Antique Arms & Militaria

An Imperial Roman 2nd Century Bronze Ring, Excellent Condition and Still Wearable Today

The same size, shape and form of unadorned ring worn by two of the Imperial Ceaser's, both Augustus and Tiberius. Part of a superb original museum grade collection we have acquired of Roman rings, also with some medieval and Norman rings as well. They are both clearly wearing their identical size and shaped rings on both of the surviving original Roman bronze statues of the emperors. Augustus Caeser and Tiberius Caeser both wore that ring type, engraved with the the symbol of a lituus, the mark of a Roman Augur a type of sorcerer. Augustus Caeser was indeed an auger himself, as was Pompey. The complete Roman Empire had around a 60 million population and a census more perfect than many parts of the world (to collect taxes, of course) but identification was still quite difficult and aggravated even more because there were a maximum of 17 men names and the women received the name of the family in feminine and a number (Prima for First, Secunda for Second…). A lot of people had the same exact name.
So the Roman proved the citizenship by inscribing themselves (or the slaves when they freed them) in the census, usually accompanied with two witnesses. Roman inscribed in the census were citizens and used an iron or bronze ring to prove it. With Augustus, those that could prove a wealth of more than 400,000 sesterces were part of a privileged class called Equites (knights) that came from the original nobles that could afford a horse. The Equites were middle-high class and wore a bronze or gold ring to prove it, with the famous Angusticlavia (a tunic with an expensive red-purple twin line). Senators (those with a wealth of more than 1,000,000 sesterces) also used the gold ring and the Laticlave, a broad band of purple in the tunic.

So the rings were very important to tell from a glimpse of eye if a traveller was a citizen, an equites or a senator, or legionary. People sealed and signed letters with the rings and its falsification could bring death.
The fugitive slaves didn’t have rings but iron collars with texts like “If found, return me to X” which also helped to recognize them. The domesticus slaves (the ones that lived in houses) didn’t wore the collar but sometimes were marked. A ring discovered 50 years ago is now believed to possibly be the ring of Pontius Pilate himself, and it was the same copper-bronze form ring as is this one. Classified as Guiraud type 4. Guiraud Ring Types A categorisation of 1st to 5th century ce Roman and provincial Gallo-Roman ring types devised by the 20th century French scholar Hélène Guiraud.

Like many of our selection of antiquities, many originally arrived in England as souvenirs of a Grand Tour, from around 200 years ago,


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.  read more

Code: 24363

A Beautiful, Original, Large Size Roman Empire Bronze Seal Ring With The Engraved Fulminata of Julius Caeser's XIIth Legion & Ancient Greek Script

Circa 1st Century. A good still wearable large size, in bronze copper ally, engraved with a traditional seal in Greco-Roman, and the symbol onf the 12th legion 'Fulminata' The Lighting Twelfth. It was another Roman legion established by Julius Caesar. Named after the unit’s symbol, the thunderbolt, the Twelfth could trace its origins to 58 BCE. The legion served in some of Caesar’s most famous battles in Gaul, including the Siege of Alesia. It also saw a fair share of fighting in the civil war against Pompey, participating in the decisive showdown at Pharsalus. Following victory in the war, Caesar changed the legion’s name to Victrix (“winner”). Another cognomen was later added by Mark Antony—Antiqua—meaning the “old one” (as in “reliable one”).

During Caesar's war against his fellow-triumvir and rival Pompey the Great, which broke out in January 49, the Twelfth participated in the invasion of Italy, and a year later, it was with Caesar during the battle of Pharsalus (9 August 48). After Caesar's victory, the men were pensioned off and received land in the neighborhood of Parma .

We know that it was called Victrix ("winner") after the civil war, which is a bit confusing because later, there was another legion called XII Victrix.

Mark Antony brought the Lighting Twelfth to the East to join his war against Parthia. While the campaign ended in defeat, the legion remained in the East during the imperial period, continuing the fight against the Parthian and the Sassanid Empires. The unit still guarded the Euphrates crossing next to its base—Melitene—at the beginning of the fifth century. This longevity makes Legio XII Fulminata another one of the longest-standing Roman legions on record.

Likely the ring of a serving centurion of the 12th, with a traditional motto somewhat similar to 'good soul'. It bears KAAH {in reverse, as it was the centurion's seal} which, depending on context can be mean to represent good, faithful or beautiful.  read more

Code: 24761

Very Early Production, Factory Engraved & Cased, Sharps 4 Shot Derringer Pistol with Tools in Its Superb Walnut Case, Serial Number 52

Early second model, superb presentation quality engraving to the copper-bronze frame, re-freshed blued barrels, ebony grips, forward sliding barrel action for loading. Sharps company maker marks to the frame, good tight action. .30 rimfire caiibre.

