips. Although initially designed to protect the huntsman from a close quarter predatory attack, or the coup de grace, they were far more popular in England for use as naval officer's swords, not as their initial design intended, as Britain had far fewer great wild beasts that might threaten a huntsman.

There are numerous portraits in the National Portrait Gallery and The National Maritime Musuem that show British Admirals such as Benbow and Clowdesly Shovel holding such swords, often originally made on the continent as was this beauty.

24.5 inches long overall.  read more

Code: 22526

18th Century 1770's Hallmarked Silver Hilted American Revolutionary War Period Officer's Sword Used By Both American and British Officers. Made by William Kinman of London

A fabulously intricate pattern of hilt with a complex geometric piercing with arabesque scrolling and cut stone patterning. It is sometimes referred to as the Boulton pattern, named after Matthew Boulton a renown London silversmith of the 18th century. The grip has silver banding interspersed with a herringbone pattern twisted silver wire. William Kinman was a leading member of the Founders Company of London was born in 1728 and is recorded as a prominent silver hilt maker. He is recorded at 8 Snow Hill for the last time circa 1781, is recorded circa 1728-1808, [see L. Southwick 2001, pp. 159-160.]. The small sword or smallsword is a light one-handed sword designed for thrusting which evolved out of the longer and heavier rapier of the late Renaissance. The height of the small sword's popularity was between mid 17th and late 18th century. It is thought to have appeared in France and spread quickly across the rest of Europe. The small sword was the immediate predecessor of the French duelling sword (from which the épée developed) and its method of use—as typified in the works of such authors as Sieur de Liancour, Domenico Angelo, Monsieur J. Olivier, and Monsieur L'Abbat—developed into the techniques of the French classical school of fencing. Small swords were also used as status symbols and fashion accessories; for most of the 18th century anyone, civilian or military, and with gentlemanly status would have worn a small sword on a daily basis.
The small sword could be a highly effective duelling weapon, and some systems for the use of the bayonet were developed using the method of the smallsword as their foundation, (including perhaps most notably, that of Alfred Hutton).

Militarily, small swords continued to be used as a standard sidearm for infantry officers. In some branches with strong traditions, this practice continues to the modern day, albeit for ceremonial and formal dress only. The carrying of swords by officers in combat conditions was frequent in World War I and still saw some practice in World War II. The 1913 U.S. Army Manual of Bayonet Drill includes instructions for how to fight a man on foot with a small sword. Small swords are still featured on parade uniforms of some corps.
As a rule, the blade of a small sword is comparatively short at around 0.6 to 0.85 metres (24 to 33 in), though some reach over 0.9 metres (35 in). It usually tapers to a sharp point but may lack a cutting edge. It is typically triangular in cross-section. This sword's blade is approx 33 inches long. I its working life the pierced oval guard has been damaged, re-affixed and repaired

A sword by this maker with a very similar hilt is preserved in the Royal Armouries Leeds, IX.3782. See Southwick 2001, p. 290-1 pls. 75-7
 read more

Code: 23950

The Lanes Armoury Welcomes Thousands Upon Thousands of Personal Visitors To The Store In Brighton Every Day {But Not Sundays} . Fabulous Pre-Historic, Archaic, Ancient, Antique, & Vintage Treasures, Artifacts, & Collectables Are Added Every Single Day

We are told, most generously, every single day, when the gallery-shop is open, by literally dozens of our thousands of visitors, that we are their favourite shop in the whole of the U.K. Many, when they are returning to England for another visit, tell us they make a point to make another visit to us every single time as part of their UK travels. Just the other week one of our regular visitors from China diverted his journey from Beijing to Paris, to go via London Gatwick Airport, in order to just to visit us for a couple of hours, and then return to Paris.

The story so far of the Hawkins Brothers and "The Lanes Armoury" written by Francis Taylor;

Sadly it is likely the last, true, original 'armoury' shop left in the whole of Britain. Defining the original term of an historical 'Armoury' as a building containing all forms of militaria, arms and armour, from all of the eras of mankind from the stone age culture, to all the civilizations of antiquity, both pre-history, and historic, on into the medieval, the post medieval and later, to WW1 and WW2. Effectively covering from 300,000 years b.c. until WW2. Not including their fossils of course that can be up to 100 million years old.

