Japanese

Wonderful, Original Antique, Japanese Samurai Battle Armour. A Super Pair of Edo Period Samurai Saddle Stirrups, Silver Inlaid & Signed By Yoshihira from Kashu Province. Probably a Daimyo or Seieibushi Samurai of the Maeda Clan, Lords of Kaga

Despite being designed, made and used, for samurai combat and warfare, they can be magnificent works of art in their own right, and created using the finest skills and materials with little or no consideration to the incredible cost involved.
The form of these gorgeous and luxurious stirrups is known traditionally as hato mune (pigeon breast). The stirrups were made in Kashu (now Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture), probably under the patronage of the Maeda clan, lords of Kaga and one of the most powerful families in Japan at the time. This Kaga zougan abumi, is a pair of armoured samurai stirrups, made in iron and of exceptional quality, and bears stunningly beautiful silver inlay of scrolling vines and leaves.

These are truly noteworthy museum grade works of art in their own right. There are a few most similar in the Metropolitan Museum in the USA for example. Absolutely signal examples, perfectly displaying the skill and technical craftsmanship of the highest order, for antique Japanese accoutrements, handmade for a samurai Daimyo clan lord or for a Seieibushi samurai, they were the elite, and the highest ranking of the samurai Made and used as part of his armour saddle fittings, but also for use as much when the samurai was in full armour or in regular daytime wear. The signature, of the maker Yoshihira from Kashu province, is inlaid in pure silver to match the d?cor. Abumi, Japanese stirrups, were used in Japan as early as the 5th century, and were a necessary component along with the Japanese saddle (kura) for the use of horses in warfare. Abumi became the type of stirrup used by the samurai class of feudal Japan Early abumi were flat-bottomed rings of metal-covered wood, similar to European stirrups. The earliest known examples were excavated from tombs. Cup-shaped stirrups (tsubo abumi) that enclosed the front half of the rider's foot eventually replaced the earlier design.

During the Nara period, the base of the stirrup which supported the rider's sole was elongated past the toe cup. This half-tongued style of stirrup (hanshita abumi) remained in use until the late Heian period (794 to 1185) when a new stirrup was developed. The fukuro abumi or musashi abumi had a base that extended the full length of the rider's foot and the right and left sides of the toe cup were removed. The open sides were designed to prevent the rider from catching a foot in the stirrup and being dragged.

The military version of this open-sided stirrup, called the shitanaga abumi, was in use by the middle Heian period. It was thinner, had a deeper toe pocket and an even longer and flatter foot shelf. It is not known why the Japanese developed this unique style of stirrup, but this stirrup stayed in use until European style-stirrups were introduced in the late 19th century. The abumi has a distinctive swan-like shape, curved up and backward at the front so as to bring the loop for the leather strap over the instep and achieve a correct balance. Most of the surviving specimens from this period are made entirely of iron, inlaid with designs of silver or other materials, and covered with lacquer. In some cases, there is an iron rod from the loop to the footplate near the heel to prevent the foot from slipping out. The footplates are occasionally perforated to let out water when crossing rivers, and these types are called suiba abumi. There are also abumi with holes in the front forming sockets for a lance or banner. Seieibushi (Elite Samurai)
Traditionally the highest rank among the samurai, these are highly skilled fully-fledged samurai. Most samurai at the level of Seieibushi take on apprentices or Aonisaibushi-samurai as their disciples.

Kodenbushi (Legendary Samurai)
A highly coveted rank, and often seen as the highest attainable position, with the sole exception of the rank of Shogun. These are samurai of tremendous capability, and are regarded as being of Shogun-level. Kodenbushi are hired to accomplish some of the most dangerous international missions. Samurai of Kodenbushi rank are extremely rare, and there are no more than four in any given country.

Daimyo (Lords)
This title translates to 'Big Name' and is given to the heads of the clan.