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.

Sharps antique derringers became known as the

‘hideout pistol’ 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 since it was about the same size as a pocket watch.

The first two Sharps Derringer models were made before 1862. In that year, William Hankins joined the firm and the company changed its name Sharps & Hankins. Sharps, forever with his money struggles, brought on Hankins for funding, and his new capital funded an additional factory to make both rifles and antique derringer pistols. The other remaining models also began manufacturing under this partnership.

No licence is required to own and collect this antique pistol  read more

Code: 24946

Simply Fabulous 'Battle of Austerlitz' & Napoleonic Wars Period, Early 19th Century Austrian Field Marshal Grade Officer's Sword, Remarkably Similar To The Lloyds Patriotic Fund Swords Awarded to Napoleonic Wars Heroes

This sword must be ranked in quality to equal the swords made for the Lloyds Patriotic Fund Sword heroic recipients, and the Napoleons Marshal's of France. One could even see it might have once been the sword of Lieutenant Field Marshal Franz von Weyrother. Of course this can be nothing more than conjecture. Formerly this magnificent sword was part of the world renown collection of WW2 French hero Dr Raymond Wagnier. It has a curved slender blade finely etched with scrolling foliage and the imperial crowned F cypher of the last Holy Roman Emperor, Francis of Austria. The sword's impressive and magnificent chiselled gilt hilt is incredibly finely decorated with scrolling serpents, forming the cross and knuckle guard emanating from the mouth of the Nemean lion's pommel, and and binding the lion's skin to the snakeskin pattern chiselled grip, contained in its finest gilt mounted leather wrapped wooden scabbard, the mounts decorated with acanthus, strapwork and flowerheads. The Nemean lion's head and skin and intertwined serpents were also the dominant design of the fabulous hilt's of all the Lloyds Patriotic Fund swords, that were awarded to heroes of the Napoleonic Wars, that today can fetch up to £220,000, This sword must be ranked of similar quality to those Lloyds swords. This sword was formerly in the private, world renown collection, of Dr Raymond Wagnier. He was a French hero of the occupation of France during WW2, and during raids by the RAF in 1943-44, on the Lille Railway, at extreme risk of reprisal, he rescued a wounded British airman, who would have been undoubtedly executed. After the Liberation of France he was offered an honour by the King and British government, but to his extraordinary credit, he refused, stating he was doing nothing more than his duty. His first collection was looted by the German's and Vichy, but after the war he was able to reassemble his eminent collection once more. After his death in 1989 his collection, including this incredible sword, was sold by his estate in 1990 in Monaco. It was one of the foremost collections of Belles Armes Anciennes and Objet Napoleonique in the world. The Battle of Austerlitz (2 December 1805/11 Frimaire An XIV FRC), also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, was one of the most important and decisive engagements of the Napoleonic Wars. In what is widely regarded as the greatest victory achieved by Napoleon, the Grande Armée of France defeated a larger Russian and Austrian army led by Emperor Alexander I and Holy Roman Emperor Francis II. The battle occurred near the town of Austerlitz in the Austrian Empire (modern-day Slavkov u Brna in the Czech Republic). Austerlitz brought the War of the Third Coalition to a rapid end, with the Treaty of Pressburg signed by the Austrians later in the month. The battle is often cited as a tactical masterpiece, in the same league as other historic engagements like Cannae or Gaugamela. Lloyd's Patriotic Fund was founded on 28 July 1803 at Lloyd's Coffee House, and continues to the present day. Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund now works closely with armed forces charities to identify the individuals and their families who are in urgent need of support.

The contributors created the fund to give grants to those wounded in service to the Crown and to set up annuities to the dependents of those killed in action. The Fund also awarded prizes to those British combatants who went beyond the call of duty. The rewards could be a sum of money, a sword or a piece of plate. The awards were highly publicized to help raise morale during wartime. In 1807 the fund also donated £61,000 to the Royal Naval Asylum, giving Lloyd's Patriotic Fund the enduring right to nominate children to the school.

On 24 August 1809 the Fund held a general meeting of its subscribers. The subscribers decided at that time to discontinue awards for merit. The Peninsular War was putting such demands on the Fund that it was felt that priority would have to go to support for the wounded and the dependents of those killed. Still, when the Fund awarded officers money for wounds received, some officers asked that the Fund give them an inscribed sword instead.The Fund issued 15 swords worth £30 each, to midshipmen, masters' mates and Royal Marine lieutenants. Also, 91 swords worth 50 pounds each went to naval lieutenants and Royal Marine captains. It issued 35 swords worth £100 each to commanders and naval captains. In addition, it issued 23 swords, worth £100 each, to naval captains who fought at Trafalgar. Some 60 officers requested a piece of plate of equal value instead of a sword. Lastly, a number of officers opted for cash instead, either for themselves or to distribute to their crew.