They were described as one of the most highly recommended visitors attractions in the whole of the UK by the New York Times. It is also regularly featured by many other world wide publications. Hundreds of thousands of tourists and regular visitors come to see them every single year, including, in the 1970's such erstwhile luminaries as President Ronald Reagan, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. They evolved their company from one of the oldest established family businesses in Sussex, spanning over 100 years, with a client base that includes museums, heads of state, presidents, princes and kings. But whether you are a movie star, a head of state or a student, all will be treated with the same courtesy and respect. Every sale is important to them, albeit a £5 badge a £5,000 rare book, or a suit of armour for £50,000.
Every day they are told that to some, this is their favourite shop in the world, with some foreign visitors returning year in year out for 40 years or even more, so they truly believe they have a great responsibility to their customers, their reputation, and to the amazing city of Brighton.
Their oldest customer has incredibly been a regular buyer, for an amazing, near 70 years.

To view just a flavour of the visual history one can view here, and their modus operandi during the past century of their business and store, please click the group photos to the left, and see just small aspects of their gallery, in photos taken recently, and from the distant past.
One is a photograph from the outside of their shop taken around 1920, another one from more recently, and another, of their 1920's vintage horse drawn pantechnichon that was still in use for local deliveries until 1969 and another photo one of their 'more modern' pantechnichons in the 1970's. The partners, Mark and David also regularly appear on the BBC and numerous UK TV channels, consulting on historical documentaries, and on various antique 'discovery' programs, and act as consultant appraisers and for notable private individuals and public companies. During Mark's 54 years personally trading in The Lanes, and David's 44 years {that's around 98 years combined} both within the family businesses, it is estimated they have had pass through their hands, and appraised, possibly more items than any other living dealers in the country, and their breadth of knowledge and experience is simply astonishing. While in his capacity as export director of the old family company, Mark was personally responsible for the sale and export of over 2,000 individual antique items every single week for nearly ten years. Shipping their treasures within a fleet of trucks and 40 foot container lorries, to the four corners of globe. If you can get Mark to describe some of his past professional trades, you will certainly be amazed. Just one part of his trade, back in the 1970’s was the selling and shipping of vintage classic cars to the States. Dozens of 20 foot containers were sent, containing either a vintage Rolls Royce, Bentley, Lagonda, Alvis, Aston Martin, and their like, with the interiors packed full of antique porcelains and silver and antique furniture stacked on top {in order to utilise every valuable space possible}. Mark’s first personal car was a BRG 1932 Aston Martin Le Mans. Originally raced by Sir Sydney Caffyn as an amateur {who was a friend of Mark’s father David senior}, which Mark bought from Sir Sydney’s brother, some while after Sir Sydney had died, for which he paid the princely sum of £325 in around 1971. He sold it to an Italian-American Las Vegas casino owner for £800 three years later, The last known example he knew of, the Aston Martin 1932 Le Mans LM8, and that he tried to buy {unsuccessfully I might add}, sold recently for €905,000 at Sothebys {somewhat in excess of Mark’s budget}. How times {and prices} have changed!

Of course, these days, after selling their wholesale antique export shipping companies, that were some of the largest of their kind in Europe, for the past 35 years the brothers have concentrated their devotion to being England's leading specialist antique arms and militaria dealers, focusing their core business from general antiques and fine art, to the finest, ancient, antique or vintage samurai weaponry, armour, and worldwide swords, firearms and militaria and historical books, covering the past three millennia. It is now said they are the largest samurai weapon dealers in the western world, and this website is the largest of it's type in the world, including over 17,000 full colour photographs of some of their items for sale.
A recent article, written about their business on 'City News Live' is copied here below, as published;**
"With so many different histories to offer, you can feel freer in Brighton than in most British cities to select trips which coincide with your interests and of course, you're much more likely to find in Brighton things to do which bring the history you love to life. For the lover of militaria, a visit to The Lanes Armoury is a must with a difference. The Armoury's housed in a three-storey 16th century building and is a real treasure trove, it's a museum which is not a museum as everything is for sale. It has been nominated and then short-listed for the British Antique & Collectors Awards as the best Antique Shop in Great Britain and is the latest incarnation of a much older business David Hawkins Brighton Ltd which was one of the earliest and largest dealers in Antiques and Collectibles within the whole of Europe in the last century."