Shogun (Military Dictator)
The apex of the samurai, the Shogun is the most prestigious rank possible for a samurai. Shoguns are the leaders of their given district, or country, and are regarded as the most powerful samurai.Beautiful and sophisticated patterns in Kaga zougan have an outstanding, keen feel for designs and such fine expression is supported by the minute methods. The craftsman carves the pattern part on the metallic basis material with a burin (tagane in Japanese), making the bottom wider than the surface (this method is called "ari wo kiru" in Japanese) and inserts and drives in a different metal in the part.
Then, the metallic part for the pattern is pressed and spread inside and does not come off itself. This bonding technology was closely employed especially in Kaga to enable to express variously on the metal for expressive work and gained a high reputation as for the solid work.

Of all the techniques, "Abumi" (stirrup) has been a synonym for Kaga zougan and well known for the scrupulous technique making sure that the metallic parts of Kaga zougan never come off, in addition to its excellent novel designs and beauty.  read more

Code: 23043

The Lanes Armoury Probably The Largest Online Militaria Website in the World, After Over 100 Years of Brighton Trading, &, The 25th Anniversary of Our Best Antique & Collectables Shop in Britain Award

In this very special anniversary year of 2026

Presented by MILLER'S Antiques Guide, THE BBC, HOMES & ANTIQUES MAGAZINE in 2001.

With around 2000 visitors at our shop every day the most popular question asked, is, “where in earth do you find thousands of such incredible pieces?”
Well, although the answer relatively simple, it is based around over a 100 years of our firmly established reputation. Those that wish to sell, one way or another, find us, because we have been here, located and trading in Brighton for over four generations, and thus well known around the world, and more importantly, throughout the United Kingdom, as one of the most important buyers of ancient, antique and vintage collectables, in Great Britain.
We have been acquiring treasures from history, almost exclusively, from some of the most remarkable private sources for all that time, The family partners have had their specific and utterly remarkable business experience, literally unchallenged, for over fifty years. With the privilege of meeting some of the most incredible individuals imaginable, and all with their own unique story to tell, and their desire to pass on their past heirlooms, to become others heirlooms of the future.

Five years ago we were approached by a most historically enthusiastic young person studying at Sussex University who asked if they could research through our archive to complete a 'paper' based on us as one of the oldest remaining Sussex family business's.
It resulted in some remarkable statistics, that we thought we would share with our regulars, for those that have interest. The research only included the types of items that we regularly buy, sell and export today, with general antiques, furniture, porcelain, clocks, silver and works of art excluded, as we haven't been devoted to that side of the trade since selling our antique export shipping companies in 1992. However, when came to books, it was also another near impossible task to calculate, as it would likely stretch into the hundreds of thousands, {conservatively} if not millions of volumes {actually}.

In over 100 years of shop keeping in Brighton, at the time of his research, 80 of them pre-internet, apparently, we have likely sold over 200,000 books, {vintage and antique books were, and are, our largest selling single item}, 135,000 medals & badges, over 95,000 worldwide swords, knives and bayonets, over 32,000 Japanese samurai swords {for example, around 28 years ago we bought over 150 Japanese WW2 NCO swords in one vast lot, from the grandson of a WW2 British military surplus dealer, who acquired them for scrap in 1946 from the War Dept}. We have sold and exported,, apparently over 28,500 helmets of all origins and types, 27,000 pistols and muskets of all countries, at least 2450 suits of armour, European, British or Japanese, and over 1,500 cannon, both signal and full sized. Believe it or not, apparently, according to their research and calculations, these are potentially conservative figures, and the actual figure could indeed be much higher. However, in 1939 business trailed off a bit {WW2} but old pops, William {Bill} Hawkins went to the Alan West factory on the outskirts of Brighton {due to being too old to serve in the Navy} and engineered Army Tanks for the next 6 years.


So, please enjoy our historical website, and remember, every thing you see that is priced, is available, and for sale, we try to not keep our webstore filled with past 'sold' items.

Being part of the centre of the historic Brighton Lanes, anything up 2,000 to 3,000 people, will visit us here most days {especially on Saturdays} winter and summer, rain or shine.

