Antique Arms & Militaria

Some of The Best Ideas For Christmas Have Come From The Lanes Armoury, Britain's Favourite & One Of The Oldest Families of Antique Collectors Shops. Our 105th Christmas, and Still Counting

Now is the time to choose that perfect gift for Christmas, even if it's for yourself!!

Unique, ancient, antique and vintage beautiful items are our speciality, and be sure and certain that anything from us will be the best choice you can make this Christmas time.

Every item will be accompanied with our unique, presentation quality, 'Certificate of Authenticity' that will not only fully certify it's genuineness, but it will detail the circumstance of it's origin, and where and when it may have been used in it's specific or generic history.

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

"Doesn't someone you know deserve something unique from The Lanes Armoury"

The Lanes Armoury once described by the 'New York Times' as one of the very best stores to visit when in Europe.
A living, breathing gallery containing a huge ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ containing thousands of original pieces from the ancient long past, to the near recent.

We are certainly not the biggest premier store in Europe recommended by the New York Times, in fact we are probably the smallest, but what we lack in size, apparently, we more than make up for in amazement, and, we have been doing so for over 100 years

For example, we added recently items that range from an Ancient Roman Republic centurian's bronze shield boss, some incredible samurai swords, many museum pieces, plus a sword once used by one of Napoleon's generals, and numerous other Napoleonic wars swords.  read more

Code: 24523

An Original And Beautifully Exotic North African or Arabian Heavily Decoratively Inlaid Snaphaunce Lock Kabyle Musket With 7 Florid Engraved Silver Cappuchines (Barrel Bands) Circa 1790 to 1820 with Carved Butt

Kabyle Flintlock Musket (Moukhala) with sheet silver and bone decoration, late 18th C.Steel, wood, sheet silver, bone, brass. Long North African flintlock musket of Moukhala type with smooth round barrel, secured by multiple capucines clad in sheet silver. Flintlock with fine engraving and sheet silver overlay. Straight wooden stock with carved flat butt, and rich bone inlay decoration and sheet silver mounts in florid patterns. Ramrod present. Wedge-shaped shoulder rest with characteristic ribbed structure and bone appliqués. The stock and trumpet-shaped butt is enhanced with a carved butt.
With a good Snaphaunce lock of 17th century style form, fine detailed engraving around the stock, distinctive deep flattened butt, and the stock is inlaid.

Two systems of gunlock prevailed in Kabyle guns, one, which derived from Dutch and English types of snaphance lock, usually with a thicker lockplate. Half cock was provided by a dog catch behind the cock. At full cock, the sear passing through the lockplate engaged the heel of the cock. The other mechanism was the so-called Arab toe-lock, a form of miquelet lock, closely allied to the agujeta lock (which required a back or dog catch for half cock) and the Italian romanlock. The term miquelet is used today to described a particular type of Snaplock. The miquelet lock, in all varieties, was common for several centuries in the countries surrounding the Mediterranean, particularly in Spain, Italy, the Balkans, and the Ottoman Empire domains including the coastal states of North Africa. The type of musket would be described as a Kabyle snaphance

The Moukhala is the traditional flintlock musket of the Berbers and Kabyles of North Africa, particularly the Algerian Kabylia region. The elaborate decoration with sheet silver mounts and bone inlays identifies this as a high-quality piece, possibly intended as a ceremonial or prestige weapon. The flintlock shows influences of the Miquelet type, which reached North Africa via the Spanish and Italian arms-making traditions. Comparable examples are held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the Royal Armouries, Leeds.

This example is all locally made, and probably originates from anywhere from Morocco in the West to Saudi Arabia in the East. It features a very attractive snaphaunce style lock.

King Philip III of Spain signed an EDICT OF EXPULSION in 1609 to purge the nation of over half a million "Moors" who had arrived in Spain over the previous 500 years. These unfortunates were compelled to return to their ancestor's lands in North Africa. When leaving they took many "Western Skills" learned in Spain with them. Gunmaking was one such skill and a contingent of Muslim Gunsmiths set up in the City of Tetuan in what we now call Morocco.


They continued to make the latest style of firearms then dominant in Spain which was the Snaphaunce system, a forerunner of the traditional flintlock soon to be introduced in France.These Arab made long guns intended for use from the saddle of a Camel were smooth bored but surprisingly accurate and production of the same ignition system continued for over 200 years and more even through the late Victorian era.

What we offer here is a beautiful example of the snaphaunce muskets made between 1800 and 1820 using the finest materials available in the region, and enhanced in masses of Coin Silver most likely smelted from Spanish 16th and 17th century "Treasure" looted or mined in South America.
In Europe these most distinctive and elaborate Snaphaunce guns gained great favour in the Elizabethan era and their influence was greatly felt in Arabia, originally along the eastern trade routes, that were travelled and used by early Europeans in order to buy the finest eastern silks, gemstones & spices. They were continually used in the Middle East and the Maghrib long after they had become unfashionable in Europe. One of the most renown Berbers in history was Saint Augustine it is said of him "Of all the fathers of the church, St. Augustine was the most admired and the most influential during the Middle Ages ... Augustine was an outsider - a native North African whose family was not Roman but Berber ... He was a genius - an intellectual giant" Interestingly this gun would have been likely last used in the resistance battle against French colonial conquest of Algeria, and one of the most famous was a woman, a warrior leader called Lalla Fadhma n'Soumer (born Fadhma Nat Sid Hmed in Abi Youcef, Algeria c.1830) She was an important figure of the Algerian resistance movement during the first years of the French colonial conquest of Algeria. She was seen as the embodiment of the struggle. Lalla, the female equivalent of sidi, is an honorific reserved for women of high rank, or who are venerated as saints. Fadhma is the Berber/French spelling of the Arabic name Fatima, which is colloquially pronounced Fatma in most Arabic dialects as well as Berber

One of a Kind. The Kabyle (sometimes Jezzail from the Arabic) is a simple, cost-efficient and typically handmade muzzle-loading long arm commonly used in the Middle East region in the past. These were all highly personalized, so no two were alike.