It's their current specialisation in worldwide Arms, Armour, Militaria, and Books, which really marks them out and creates such a fascinating and fantastic place to visit. From antiquities from all the past ancient empires, including bronze-age swords, axes, helmets and daggers, to Roman Viking and medeavil weaponry, to suits of samurai and European armour, muskets, revolvers, duelling pistols, American civil war swords, right through to medals and World War II militaria, it's all there to be viewed and drooled over. For example they had in stock a signed 1st Edition book that once personally belonged to Winston Churchill detailing a story of combat in the American Revolutionary War. It was presented to him during WW2 and signed by it's author, Robert Graves, one of England's greatest WW1 poets and novelists. It was declared by Churchill, in a personal letter to Robert Graves thanking him for the gift, that it was one of only 6 or 7 novels that he had read during his premiership in the war, and subsequently this very book was used by him to advise the creation and modus operandi of the new British Commandos. Also the last time I visited I was shown their first edition The Great Gatsby, an absolute gem of a rarity, that must be valued at many tens of thousands of pounds. It's not a museum, but when you leave, you've had the same experience! I can honestly say the experience of a visit to the armoury, although not a vast premises by any means, is utterly memorable, and every single person that passed through their doors while I was there was either astonished, amazed, or both!

Francis Taylor

“With the passing of the generations that came before, all that is left, after the memories dim and fade away, is what that is physically left behind. To seek such manifestations of past generations, and preserve them for the future, is vital for all those generations yet to come”

Mark Hawkins  read more

Code: 19615

A Very Rare Renaissance Main-Gauche, a Left Hand Parrying Dagger. Italian circa 1590-1620. Likely Made for a Royal Duke. With A Ducal Crown Engraved Pommel

A wonderful elegant example of these rare 'Maine Gauche' daggers used for parrying in the duel, in the era of England’s Queen Elizabeth the 1st, King James 1st, to King Charles the 1st, and it is in excellent plus condition.
The left handed parrying weapon used in the left hand, in conjunction with the long bladed Rapier in the right, in sword combat. In sword fighting, the main-gauche French for "left hand" is a dagger used in the off-hand, mainly to assist in parrying incoming thrusts, while the dominant hand wields a rapier or similar longer weapon intended for one-handed use. It may also be used for attack if an opportunity arises, such as for the ‘coup de grace’. The dagger has a slender four sided blade of diamond-section, with twin Crowned M armourer's marks, one per side at the ricasso. The hilt is fully engraved, and the outside of the pommel it has an engraved ducal crown within a circlet, and the inside pommel a rhombic Chinese flower, possibly part of the dukes family crest or symbol. It has an outer single ring guard and a polygon form conical pommel, converging towards the top pommel button. {A design recognised as pommel ‘32’, circa 1590-1610, in A.V.B.Normans Rapier and Small Sword 1460-1820.} It also has a very fine Turk's Head knot terminated twisted steel wire grip, in excellent condition.

We show in the gallery a close up of the pommel engraving, showing the style of crown, as can be seen in an early portrait of one being worn, that we show attached with it.

The parrying dagger is a category of small handheld weapons from the European late Middle Ages and early Renaissance. These weapons were used as off-hand weapons in conjunction with a single-handed sword such as a rapier. As the name implies they were designed to parry, or defend, more effectively than a simple dagger form, typically incorporating a wider guard, and often some other defensive features to better protect the hand as well. They may also be used for attack if an opportunity arises.
The use of this off-hand weapon gradually fell out of favour as sword fighting evolved. The use of progressively lighter primary weapons such as the small sword and épée.

The main-gauche {French for "left hand"}, was used mainly to assist in defense by parrying enemy thrusts, while the dominant hand wielded a rapier or similar longer weapon intended for one-handed use. Its most characteristic feature was downturned quillons that protected the hand, and the ring to one side.

Courtiers in later half of the 16th century did indeed wore rapiers to court as a sign of gentlemanly status and the privilege of engaging in extra-judicial duels of honour, with the main-gauche parrying dagger.