We issue our unique, certificate of authenticity, with every single item purchased, and in regards to our Japanese items, both weapons and fittings etc. our ability to do this is based on well over a century of experience, as probably the largest military antiques dealers in Europe. We detail within our certificates, their beauty, approximate age, style, either specific or generic history, and the details of their fittings and mounts, and their potential position, use, and status in Japanese samurai history. We will detail the translations, if known, of the kanji (names) chisselled upon the nakago of swords, under their hilt bindings, but purely for information only. Although the myth persists that all Japanese master smiths signed their swords, historically, and factually, it is likely less than 30% of samurai blades were in fact ever signed. This fact is certainly found, and confirmed by us to be the case, due to our family’s 100 plus years experience. For example, it is said one of the greatest master smiths who ever lived, the great Masamune, was, apparently, most reluctant to ever sign his swords. Although this must be relative speculation, as so very few of his swords have been recognised to still exist

Our Certificates of Authenticity are our own unique version of a lifetime guarantee, based on our expertise honed over 100 years, containing a detailed description of any item purchased from our stock. In relation to our samurai weapons, the description with be a combination of our opinion of its style, approximate age and beauty, and for our Japanese samurai swords in particular, that it is an ‘original’, samurai sword, made and used by samurai, both ancient and vintage, within Japan, over the past 700 years, up to the last samurai period in the Meiji era of 1868, as well as up to 1945, if it is a military mounted shingunto sword.

Photos 4 and 5 are part of an editorial in Art and Antiques Weekly Magazine, featuring the story so far {in 1975} of the partner’s former family antiques export company, one of the largest in the world at that time. In 1992 Mark and David retired from the mass wholesale export market and morphed their business into the becoming one of the largest dedicated ‘military antiques’ and specialist book businesses instead, both of the partners true passions.  read more

Code: 22565

An 1886 Japanese Company Grade Type 19 Kyu-Gunto Officer's Sword Used Up To WW2. Used In 4 Wars, Sino Japanese War, The Russo Japanese War, WW1 & WW2

Company Grade Type 19 Kyu-Gunto having a single suspension mount on the nickeled steel scabbard

The blade is plated steel as is common on these Type 8 and Type 19 swords. The black polished horn grip and the hilt decoration on this sword indicating this was a sword for a junior Army Officer.

Company grade army officer’s parade sabre featuring brass hilt with pierced floral pattern
in the guard; knuckle bow joining the pommel with integral backstrap. A chrysanthemum in
relief is on the side and upper rear of the backstrap. Black polished horn grip with triple strands of alternating straight and twisted brass wire wrap.

Chrome-plated single-edged blade. Original
nickel-plate scabbard with single carry ring. Scabbard with some loss to the nickel plating. Guard
excellent with pleasing patina
Patterned after their Western martial counterparts, these kyu gunto swords were used for parade and
dress events by Army officers. Though they are by no means scarce, prices for original
WWII era swords and daggers have been rising steadily as fewer and fewer WWII
veterans survive.

First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895)
Control over Korea and influence in East Asia. Japan easily beat China's Qing dynasty.

Japan gained Taiwan and the Liaodong Peninsula, proving its new modern military was strong.
Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905)
Competing power over Manchuria and Korea.
Japan shocked the Western world by eventually defeating the Russian Empire on both land and sea.
Japan took control of Korea and railway rights in Manchuria, cementing its status as a global military power.

Imperial Japan entered World War I on August 23, 1914, joining the Allied Powers against Germany under the Anglo-Japanese Alliance. Japan seized German territories in China and the Pacific, sent a naval squadron to the Mediterranean, and emerged at the Paris Peace Conference as one of the world's major military powers

Second Sino-Japanese War leading to WW2 (1937–1945) Total economic and territorial control of China.
Full-scale invasion following the 1931 seizure of Manchuria. It led to brutal campaigns, massive casualties, and large-scale occupation. This conflict merged directly into World War II and dragged on until Japan's final defeat

The blade has numerous areas of old pitting
Overall in scabbard around 33.5 inches long.  read more

Code: 26340

A Late 19th Century Most Attractive Hand Carved Japanese Samurai Style Export Sword From the Late Edo to Taisho Period. Decorated Throughout With Takebori Carved Figures of Armoured Samurai & Nobles In Court Dress

A very decorative original antique Japanese sword depicting as a representation the samurai tachi of old. Meiji period, circa late`19th century, fully carved faux ivory {bone} mountings {called koshirae}, with hand carved figures of Japanese armoured samurai with court cap hats and jingasa. Made in the late Meiji to Taisho period as a most decorative and attractive samurai style sword, with a Japanese Hocho Tetsu {cutler's} blade.