One engagement might result in multiple awards. When a cutting-out party from HMS Franchise captured Raposa in 1806, naval lieutenants John Fleming and Peter Douglas, and Lieutenant of Marines Mend, each received a sword worth £50, while Midshipman Lamb received one worth £30.

Not all the officers who received swords or other merit awards were naval officers or Royal Marines. Some were captains of privateers or East Indiamen. The Fund awarded Mr. Thomas Musgrave, captain of the private man of war Kitty an honour-sabre worth £30 for the action in which Kitty captured the Spanish ship Felicity (or Felicidad). After the Battle of Pulo Aura, Lloyd's Patriotic Fund gave each captain a sword worth £50, and one to Lieutenant Robert Merrick Fowler (RN), who had distinguished himself in a variety of capacities during the engagement, and one worth £100 to Captain Nathaniel Dance, who had been the commodore of the fleet. We actually have Captain Dance’s regular high rank combat sword, fully named to him, that he used as commodore of the fleet, plus, his from life portrait.  read more

Code: 23374

A Superb & Very Rare Original Grouping, 5th to 7th Century Roman & Goth Period 'Ceremonially Folded' Sword, From a Pagan Ritual, A Warrior or Legionary's Spartha Sword, and War Shield Mounts

A very similar find of a Roman sword and shield boss was excavated in Greece last May, and caused a sensation and world news. The 'astonishing' findings have been shared by Errikos Maniotis, an archaeologist at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece, who believes the man likely served in the Roman imperial army.

'Usually, these types of swords were used by the auxiliary cavalry forces of the Roman army,' Maniotis told Live Science.

'Thus, we may say that the deceased, taking also into consideration the importance of the burial location, was a high-ranking officer of the Roman army.

It's rare to find a 'folded' sword in an urban landscape, let alone in this part of Europe, Maniotis pointed out. The term 'folded' sword describes that it has been believed to have been ceremonially killed and bent, in a pagan rite, to sacrifice the sword from current use, to represent a warrior passing into the afterlife, for it to be used in the afterlife by the warrior, and thus buried with his shield and offerings to the gods. Our sword group is around 1400 to 1600 years old. It was likely recovered more up to two centuries ago, probably a ‘Grand Tour’ find, from the area historically known as Merovingian Roman-Frankish Germany or France. The shield boss and handle have survived remarkably well, naturally the leather covered wooden shield body and sword hilt have rotted away over its 1200 plus years underground. The organic parts of shields and swords simply never survive this great period of time being buried. For example, we know not of a single complete Viking wooden shield in existence today, the only way we know today of their appearance is from ancient texts and poems that have survived. The spatha is a type of straight and long sword, measuring between 0.75 and 1 m , with a handle length between 18 and 20 cm , in use in the territory of the Roman Empire during the 1st to 6th centuries AD. Later swords, from the 6th to 10th centuries, like the Viking swords, are recognisable derivatives and sometimes subsumed under the term spatha.

The Roman spatha was used in war and in gladiatorial fights. The spatha of literature appears in the Roman Empire in the 1st century AD as a weapon used by presumably Germanic auxiliaries and gradually became a standard heavy infantry weapon, relegating the gladius to use as a light infantry weapon. The spatha apparently replaced the gladius in the front ranks, giving the infantry more reach when thrusting. While the infantry version had a long point, versions carried by the cavalry had a rounded tip that prevented accidental stabbing of the cavalryman's own foot or horse.

Archaeologically many instances of the spatha have been found in Britain and Germany. It was used extensively by Germanic warriors. It is unclear whether it came from the Pompeii gladius or the longer Celtic swords, or whether it served as a model for the various arming swords and Viking swords of Europe. The spatha remained popular throughout the Migration Period. It evolved into the knightly sword of the High Middle Ages by the 12th century. Picture of combating Frankish warrior knights using spartha and shields of the same type, from the Stuttgart Psalter.