The rapier and dagger combination was primarily designed for self-defence using fighting techniques developed in Italy that are the ancestors of modern fencing. The sixteenth-century rapier was both a slashing and stabbing weapon. Its accompanying dagger was used in the left hand for parrying and stabbing in close. The stiff slender blades of both were designed to pierce clothing rather than armour.

The Renaissance was a fervent period of European cultural, artistic, political and economic “rebirth” following the Middle Ages. Generally described as taking place from the 14th century to the 17th century, the Renaissance promoted the rediscovery of classical philosophy, literature and art.

Some of the greatest thinkers, authors, statesmen, scientists and artists in human history thrived during this era, while global exploration opened up new lands and cultures to European commerce. The Renaissance is credited with bridging the gap between the Middle Ages and modern-day civilization.  read more

Code: 25340

A Fine & Beautiful Museum Piece. An Original Antique Fijian Ula, A Throwing War Club. A Singularly Beautiful Example & of Exceptional Rarity, From A Fijian Warring Cannibal Tribe Circa 18th Century Lt. Bligh RN of the Mutiny On The Bounty Period

A handsomely hand carved hardwood throwing club "ula" showing a stunning natural, age patina. With fine globed assymetrical head with top knob, and geometric carved patterning on the haft. It is perhaps the most famous and recognizable of all oceanic weapons.

The ula was the most personal fighting war weapon of the Fijian warrior and was carried, inserted into a warrior’s fibre girdle sometimes in pairs like pistols.

The throwing of the ula was achieved with great skill, precision and speed. It was often carried in conjunction with a heavier full length club or spear which served to finish an opponent after initially being disabled by a blow from the ula. It was made by a tribal weapon specialist from a variety of uprooted bushes or shrubs.

Across 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) from east to west, Fiji has been a nation of many languages. Fiji's history was one of settlement but also of mobility. Over the centuries, a unique Fijian culture developed. Constant warfare and cannibalism between warring tribes were quite rampant and very much part of everyday life. During the 19th century, Ratu Udre Udre is said to have consumed 872 people and to have made a pile of stones to record his achievement."Ceremonial occasions saw freshly killed corpses piled up for eating. 'Eat me!' was a proper ritual greeting from a commoner to a chief.

The posts that supported the chief's house or the priest's temple would have sacrificed bodies buried underneath them, with the rationale that the spirit of the ritually sacrificed person would invoke the gods to help support the structure, and "men were sacrificed whenever posts had to be renewed" . Also, when a new boat, or drua, was launched, if it was not hauled over men as rollers, crushing them to death, "it would not be expected to float long" . Fijians today regard those times as "na gauna ni tevoro" (time of the devil). The ferocity of the cannibal lifestyle deterred European sailors from going near Fijian waters, giving Fiji the name Cannibal Isles; as a result, Fiji remained unknown to the rest of the world.

According to Fijian legend, the great chief Lutunasobasoba led his people across the seas to the new land of Fiji. Most authorities agree that people came into the Pacific from Southeast Asia via the Malay Peninsula. Here the Melanesians and the Polynesians mixed to create a highly developed society long before the arrival of the Europeans.

The European discoveries of the Fiji group were accidental. The first of these discoveries was made in 1643 by the Dutch explorer, Abel Tasman and English navigators, including Captain James Cook who sailed through in 1774, and made further explorations in the 18th century.

Major credit for the discovery and recording of the islands went to Captain William Bligh who sailed through Fiji after the mutiny on the Bounty in 1789.

The first Europeans to land and live among the Fijians were shipwrecked sailors and runaway convicts from the Australian penal settlements. Sandalwood traders and missionaries came by the mid 19th century.

Cannibalism practiced in Fiji at that time quickly disappeared as missionaries gained influence. When Ratu Seru Cakobau accepted Christianity in 1854, the rest of the country soon followed and tribal warfare came to an end.

Trade of sandalwood was the dominant feature of the opening of markets between Europeans and the islands, and the finest early Fijian weaponry likely came to Europe from the earliest maritime visitors in the 18th century to early 19th century.