Barrel 43.5 inches long, overall 58 inches

Not suitable for export. UK mainland sale only.  read more

Code: 26425

A Simply Stunning & Unique 'Good King Wenceslas' Art Nouveau Original Illuminated Calligrafic Manuscript Watercolour, From The Golden Age of illustration, By Arthur B Packham. In The Manner Of Alberto Sangorsky. Calligrapher and Illuminator for Riviere

This wonderful original illuminated manuscript would make a superb and most pertinent Chistmas Gift, or a singularly fine addition to any collection of rare works of art, especially dedicated to the golden age of illustration

Circa 1897. A.B.Packham's artistry, calligraphy and illumination is incredibly similar to renown calligraphic illuminated manuscript artists Alberto Sangorsky, and William Morris. Sanghorsky was the Calligrapher and Illuminator for Riviere & Son world reknown bookbinders. His works within bound volumes, that are including his original manuscripts, can achieve from £20,000 to over £150,000. Sangorski's profession was as a secretary to a goldsmith until he was 43 years of age, whereupon he began to create works for his brother at Riviere and Sons.

The first two lines and last two lines of the carol's first verse are part of the calligraphy on pure gold leaf.

The painting is in two sections, Good King Wenceslas observing from his window, {the second section} a poor man gathering winter fuel.

Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the feast of Stephen,

When a poor man came in sight,
Gathering winter fuel.

The words to the carol were written in 1853 by John Mason Neale but the melody is much older – it’s a 13th-century tune called ‘Tempus adest floridum’ in praise of the spring.

The carol was written for the Feast of St Stephen, better known as Boxing Day. And it celebrates the long tradition of charitable giving on the Second Day of Christmas.

It’s become one of the best loved carols ever written – and was even performed by The Beatles.

A. B. Packham was an architect by profession but illustrated several books based around country properties and walks around Sussex. Being a professional man, apparently, he had no interest in marketing his skillful works, so very few of his watercolurs are recorded. This example has to be one of his premier works.
Whether he followed the art of his famous contemporary, Alberto Sangorski, or followed his own path is not known, but his artistry is superb, and this wonderful piece may have been created for a book that we are currently unaware of.

The combination of "Art Nouveau" and "illuminated manuscript watercolours" describes a modern artistic approach that blends the decorative, organic style of Art Nouveau with the historical techniques of illuminated manuscripts, often using watercolor as the primary medium for modern creations. This fusion results in contemporary works that feature Art Nouveau's characteristic flowing lines, nature-inspired motifs (like tendrils and organic forms), and intricate details, but are created on a modern medium and often utilize watercolor techniques for coloring and shading. It is distinct from the original medieval practice of illuminated manuscripts, which used pigments like tempera and gouache, not watercolors

Key characteristics
Art Nouveau's influence: Incorporates the style's hallmarks, such as sinuous, organic lines, natural forms, and complex decorative patterns.
Illuminated manuscript tradition: Draws inspiration from historical manuscripts, often focusing on decorative initial letters and intricate borders.
Watercolor medium: Uses watercolor for coloring, shading, and creating effects, unlike the historical use of pigments like tempera or gouache.
Nature-inspired motifs: Features designs rooted in nature, such as flowers, leaves, and other botanical elements.

In frame 11.5 inches x 8.75 inches, the manuscript is 8.75 x 5.75 inches

Within its original wooden banded frame {bearing a couple of nicks}

Interestingly it was framed over 125 years ago by our former neighbours, W. Stepney gilders and frame makers in Bond St. Brighton  read more

Code: 25957

A Roman or Pre-Roman Copper-Alloy Bronze Shield Boss {Umbo} Featuring A Stunning Lions Head and Mane. 3rd Century To 1st Century BC. Made and Used During the Roman-Etruscan Wars Era 509-264BC

A Roman or pre-Roman bronze shield boss (umbo), likely from the area later known in the Republic Era of Augustus as Italia, featuring a lion's head was a rare, striking piece of military hardware designed to intimidate opponents and display strength or status on the battlefield. Roman-Etruscan wars era, 509-264 BC.

Shaped or hammered into a bold lion's portrait with prominent facial features (eyes, nose, ears, and mane).
The lion image was intended to inspire courage in the wearer and strike fear into the enemy.

While standard Roman legionary shields (scuta) typically featured iron or plain bronze bosses to protect the center grip, specialized or decorative lion-head bosses were sometimes linked to cavalry units (such as a turma), senior officers, or parade/ceremonial armour.
Similar lion-emblem shield traditions trace back earlier through Etruscan and Mediterranean metalwork (dating from the 7th–5th century BC onwards) before appearing in Roman-era contexts around the 1st to 3rd century AD.

