Antique Arms & Militaria

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

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

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

Code: 24977

Just Arrived, Here At The Lanes Armoury, Britain's Premier Arms Armour & Collectables Shop. A Super, Large Collection of Swords & Bayonets, Samurai Armours, Samurai Kabuto Samurai Swords And WW2 Japanese Officers Parade Swords, Including Generals Sword

Thanks to us being so long established here in Brighton we are contacted or visited every day by private families interested in selling their long past collected antiques and antiquities. Artefacts of all kinds, from all eras and all nations. Some collected by their ancestors hundreds of years ago.
And thus, arriving early this week to be posted online, it has been particularly fascinating for the diversity and beauty of our finds. We will have two suits of samurai armour, four very fine samurai swords, a full suit of Queen Elizabeth IInd’s mounted body guard, the Life Guards, the full cuirass armour, helmet, uniform etc. plus a really early and fine and very rare King Charles IInd Royal Naval blunderbuss, some very fine 18th century flintlock pistols, an exceptional Battle of Waterloo use 1810 Cuirassier sword, a Waterloo recovered French grenadier’s sword, plus, some original souvenirs officially recovered from the Waterloo battle site almost 50 years ago, including the remarkable cast iron fire-grate-back from the farm building, le Haye Sainte, the site of the amazing battle of Waterloo, plus lots, lots more.

Some are requiring small to medium elements of conservation and cleaning. Only this month al manner of wonders arrived, some have been added already, others are to be added this week, including, a late 17th century Spanish Rapier, 1796 Light Dragoon sabres, 1796 Flank Officer's sabre, 1796 Heavy Cavalry undress sword, a Peninsular & Waterloo period British general's sword, finest 18th century Silver Small Swords, 18th Century naval officers sword, Crimean War swords, rare German bayonets, WW1 and ersatz, a rare Robbins & Dudley fighting knife, Japanese swords, US Civil War Cavalry Sabre, many 19th century German & French short sword sidearms. Plus, a near mint cased pair of Napoleonic period British duellers, all with near mint blue and original finish, with original tools etc. by a one of the great great makers, gunmaker to Prince Edward and to the King, an Air Crew Europe medal group for Sgt. Frank H Westbrook {an observer of 13th Squadron, in Operation Jubilee of the Dieppe Raids}, and an Afghanistan 1919 campaign WW1 group. Also a James Bond 1st Edition 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' publ'd 1963.A Rare form of Geometrically Wired Zulu War Knopkerrie. A Napoleonic Wars, 1805 Nelson Period, Royal Naval Sailors Fid.

It is fair to say, you may see here, in the gallery and shop, wondrous and magical historical pieces you may have never seen the like of before, and may never see again, outside of a first division museum. Such as The Tower of London, The British Museum, The National Army Museum or maybe even Les Invalides in Paris, except, unlike viewing them in fine and exclusive museum,… ours are all for sale!  read more

Code: 24935

An Original US Civil War Remington New Model Army Revolver With Later Bespoke Antique Fitted Case, Flask & Tools

In very nice condition for age, with a really tight and crisp action. One of the most sought after and iconic American revolvers of the Civil War and Wild West era. A scarce 8 inch sighted octagonal barrel stamped with the manufacturer's details, plain cylinder and frame, the serial number, brass trigger guard, two-piece wooden grips, Sub inspector letters stamped 'U and B. The Remington Model 1858 was a cap & ball (also called "percussion") 44-calibre revolver used during the American Civil War from 1862 onwards. It was used primarily by Union soldiers, and widely favoured over the standard issue Colt Army Model 1860 by those who could afford it, due primarily to its durability and ability to quickly reload. Of course if a gun such as this was captured in a Confederate victory it would be eagerly used by it's new southern states owner as a highly prized trophy of war. It also saw considerable use in the American West, both in its original cap & ball configuration and as a metallic cartridge conversion.
A prized possession of the Remington Arms Company is similar, original, New Model Army with ivory grips once carried by William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody see photo in our gallery. The historic revolver is on display with Cody's simple handwritten note, "It never failed me". Cody carried the revolver in original percussion form well into the cartridge era, and never converted it to cartridge use. The Remington “Army” .44 percussion revolver was the primary competition to the Colt M1860 .44 percussion revolver during the American Civil War era. Although Sam Colt was the better salesman and marketer, Remington eventually beat Colt out of their military contracts by delivering a comparable (some felt superior) product for less money. In 1864, after the US government had finally beat Colt’s price down to $14.00 per revolver, they had been paying $20.00 or more per gun in the early days of the war, Remington agreed to furnish their “Army” revolver for only $12.00 per gun. That ended the reign of the Colt Army as the first choice for the Ordnance Department procurement officers.
In the field, even though the Colt revolver had the name and the mystique, many cavalry troopers preferred the much sturdier solid frame design of the Remington revolver. According to the research published in Remington Army & Navy Revolvers 1861-1868 by Donald L. Ware, Remington revolvers through serial 149,000 were accepted prior to the end of the Civil War. No license required to own or collect. The flask and mould in the case are non original replacements, but could easily be replaced in the future themselves with original types. The barrel is lightly surface pitted, as is some of the frame, but the cylinder is near pitting free  read more