This Ula would likely have been made and used at the time of Lt Bligh and his journey upon HMS Bounty.
'A Chart of Bligh's Islands Fiji by William Bligh. The Broken Line shows my Track in the Bounty's Launch when I discovered the Islands in 1789. The Plain Line my Track in the Providence and Assistant in 1792. The parts tinged Green were seen in the Bounty's Launch.' Added and inscribed in pencil on the left is 'Land seen by the ships Hope and Ann -Captain Maitland, 1799'. Made in ink and pencil on tracing paper, dated 14 April 1801. See Bligh's chart in the gallery

The Ula is approx 13 inches long  read more

Code: 22806

Incredibly Rare British Celtic Iron Age Sword Circa Ist Cent. BC. Made Around a Century Before the Roman Conquest, by Claudius. Amazingly Its Very Type Was Noted in Caeser's Writings During His Time In Britannia. A Durotriges Celts Sword. Discovered 1857

According to the British Museum, who have an extremely similar example, there are only a few hundred remaining in existence today in the world. All of those that have been discovered, have been uncovered from famous hordes or individual finds, usually in South Central England within the past 200 years or so. This sword would have been used around what is being referred to as 'Duropolis', after the Ancient Briton, Celt, Durotriges tribe, which existed in the Wessex region. In its prime, it is thought to have contained 'hundreds' of inhabitants and would have been a major trading centre for southern Britain. The previously unknown habitation in Winterborne Kingston, near Blandford, dates from around 100BC, which makes it 80 years earlier than Colchester in Essex. Colchester was previously widely regarded as Britain's oldest recorded town.

Another fabulous hoard of around 800 Celtic iron age artefacts were announced just a few days ago in March 2025, from the Brigantes Celts of the 1st century B.C.

The most famous of the Ancient Briton Celtic tribes were the Iceni {whose name might have come from Iken, the original name of the River Ouse, where the tribe are said to have come from} who had settlements across Norfolk, in North Suffolk and East Cambridgeshire. One of them was at Brettenham on the Peddars Way, east of Thetford, which was built by Romans to quickly transport troops up to The Wash and Brancaster, where they had a fort protecting North Norfolk.

Queen Boudicca of the Iceni, probably the most famous of all the ancient Celts waged war against the Romans in Britain from 60 AD after the Romans decided to rule the Iceni directly and confiscated the Norfolk property of the leading tribesmen. The uprising was motivated by the Romans' failure to honour an agreement they had made with Boudica's husband, Prasutagus, regarding the succession of his kingdom upon his death, and by the brutal mistreatment of Boudica and her daughters by the occupying Romans.

this amazing sword is formerly from the ex-museum collection with their labelling on its display mounting board, this Ancient Briton sword was also used as a currency bar and is from the Dorset Hoard, an Iron Age hill Fort, in Dorset, excavated in 1857. It is acknowledged that this incredible and significant piece is one of the earliest examples of ancient British currency, utilizing sword blades, it is thought currency bars in the form of swords are actually the very first form of currency used in the British Isles around 2000 to 2,100 years ago, and used to barter and trade all manner of goods, and highly prized as of exceptional value at the time. It is a form of currency that is actually mentioned in Julius Caeser's writings, following Julius Caesar's expeditions to the island of Britannia in 55 and 54 BC. An Iron Age Celtic Dorset Hoard Sword, 2nd-1st century BC. It is further believed by some that they were money in the form of a sword as they were indeed once a functional sword, that was retired from combat.

A substantial long blade with the original short folded-over handle to one end; displayed in an old custom-made box housing with a recently added base and bearing old typescript 'CELTIC IRON 2nd-1st Cent B C / See Caesar's 'De Bello Gallico' V, 12 / Circulated s. and w. Britain / Dorset Hoard' label in four lines with inked correction to Spetisbury. including case (30 inches). Fair condition, held in an old museum display case with identification label.
Provenance
Ex Dorset, UK, hoard, found 1857; accompanied by a copy of the Archaeological Journal 96, pp.114-131, which includes details for the find.
Literature for reference.
See Gresham, Colin A., Archaeological Journal 96, pp.114-131, which includes details for this and other finds from the site; see also Smith, Reginald, Currency Bars, Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, London, 2nd Series, XX, p.182 for comparison between the examples; cf. British Museum, accession no.1862,0627.18 for an example from the site (acquired from J. Y. Akerman in 1862; other items were acquired in 1892 from the Durdan, Blandford collection). The name Brittannia was predominantly used to refer simply to the island of Great Britain. After the Roman conquest under the Emperor Claudius in AD 43, it came to be used to refer to the Roman province of Britain (later two provinces), which at one stage consist of part of the island of Great Britain south of Hadrian's wall. Almost every weapon that has survived today from this era is now in a fully russetted condition, as is this one, even the very few swords of kings, that have been preserved in national or Royal collections are today still in a relatively fair condition, but they are from a much later period.