The Copper-Alloy Bronze Lion's Head Shield Boss, most similar to ours, {see photo in the gallery} is displayed as an object spotlight in Segedunum's 'Following the Eagle' exhibition, in North East England, this striking bronze shield boss featuring a bold lion's head design was uncovered near the Vindolanda Roman Fort along Hadrian's Wall  read more

Code: 26418

An Original, Ancient Roman Iron Stylus, Around 1900 Years Old. The Stylus An Ancient Form Of Writing and Erasing Pen Used By An Ancient Roman Scribe or Soldier To Inscribe Notes, Lists Or Details Upon A Wax tablet

It is thought that Roman wax tablets were filled with clean wax using a spatula, often with a handle in the form of a bust of Minerva; these spatulas are found in writing sets in graves, and in pictures of writing equipment, e.g. from Pompeii

A wax tablet is a tablet made of wood and covered with a layer of wax, often linked loosely to a cover tablet, as a "double-leaved" diptych. It was used as a reusable and portable writing surface in antiquity and throughout the Middle Ages. Cicero's letters make passing reference to the use of cerae, and some examples of wax-tablets have been preserved in waterlogged deposits in the Roman fort at Vindolanda on Hadrian's Wall. Medieval wax tablet books are on display in several European museums.

Writing Side (Pointed Tip): The sharp, pointed end—typically made of iron, bronze, bone, or ivory—was used to scratch letters, numbers, and symbols directly into the soft wax layer. Pressing down revealed the contrasting wood underneath or left a deep indented line
Erasing Side (Flat Spatula): The opposite end featured a flat, circular, or blade-like spatula. The writer flipped the tool over to rub, flatten, or smooth the wax back out over mistakes, effectively acting as an ancient "undo" button or eraser

Styli and tablets were used for short-term notes and ephemeral, erasable texts. More permanent writings were committed to books or rolls of parchment (sheepskin) or vellum (calfskin) or, later, paper, using ink and quills or metal pens.

Merchants recorded transactions, clerks took dictation or shorthand, soldiers wrote messages, and officials drafted temporary records

Multiple tablets were often bound together with string or leather straps into "diptychs" (two leaves) or "polyptychs" (multiple leaves), making them easy to fold shut and carry

Styluses were first used by the ancient Mesopotamians in order to write in cuneiform. They were mostly made of reeds and had a slightly curved trapezoidal section.
Egyptians (Middle Kingdom) and the Minoans of Crete made styluses in various materials: reeds that grew on the sides of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and in marshes and down to Egypt where the Egyptians used styluses from sliced reeds with sharp points; bone and metal styluses were also used. Cuneiform was entirely based on the "wedge-shaped" mark that the end of a cut reed made when pushed into a clay tablet; from Latin cuneus 'wedge'.
The linear writings of Crete in the first half of the second millennium BC which were made on clay tablets that were left to dry in the sun until they became "leather-hard" before being incised by the stylus. The linear nature of the writing was also dictated by the use of the stylus.

The woman in the painted mural in the gallery is using the same Roman stylus (from a recovered mural from Pompeii) .

Another photo in the gallery is a carved marble panel of of likely a centurion wearing his toga and using his stylus and wax tablet

The wax slate photograph is from the Roman-Germanic Museum in Cologne

There is also a photo of an ancient Greek ceramic painting of a scribe using the stylus and tablet

Set upon a wooden display stand. Stylus 4 3/4 inches  read more

Code: 26421

A Very Good & an Absolute Corker!. A Line Regiment Issue 1796 Light Dragoon and Hussar's Troopers Sabre Used In The Peninsular War and Waterloo Era By the British Light Brigades. in Great Condition For Age

In April 1815, Sir Hussey Vivian was appointed to command the 6th Brigade of the Earl of Uxbridge's Cavalry Division. Vivian's brigade included the 10th and 18th Hussars as well as the 1st and 2nd Hussars King's German Legion. At the Battle of Waterloo the 6th Brigade was posted on the Duke of Wellington's left flank. In the late afternoon, Vivian's regiments, with those of General Vandeleur's 4th Brigade, were ordered to move to support the centre of the line, which was under pressure from Napoleon's Imperial Guard. After the enemy were repulsed, Vivian's hussars made the final charge of the day between Hougoumont and La Haye Sainte, sweeping the Middle Guard and Line units before them before breaking upon the squares of the Old Guard, which they soon learned to avoid. This service was rewarded by the thanks of both houses of Parliament, an award of the KCH, and the Orders of Maria Theresa and St. Vladimir from the emperors of Austria and Russia.

After hostilities had ceased, Vivian remained in France as part of the Army of Occupation in command of the 2nd Brigade of Cavalry

The Cotton Collection, the full weapons, militaria, and recovered artifact display, from the battlefield, housed at the Hotel du Musee at Waterloo, owned first by Edward Cotton, then by his descendant family, was sold by auction in 1909.

The mounted swordsmanship training of the British emphasised the cut, at the face for maiming or killing, or at the arms to disable. This left masses of mutilated or disabled troops; the French, in contrast, favoured the thrust, which gave cleaner kills. A cut with the 1796 LC sabre was, however, perfectly capable of killing outright, as was recorded by George Farmer of the 11th Regiment of Light Dragoons, who was involved in a skirmish on the Guadiana River in 1811, during the Peninsular War:
"Just then a French officer stooping over the body of one of his countrymen, who dropped the instant on his horse's neck, delivered a thrust at poor Harry Wilson's body; and delivered it effectually. I firmly believe that Wilson died on the instant yet, though he felt the sword in its progress, he, with characteristic self-command, kept his eye on the enemy in his front; and, raising himself in his stirrups, let fall upon the Frenchman's head such a blow, that brass and skull parted before it, and the man's head was cloven asunder to the chin. It was the most tremendous blow I ever beheld struck; and both he who gave, and his opponent who received it, dropped dead together. The brass helmet was afterwards examined by order of a French officer, who, as well as myself, was astonished at the exploit; and the cut was found to be as clean as if the sword had gone through a turnip, not so much as a dint being left on either side of it" The blade is remembered today as one of the best of its time and has been described as the finest cutting sword ever manufactured in quantity.