Code: 24976

A Most Intriguing, Early, Wide Bladed Mayan or Aztec Form Sacrificial Knife, Beautifully Carved Head of Possibly Vucub Caquix or Quetzalcoatl The Wind Spouting God, Upon the Stag-Horn Hilt

Acquired from an early, rare edged weapon collector, who sold us his other very similar example of this rare piece, around two months ago. now sold

An early antique wide hammer forged blade in an an almost Bowie style, with its clipped back tip form, and a single cutting edge. It is of a most unusual form of hilt with a large bladed knife, and may for tribal sacrificial purposes, or, a tribal ceremonial knife.

The carving is very reminiscent of the Mayan, Incan and Aztec culture, but some knives of this form can be little like those from Bali. The Aztec looking wind spouting snake head demon, is rather intriguing, and superbly executed, but as this is the first we have seen quite like this we can only suggest the comparisons we have seen in the past 50 years.

Vucub-Caquix is the name of a bird demon defeated by the Hero Twins of a Kʼicheʼ-Mayan myth preserved in an 18th-century document, entitled ʼPopol Vuhʼ. The episode of the demon's defeat was already known in the Late Preclassic Period, before the year 200 AD. He was also the father of Zipacna, an underworld demon deity, and Cabrakan, the Earthquake God.

To the Aztecs, Quetzalcoatl was, as his name indicates, a feathered serpent. He was a creator deity having contributed essentially to the creation of mankind. He also had anthropomorphic forms, for example in his aspects as Ehecatl the wind god. Among the Aztecs, the name Quetzalcoatl was also a priestly title, as the two most important priests of the Aztec Templo Mayor were called "Quetzalcoatl Tlamacazqui". In the Aztec ritual calendar, different deities were associated with the cycle-of-year names: Quetzalcoatl was tied to the year Ce Acatl (One Reed), which correlates to the year 1519.

One hand coloured page in the gallery is Quetzalcoatl as depicted in the Codex Telleriano-Remensis, there are also photos of original Mayan and Aztec stone carvings, depicting the god Quetzalcoatl. One can easily see the similarity to the carving depicted on the knife's hilt to these stone carvings

16 inches long overall.  read more

Code: 24978

Original & Rare 19th Century Saxon M.1880 Faschinenmesser Pioneer Artillery Short Sword - Regimentally Marked

Royal Saxon Field Artillery Regiment No.71

Very scarce Saxon sidearm that was only made for one year 1880/1881, in very good condition. Ideal for the collector of rare German swords. No scabbard.

Brass pommel, ribbed grips affixed with three brass rivet insets, steel collar and cross guard, steel single fuller blade, Elmo style blade marked on the ricasso stamped on spine of blade Imperial stamp and Crown A regimentaly stamped


Coloured photograph of the Royal Saxon Field Artillery Regiment 78 in the gallery  read more

Code: 24972

A Super Zulu War 94th Regt Marked Martini Henry With Buff Hide Sling. Enfield, Dated 1878. the Battle of Ulundi, 94th foot Regiment

Original Antique MK II Antique Short Lever Martini Henry Rifle, with buff hide leather sling & super stock patina. Much of the stock looks fabulous with a very fine patina. Fully actionable and a superb tight mechanism. The stock bears the original regimental stamp markings of the 94th Foot, that fought amongst other areas at the Battle of Ulundi. The metalwork is exceptionally good, and so is most of the stock, but it has had some split repairs at the wrist, and two small inserts in the forestock. British rifles were rarely regimentally stamped in the 1870's, but it is especially rare to find one stamped for a regiment that fought in the Zulu war. It is armourer stamped in the traditional manner either 1/94 or H/94.