The Merovingians were a Salian Frankish dynasty that ruled the Franks for nearly 300 years in a region known as Francia in Latin, beginning in the middle of the 5th century. Their territory largely corresponded to ancient Gaul as well as the Roman provinces of Raetia, Germania Superior and the southern part of Germania. The semi legendary Merovech was supposed to have founded the Merovingian dynasty, but it was his famous grandson Clovis I (ruled c.481-511) who united all of Gaul under Merovingian rule. Charles de Gaulle is on record as stating his opinion that "For me, the history of France begins with Clovis, elected as king of France by the tribe of the Franks, who gave their name to France. Before Clovis, we have Gallo-Roman and Gaulish prehistory. The decisive element, for me, is that Clovis was the first king to have been baptized a Christian. My country is a Christian country and I reckon the history of France beginning with the accession of a Christian king who bore the name of the Franks. The Merovingians are featured in the book The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail (1982) where they are depicted as descendants of Jesus, inspired by the "Priory of Sion" story developed by Pierre Plantard in the 1960s. Plantard playfully sold the story as non-fiction, giving rise to a number of works of pseudohistory among which The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail was the most successful. The "Priory of Sion" material has given rise to later works in popular fiction, notably The Da Vinci Code (2003), which mentions the Merovingians in chapter 60 . The ritual 'killing' of swords, such as bending or breaking have been found in thousands of examples of this practice across Europe, indicating that it was a ritual common to all the pan-Celtic tribes. However, although many theories have been postulated, for now the exact significance of this mysterious custom remains unclear. Some suggest it may be for all to know that the blade is not to recovered by grave robbers, or, possibly, the warrior or knight owner has been killed in battle, and thus his sword, as part of him, is also now dead. Or, maybe an offering to the gods of the afterlife. A Merovingian Frankish sword in 'un-killed' condition, is such a rare piece to survive to today, would likely be valued comfortably into five figures £12,000 plus. In May 2021 An iron sword deliberately bent as part of a pagan ritual has been discovered in a Roman soldier's grave in Greece, an archaeologist has revealed.

The deformed or 'folded' sword was buried with an as yet unidentified soldier about 1,600 years ago in the Greek city of Thessaloniki.

His 'arch-shaped' grave was found in the underground remains of a basilica – a large public building and place of worship – dating from the fifth century AD. 'Folded swords are usually excavated in sites in Northern Europe,' he said.

'It seems that Romans didn't practise it, let alone when the new religion, Christianity, dominated, due to the fact that this ritual was considered to be pagan.'

Archaeologists are yet to assess the remains of the soldier, described as likely a 'Romanized Goth or from any other Germanic tribe who served as a mercenary'.

'We don't know anything about his profile – age of death, cause of death, possible wounds that he might have from the wars he fought,' Maniotis said.

The soldier's grave was one of seven found in the basilica, but not all of them were found containing artefacts. in the third century A.D., the Goths launched a series of raids into the Roman Empire. “The first known attack came in 238, when Goths sacked the city of Histria at the mouth of the river Danube. A series of much more substantial land incursions followed a decade later,” writes Peter Heather, a professor at King’s College London, in his book “The Goths” (Blackwell Publishers, 1996).

He notes that in A.D. 268, a massive expedition of Goths, along with other groups also called barbarians, broke into the Aegean Sea, wreaking havoc. They attacked a number of settlements, including Ephesus (a city in Anatolia inhabited by Greeks), where they destroyed a temple dedicated to the goddess Diana.

“The destruction wrought by this combined assault on land and sea were severe, and prompted a fierce Roman response. Not only were the individual groups defeated, but no major raid ever again broke through the Dardanelles,” writes Heather.

The Goths' tumultuous relationship with Rome would continue into the fourth century. While Goths served as Roman soldiers, and trade took place across the Danube River, there was plenty of conflict.

Heather notes that a Gothic group called the Tervingi intervened in Roman imperial politics, supporting two unsuccessful claimants to the emperorship. In A.D. 321, they supported Licinius against Constantine, and in A.D. 365, they supported Procopius against Valens. In both instances this backfired, with Constantine and Valens launching attacks against the Tervingi after becoming emperor.

As contact with Rome intensified, a form of Christianity known as Arianism spread among the Goths.

“In the 340s, the Arian Gothic bishop Ulfilas or Wulfila (d. 383) translated the Bible into the Gothic language in a script based chiefly upon the uncial Greek alphabet and said to have been invented by Ulfilas for the purpose,” writes Robin Sowerby, a lecturer at the University of Stirling, in an article in the book “A New Companion to the Gothic” (Wiley, 2012).
In time, the Goths would adopt the Catholic form of Christianity that came to be used in Rome. ; From a private collection of an English gentleman acquired in the 1940's. As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity. Almost every iron weapon that has survived today from this era is now in a fully russetted condition, as is this one, because only the swords of kings, that have been preserved in national or Royal collections are today still in a relative good state and condition. We show in the gallery two photos of the excavated Roman's tomb in Thessaloniki, and the Roman's folded spartha sword. In the photo of the tomb interior one can plainly see the folded sword and shield boss, the shield boss has been crushed flat. Another photograph is of the exhibit in the museum of Nuremberg Germany showing another original spartha sword unfolded and a fully formed shield boss, both are extremely similar to ours.

