Circa 600 ad Middle Ages Sword Blade, Re-Hilted Around 1000 Years Ago At The Time of the Norman Invasion in 1066 of a Norseman Of Viking Origin. 1400 Years Old Last Used Around 1000 Years Ago

It is very rare indeed to fine an original sword from the pre Norman period, but this one is exceptional, in that it is very likely mounted with an inlaid blade of the 5th to 8th century, possibly a Norse or Frankish ancestor of its Norman conquest period owner, therefore its blade was already between 300 to 500 years old, when it was hilted around 900 to 1000 years ago during the Norman Conquest. Thus the blade could be between 1300 to 1500 years old.

It was the earliest Norman knights that went on the earliest crusades to liberate Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Such as Richard the Lionheart King Richard the 1st.

The blade is shorter than when first used, with the end probably damaged and lost in combat. It is inlaid with inserts of copper, bronze and silver, in a circular bullet shaped patterns, one with 3 metal concentric circles. The pommel appears to be once further inlaid with silver. All the indications are that this amazing sword could very likely have been used by a very high ranking nobleman in the Norman Invasion 1066 period, and it most likely it had already been used by a highborn warrior or noble for almost 5 centuries prior to its re-hitting during the time of the invasion of Britain.

This piece simply a remarkable artefact from the previous two millennia.

It is a joy to own it even just for a very brief and it is still a wonderful original knight’s sword from the days of the Norman invasion, and prior to that, from the period known to historians as the ‘dark ages‘
It is an iron two-edged sword with broad two-edged lentoid-section blade, slightly tapering square-section crossguard. flat tang, D-shaped pommel, likely with inlaid silver, vertical bar to each face; the blade has traces of copper inlay to one face, to the other two applied discs: the upper copper-alloy with punched rosette detailing, the lower abraded to its present state of three concentric rings (apparently copper, bronze and silver). 850 grams, 61cm (24"). Fair condition, typical for its great age; lower blade now absent; edges notched and partly absent, all potentially due to combat.
See Oakeshott, E., Records of the Medieval Sword, Woodbridge, 1991, items X.4, X.5, and see p.21, item 8, for the blade.
The blade does not bear a fuller and is a plain lentoid-section which it is why it could well indicate a date of manufacture in the 5th-8th century, the Dark Ages in northern Europe; the crossguard and the pommel are the re-hilted later additions, more typical of the later 10th century, i.e. Petersen's Type X (Oakeshott, p.25). The Normans were an ethnic group that arose from contact between Norse Viking settlers of a region in France, named Normandy after them, and indigenous Franks and Gallo-Romans. The settlements in France followed a series of raids on the French coast mainly from Denmark — although some came from Norway and Iceland as well — and gained political legitimacy when the Viking leader Rollo agreed to swear fealty to King Charles III of West Francia following the Siege of Chartres in 911 AD. The intermingling of Norse settlers and native Franks and Gallo-Romans in Normandy produced an ethnic and cultural "Norman" identity in the first half of the 10th century, an identity which continued to evolve over the centuries. The new Norman rulers were culturally and ethnically distinct from the old French aristocracy, most of whom traced their lineage to the Franks of the Carolingian dynasty from the days of Charlemagne in the 9th century. Most Norman knights remained poor and land-hungry, and by the time of the expedition and invasion of England in 1066, Normandy had been exporting fighting horsemen for more than a generation. Many Normans of Italy, France and England eventually served as avid Crusaders soldiers under the Italo-Norman prince Bohemund I of Antioch and the Anglo-Norman king Richard the Lion-Heart, one of the more famous and illustrious Kings of England.The Story of the Norman Conquest
The majority of the scenes which together tell the story of the Norman Conquest match in many instances with medieval written accounts even if there are, as one might expect with a purely visual narrative, some omissions such as the Anglo-Saxons’ battle with Norway’s Harald Hardrada at Stamford Bridge three weeks prior to Hastings. Again because it is a visual account, with only a few Latin words as pointers, many scenes are open to several interpretations. The tapestry starts with a scene set in 1064 CE where the English king Edward the Confessor (r. 1042-1066 CE) says farewell to Harold Godwinson, his brother-in-law and the Earl of Wessex, who is to travel to Normandy on an unknown mission. Norman writers would record the mission’s purpose as a pledge of Saxon loyalty to William, Duke of Normandy, while an English chronicle suggests it was merely a visit to secure the release of Saxon prisoners. On 14 October 1066, William’s forces clashed with an English army near Hastings. Within a century of these events taking place, over a dozen writers had described the battle and its aftermath. Some of these accounts are lengthy, but they contradict each other and do not allow us to reconstruct the battle with any certainty.