Shown with an original Martini Henry sword bayonet that is an optional extra, and not included in the price.

The 94th Regiment of Foot in the Zulu War

The 94th Regiment was stationed at Aldershot when a sudden order was received on 12 February 1879, directing it to Natal. All officers and men were recalled at once, with a further 350 volunteers joining to bring the Regiment to war strength. The men embarked from Southampton aboard the S.S. China and arrived at Durban on 2 April.

Forming part of Newdigate's Division, the 94th formed at advance post at Conference Hill, where they built two forts and a stone laager under the direction of officers from the Royal Engineers.

At the battle of Ulundi, the 94th was the only regiment in Newdigate's Division that had six companies present; in the engagement, two of its men were killed and one officer and eighteen men were wounded. Following Ulundi, the Regiment retired to Entonjaneni and subsequently assisted in disarming the Zulus and dismantling Sekukini's stronghold. It also bore the grim duty of burying those who fell at the Zlobane on 28 March.

992 Medals were issued to the 94th Regiment, 948 of them with the '1879' clasp.

The most desirable Martini Henry are these MKII's, The very types of MK IIs as were used by the 24th Foot at Ishandwhana and Rorke's Drift, the 94th at Ulundi as this one was the Afghan War and several conflicts against the Mahdi in the Sudan. They were also used up to WW1 by some colonial regiments. This gun are original ordnance contract example, issued to the 94th, as the best line regiment issue, and made at Enfield with VR Crown mark, all are originally line regiment issue.

This rifle was made at the Enfield arms workshop in 1878, and is a truly exceptional and beautiful example, maker marked, and in very good operational order indeed with an excellent action, but clearly combat used.

The Martini Henry, .450 577 rifle was most famous British Infantry breech loading rifle of the 19th century. All the MK11 rifles are just as were used in the film ZULU, and the exact model type as was used during the Zulu War

This Martini-Henry was the breech-loading lever-actuated rifle adopted by the British, combining an action worked on by Friedrich von Martini (based on the Peabody rifle developed by Henry Peabody), with the rifled barrel designed by Scotsman, Alexander Henry. It first entered service in 1871 replacing the Snider-Enfield, and variants were used throughout the British Empire for 30 years. It was the first British service rifle that was a true breech-loading rifle using metallic cartridges.
During the Martini-Henry period in service, the British army were involved in a large number of colonial wars, most notably the Anglo-Zulu War. The Martini Henry, 450-577, Short Lever, MK I converted MK II or the regular MK II rifle was the type used by the company of the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot present at Rorke's Drift during the eponymous battle. The MK I originally had a small design fault in that the actions hinge pin was initially made of brass, which was too soft for continual use. The rare and early MKI's were thus converted by removing this pin, replacing it with a steel pin, and then redesignated the MKII. The Martini Henry examples we have were used throughout the British Empire. in fact the Martin henry was such a good rifle many survived to be used in WW1 by some colonial regiments.

As with all our original antique arms, no licence is required to own, purchase or to collect anything of that description we sell. They, and all of these rifles, are entirely unrestricted to own, collect, and display just as they are.  read more

Code: 24968

A Superb Pocket Sized 'Pepperbox' Derringer Revolver Six Shot Pistol Circa 1840, With Most Rare Sliding Hammer Safety Mechanism

Good condition for age, all over blue-black finish, all barrels are numbered 1 through 6 and all individually proofed. Chequered original wooden grips, frame scroll hand engraved, hammer leaf engraved, trigger guard scroll engraved

The 'pepperbox' 6 shot revolver was an amazing progression from the single shot percussion pistol, that worked on the rotating multi barrelled principle before the concept of a revolving cylinder and a single barrel system was invented. the style of the pistol created its nickname of the pepperbox as it looked somewhat like a peppermill, but they most often were large belt or holster pistol sized, whereas the pocket Derringer sized type, being the scarcest of all, is most rarely seen to survive today.

the pepperbox revolver was still being used in the American Civil War, especially by Southern soldiers due to the lack of arms, a photo in the gallery shows a Confederate corporal holding his larger holster or belt size pepperbox revolver, and he looks barely 13 years of age.