As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity  read more

Code: 23228

Possibly The Finest 17th Cent. French Royal Silver Hunting Short Sword, With Original, Incredibly Rare Scabbard & Belt Mount, From a Royal Collection. With The Rarest Bayonne Form Hilt. Likely Used By The King & His Court For the King’s Boar or Stag Hunt

This is a superb French King Louis XIVth royal hunting all silver mounted short sword, and all silver mounted scabbard, and the sword hilt has a hunting carbine muzzle form bayonne hilt, that can, once fitted into the guns barrel, enable the sword to be used as the very first form of bayonet, that converts a carbine into a long pike or spear. In fact the hilt form was named after the French town of Bayonne, where it was said to have been first used, and thus technically invented, and it is the very first form of bayonet ever made, and whence every future bayonet therefore gets its name. It is fitted within its incredibly rare original silk and silver bullion baldric, and we have never seen another surviving original example of such a fabulous royal baldric outside of Les Invalides Museum in Paris. There may possibly be another in the British {H.M. King Charles IIIrd’s } Royal Collection, as it is likely the largest in the world, but we have never seen it. Silk is one of the worlds strongest natural materials, stronger than steel pound for pound, in fact bullet proof vests were originally made from densely woven silk, but once very old, it becomes fragile and therefore antique silk rarely survives intact, especially such a piece as this.

It further bears in silver bullion decor, stitched into the baldric silk belt ‘frog’ mount, behind the two retaining cross straps, twin, inverted and elongated capital letter ‘L’s’, the personal cypher mark and symbol of King Louis XIVth of France.

The highly distinctive cypher mark of all the King’s of France bearing the name Louis. This may very likely indicate that this sword-bayonet was actually owned and used by the King or within the service of the King of France, by one of his highest ranking officers, or indeed an officer of his personal guard, while in use at the French royal hunting lodge by the king, or his entourage of the Royal Court, for hunting boar or stag.

The hunting sword is only usually used as the ‘coup de grace’ to finish off the beast at the hunts conclusion. However it is also an essential defensive arm to protect the king or a noble if the beast turns upon its hunter, which can be most perilous, and indeed, it is well known to be a most frequent fate of many unfortunate huntsman. The royal hunt since medieval days has been a very dangerous royal sport, with many nobles, princes or even kings meeting their grisly end.

King William II (William Rufus), who reigned in England from 1087 to 1100, was killed by an arrow while hunting in the New Forest on August 2nd, 1100, a death widely suspected to be an assassination rather than a hunting accident

King Christian V died from the after-effects of a hunting accident that occurred on October 19, 1698. Christian was hunting with his two sons and his half-brother.

One of finest quality pieces of its type we have ever had the privilege to own, and incredibly still in its original silver mounted scabbard and silk and silver bullion baldric. Probably this can be seen as the best available within the worldwide collecting market today.
It is also probably the most complete example, from the mid to late 1600's, we have ever seen, certainly in over 40 years, including those we have handled within the Royal Collections. This magnificent hunting short sword with bayonne {bayonet} hilt would be the prize of any of the finest worldwide collections of the rarest short swords that can double as the very rare, so called ‘plug’ bayonet, as they are ‘plugged’ into the muzzle of a musket, to convert it to a pike or spear. It is remarkably complete with its silver bullion and silk baldrick frog belt mount with three tongues. It has finest quality solid silver mounts, with decorated quillons bearing profile heads of possibly the king’s huntsman adorned with hunting caps, very similar to the armourer's marks on the blade. And the silver scabbard mounts and fittings also beautifully match, with an acorn frog mount. The original scabbard leather is superb condition, crosshatch patterned, with the so called ‘bullets and lines’ stamped decor. It has a wonderful blade, in stunning order, with two large matching armourer's marks of a profile head on both blade sides. The grip handle is birds-eye maplewood with a silver pommel.