An extract from an 1862 publication;
HOTEL DU MUSÉE,
AT THE FOOT OF THE LION MOUNT.
This Hotel, kept by a niece of the late Sergeant-Major Cotton, is situated in the very centre of the field of Waterloo, and is strongly recommended to visitors on account of its proximity to the scenes of interest connected with the great battle, and also for the excellent accommodation and comfort it offers at moderate charges.—See Bradshaw’s continental Guide.

The last photo in the gallery shows a photograph of one section of the collection in the museum of Waterloo, taken in around 1900, showing all the weapons of Waterloo en situ, including all the protagonists {British, French, Prussian and Belgian muskets, swords, pistols, armour uniforms, etc}. The museum was founded and owned by a veteran of the 7th Hussars who personally fought at Waterloo. Another photo shows the front page of his collection catalogue

There are many reasons why people enjoy collecting swords. Some people are drawn to the beauty and craftsmanship of swords, while others appreciate their historical and cultural significance. Swords can also be a symbol of power and strength, and some collectors find enjoyment in the challenge of acquiring rare or valuable swords.

One of the greatest joys of sword collecting is the opportunity to learn about the history and culture of different civilisations. Swords have been used by warriors for millennia, and each culture has developed its own unique sword designs and traditions. By studying swords, collectors can gain a deeper understanding of the people who made and used them.

Another joy of sword collecting is the sheer variety of swords that are available. There are swords in our gallery from all over the world and from every period of history. Collectors can choose to specialize in a particular type of sword, such as Japanese katanas or medieval longswords, or they can collect a variety of swords from different cultures and time periods. No matter what your reasons for collecting swords, it is a hobby that can provide many years of enjoyment. Swords are beautiful, fascinating, and historically significant objects

Sadly, each sword once had its inventory label attached, but they are all now lost. With cotton's labels present the prices can be many times the value.

Pictures in the gallery of the Cotton Museum Auction pamphlet and labels, for information and historical context only. Out of interest, a few years ago half a French cuirass from the Cotton Museum Auction sold for 6000 gbp.

As with all our items, every piece will be accompanied by our fully detailed Certificate of Authenticity, based on over 100 years of our Brighton family trading  read more

Code: 26423

A Waterloo Battle Site Recovered British A 69th Foot Brown Bess Musket Bayonet Scabbard Formerly In the Sgt Major Cotton Museum Collection at Waterloo. Acquired From Auction Of The Exhibits Due To The The Museum Closure in 1909

A Battle Of Waterloo souvenir, from The Cotton Museum Collection at Waterloo. A Brown Bess musket bayonet scabbard from 69th Regiment of Foot that fought with distinction at Quatre Bras and Waterloo

In very good, immediately post battle recovered condition. The leather is superb, {but somewhat dry at present} as are the brass mounts, nicely regimentally marked for the 69th numbered to gun 541. The leather could be very nicely waxed and polished to revive its surface, but we have left it just 'as is' for the next owner to decide.

My goodness would not this bayonet scabbard add an element of unique history to any 'Brown Bess' musket with its bayonet.

Before the Battle of Waterloo the 69th were stationed south of Brussels, near the crossroads of Quatre Bras. Here on 16 June Dutch & British fought the vanguard of the French army. Both sides suffered heavy losses of over 4,000 men, and the Allied army was forced to fall back towards Brussels, planning to make a stand at Waterloo.

During the Waterloo Campaign of 1815, the 2nd Battalion of the 69th (South Lincolnshire) Regiment of Foot earned a tragic but famous place in British military history. Composed of young, relatively inexperienced soldiers—with an average age of 21 and nearly 30% under the age of 18—the battalion was thrown into the crucible of two of the era's most intense engagements in a matter of 48 hours.

At the Battle of Quatre Bras, the 69th Foot suffered one of the most severe tactical setbacks experienced by any British unit during the campaign. During the battle of Quatre Bras, the 69th were charged by a mass of French cavalry. They attempted to form up into squares, with their bayonets pointing outwards. This formation was almost impossible for cavalry to attack, as their horses would refuse to charge onto a mass of spear-pointed bayonets. However, possibly due to confusing orders (because he was an idiot) from their inexperienced commander the Prince of Orange, the 69th were unable to get into squares in time. Two companies were caught in the open, and hacked down by French sabres, almost to the last man.

In this slaughter, a French cuirassier (armoured cavalry soldier) cut down Ensign Duncan Keith, who carried the King’s Colour. This flag was personally presented to the regiment by the monarch, and served as a rallying point and source of pride for the troops.

The 69th suffered 38 killed and 115 wounded out of 546 men. At the Battle of Waterloo on 18 June, there were too few men to form a defensible square, and they were forced to join forces with the 33rd Regiment of Foot to fight.

At Waterloo, the 69th had their revenge upon the French cavalry, as the horsemen charged the British squares several times, suffering appalling losses from musket- and cannon-fire. Captain Alexander Mercer of the Royal Horse Artillery said the French “were smashed to fragments” on the British squares “like waves beating against rocks”.