Of course this was not a traditional sword mounting for conflict, but when Japan was opening up to the world, after being a closed feudal society for almost 400 years, and the wearing of the samurai sword was forbidden in public, starting with the Haito edict. These swords were made for the newly opening Victorian, British, export market, and Europe's fascination with the ancient samurai warriors of Japan.

Thus samurai style swords and dagger fittings, such as this, were made especially for the early steam ship visitors from Europe, that arrived from the early steamship trade that started in Victorian England, through companies such as Thomas Cook & Co.

The tachi is a Japanese term referring to the traditional weapon, the slung sword, of the samurai.

The Haitōrei was one of a series of steps taken by the government to abolish the traditional privileges of the samurai class. The first Haitōrei of 1870 prohibited farmers or merchants from wearing swords and dressing like samurai. This measure was in part an effort to restore public safety and order during the tumultuous period immediately after the Meiji Restoration and during the
Boshin War.

In 1871, the government issued the Danpatsurei Edict, allowing samurai to cut their top-knots and wear their hair in the Western manner. However, this was not required, simply allowed and encouraged. Universal military conscription was instituted in 1873, and with the creation of the Imperial Japanese Army, the samurai lost their monopoly on military service. The hereditary stipends provided to the samurai by their formal feudal lords (and assumed by the central government in 1871) were likewise abolished in 1873. The prohibition on wearing swords was controversial with the Meiji oligarchy, but the argument that it was an anachronism not in keeping with the westernization of Japan won out.

On March 28, 1876 the Haitō Edict was passed by the Daijō-kan. It prevented former samurai, now known as shizoku, from carrying swords.

These changes in Japanese society and in the social and economic status of the samurai, then part of the four classes, were a major cause of discontent in early Meiji period Japan, and led to a number of samurai-led insurrections, particularly in western Japan and Kyūshū  read more

Code: 26338

A Very Good Original 1930's Japanese WW2 Rising Sun Battle Flag Kyokujitsu-ki. Excellent Size For Display Purposes For Collectors of The Pacific Theatre War From 1936 -1945

Made from likely cotton-muslin, with a left side flag pole sleeve, double stitched for added strength. The flag is darker through its service at the bottom third, than the top 2/3rds, as it was carried on a flag pole in service, by a Japanese soldier, and the bottom section would be closer to the ground and the jungle and or river crossings. It could likely clean, but we would recommend to leave it 'as is' to demonstrate its in-built historic context.

The Japanese Rising Sun Flag (Kyokujitsu-ki) features a red central sun disc with 16 radiating red rays on a white field. Symbolizing the sun, the design dates back to the Edo period as a feudal warlord banner, and became the official Japanese military flag in the late 19th century.

The artistic motif of a sun with radiating beams was used by regional lords (daimyo) in Japan during the Edo period (1603–1868) to decorate banners and equipment.

On May 15, 1870, the Meiji government adopted a 16-ray design as the war flag for the Imperial Japanese Army.
On October 7, 1889, a variation with an off-centre sun was adopted as the naval ensign for the Imperial Japanese Navy. Troops carried these banners into battle during the First Sino-Japanese War, the Russo-Japanese War, and World War II.

A WW2 Pacific Theatre, Burma combat souvenir, originally wrapped around a surrendered Japanese officer's sword, and stored accordingly since the war.

The World War II Burma Campaign (1941–1945) was a brutal, multi-year struggle where Allied forces—primarily the British Indian Army, British units, and Chinese troops—fought to recapture Burma from the invading Empire of Japan. Fought through punishing jungles, monsoon rains, and disease, the campaign aimed to reopen supply lines to China and protect India.