In the 1850s, the extreme popularity of antique derringer pistols swept the nation like wildfire. Henry Deringer, the man who made the first Philadelphia Deringer, created a small and concealable pistol for people to carry for protection. When searching for an antique derringer pistol for sale, one will notice that derringers are made by a number of different brands and manufacturers. Many people wanted to make their design number one and stick out among the rigorous competition. One man that took the idea into his own hands and became a favorite in the Old West for pocket sized guns was Christian Sharps

Sharp had been in the business of rifle making before he endeavored into pocket pistol designs. He started his career in Harpers Ferry, Virginia with John Halls Rifle Works. He patented his own Sharps rifle in 1848 and, interestingly enough, a year later in December 1849, he patented his first design for the antique derringer pistol he desired to create. Unfortunately, it was a poorly constructed and fragile design in need of some work before it could be sold commercially.

The antique derringer sized pistols became known as the ‘hideout pistol’ to westerners. The prominence of these small multi shot pocket pistols as a gambler’s gun arose in the the Old Wild West. The gun was very commonly used by gamblers and tavern frequenters since they could slide it up their sleeve or in their pocket without the people around the being any the wiser. Western outlaws loved the conceal ability and carried the gun as an extra side arm. The gun is sometimes referred to as the perfect concealable pistol.

Tight and crisp spring, action rotates and one nipple is lacking.

No licence is required to own and collect this antique pistol

Six inches long overall with six two inch long barrells  read more

Code: 24967

A Wonderful, Very, Very Rare, European Medieval Knight’s Hauberk Chain Mail Armour Shirt

Originally recovered from the Keep of Burleigh Castle. And formerly of the Edred Gwilliam Collection.

European early mail is really rare and only ever seen in such a near complete state in the best museum or castle armoury collections, such as in the Tower of London, Nuremburg Castle or the British Museum. This mail would be ideal for the connoisseur of medieval European history or the collector of rare armour. It has a near unlimited abundance of the intellectual beauty of ancient history, and as a surviving example of the pageantry from the days of early, European, chivalric knighthood simply wonderful. This is a medieval Hauberk from the late Crusades era the late 1200's up to the 14th - 15th century, and at one time it was housed in the keep of Burleigh Castle.

The mail coat or hauberk formed a flexible metal mesh that was often worn over a padded tunic. The traditional image of the knight encased in a full suit of plate armour did not come about until the 1400s. It is relatively complete with some separated areas that could be reconnected with a little patience and skill. The word hauberk is derived from an old German word Halsberge, which originally described a small piece of mail that protects the throat and the neck (the 'Hals'). The Roman author Varro attributes the invention of mail to the Celts. The earliest extant example was found in Ciumesti in modern Romania and is dated to the 4th-5th centuries BC. Roman armies adopted similar technology after encountering it. Mail armour spread throughout the Mediterranean Basin with the expansion of the Romans. It was quickly adopted by virtually every iron-using culture in the world, with the exception of the Chinese. The Chinese used it rarely, despite being heavily exposed to it from other cultures.

The short-hemmed, short-sleeved hauberk may have originated from the medieval Islamic world. The Bayeux Tapestry illustrates Norman soldiers wearing a knee-length version of the hauberk, with three-quarter length sleeves and a split from hem to crotch. Such armour was quite expensive both in materials (iron wire) and time/skill required to manufacture it Only the wealthy, the nobles, could afford to purchase mail shirts, and so a hauberk became a symbol of rank for the warrior class of society. The first step involves the smelting of iron, and after that, one must make the wire. Making the wire requires the use of small, thin sheets of iron and then shearing thin strips off the sides of this sheet in order to form square wires, or using another method, one can repeatedly beat and shape small iron pieces into narrow rods in order to form the raw material needed for wire.

After making the rods, the armorer must reheat and draw the strips through conical holes in a metal block to form round wire, and if thinner wire is needed, he can repeat this step several times using narrower holes. Once the wire is reduced to the desired diameter, it is then wrapped around a metal rod to create long, spring-like coils. The armorer then cuts along the length of the coil, down one side with shears or hammer or cutting chisel, and this causes the coils to separate into individual rings. Each ring is then flattened with a tool called a die, or something similar, and while flattening, the die also punches holes in each end of the ring. The armorer then overlaps the ends of each ring and rivets them shut. This process of flattening, punching with a die, joining the rings together, and then riveting them might have to be repeated thousands of times in order to make a single shirt of mail.