This was purchased from the auction of the Cotton Collection, by the Hamilton family, in 1909, a family of battlefield and antiquity relic collectors for over 100 years {prior to 1909}, acquiring pieces for the descended family collection of the late 10th Duke of Hamilton of Scotland

Edward Cotton was a veteran of the 7th Hussars who became a renowned battlefield guide and innkeeper. He wrote 'A Voice from Waterloo' and gathered a massive collection of battlefield relics. After the museum closed in 1909, roughly 3,000 items, along with the hotel contents and goodwill, were auctioned off in Brussels


An extract from an 1862 publication;
HOTEL DU MUSÉE,
AT THE FOOT OF THE LION MOUNT.
This Hotel, kept by a niece of the late Sergeant-Major Cotton, is situated in the very centre of the field of Waterloo, and is strongly recommended to visitors on account of its proximity to the scenes of interest connected with the great battle, and also for the excellent accommodation and comfort it offers at moderate charges.—See Bradshaw’s continental Guide.

The last photo in the gallery shows a photograph of one section of the collection in the museum of Waterloo, taken in around 1900, showing all the weapons of Waterloo en situ, including all the protagonists {British, French, Prussian and Belgian muskets, swords, pistols, armour uniforms, etc}. The museum was founded and owned by a veteran of the 7th Hussars who personally fought at Waterloo. Another photo shows the front page of his collection catalogue

Pictures in the gallery of the Cotton Museum Auction pamphlet and labels, for information and historical context only. Out of interest, a few years ago half a French cuirass from the Cotton Museum Auction sold for 6000 gbp.

In the 1820’s the Waterloo Mound bearing the huge bronze lion statue was erected, in honour of the Prince of Orange’s ‘unique’ contribution (no doubt for the slaughter of the 69th.)

As with all our items, every piece will be accompanied by our fully detailed Certificate of Authenticity, based on over 100 years of our Brighton family trading  read more

Code: 26424

A Very Good and Most Sound Early Late Georgian to Victorian Antique 'Blue and Gilt' Blade Swordstick, In a Fine Polished Bamboo Cane. A Most Elegant & Sophisticated Work of Art Collectors Item In Near Mint Condition..

Overall in very nice and extremely sound condition, four sided square section 'blue and gilt' engraved blade, and a very snug fit. The same 'blue and gilt' blade as can be seen in Lord byron's sword cane.

29.5 inches long blade, overall 34.5 inches long

Lord Byron was a most accomplished exponent of the use and carrying of the gentleman’s sword stick. His was exhibited in King's College London, bearing a mercurial gilt collar bearing his name, coronet and adopted surname Noel. Upon the death of Byron's mother-in-law Judith Noel, the Hon. Lady Milbanke, in 1822, her will required that he change his surname to "Noel" so as to inherit

An interesting 19th century conversation and collector's piece, and one can ponder over of the kind of gentleman who would have sought and required such a piece of personal defence paraphernalia. Although one likes to think that jolly old England had a London full of cheerful cockneys and laddish chimney sweeps, it was also plagued with political intrigue, nefarious characters and caddish swine prowling the endless foggy thoroughfares and dimly lit passageways. The swordstick was a popular fashion accessory for the wealthy during the 18th and 19th centuries. While the weapon's origins are unknown, it is apparent that the cane-sword's popularity peaked when decorative swords were steadily being replaced by canes as a result of the rising popularity of firearms, and the lessening influence of swords and other small arms.

The first sword canes were made for nobility by leading sword cutlers. Sixteenth century sword canes were often bequeathed in wills. Sword canes became more popular as the streets became less safe. Society dictated it mandatory that gentlemen of the 18th and especially 19th centuries would wear a cane when out and about, and it was common for the well-dressed gentleman to own and sport canes in a variety of styles, including a good and sound sword cane. Although Byron was proficient in the use of pistols, his lameness and his need to defend himself in some potentially dangerous situations made a swordstick doubly useful to him. He received lessons in London from the fencing master Henry Angelo and owned a number of swordsticks, some of which were supplied by his boxing instructor Gentleman John Jackson.

On Byron’s sword cane was the name NOEL BYRON, upon the ferrule of his one indicated that it was used after 1822, when Byron added the surname Noel after the death of his mother-in-law.

There are several references to sword sticks in the correspondence of Byron and his circle. Byron wrote to Hobhouse from Switzerland on 23 June 1816 asking him to Bring with you also for me some bottles of Calcined Magnesia a new Sword cane procured by Jackson he alone knows the sort (my last tumbled into this lake ) some of Waite's red tooth-powder & tooth-brushes a Taylor's Pawrsanias Pausanias and I forget the other things. Hobhouse responded on 9 July: Your commissions shall be punctually fulfilled whether as to muniments for the mind or body pistol brushes, cundums, potash Prafsanias Pausanias tooth powder and sword stick.

In the entry for 22 September 1816 in Byron's Alpine Journal he describes how, at the foot of the Jungfrau,
"Storm came on , thunder, lightning, hail, all in perfection and beautiful, I was on horseback the Guide wanted to carry my cane I was going to give it him when I recollected it was a Sword stick and I thought that the lightning might be attracted towards him kept it myself a good deal encumbered with it & my cloak as it was too heavy for a whip and the horse was stupid & stood still every other peal."

In a letter to Maria Gisborne of 6-10 April 1822, Mary Shelley described the "Pisan affray" of 24 March, in which Sergeant-Major Masi was pitch-forked by one of Byron's servants. She recounted how Byron rode to his own house, and got a sword stick from one of his servants.