English perspectives on the Battle of Hastings are found in the Old English annals known as the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. In one version, perhaps copied in the 1070s, it was claimed that William built a ‘castel’ at Hastings before Harold arrived. Harold then gathered a large army but William attacked before Harold could organise his troops. There were heavy casualties on both sides: among the dead were King Harold himself and his brothers, Leofwine and Gyrth.There are also differing accounts of one of the most iconic yet debated parts of the battle: the death of Harold. Was he killed by an arrow to the eye, as claimed by Amatus of Monte Cassino, writing in the 11th century? Was he hacked to bits, as recounted by Bishop Guy of Amiens (died 1075)? Or was he shot with arrows and then put to the sword, as described by the 12th-century chronicler, Henry of Huntingdon? Hastings is one of the most famous battles in English history. Modern historians continue to debate its impact. The Norman Conquest brought many social, economic, political and cultural changes, but some people living in 11th-century England did not even consider this battle to be the most important event of 1066.

A monk writing at Christ Church, Canterbury, recorded just two events for that year in a chronicle kept at the cathedral: ‘Here King Edward died. In this year, Christ Church burned.’ Another scribe then added the words, ‘Here came William’. This is a good reminder that that the Battle of Hastings did not affect everyone in the same way, even if it became part of English folklore. This fabulous most ancient sword could be simply framed under glass for display. Almost every 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 good state and condition. We will include for the new owner a complimentary wooden display stand, but this amazing ancient artefact of antiquity would also look spectacular mounted within a bespoke case frame, or, on a fine cabinet maker constructed display panel.  read more

Code: 23230

Pair of Magnificent, French Royal Grade & Simply Superb Solid Silver Mounted 18th Century 'Parisian' Saddle & Duelling Pistols, Last Used in Combat At Waterloo, Bespoke Made by Maitre Kettinis, Arquebusier a Paris, Of Museum Quality

Just part of our stunning, original, Waterloo collection display.

This is truly magnificent pair of Museum grade, highest rank, officer's saddle cum duelling pistols, used by a family descendant of the original owner, who used them in the Seven Years War and American Revolutionary era, and then by his descendant who served in the Napoleonic wars, Peninsular and Waterloo.

The pair of solid silver mounted long, saddle pistols with gold inlaid barrels, bespoke hand made by their Parisian master gunsmith, for their original, nobleman or prince, owner by Maitre Lambert Kettenis of Paris, and we have a photo of an original 18th century document from the office of the Directoire General des Archives, in France, with his name listed for probate in 1770. From the era and quality of royal grade pistols as the world famous Lafayette-Washington-Jackson pistols.

Wonderful carved walnut stocks with rococo flower embellishments solid silver furniture including long eared butt caps, sideplate chisselled with stands of arms, chisselled silver mounted trigger guards hallmarked and barrel ramrod pipes, all sublimely engraved and chiselled with wonderful detailing of florid designs, and stands of arms, fine steel locks, with flintlock later adapted percussion actions, engraved with the name of Maitre L Kettenis.