A sword was still so valued in the much later Norse society that good blades were prized by successive generations of warriors. There is even some evidence from Viking burials for the deliberate and possibly ritual "killing" of swords, a ritual from ancient times, which still involved the blade being bent so that it was unusable. Because Vikings were often buried with their weapons, the "killing" of swords may have served two functions, namely a ritualistic function in retiring a weapon with a warrior, and a practical one in deterring any grave robbers from disturbing the burial in order to get one of these costly weapons. Indeed, archaeological finds of the bent and brittle pieces of metal sword remains testify to the regular burial of Vikings with weapons, as well as the habitual "killing" of sword  read more

Code: 21852

A 13th Century Iron Head, Crusader Knight's Battle Mace, 800 Years Old, Mounted Upon A Later Museum's Display Haft

Pineapple shaped lobes on circular head with large mounting hole through which the haft slots. it was fitted to a plain wood haft for a museum display, as its original rotted away centuries ago as usual, in order to show how it looked and was used 800 years ago.
This type of mace head were also used as a Flail Mace, by filling out the hollow iron head with lead and a chain mounted hook placed within it, a chain would then be added to the end of a similar but shorter wooden haft. This subsequent mace head weapon could thus then became a flail, often called a scorpion at the time.

This very fine and rare iron mace head has flattened pyramidal protuberances, and is possibly English. Made for a mounted Knight to use as an armour and helmet crusher in hand to hand mortal combat upon his war horse, or then for use dismounted.

It would have been used for several hundred years, up to the 15th to 16th century.
Used as a flail it had the sobriquet of a Scorpion in England or France, or sometimes a Battle-Whip. It was also wryly known as a 'Holy Water Sprinkler'.

King John The Ist of Bohemia used exactly such a weapon, as he was blind, and the act of 'Flailing the Mace' meant lack of site was no huge disadvantage in close combat. Although blind he was a valiant and the bravest of the Warrior Kings, who perished at the Battle of Crecy against the English in 1346. On the day he was slain he instructed his Knights both friends and companions to lead him to the very centre of battle, so he may strike at least one blow against his enemies. His Knights tied their horses to his, so the King would not be separated from them in the press, and they rode together into the thick of battle, where King John managed to strike not one but at least four noble blows. The following day of the battle, the horses and the fallen knights were found all about the body of their most noble King, all still tied to his steed. In fact so noble were his actions regarded, it is said his banner of three erect and standing feathers became the symbol of the then Prince of Wales, Edward, the Black Prince, and as such, is still used by the current Prince of Wales today.

During the Middle Ages metal armour such as mail protected against the blows of edged weapons. Solid metal maces and war hammers proved able to inflict damage on well armoured knights, as the force of a blow from a mace is great enough to cause damage without penetrating the armour. Though iron became increasingly common, copper and bronze were also used, especially in iron-deficient areas.
It is popularly believed that maces were employed by the clergy in warfare to avoid shedding blood (sine effusione sanguinis). The evidence for this is sparse and appears to derive almost entirely from the depiction of Bishop Odo of Bayeux wielding a club-like mace at the Battle of Hastings in the Bayeux Tapestry, the idea being that he did so to avoid either shedding blood or bearing the arms of war. One of the Crusades this type of mace may have been used was the Crusade of 1239, which was in territorial terms the most successful crusade since the First. Called by Pope Gregory IX, the Barons' Crusade broadly spanned from 1234-1241 and embodied the highest point of papal endeavour "to make crusading a universal Christian undertaking." Gregory called for a crusade in France, England, and Hungary with different degrees of success. Although the crusaders did not achieve any glorious military victories, they used diplomacy to successfully play the two warring factions of the Muslim Ayyubid dynasty (As-Salih Ismail in Damascus and As-Salih Ayyub in Egypt) against one another for even more concessions than Frederick II gained during the more well-known Sixth Crusade. For a few years, the Barons' Crusade returned the Kingdom of Jerusalem to its largest size since 1187.
This crusade to the Holy Land is sometimes discussed as two separate crusades: that of King Theobald I of Navarre, which began in 1239; and, the separate host of crusaders under the leadership of Richard of Cornwall, which arrived after Theobald departed in 1240. Additionally, the Barons' Crusade is often described in tandem with Baldwin of Courtenay's concurrent trip to Constantinople and capture of Tzurulum with a separate, smaller force of crusaders. This is because Gregory IX briefly attempted to redirect the target his new crusade from liberating the Holy Land from Muslims to protecting the Latin Empire of Constantinople from heretical Christians.