The hauberk stored in the Prague Cathedral, dating from the 12th century, is one of the earliest surviving examples from Central Europe and was supposedly owned by Saint Wenceslaus. In Europe, use of mail hauberks continued up through the 14th century, when plate armour began to supplant it. The hauberk is typically a type of mail armour which is constructed of interlocking loops of metal woven into a tunic or shirt. The sleeves sometimes only went to the elbow, but often were full arm length, with some covering the hands with a supple glove leather face on the palm of the hand, or even full mail gloves. It was usually thigh or knee length, with a split in the front and back to the crotch so the wearer could ride a horse. It sometimes incorporated a hood, or coif. The iron links of the mail shirt provided a strong layer of protection and flexibility for the wearer. The overlapping rings allowed a slashing or cutting blow from a sword to glance off without penetrating into the skin; though a smashing blow from a club could still shatter or break or crush bones. For this reason to prevent the breakage of bones a knight would wear a layer of padded armour, or an aketon, underneath the mail. So the combined layers of padded tunic and mail gave the knight a suit of armour that was nearly impervious to cutting and slashing and also protective against the heavy, smashing blows often delivered on the medieval battlefield. 2 Illustrations in the gallery of the Bayeux tapestry embroidery show hauberk's being carried for battle, on long poles, by the squires, and a hauberk, in the second picture section, being taken from a fallen knight's body lower section under Harold Rex. Another picture in the gallery is from an old manuscript showing the tradecraft in the manufacture of mail armour.  read more

Code: 21436

A Wonderful, Highest Ranking British Officer's Sword, For the Navy or Army, A 1790's Admiral of the Fleet or Field Marshal's Sword

A near identical sword was carried by Admiral of the Fleet Sir Peter Parker (1721 – 21 December 1811).

Mercurial gilt fluted pattern hilt, with Adam urn pommel and solid silver triple wire binding, oval fluted hilt guard. Triple edged blade, with superb and elaborate engraving and traces of blue and gilt.

The sword used by the most senior of officers of the army and navy of Britain, field marshals and admirals of the fleet, and kings and princes of the royal family, since the 1780's until the 1820's.

Pictures in the gallery of Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington, Admiral of the Fleet Sir Peter Parker, and Field Marshal Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany.

This Anglo-Irish soldier, the Duke of Wellington, and statesman fought as Field Marshal of the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. With the help from Prussian Marshal Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, he defeated Napoleon at Waterloo on June 18, 1815 and became a hero in England.

The office of marshal was already well established in England by the 12th century, but the modern military title of field marshal was introduced into the British army in 1736 by King George II, who imported it from Germany. In Britain the rank came to be bestowed only upon a few senior army officers,

From the 1790's to the 1820's here are the Field Marshals of Britain

Henry Seymour Conway (1793)
HRH Prince William Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh (1793)
Sir George Howard (1793)
HRH The Prince Frederick Augustus, 1st Duke of York and Albany (1795)
John Campbell, 5th Duke of Argyll (1796)
Jeffrey Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst of Montreal (1796)
John Griffin Griffin, 4th Baron Howard de Walden (1796)
Studholme Hodgson (1796)
George Townshend, 1st Marquess Townshend (1796)
Lord Frederick Cavendish (1796)
Charles Lennox, 3rd Duke of Richmond and Lennox (1796)
HRH The Prince Edward Augustus, 1st Duke of Kent and Strathearn (1805)
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Marquis of Wellington (1813)
HRH The Prince Ernest Augustus, 1st Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale (1813)
HRH The Prince Adolphus Frederick, 1st Duke of Cambridge (1813)
HRH Prince William Frederick, Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh (1816)
HRH Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (1816)
Charles Moore, 1st Marquess of Drogheda (1821)


The ranks of Admiral of the Fleet and Admiral of the Red were formally separated from 1805, with an announcement in the London Gazette that "His Majesty has been pleased to order the Rank of Admirals of the Red to be restored" in His Majesty's Navy..." as a separate role. The same Gazette promoted 22 men to that rank. From the nineteenth century onward there were also occasional variations to the previous requirement that only one Admiral of Fleet could serve at one time. In 1821 George IV appointed Sir John Jervis as a second admiral of the fleet, to balance the Duke of Wellington's promotion as a second Field Marshal in the British Army.

Admirals of the Fleet

12 March 1796 The Earl Howe
16 September 1799 Sir Peter Parker, Bt.
24 December 1811 King William IV at that time as The Duke of Clarence and St Andrews
19 July 1821 The Earl of St Vincent

Excellent condition overall , no scabbard.  read more

Code: 24953

A Beautiful Full Suit of 16th Century Tudor Style Knight’s Hall Plate Armour with Halbeard

We don't normally acquire or sell non original items but historismus pieces have always been desireable and most collectable in their own right. Historicism or also historism and historismus comprises artistic styles that draw their inspiration from recreating historic styles or imitating the work of historic artisans. This is especially prevalent in architecture, such as revival architecture. Through a combination of different styles or implementation of new elements, historicism can create completely different aesthetics than former styles. Thus it offers a great variety of possible designs.