Very similar to the French Lafayette-Washington pistols made in circa 1775. While of great historical importance, those pistols were also very fine pieces indeed, just like ours, but they had less expensive steel mounts, whereas these are solid silver, but both are typical of the finest gunsmith workmanship of the day. The Washington pistols were purchased by the Marquis de Lafayette, and were presented by him, to General George Washington, during the Revolutionary War in 1778. They, just as these pistols, are finest examples of eighteenth-century sidearms with exquisite carved and engraved Rococo embellishments. The Washington Lafayette pair are likely the best documented pistols of their kind once belonging to Washington. The Washington pair sold in 2002 for just under $2,000,000.00. King George III, acquired another pair of pistols most similar to these and Washingtons, and they are the collection of the Royal Family of England at Windsor Castle. George III ascended the throne in 1760. As with all our antique guns, no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables

These pair of pistols must’ve been handmade for an prince or nobleman of highest status and rank, such as colonel or general, at the time of the Anglo French wars in America in the 1760s and likely used continually through the American Revolutionary War period and into the Napoleonic era. After which they were ‘convert silex’ from flintlock, in order to enhance their performance in poor and wet weather. A system much promoted by Napoleon himself, in fact he made entreaties to the Reverend Forsyth of Scotland, a well known earliest designer of the silex system, to become Napoleon’s consultant to his armoury in Versailles, an offer which Forsyth refused due his loyalty to the British crown.
Flintlocks could not function in damp or rainy conditions, but the system silex surmounted this problem, and enabled such converted pistols for their more effective and efficient use for at least for a further 20 years.

Picture in the gallery is of a surviving register in a French National archive of the official record of the will of Kettenis, Lambert, Maître arquebusier, it further names his wife, as femme Louise Elisabeth. His will was probated 1770-07-10.

This stunning pair are in superb condition for age, and we have left them just ‘as-is’, only one hammer cocks and locks perfectly, yet both actions have superbly crisp and strong main springs, with one small nipple top a/f..  read more

Code: 23558

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

A Good Shinto Aikuchi Tanto Samurai Dagger With a Fine & Beautiful Polish Blade. Around 400 years Old. All Original Edo Period Koshirae

The blade has a fine Hamon with a full, back edge temper, and a running itami grain hada. With giant rayskin bound hilt grip and black speckled dark red lacquer saya. Flying geese kozuka, carved buffalo black horn fittings. Shinto period, circa 1620.

Tanto first began to appear in the Heian period, however these blades lacked artistic qualities and were purely weapons. In the Early Kamakura period high quality tanto with artistic qualities began to appear, and the famous Yoshimitsu (the greatest tanto maker in Japanese history) began his forging. Tanto production increased greatly around the Muromachi period and then dropped off in the Shinto period. Shinto period tanto are quite rare. Tanto were mostly carried by Samurai; commoners did not generally carry them. Women sometimes carried a small tanto called a kaiken in their obi for self defence.It was sometimes worn as the shoto in place of a wakizashi in a daisho, especially on the battlefield. Before the 16th century it was common for a Samurai to carry a tachi and a tanto as opposed to a katana and a wakizashi. all the fittings and lacquer are original Edo period, the old saya lacquer has some usual wear marks, and the kozuka small utility knife handle has a small area of age denting.
Overall length in saya approx 16 inches, blade 11 inches.  read more

Code: 20925

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

Acquired from an early, rare edged weapon collector,

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

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

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

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

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

16 inches long overall.  read more

Code: 24978

Part of a Superb WW1 Trench Warfare Collection, British and German. A Very Rare German Issue DWM Maxim Machine Gun Flyer's Cartridge Belt. From a Crashed German Fighter

Exactly the same type and form that is on display in the Australian War Memorial Museum and taken from a section of German MG08 Machine Gun ammunition belt with bullet reputedly from the aircraft of Baron Manfred von Richthofen. Described on the museum exhibit "A section of German machine gun ammunition belt as used with Maxim MG08 and LMG08 guns and associated development models.

It consists of two layers of khaki cotton webbing, joined with riveted steel dividers forming pockets for the cartridges. This section of belt comprises four such pockets, and is roughly cut off in the middle of the adjoining pocket at either end. The third of the steel dividers (each of which is held in place by three rivets) has a projection at the front, indicating the correct depth to which the bullet should be inserted into the pocket."
History / Summary
Section of cotton webbing ammunition belt once believed to have come from one of the two Luft Maschinen Gewehr (LMG) 08/15s fitted to Baron Manfred von Richthofen's Fokker Dr I aircraft.