Sword sticks came in all qualities, and for numerous purposes, from the simplest bamboo sword cane personal defender to stout customs officer’s ‘prod’, to offensive close quarter stiletto dagger canes and even to the other side of the world in the form of Japanese samurai’s shikome-sue, hidden swords.

We show two famous sword sticks in the gallery, one that belonged to Lord Byron, and another in a Presidential Centre Library collection, a historic sword stick is part of the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Centre Library collection in Fremont, Ohio from the Waggoner family, the sword-cane was said to have been presented to Mr Waggoner by General George Washington in honour of Waggoner's service in Washington's Life Guard during the American Revolutionary War.

But it was Louis XIII who brought the cane to importance as a royal accessory. The king, as his portraits depict, supposedly always held one in his hands. He also gave them – along with valuable snuffboxes – as gifts of honour. Accordingly, gentlemen who wanted to be fashionable never went without this accessory from that time on. At the time, these were sort of ornate rods without a curved handle that were held in the hand or carried under the arm.

The 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century became the age of the cane. The tremendous popularity then created the desire to be seen with a cane. And so a wealth of unique
pieces with practical and strange handles and a mysterious inner life were created. The painter
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, for example, owned a cane containing a bottle that held a pint of absinthe.
In the mid-18th century Saxony's prime minister, Heinrich Graf von Brühl, possessed 300 sticks to go with 300 suits, together with just as many snuffboxes which he weared in turn. King Friedrich II, too, had a huge collection of luxurious walking sticks and snuffboxes. After the Seven-Years War one particular type of sticks with a handle formed like a rope, which was King Friedrich’s constant companion, became so popular, that it was dubbed the "Fritz crutch".  read more

Code: 26426

A Very Good, Original, 1640’s English Civil War Officer's Mortuary Hilted Back Sword. The Most Iconic Sword of 17th Century England & Used During Most Devisive Period of British History.

The traditional sword’s basket hilt bears, within oval panels, the engraved facial portraits, it is said, of King Charles Ist and Queen Henrietta, and several of the Green Man.

In the grey dawn of an England divided, as musket smoke curled over muddy fields and the clash of steel echoed across hedgerows, a particular weapon emerged as both a tool of war and a symbol of allegiance—the mortuary-hilted sword.

It was the year 1643. The kingdom was rent in two: Royalists loyal to King Charles I, and Parliamentarians fighting for, what they believed to be, the soul of England. In a forge just outside of London, nestled between the smoke-blackened rooftops of Southwark, a master bladesmith hammered a length of fine steel into shape. This sword would not be adorned with pomp or gilded with royal insignia. Instead, it bore a hilt that wrapped protectively over the knuckles like a skeletal hand—a mortuary hilt, practical and grim.

The name “mortuary sword” would later come from the erroneous belief that these hilts resembled funerary monuments or death masks, perhaps in reference to effigies of Charles I after his execution. In truth, they were designed for utility and protection, favoured by cavalrymen of both protagonists, for their sturdiness and balance. The complex iron hilt guarded the hand, while the long, straight, double or single edged blade, was ideal for both slashing and thrusting from horseback.

That sword described above was commissioned by Colonel Jonathan Harwood, a stern Parliamentarian officer in the New Model Army. Harwood, a veteran of Edgehill and Marston Moor, had turned from courtier to commander, disillusioned by the decadence of the Royal court. The mortuary sword at his hip was a symbol of this transformation—elegant but restrained, deadly but not ostentatious.

He carried it into battle at Naseby, where Parliament's forces broke the back of the Royalist army. The blade bit into the chaos of war, crossing with Scottish mercenaries, Dutch sabres, and French rapiers alike. And when the war drew to its bloody conclusion and the King’s head fell at Whitehall in 1649, the sword remained—not as a trophy, but as a testament to a nation’s reckoning.

After Harwood’s death in 1657, the sword passed to his son, who kept it sheathed above the hearth, a relic of turbulent times. Just as our sword may well have done. and, over the centuries, they changed hands, passed from soldier to collector, from dusty manor to museum. The once-blackened hilts still bore the ghost of the Parliamentarian's or Royalist's grip, and the steel, though dulled with age, whispered of riders in buff coats, of Cromwell’s charge, of England in convulsion.

Today, such mortuary-hilted swords like ours, can be seen in museums across Britain, including the Royal Armouries and the Imperial War Museum, their austere design speaking of a time when brother fought brother, and swords like this one helped shape the course of a kingdom.
In the Victorian period these swords thus became known as Mortuary hilted swords, due to the executed king's visage being designed within the hilt pattern. It is not known exactly how this came to be, but there is no known use of the term Mortuary hilted before this time. In the Civil War, the opening of the battle usually involved groups of cavalry, with the officers carrying these very form of swords. The main objective was to make the opposing cavalry run away. When that happened, the victorious cavalry turned on the enemy infantry. Well-disciplined pike men, brave enough to hold their ground, could do tremendous damage to a cavalry charging straight at them. There are several examples of cavalry men having three or four horses killed under them in one battle. At the start of the war the king's nephew, Prince Rupert, was put in charge of the cavalry. Although Rupert was only twenty-three he already had a lot of experience fighting in the Dutch army. Prince Rupert introduced a new cavalry tactic that he had learnt fighting in Sweden. This involved charging full speed at the enemy. The horses were kept close together and just before impact the men fired their pistols, then arming themselves with their swords for the all too fearsome hand to hand
One of the Roundhead officers who saw Prince Rupert's cavalry in action was a man called Oliver Cromwell. Although Cromwell had no military training, his experience as a large landowner gave him a good knowledge of horses. Cromwell became convinced that if he could produce a well-disciplined army he could defeat Prince Rupert and his Cavaliers. He knew that pike men, armed with sixteen-foot-long pikes, who stood their ground during a cavalry attack, could do a tremendous amount of damage.