While en residence at Versailles, at 2 pm: the king, Louis XIVth, gave his orders and announced his plans in the morning. If he went on a walk, it would be in the gardens on foot or in a Barouche with the ladies. If he decided to go hunting, the favourite sport of the Bourbons, the monarch would go to the park if he chose to hunt with weapons, and to the surrounding forest when hunting on horseback.

Since the days of the Pharoahs, hunting has been an essential activity of courts. Hunting was both a pleasure, and a way of gathering game for the royal table. Once one area was hunted out, the court moved on to the next. In many different monarchies hunting became an obsession, with its own music, dress and flamboyant rituals. One Chinese prince said: ‘I would rather not eat for three days than not hunt for one’
Hunting was so important that it could decide where the court resided. The proximity of hunting forests was one reason for the choice, as a royal residence, of Windsor, Versailles, Stupinigi, Hubertusberg, and many other sites. Conversely, the choice of these sites as royal residences ensured that the surrounding forests were well maintained. The landscape of the Ile de France is still dominated by the royal hunting forests of Versailles, Marly, Saint-Germain, Compiegne, Vincennes, Fontainebleau, and Rambouillet.
In addition to the pleasure and food it provided, hunting could also acquire a political and hierarchical function. Hunting was a visible assertion of domination over the land and the animal kingdom. It also protected the ruler’s subjects and their herds from boar, wolves and other vermin. The stag was the noblest beast, hunting it the noblest sport. Furthermore hunting was believed to be a school of war, masculinity and horsmanship. It taught courage, comprehension of landscape, and the art of the cavalry charge. In l’Ecole de Cavalerie of 1751, Robichon de La Guerroniere described hunting:
‘it is the pastime which Kings and Princes prefer to all others. This inclination is no doubt based on the conformity existing between hunting and war. In both, in effect, there is an object to tame’,

The story of the evolution of the bayonne, plug bayonet;
The late 17th century saw the final demise of the pike, and its replacement by the bayonet. The plug bayonet, which blocked the muzzle of the musket and needed to be removed for firing, did not catch on. The earliest military use of bayonets was by the French Army in 1647, at Ypres. These were plug-fitted into the barrel. That prevented firing once they were mounted, but allowed musketeers to act as their own pikemen, which gave infantry formations greater firepower. By 1650 some muskets had bayonets fixed to the gun at manufacture, hinged and foldable back along the barrel. French fusiliers adopted the plug bayonet as standard equipment in 1671; English fusiliers followed suit in 1685. The trouble with firing in successive lines was that it was only practical on a narrow front. In open country, the musketeers could easily be flanked, especially by cavalry. In most battles, the musketeers relied on pikemen to protect them while reloading. Infantry practiced various formations and drills that allowed musketeers to hide behind the pikes while reloading and to take up firing positions as soon as their weapons were ready to use. This system worked pretty well, but it obviously cut down the army’s firepower-sometimes by more than half.

The solution to the problem was to turn the musket into a spear. According to some sources, this was the idea of Sebastien le Prestre de Vauban, the great French military engineer in the armies of Louis XIV. It was a solution at least for soldiers. Hunters in France and Spain had for some time been jamming knives into the muzzles of their muskets for protection against dangerous game. It seems that Bayonne, a French city noted for its cutlery, made a type of hunting knife that was favoured for this use. When the French army adopted this weapon, it was called a ‘bayonet’. The earliest reference to the use of the bayonet is in the memoirs of a French officer who wrote that on one campaign, his men did not carry swords, but knives with handles one foot long and blades of the same length. When needed, the knives could be placed in the muzzles of the guns to turn them into spears. The bayonet proved to be a much more effective defense against cavalry than the sword.

There were some drawbacks to the use of plug bayonets when mounted in muskets, When the bayonet was inserted within in the muzzle of a loaded musket and then fired by accident, the gun might indeed explode. This sort of accident seems to have been much more prevalent among civilians who, unlike soldiers, did not load and fire on command. It was so prevalent that in 1660, Louis XIV had to issue a proclamation forbidding the placing of short sword-daggers in the muzzles of hunting guns.

Two pictures in the gallery are of French royal hunts, note in picture 9 the king is holding aloft his same hunting short sword with its distinctive curved blade, and his mistress armed with a boar spear.  read more

Code: 22160