The donor, Frank Ronald Rawlinson, enlisted in the AIF in August 1916 and served as 424A 2nd Class Air Mechanic with 3 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps. When Richthofen's body and the remains of his aircraft were brought to the airfield of 3 Sqadron at Bertangles on the evening of 21 April 1918, Rawlinson together with 666 Sergeant Abner Gilchrist Dalzell and 569 Corporal Edward James McCarty assisted with the removal of clothing from the body. Rawlinson obtained a section of the overalls and part of a belt as souvenirs. He also obtained several items from the Fokker Triplane. These were all donated to the Memorial by him in 1960. A letter describing the circumstances is held on File 749/084/005. Apart from confirming the origin of these relics the letter also confirmed that von Richthofen was wearing a parachute and harness when he was shot down over Australian positions near Corbie. However, despite this claim by Frank Rawlinson it is strongly believed the Maxim aircraft ammo belts did not have spacer tabs, and were only 30mm wide. This we are offering is also most rare near complete WW1 German issue DWM Maxim Machine Gun ammunition belt. The DWM belts came in two design forms, and are often confused by description. ThIs the very rare original Imperial German military issue version, and the more common German export Russian version. The German is by far the rarest, the more common Russian has unique features and was imported to Russia around 1906-1910 complying with the official Russian patterns. Both spacers and starter tags are made of brass in the Russian version, the German as is this one, has a steel starter and spacer tags. The assembly of the starter tags fitted at the end of the belt relies on the German pattern with three hollow rivets, as does this one; whereas the Russian version only involves one rivet. The long spacers on the Russian ones are brass and have a hollow rivet assembling the end of the long spacers, this German one has steel spacers and with a solid end rivet. The starter tags are marked with the manufacturer?s initials D.W.M. and are not dated. The cartridge pockets are numbered every 25 rounds, being printed with black ink in the traditional Imperial German font on the fabric the Russian ones are stamped every ten rounds. The style of the figures inked does exactly correspond to that found on contemporary DWM belts issued to the German Army. As a matter of summary, for belts with DWM marked starter tags, the total length of the long spacers, the hollow rivet assembling the end of the long spacers and the numbering of the cartridge pockets every 10 rounds are all key features that enable to tell apart the other German Export /Russian type. It is suspected that the Russian DWM belts might have been part of an export contract to Russia which also involved the delivery of 7.62x54R Model 1891 round-nosed ammunition from Germany around 1906.  read more

Code: 22073

Mightier Yet! A Superb and Original, Large, British WW2 Propaganda Poster For the Royal Navy. A Fabulous Historical Piece of Interior Decorative Art

A rare and amazing artefact of WW2. Printed for H.M Stationary Office by Fosh & Cross Ltd. A propaganda information and recruitment poster. Britain re-created the World War I Ministry of Information for the duration of World War II to generate propaganda to influence the population towards support for the war effort. A wide range of media was employed aimed at local and overseas audiences. Traditional forms such as newspapers and posters were joined by new media including cinema (film), newsreels and radio. A wide range of themes were addressed, fostering hostility to the enemy, support for allies, and specific pro war projects such as conserving metal and growing vegetables. In 1940 in particular, Winston Churchill made many calls for the British to fight on, and for British units to fight until they died rather than submit. His calls for fight to victory inspired a hardening of public opinion. Determination raised the numbers of the Home Guard and inspired a willingness to fight to the last ditch, in a manner rather similar to Japanese determination, and the slogan "You can always take one with you" was used in the grimmest times of the war. British victories were announced to the public for morale purposes, and broadcast to Germany for purposes of undermining morale.

Even during Dunkirk, an optimistic spin was put on how the soldiers were eager to return.