Despite relatively plentiful primary sources, scholarship until recently has been limited, due at least in part to the lack of major military engagements. Although Gregory IX went further than any other pope to create an ideal of Christian unity in the process of organizing the crusade, in practice the crusade's divided leadership did not reveal a unified Christian action or identity in response to taking a cross. Approx. 2.5 inch wide lobed iron head.

Painting in the gallery by Julian Russel Story of the Black Prince at the battle of Crecy. At his feet lies the body of the dead King John of Bohemia painted in 1888.  read more

Code: 21534

A Superb 19th Century French Chassepot M1866 Sword Bayonet, Franco Prussian War Issue, Manufactured at the Armoury of StEtienne 1870

Stunning example, with very good steel and brass,
Its inventor was, Antoine Alphonse Chassepot, and it became the French service weapon in 1866. It was first used at the battlefield at Mentana, November 1867, where it inflicted severe losses on Garibaldi's troops. The event was reported at the French Parliament: "Les Chassepots ont fait merveille!", {The Chassepots did marvelous execution !} In the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) it proved greatly superior to the German Dreyse needle gun, outranging it by 2 to 1. Although it was a smaller caliber but the chassepot ammunition had more gunpowder and thus faster muzzle velocity. The Chassepots were responsible for most of the Prussian and other German casualties during the conflict. This is the most widely copied of all the sword bayonets. Many countries - including the United States, Egypt, Belgium, and Argentina - have manufactured or used very similar bayonets. The French model was designed to fit on the French Model 1866 Chassepot Rifled Infantry Musket (the musket was revolutionary in itself). It was manufactured from 1866 to about 1874 and was replaced by the French Model 1874 "Gras" Bayonet.
The bayonets are brass-hilted The crossguard is iron (steel) and has a screw-type tightening arrangement on the muzzle-ring. The lower quillon is a hooked "blade-breaker" type.
The blade is steel, single-edged, fullered (both sides), with a re-curved or "yataghan-shape." The blades marked on the back-edge (opposite the cutting edge) with the arsenal, month, and year of manufacture; this is done in engraved cursive fashion
Arsenals encountered may be such as Chatellerault, Mutzig, St. Etienne, Paris-Oudry, Tulle, and perhaps Steyr (not confirmed on the 1866). The French wars during the life-span of this bayonet were: French Intervention in Mexico (1861-1867);
Franco-Prussian War (July 19, 1870 - May 10, 1871)
French Indo-China (1873-1874, 1882-1883);
Sino-French War (1883-1885);
Madagascar Wars (1883-1885, 1895);
1st Mandingo-French War (1883-1886);
1st Dahomeyan-French War (1889-1990);
2nd Dahomeyan-French War (1892-1894);
Franco-Siamese War of (1893)
2nd Mandingo-French War (1894-1895);
Conquest of Chad (1897-1914);
3rd Mandingo-French War (1898);
Moroccan War (1907-1912);
The Wadai War (1909-1911);
World War I (early).

These bayonets were widely copied and used by many countries - including the United States, Belgium, and Germany. Many of the actual French-marked bayonets can be found with German manufactured blades. It is believed some of these were used during the American Civil War when many European arsenals were emptied of their surplus arms.
These bayonets are the French Model 1866 "Chassepot" Bayonet.
The crossguard are iron (steel) and with a "cock's comb" muzzle-ring finial. The lower quillon is a hooked "blade-breaker" type.
The blade is steel, single-edged, fullered (both sides), with a re-curved or "yataghan-shape." One blade is marked on the back-edge (opposite the cutting edge) with the arsenal, month, and year of manufacture; this is done in engraved cursive fashion.  read more

Code: 25133

A Most Attractive Late King George IIIrd English Long Barrel Fowling Piece

Very long barrel, and good walnut stock. Percussion action. The earliest smoothbore firearms loaded with shot were the fowling pieces that appeared in 16th-century Europe. In the early 17th century, the barrels were made as long as 6 feet in an attempt to gain maximum accuracy. Hunting has been practised in Britain since prehistoric times; it was a crucial activity of hunter-gatherer societies before the domestication of animals and the dawn of agriculture.

In Britain, hunting with hounds was popular in Celtic Britain before the Romans arrived, using the Agassaei breed. The Romans brought their Castorian and Fulpine hound breeds to England, along with importing the brown hare (the mountain hare is native) and fallow deer as quarry. Wild boar was also hunted.