The Japanese Invasion (1942).
Japanese forces swiftly overran Burma, forcing a disastrous, long-range retreat of British and Chinese troops back toward the borders of India.
Under leaders like General William Slim, the Allies reformed the British Fourteenth Army, mastering jungle warfare, logistics, and airborne resupply.

Japanese offensives at Imphal and Kohima failed catastrophically when Allied defenders held their ground using air drops for food and ammunition, decimating the Japanese forces.
The Allied Reconquest (of 1944–1945) where the Allies counter-attacked, swept through central Burma, reopened overland routes to China, and recaptured Rangoon, securing total victory before the war ended.

Overall in very nice survived condition, with just a few moth holes at the outer edges.

70cm {27.5 inches} high, 129cm wide {51 inches}  read more

Code: 26333

A Simply Glorious Bladed 'Katateuchi' 500 Year Old Katana Signed Katsumitsu 勝光. The Bizen Osafune Smiths Renown For Some of The Finest And Most Beautiful Blades To Ever Behold. The Very Form of Katana Used By Musashi, The Greatest Samurai Warrior

The blade on this is katana is truly breathtaking and one of the most beautiful we have had the privilege to own and display for sale amongst our collection.

If the greatest samurai who ever lived, Musashi, had used this sword, it would already have been over 100 years old.

Made and used by samurai, who was an expert in the combat form of two sword combat, that Musashi made famous a century later, and detailed in his iconic biography, The Five Rings

We hope that the photographs truly do this breathtaking sword blade justice.

The blade is not only extraordinarily fine, and with a spectacular hamon, but in superb effectively flawless condition. The fuchi kashira and all the mounts are original Edo period with the Takeda clan kamon, the diamond form flower head of the Hanabishi, made of silvered copper-gold alloy. The hammered iron tsuba is very early, and most rare, made of tamehagane steel by an armourerer and swordsmith, and also in superb condition. The menuki, under the tsuka-ito, on the original samegawa giant rayskin, are shakudo and gold decorated plants.

A katateuchi by the Bizen smith Katsumitsu (late Muromachi period, around the late 15th to early 16th century) is a historical one-handed Japanese fighting sword (uchigatana) often measuring roughly 55 to 66 cm in length, featuring a distinctive short tang (nakago) designed for single-handed grip during the Sengoku period. This sword blade is 68cm.
Defining Features of Katsumitsu Katateuchi Crafted by the Osafune school smiths in Bizen Province (frequently associated with master smiths like Jirozaemonnojo Katsumitsu).

Miyamoto Musashi used and advocated for single-handed striking techniques, and the term katate-uchi (片手打ち, meaning "one-handed strike") describes both a functional sword style and a shorter type of uchigatana designed for one-handed use.

Musashi famously founded the two-sword strategy known as Niten Ichi-ryū, around 100 years after this sword was created, where he wielded a long sword (katana or daitō) and a companion short sword (wakizashi or shōtō) at the same time.
One- Wielding a long sword simultaneously with a short sword forces the practitioner to use the main katana with only one hand. Musashi noted in The Book of Five Rings (Go Rin No Sho) that training to use a long sword with one hand is essential because situations arise—such as being on a horse or in narrow spaces—where you cannot use both hands.

Late Muromachi / Sengoku era (circa 1490–1529), was an era of intense warfare. This sword is a most fine example of katana originally built strictly for one hand rather than the two-handed grip of a standard katana.
Typically a katana form that was, optimized for rapid drawing and close-quarters combat.

The Katsumitsu of Kashu Province resided in this province, This province was ruled by Maeda clan when Katsumitsu was alive. Maeda clan was originally a retainer of Oda family, who ruled Owari province. (today’s Nagoya area in Aichi prefecture) The first head of the Maeda clan was Toshie Maeda. He became the feudal lord of Kaga Province . It is said that he had a vast rice fief which is called Hyakuman Goku.
The Maeda clan was one of the most powerful lines in Samurai history. Toshie Maeda had a close tie with Oda Nobunaga and Hideyoshi Toyotomi.

The sword is mounted with a most fine Ko-Tōshō Sukashi Tsuba likely Kamakura period, ca. 1185–1333.