When the U-boat commander Gunther Prien vanished with his submarine U-47, Churchill personally informed the House of Commons, and radio broadcasts to Germany asked, "Where is Prien?" until Germany was forced to acknowledge his loss.

The turn of the war made BBC's war commentaries much more stirring.

We never normally comment on the investment potential of any collectable, but the potential for all underpriced WW1 and WW2 posters must be incredible, for example the more famed poster, 'Keep Calm and Carry On' can now sell for over £20,000.
Good condition with central folding creases. 20 inches x 30 inches.  read more

Code: 20768

A Most Rare Piece of Japanese, WW2 Aeronautica. A Torpedo Bomber Cockpit Warning Plate. From A Crashed Wreck Of A Mitsubishi G4M Bomber

WW2 Imperial Japanese Airforce Japanese aeronautical archeological finds are simply as rare as hens teeth, due to the location of such planes being so few and far between, and in 1945 those that were found were quickly removed and scrapped, with very few souvenirs taken, and although small this is a fabulous piece of WW2 history.

Taken from a crashed Japanese bomber & torpedo bomber in 1945, in Japanese it reads "Danger Do Not Turn, Engine May Fire Up"

The Mitsubishi G4M was a two engine bomber used by the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II. Codenamed "Betty" by allies, there were 2,435 GM4's produced by Japan between the years of 1941 and 1945. The Mitsubishi G4M was used as a bomber and a torpedo bomber.

The Mitsubishi G4M was used in the sinking of The Prince of Wales and Repulse in 1941. It was also the aircraft that Admiral Yamamoto was in, when his Mitsubishi G4M was shot down by American P-38's.

The Mitsubishi G4M was the aircraft that the Japanese attached (to the bottom) the Yokosuka MXY-7 Ohka or "baka" rocket powered, kamikaze attack bomb/plane. The G4M would carry the bomb/plane with 2,000 lbs of explosives, underneath, until they were in range of a ship or target and then release it. The pilot would then glide the bomb/plane towards a target, then fire the solid fuel rockets, at the last, until it hit the vessel or target.

The Mitsubishi G4M was powered by two, Kasei, fourteen cylinder, radial engines and had a top speed of 265 mph. The G4M had a service ceiling of almost 28,000 feet. The Mitsubishi G4M had extreme long range of over 3,000 miles.

The Mitsubishi G4M was armed with one 20 mm auto cannon and four 7.7 mm machine guns. The Mitsubishi G4M could carry almost 2,000 lbs bombs or torpedoes. We do not know other than in the Pacific theatre of war whereabouts this plaque was recovered from the crashed plane.  read more

Code: 20979

A Late 1600’s Very Fine Black Coral Handled Sinhalese King’s or Noble’s Knife. A Royal Piha-Kaetta (Pihiya)

A Fine Sinhalese Knife Piha-Kaetta (Pihiya) from Sri Lanka, Late 17th early 18th Century
This Pihiya is a very well known form of early Ceylonese royal knife, with a straight-backed blade and a curved cutting edge.
The Pihiya Handle and part of the blade are beautifully and finely engraved and decorated with delicate tendrils, the powerful hilt is made out of different combinations of materials such as Gold, Silver, Brass, Copper, Rock Crystal, Ivory, Horn, Black Coral Steel and Wood. Sometimes the Gold or Silver mounts extend down halfway the blade.
Handles were made in a certain and very distinctive form, occasionally they were made in the form of serpentines or a mythical creature’s head, most similar to this stunning piece.
The Kaetta means a beak or billhook, it is a similar but larger knife to the Pihiya, it has a blade with a carved back and a straight cutting edge that curves only towards the tip.
The finest examples were made at the four workshop (Pattal-Hatara), where a selected group of craftsmen worked exclusively for the King and his court, and were bestowed to nobles and officials together with the kasthan? and a cane as a sign of rank and / or office. Others were presented as diplomatic gifts. Many of the best knives were doubtless made in the Four Workshops, such as is this example, the blades being supplied to the silversmith by the blacksmiths.
"The best of the higher craftsmen (gold and silversmiths, painters, and ivory carvers, etc.) working immediately for the king formed a close, largely hereditary, corporation of craftsmen called the Pattal-hatara (Four Workshops). They were named as follows; The Ran Kadu Golden Arms, the Abarana Regalia, the Sinhasana Lion Throne, and the Otunu Crown these men worked only for the King, unless by his express permission (though, of course, their sons or pupils might do otherwise); they were liable to be continually engaged in Kandy, while the Kottal-badda men were divided into relays, serving by turns in Kandy for periods of two months. The Kottal-badda men in each district were under a foreman (mul-acariya) belonging to the Pattal-hatara. Four other foremen, one from each pattala, were in constant attendance at the palace. Prince Vijaya was a legendary king of Sri Lanka, mentioned in the Pali chronicles, including Mahavamsa. He is the first recorded King of Sri Lanka. His reign is traditionally dated to 543?505 bce. According to the legends, he and several hundred of his followers came to Lanka after being expelled from an Indian kingdom. In Lanka, they displaced the island's original inhabitants (Yakkhas), established a kingdom and became ancestors of the modern Sinhalese people. 13 inches long overall  read more