The earliest known attempt to specifically hunt a fox with hounds was in Norfolk, in the East of England, in 1534, where farmers began chasing down foxes with their dogs as a form of pest control. Packs of hounds were first trained specifically to hunt foxes in the late 17th century, with the oldest such fox hunt likely to be the Bilsdale in Yorkshire. By the end of the 17th century, many organised packs were hunting both hare and fox.

Shotguns were improved during the 18th and 19th centuries and game shooting became more popular. To protect the pheasants for the shooters, gamekeepers culled vermin such as foxes, magpies and birds of prey almost to extirpation in popular areas, and landowners improved their coverts and other habitats for game. Game Laws were relaxed in 1831 which meant anyone could obtain a permit to shoot rabbits, hares, and gamebirds, although shooting and taking away any birds or animals on someone else's land without their permission continued to be the crime of poaching, as it still is.

Hunting was formerly a royal sport, and to an extent shooting still is, with many Kings and Queens being involved in hunting and shooting, including King Edward VII, King George V (who on 18 December 1913 shot over a thousand pheasants out of a total bag of 3937), King George VI and the present day Prince Philip, although Queen Elizabeth II does not shoot. Shooting on the large estates of Scotland has always been a fashionable country sport. This trend is generally attributed to the Victorians, who were inspired by the romantic imagery of the Scottish Highlands.

The modern shotgun evolved principally from a series of 19th-century improvements in gunpowder, cartridges, and guns. The barrel was shortened and lightened, making possible the double-barreled gun, in which two barrels shoot to the same point of aim at normal ranges. The choke bore was introduced to limit the spread of the shot and increase range and accuracy. As with all our antique guns, no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables

Barrel 50.5 inches long, overall 67 inches long  read more

Code: 22357

A Most Beautiful All Brass Large Boxlock King George IIIrd Napoleonic Wars Flintlock Pistol

Just one example of the many dozens of finest quality pistols we have from the 18th and 19th century, we have the privilege to currently offer. Finest London maker Philip Bond of Cornhill. Very good tight and crisp action. Boxlock pistols were pocket pistols popular in the late 1700's and early 1800’s. The most unique feature of their design was the boxlock mechanism. Unlike most firearms which have the cock located off to the side of the pistol, a boxlock pistol had the cock located directly on top of the pistol. They were called a boxlocks because all of the working mechanisms for the cock and the trigger was located in a box or receiver directly below the top mounted hammer. While the cock obstructed the aim of the user, this system had the advantage of making the gun more compact and concealable than other pistols. The first boxlock pistols were flintlock and where later made in percussion lock. Unlike modern firearms, these pistols were not mass produced, but were meticulously hand made by the most highly skilled specialist gunsmith artisans, in their bespoke gunsmith's workshops. In their day there were thousands of such artisans based in workshops around the entire country, today there are just a handful left remaining with the skill to create such masterpieces of the gunmakers art. Finest English bespoke guns today can start from £100,000 each, and it is not unusual to approach £200,000 for a top grade example.
Gun collecting and restoration attracts those from all walks of life who appreciate the joy and satisfaction such historical and beautiful pieces bring. For example, one of the greatest and most famous, senior, cinematic and stage actors in the world today, admired and respected by millions, young and old alike, is also a highly talented gunsmith, restorer and collector of the finest antique pistols. The possessor of a unique and remarkable additional skill, equal to that of his acting ability, a talent and passion that he most discreetly keeps very close to his chest. As with all our antique guns no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables

 read more

Code: 23629

A Fabulous Circa 1808, A Year XII Silex Pistol for General Staff Officers, Octagonal Rifled Barrel in 17 mm calibre, Napoleonic Period Pistol By Napoleon’s Personal Gunsmith,The Great Jean Le Page of Paris

A Napoleonic pistol made by one of the greatest and collectable makers of France. Chequered grip, octagonal butt cap, octagonal barrel heavy scroll engraved with Le Page of Paris, flared muzzle octagonal barrel with multi groove rifling. Converse silex action, to enable ignition in foul weather.

The first modern use of a General Staff was in the French Revolutionary Wars, when General Louis-Alexandre Berthier (later Marshal) was assigned as Chief of Staff to the Army of Italy in 1795. Berthier was able to establish a well-organised staff support team. Napoleon took over the army the following year and quickly came to appreciate Berthier's system, adopting it for his own headquarters, although Napoleon's usage was limited to his own command group.

The Staff of the Grande Armée was known as the Imperial Headquarters and was divided into two major sections: Napoleon's Military Household and the Army General Headquarters. A third department dependent on the Imperial Headquarters was the office of the Intendant Général (Quartermaster General), providing the administrative staff of the army.