In the history of art, after Neoclassicism which in the Romantic era could itself be considered a historicist movement, the 19th century saw a new historicist phase marked by an interpretation not only of Greek and Roman classicism, but also of succeeding stylistic eras, which were increasingly considered equivalent. In particular in architecture and in the genre of history painting, in which historical subjects were treated of with great attention to accurate period detail, the global influence of historicism was especially strong from the 1850s onwards.

Plate armour is a historical type of personal body armour made from bronze, iron, or steel plates, culminating in the iconic suit of armour entirely encasing the wearer. Full plate steel armour developed in Europe during the Late Middle Ages, especially in the context of the Hundred Years' War, from the coat of plates worn over mail suits during the 14th century.

In Europe, plate armour reached its peak in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. The full suit of armour, also referred to as a panoply, is thus a feature of the very end of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance period. Its popular association with the "medieval knight” is due to the specialised jousting armour which developed in the 16th century.

Full suits of Gothic plate armour were worn on the battlefields of the Burgundian and Italian Wars. The most heavily armoured troops of the period were heavy cavalry, such as the gendarmes and early cuirassiers, but the infantry troops of the Swiss mercenaries and the Landsknechts also took to wearing lighter suits of "three quarters" munition armour, leaving the lower legs unprotected.

The use of plate armour began to decline in the early 17th century, but it remained common both among the nobility and for the cuirassiers throughout the European wars of religion. After the mid-17th century, plate armour was mostly reduced to the simple breastplate or (cuirass), worn by cuirassiers. This was due to the development of the musket, which could penetrate armour at a considerable distance. For infantry, the breastplate gained renewed importance with the development of shrapnel in the late Napoleonic wars.

Plate armour gave the wearer very good protection against sword cuts, as well against spear thrusts, and provided decent defense against blunt weapons.

The evolution of plate armour also triggered developments in the design of offensive weapons. While this armour was effective against cuts or strikes, their weak points could be exploited by thrusting weapons, such as estocs, poleaxes, and halberds. The effect of arrows and bolts is still a point of contention with regard to plate armour. The evolution of the 14th-century plate armour also triggered the development of various polearms. They were designed to deliver a strong impact and concentrate energy on a small area and cause damage through the plate. Maces, war hammers, and pollaxes (poleaxes) were used to inflict blunt force trauma through armour. Strong blows to the head could result in concussion, even if the armour is not penetrated.

Fluted plate was not only decorative, but also reinforced the plate against bending under striking or blunt impact. This offsets against the tendency for flutes to catch piercing blows. In armoured techniques taught in the German school of swordsmanship, the attacker concentrates on these "weak spots", resulting in a fighting style very different from unarmoured sword-fighting. Because of this weakness, most warriors wore a mail shirt (haubergeon or hauberk) beneath their plate armour (or coat-of-plates). Later, full mail shirts were replaced with mail patches, called gussets, which were sewn onto a gambeson or arming jacket. Further protection for plate armour was the use of small round plates called besagews, that covered the armpit area and the addition of couters and poleyns with "wings" to protect the inside of the joint.

Over the past century many visitors will have seen the numerous full suits of plate armour we have had the pleasure of displaying. 15th, 16th and 17th century originals, plus, historismus hall armours. Our most impressive, if some of you may remember, in the 1960’s, was a full suite of equestrian mounted ‘knight on horseback’ armour. And we displayed it in our shop just round the corner, in Prince Albert St, as it had 20 foot high ceilings. It looked just like the example we show as the last photo in the gallery of one such similar in a museum in America. This fabulous set was passed on to our friend and neighbour, the late arms dealer Paul Grafton, who owned the former ‘House of Correction’ for many years, and it occupied his whole shop!, but exceptionally memorable it was.
It was eventually passed on to Holland and Holland, we believe for their bespoke gun shop in London, and thence later, we understand, to an American billionaire who kept it next to his swimming pool, whereupon it became very wet and thus rusty. After that it travelled to New Jersey or Park Avenue, New York possibly, but we sadly lost track of it then

This beautiful full suit of Tudor hall plate armour is very likely circa to post 1900  read more

Code: 24964