Code: 22534

A Most Incredible and Intriguing European Art Deco Bronze Table Lamp, Decorated With the Subject of a Prisoner in an Ancient Chinese 'Cangue' Torture Device Beneath a Lamp

A seated figure with the torture block of a Chinese 'cangue' . Likely designed from small portable carved wooden figures purchased and brought back to Europe by travellers to the Treaty Port of Ningbo in China, sometime in the early 20th century. The European fascination with all things oriental, from the exotic east, has influenced western art considerably for centuries, and it is frequently known as Chinoiserie Art, although the depiction of Chinese torture implements was somewhat niche, but they were especially popular, and depicted in decorative art, paintings, prints and sculpture. But this is the first time we have seen an old rendition of one in the form of a beautiful bronze table lamp. This very nice quality and fascinating piece of object d'art in bronze and enamel painted glass, is one of those incredible creations. This kind of tortuous affair using the cangue was usually unique to the far east from the ancient period up to relatively modern times. In fact the legendary Genghis Khan himself was imprisoned in such a terrible device when he was captured by another mongol leader as a youth before he grew into becoming the world greatest conqueror.
the bronze is signed at the reverse base, the front lamp base bears Chinese script, as does the cangue panel around the prisoners neck, which often details the prisoner's crimes, and the French bronze founder's label is on the underneath.
Although there are many different forms, a typical cangue would consist of a large, heavy flat board with a hole in the centre large enough for a person's neck. The board consisted of two pieces. These pieces were closed around a prisoner's neck, and then fastened shut along the edges by locks or hinges. The opening in the centre was large enough for the prisoner to breathe and eat, but not large enough for a head to slip through. The prisoner was confined in the cangue for a period of time as a punishment. The size and especially weight were varied as a measure of severity of the punishment. The Great Ming Legal Code (大明律) published in 1397 specified that a cangue should be made from seasoned wood and weigh 25, 20 or 15 jīn (roughly 20–33 lb or 9–15 kg) depending on the nature of the crime involved. Often the cangue was large enough that the prisoner required assistance to eat or drink, as his hands could not reach his own mouth, or even lie down. The word "cangue" is French, from the Portuguese "canga," which means yoke, the carrying tool has also been used to the same effect, with the hands tied to each arm of the yoke. Frequently translated as pillory, it was similar to that European punishment except that the movement of the prisoner's hands was not as rigorously restricted and that the board of the cangue was not fixed to a base and had to be carried around by the prisoner. the condition overall is very good, the lamp has four hand painted enamel glass panels but the interior somewhat concealed one has been long past repaired in the mid section 13.5 inches high x 7 inches deep, x 3.2 inches wide. If one wishes to use it for illumination once more It will need safely rewiring to approved standards, what remains of any past wiring should not be used under any circumstances.  read more

Code: 23902