Made and used by a staff officer, from the period of Napoleon’s Grand Armee. The Grand Armee was the main military component of the French Imperial Army commanded by Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte during the Napoleonic Wars. From 1804 to 1808, it won a series of military victories that allowed the French Empire to exercise unprecedented control over most of Europe. Widely acknowledged to be one of the greatest fighting forces ever assembled, however, it suffered enormous losses during the disastrous invasion of Russia in 1812, after which it never recovered its strategic superiority.

The Grande Armée was formed in 1804 from the L'Armée des côtes de l'Océan (Army of the Ocean Coasts), a force of over 100,000 men that Napoleon had assembled for the proposed invasion of Britain. Napoleon later deployed the army in Central Europe to eliminate the combined threat of Austria and Russia, which were part of the Third Coalition formed against France. Thereafter, the Grande Armée was the principal military force deployed in the campaigns of 1806/7, the French invasion of Spain, and 1809, where it earned its prestige, and in the conflicts of 1812, 1813–14, and 1815. In practice, however, the term Grande Armée is used in English to refer to all the multinational forces gathered by Napoleon in his campaigns.

Upon its formation, the Grande Armée consisted of six corps under the command of Napoleon's marshals and senior generals. When the Austrian and Russian armies began preparations to invade France in late 1805, the Grande Armée was quickly ordered across the Rhine into southern Germany, leading to Napoleon's victories at Ulm and Austerlitz. The French Army grew as Napoleon seized power across Europe, recruiting troops from occupied and allied nations; it reached its peak of one million men at the start of the Russian campaign in 1812,3 with the Grande Armée reaching its height of 413,000 French soldiers and over 600,000 men overall when including foreign recruits.4

In summer of 1812, the Grande Armée marched slowly east, and the Russians fell back with its approach. After the capture of Smolensk and victory at Borodino, the French reached Moscow on 14 September 1812. However, the army was already drastically reduced by skirmishes with the Russians, disease (principally typhus), desertion, heat, exhaustion, and long communication lines. The army spent a month in Moscow but was ultimately forced to march back westward. Cold, starvation, and disease, as well as constant harassment by Cossacks and Russian partisans, resulted in the Grande Armée's utter destruction as a fighting force. Only 120,000 men survived to leave Russia (excluding early deserters); of these, 50,000 were Austrians, Prussians, and other Germans, 20,000 were Poles, and just 35,000 were French.5 As many as 380,000 died in the campaign.6

Napoleon led a new army during the campaign in Germany in 1813, the defence of France in 1814, and the Waterloo campaign in 1815, but the Grande Armée would never regain its height of June 1812. In total, from 1805 to 1813, over 2.1 million Frenchmen were conscripted into the French Imperial Army

Jean Le Page continued the success of his predecessors as gunsmith to the House of Orleans, King Louis XVI, of the First Consul Bonaparte and then Emperor Napoleon I and King Louis XVIII. The factory is famous for its pistols, guns, luxury white arms and page swords during the First French Empire. During this era, many technical innovations were made such as over oxygenated powder in 1810, a water resistant gun in 1817, and invented the fulminate percussion system for firearms which replaced the flintlock.

Jean Le Page cemented the company’s reputation and position in history. As a gunsmith he is mentioned in numerous pieces of literature, and the firearms produced during this period are those most sought after and displayed in museums and the like, particularly due to their often famous provenance.
As a purveyor of arms to kings he brought in an extremely prestigious clientele and this includes Armand Augustin Louis de Caulaincourt, Duke of Vincence, baron Gaspard Gourgaud, the Marshall Emmanuel de Grouchy, General Charles de Flahaut, the Marchioness Catherine-Dominique de Pérignon, the Marshall André Masséna, Duke of Rivoli, Baron Daru, General Carlo Andrea Pozzo di Borgo, and the perfumier Jean-François Houbigant, among others.

Many pieces bear testimony to this sumptuous period, Jean Le Page "is, without doubt, the imperial gunsmith most quoted both in literary texts and in arms notices exhibited in museums". A shooting gun for Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans (future Philippe Égalité) is presented to the Museum of the Porte de Hal in Brussels. First Consul Bonaparte's sword is exhibited at the Château de Malmaison. The Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature in Paris also has several beautiful Le Page pieces including two of Emperor Napoleon I's shooting guns belonging to a series made in 1775 for King Louis XVI and modified around 1806 ; a silex gun that had belonged to King Louis XVIII and a nécessaire box containing a pair of silex guns for children, a gift from King Charles X to the Duke of Bordeaux, future Count of Chambord

The pistol has had an old contemporary thin crack repair at the buttstock, replaced rammer  read more

Code: 20866