The Ko-Tōshō sukashi tsuba is solid iron plate tsuba, an early Japanese sword guard (tsuba) made by swordsmiths (Tōshō) during the pre Muromachi period (1336–1573). These pieces feature simple openwork (sukashi) cut from robust iron plates, blending utilitarian defense pierced with austere Zen-Buddhist symbolism. Made by early swordsmiths and armourers often using tamahagane sword steel

The saya needs a kurigata {sageo cord horn mount that is damaged} restored, a small task but we will attend to it. The saya is black ishime {stone finish in matt black}

Blade 68 cm long, 97 cm long overall in saya  read more

Code: 26326

A Superb, Original, Antique Japanese Shinshinto Period, 19th Century, Samurai's, Secret, Hidden Fan-Dagger, A Kanmuri-Otoshi Form Kakushi Ken, Sensu-gatana

A fantastic antique samurai Sensu-gatana conversation piece. Wide and attractive blade with clip back return false edge, overall bright polish and no age pitting. Edo period secret bladed fan-tanto,19th century, with carved wood and bi-colour lacquered fittings, in black and golden yellow, beautifully simulated to look like a traditional Japanese folded fan.
A photo in the gallery from Edo Japan of a seated high ranking samurai holding his tachi and war fan. Another samurai standing also with fan and daisho through his obi. Samurai sometimes disguised their blades as inoffensive items, such as cleverly made walking sticks or other common objects such as fans. Their ancestors, the classical warriors, overlooked nothing which could be used as a weapon. Also, deprived of their swords by law in the Meji era, late 19th century samurai had to rely even more on their own ingenuity and resourcefulness for protection against thieves, hoodlums, bandits and intrigue.
There is no way to know if the blade is signed on the tang as most fan daggers of this type, just as this one had the blade nakago sealed in place, so there was no telltale visible mekugi blade affixing peg.

A Japanese war fan is a fan designed for use in warfare. Several types of war fans were used by the samurai class of feudal Japan and each had a different look and purpose. One particularly famous legend involving war fans concerns a direct confrontation between Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin at the fourth battle of Kawanakajima. Kenshin burst into Shingen's command tent on horseback, having broken through his entire army, and attacked; his sword was deflected by Shingen's war fan. It is not clear whether Shingen parried with a tessen, a dansen uchiwa, or some other form of fan. Nevertheless, it was quite rare for commanders to fight directly, and especially for a general to defend himself so effectively when taken so off-guard.

Minamoto no Yoshitsune is said to have defeated the great warrior monk Saito Musashibo Benkei with a tessen.

Araki Murashige is said to have used a tessen to save his life when the great warlord Oda Nobunaga sought to assassinate him. Araki was invited before Nobunaga, and was stripped of his swords at the entrance to the mansion, as was customary. When he performed the customary bowing at the threshold, Nobunaga intended to have the room's sliding doors slammed shut onto Araki's neck, killing him. However, Araki supposedly placed his tessen in the grooves in the floor, blocking the doors from closing. Types of Japanese war fans;
Gunsen were folding fans used by the average warriors to cool themselves off. They were made of wood, bronze, brass or a similar metal for the inner spokes, and often used thin iron or other metals for the outer spokes or cover, making them lightweight but strong. Warriors would hang their fans from a variety of places, most typically from the belt or the breastplate, though the latter often impeded the use of a sword or a bow.
Tessen were folding fans with outer spokes made of heavy plates of iron which were designed to look like normal, harmless folding fans or solid clubs shaped to look like a closed fan. Samurai could take these to places where swords or other overt weapons were not allowed, and some swordsmanship schools included training in the use of the tessen as a weapon. The tessen was also used for fending off knives and darts, as a throwing weapon, and as an aid in swimming.
Gunbai (Gumbai), Gunpai (Gumpai) or dansen uchiwa were large solid open fans that could be solid iron, metal with wooden core, or solid wood, which were carried by high-ranking officers. They were supposedly used to ward off arrows, as a sunshade, and to signal to troops. 12 inches long overall. approx 7 inch blade. The black lacquer is in nice condition, with natural age wear, the golden yellow lacquer has some natural, dark, handling age colour staining.  read more

Code: 26322