Oliver Cromwell also noticed that Prince Rupert's cavalry were not very well disciplined. After they charged the enemy they went in pursuit of individual targets. At the first major battle of the civil war at Edge hill, most of Prince Rupert's cavalrymen did not return to the battlefield until over an hour after the initial charge. By this time the horses were so tired they were unable to mount another attack against the Roundheads.

Cromwell trained his cavalry to keep together after a charge. In this way his men could repeatedly charge the Cavaliers. Cromwell's new cavalry took part in its first major battle at Marston Moor in Yorkshire in July 1644. The king's soldiers were heavily defeated in the battle. Cromwell's soldiers became known as the Ironsides' because of the way they cut through the Cavaliers on the battlefield. The Mortuary hilted swords actually gained their unusual name some considerable time after the Civil War. For, as they bore representational portraits of King Charles Ist, it was believed in Victorian times that they were to symbolize the death of the King, however, as these swords were actually made from 1640, long before he was executed, it was an obviously erroneous naming, that curiously remains to this day. This example is a beautiful, and singularly handsome piece and would certainly be a fine addition to any collection of rare English swords. There are a few examples near identical to this sword in the Royal Collection and the Tower of London Collection.

Unfortunately, as is often the case, the ‘victory’ for the 'people' by Cromwell and his puritan Parliamentarians eventually brought rewards and lands for those puritans in charge, but for the 'people', only considerable misery and disquiet. The puritans dour religious fervour and overtly anti-celebratory religious edicts {such as banning Christmas festivities, dancing, music and even mince pies} brought great unhappiness and resentment to Britain and so the exiled King, Charles IInd was invited by the people to return from his exile in France to reign once more. The once lauded, but now dead Cromwell, was disinterred, his body tried for treason, found guilty, and his head once cut off was displayed at Westminster Hall for several decades. Yet one more politician that promised much, yet delivered little.

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury, Britain's famous, favourite, and oldest original Armoury Antique store, is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of our family’s trading, and thus, it is a lifetime guarantee.

In good condition for age with natural age wear and tear, single side bars. 35.25 inch long blade, overall 41 inches overall  read more

Code: 23161

An 1806 Napoleonic Wars Period 'Brown Bess' Musket By James Yeomans Of London with Bayonet Regimentally Marked For the 79th Foot The Cameron Highlanders. Later Used By Native Troops, Such As The Ghurkas, Alongside The 79th at Lucknow.

Overall in stunning condition, wonderous walnut stock patina, no pitting to the barrel, bayonet or lock, just an absolute stunning example of its kind.

Bayonet, maker stamped by ordnance contracter, G.Salter, with ordnance inspection marks, crown 4 , crown and broad arrow and company and regimental number, D & 79 {Regiment of foot}. George Salter was granted his first board of ordnance contract to supply the regiments bayonets in July 1812.

All the fittings are very good, a superb 36 inch length barrel, fine lock, trigger guard, butt plate, etc, ramrod, sling swivels and brass mounts, new land pattern flush fitting side plate with central screw to avoid recoil damage to the side nails. With a fine leather strap, very nice upgraded from flintlock to percussion action, good proof marks, clear inspection stamps and dating. Lock marked Yeoman's and dated 1806 with Tower ordnance inspector stamp of Richard Duce. {the number 2} plus the EIC heart. Bayonet maker marked by Salter, regimentaly marked 79th Foot.
The 79th Regiment of Foot (Cameron Highlanders) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army raised on August 17, 1793, by Sir Alan Cameron of Erracht.

"D Company" of the 79th Foot, this refers to the standard sub-unit (company) structure of the battalion during its operational history.

The Cameron Highlanders most notably fought through the Napoleonic Wars, & the Crimean War.

One of the 142,970 British contract made 'India Pattern' muskets turned over by the East India Co. army to the British Board of Ordnance for the Napoleonic wars, due to the urgent need for arms to counter Napoleon's massive armament reserve.

The lock is stamped by the primary, senior ordnance inspector, Richard Duce {his mark of Crown 2}. Who was also the controller of tempering & hardening of locks, after their arrival from the stores for fitting to the musket, and apparently he inspected all the EIC bess that were handed over to the British Ordnance for the Napoleonic Wars. An account that was confirmed to us by our friend and historic colleague, Howard Blackmore of the Tower of London armoury.

Originally made for the Honourable East India Co. and the muskets were co-opted by the British Board of Ordnance for the regular British infantry from the EIC contract guns about to depart for India.

In around 1830-40's the flintlock actions of muskets and pistols could, and would, be converted from flintlock to percussion action, often if they were still in government service. The all new {at the time} percussion action could extend the life of a gun and make it considerably more efficient, as flintlock arms were rendered incapable of action in the rain, or even damp conditions. At this time this newer Brown Bess bayonet socket type was adapted for the gun.

While this musket was perfect for service in the regiment up to the 1850's, when the 1853 Enfield rifle-musket was designed and issued to front line regiments, and then, the 79th was sent to India to fight in the Mutiny in 1857. However their older muskets were likely sent to accompany them to India with the regiment in order to arm the loyal Indian regiments that fought alongside the 79th in combat.

While the 79th Foot was a purely British regiment raised in Scotland, British military operations during the rebellion relied heavily on integrated forces. British "Queen's" regiments rarely fought in isolation; instead, they routinely operated in mixed brigades alongside loyal native Indian units

During the siege of Lucknow, and the subsequent operations in Rohilkhand, the 79th Highlanders fought shoulder-to-shoulder with loyal native units, which included Sikh regiments, Punjabi infantry, and loyal Gurkha battalions {such as those from the Kingdom of Nepal and the East India Company's own loyal remnants}

The 'Brown Bess' musket began its life almost 300 years ago, and it helped in creating one of the greatest trading empires the world has ever seen and, among other achievements, made the 'British Square' the almost undefeated form of infantry defence throughout the world. Made in four distinct patterns it originally started life as a 46 inch barrel musket called the Long Land or Ist pattern Brown Bess. Then in around 1768 the gun evolved and the barrel was shortened to 42 inches as 46 was deemed unwieldy and renamed the Short Land or 2nd pattern. Although the Long Land was made continually for another 20 years. With the onset of the Napoleonic Wars in the 1790s, the British Board of Ordnance found itself woefully short of the 250,000 muskets it would need to equip its forces. It managed to produce around 20,000 short land pattern muskets but this was simply not sufficient. At that time the British East India Company maintained it own troops and had contracted with makers to produce a simplified version of the Brown Bess musket with a 39-inch barrel and less ornate furniture and stock work. It was generally felt that the standard of these "India pattern" muskets was not up to the standard of the earlier Besses, but necessity required action so the authorities convinced Company officials to turn over their stores to the Crown. By 1797 the urgencies of war ultimately created the demise of the Short Pattern, and all manufacture was turned to building the more simple 'India' pattern. For the most part, the gun underwent few changes from its introduction until Waterloo, with the exception of the cock, which was altered from the traditional swan-neck style to a sturdier, reinforced ringed version in around 1808.

The Brown Bess musket was the standard weapon of the British for more than a century. soldiers marched into battle with this musket—nicknamed “Brown Bess”—for more than 100 years. British redcoats used the Brown Bess to fight the War of Independence in the colonies, and many of their opponents in the Americans’ Continental army used it as well.
British soldiers fighting in the Napoleonic wars carried it into battle, and it was the principal firearm used by the infantrymen who fought the War of 1812.

Because the weapon was slow to load and relatively inaccurate (experienced soldiers generally estimated its range between 50 and 100 yards), armies developed tactics that helped compensate for its shortcomings. The limitations of smoothbore muskets like the Brown Bess forced units employ “linear tactics,” in which a hundreds of soldiers stood in neat lines, shoulder-to-shoulder and out in the open. While such tactics appear decidedly unstealthy to twenty-first century eyes, they proved essential on the battlefields of all the conflicts which Britain was involved.
There, stealth was a low priority. Packing the men into blocks allowed officers to coordinate their troops’ fire into synchronized volleys. Firing a hundred guns in the same direction at once helped ensure that at least some, often most of the inaccurate musket balls found their targets. And grouping the men into neat lines out in the open helped commanders ensure that few of their troops gave in to the natural instinct to flee.

Of course, packing troops into blocks and fighting in the open required tremendous discipline from the individual soldiers. Infantrymen had to stand exposed to enemy fire as they loaded and fired their own muskets. And in some situations, soldiers learned the grisly dangers of fighting in lines—as at the Battle of New Orleans in the 1812 war, where American artillery attacked the exposed British formations with devastating effect.

Engagements for the infantry were traditionally at relatively close distances, often the result of closely controlled battlefield management. In 1811 a soldier of the 71st Regiment of Foot, writing of fighting the French at Fuentes de Onõro, recorded: “… during our first advance a bayonet went through between my side and clothes, to my knapsack, which stopped its progress. The Frenchman to whom the bayonet belonged fell, pierced by a musket ball from my rear-rank man. Whilst freeing myself from the bayonet, a ball took off part of my right shoulder wing and killed the rear-rank man, who fell upon me. We kept up our fire until long after dark. My shoulder was black as coal from the recoil of my musket; for this day I had fired 107 round of ball cartridge.”

This was not an uncommon account and it would have been just as true of Waterloo. If we were to take an average of 80 cartridges fired by about 50,000 allied infantry at Waterloo the expenditure of ammunition would have amounted to more than four million cartridges. Although not scientific, it does give a flavour of the ferocity of battle that Sunday in June 1815.

The 79th's combat history during the Penisular and Waterloo;
Peninsular War (1808–1814): Landing in Portugal in 1808, the 79th fought across numerous critical engagements:• Corunna (1809): Part of the grueling winter retreat and subsequent evacuation.
• Busaco (1810): Held a key position on the ridge where men like Captain Alexander Cameron engaged in fierce hand-to-hand combat.
• Fuentes de Oñoro (1811)
• Salamanca (1812)
• Burgos (1812)
• Sorauren (1813)
• Nivelle & Nive (1813)
• Toulouse (1814)

The Waterloo Campaign (1815):• Fought at Quatre Bras and Waterloo (Mont St. Jean).
Displayed notable discipline and heroism—including Piper Kenneth McKay playing amidst the fighting—and earned a place as one of the select regiments specifically highlighted in the Duke of Wellington's official Waterloo Dispatch.

See Piper McKay's portrait in the gallery.


Former EIC armoury arsenal stamps to the barrel.  read more

Code: 26419