A Fine, Original, Historical, Eastern Roman Empire, Byzantine Christian Cross In Bronze 7th to 10th Century. Used By A Middle Ages Christian Pilgrim, Later In The Crusades By Such as a Warrior Monk

A super, small collection of original, historical, Imperial Roman and Crusader's artifacts has just been acquired by us and will be added to our website.

Overall in superb condition, just the usual age patination as found on all ancient period bronze
.
This Bronze Cross was hand forged during the Middle Ages in the cradle of Christianity, the Byzantine Empire. In AD 324, the first Christian Roman Emperor Constantine the Great transferred the Eastern Roman Empire capital to Byzantium, which became Constantinople, known as ''New Rome''. The Byzantine Empire became centred on the capital of Constantinople and was ruled by Emperors in direct succession to the ancient Roman Emperors. With the eventual decline of Rome, the Church of Constantinople became the richest and most influential center of the Christian world.
The reign of Justinian the Great in 527-565 marked a blossoming of Byzantine culture with a building program that yielded such masterpieces as the Cathedral Church of the Holy Wisdom of God, Hagia Sophia. Justinian, who is considered a Saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church, created the authority of this Church, which firmly established Christianity throughout the Empire. This Byzantine Empire would exist for more than a thousand years until 1453 and was one of the most powerful economic, cultural, and military forces in Europe and Asia Minor. This superb cross was most certainly worn by a Byzantine citizen as a statement of faith during this amazing age of early Christendom. Picture in the gallery of an 8th century painting 'Christ is the Crucified, and a King'. The details of the painting are, they say; 'He is robed in majesty; He is fastened to the Cross. He wears the royal purple robes with which His scorners intended to mock Him, but He, Alpha and Omega, the first and last Word, the Primogenitor of those who are being saved, confers His own divine dignity onto the very idea of kingship. He wears the glory that inspired the good thief to plead for his salvation, with the confidence of the One whose Sonship makes that salvation possible'.

48mm x 34mm

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury 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, as Britain’s oldest established, and favourite, armoury and gallery  read more

Code: 25772

A Fabulous, Most Rare & Exceptionally Large, Imperial Roman Byzantine Empire, Original, Incised & Pierced Pectoral Stigmata Cross 4th to 10th Century AD from Jerusalem. Used from the Time of Emperor Constantine to the Earliest Crusades.

In superb condition, it is exceptionally rare due to its large size, extraordinary large {yet wearable} size with beautiful patination, almost 3" long. The stigmata cross represents the five wounds of Christ. The incisions could be set cabochon gemstones such as ancient garnets.

The form of earliest Christian Cross Crucifix worn around the neck over the Roman toga to clearly show one’s position as, say, a Christian noble or tribune of status in the Eastern Roman Empire of Emperor Constantine, and it may have been worn by subsequent generations as a symbol of continuity and stability and devotion of the new faith of the Empire. Later, in the evolution of Christianity in the East, acquired by or presented to a Crusader Knight and worn upon his tabard as a symbol of his devotion to liberating Jerusalem.

One of our clients bought a fabulous good sized Crusades period bronze cross from us recently, and had a jeweller make a wearable gold mount and hanging ring so it could be worn once more almost 1000 years since it was originally worn to the Holy Land. Another client acquired an encolpion cross and had a bespoke good sized frame made for its display, both looked absolutely stunning.

Just over 1700 years ago, it was written, a cross of light bearing the inscription “in hoc signo vinces” (in this sign you will conquer) miraculously appeared to Roman Emperor Constantine before the battle of Milvian Bridge. The Battle of the Milvian Bridge took place between the Roman Emperors Constantine I and Maxentius on 28 October 312. His victory over his brother-in-law and co- emperor Maxentius and subsequent conversion to Christianity had a profound impact on the course of Western civilization.
Byzantine is the term commonly used since the 19th century to refer to the Greek-speaking Roman Empire of the Middle Ages centred in the capital city of Constantinople. During much of its history, it was known to many of its Western contemporaries as the Empire of the Greeks, due to the dominance of the Greek language and culture. However, it is important to remember that the Byzantines referred to themselves as simply as the Roman Empire. As the Byzantine era is a period largely fabricated by historians, there is no clear consensus on exactly when the Byzantine age begins; although many consider the reign of Emperor Constantine the Great, who moved the imperial capital to the glorious city of Byzantium, renamed Constantinople and nicknamed the “New Rome,” to be the beginning. Others consider the reign of Theodosius I (379- 395), when Christianity officially supplanted the pagan beliefs, to be the true beginning. And yet other scholars date the start of the Byzantine age to the era when division between the east and western halves of the empire became permanent.

While Christianity replaced the gods of antiquity, traditional Classical culture continued to flourish. Greek and Latin were the languages of the learned classes. Before Persian and Arab invasions devastated much of their eastern holdings, Byzantine territory extended as far as south as Egypt. After a period of iconoclastic uprising came to resolution in the 9th Century, a second flowering of Byzantine culture arose and lasted until Constantinople was temporarily seized by Crusaders from the west in the 13th Century. Christianity spread throughout the Slavic lands to the north. In 1453, Constantinople finally fell to the Ottoman Turks effectively ending the Byzantine Empire after more than 1,100 years. Regardless of when it began, the Byzantine Empire continued to carry the mantle of Greek and Roman Classical cultures throughout the Medieval era and into the early Renaissance, creating a golden age of Christian culture that today continues to endure in the rights and rituals of the Eastern Orthodox Church. Byzantine art and culture was the epitome of luxury, incorporating the finest elements from the artistic traditions of both the East and the West..
Many items of antiquity we acquire are from the era of the Grand Tour.

Richard Lassels, an expatriate Roman Catholic priest, first used the phrase “Grand Tour” in his 1670 book Voyage to Italy, published posthumously in Paris in 1670. In its introduction, Lassels listed four areas in which travel furnished "an accomplished, consummate traveler" with opportunities to experience first hand the intellectual, the social, the ethical, and the political life of the Continent.

The English gentry of the 17th century believed that what a person knew came from the physical stimuli to which he or she has been exposed. Thus, being on-site and seeing famous works of art and history was an all important part of the Grand Tour. So most Grand Tourists spent the majority of their time visiting museums and historic sites.

Once young men began embarking on these journeys, additional guidebooks and tour guides began to appear to meet the needs of the 20-something male and female travelers and their tutors traveling a standard European itinerary. They carried letters of reference and introduction with them as they departed from southern England, enabling them to access money and invitations along the way.

With nearly unlimited funds, aristocratic connections and months or years to roam, these wealthy young tourists commissioned paintings, perfected their language skills and mingled with the upper crust of the Continent.

The wealthy believed the primary value of the Grand Tour lay in the exposure both to classical antiquity and the Renaissance, and to the aristocratic and fashionably polite society of the European continent. In addition, it provided the only opportunity to view specific works of art, and possibly the only chance to hear certain music. A Grand Tour could last from several months to several years. The youthful Grand Tourists usually traveled in the company of a Cicerone, a knowledgeable guide or tutor.

The ‘Grand Tour’ era of classical acquisitions from history existed up to around the 1850’s, and extended around the whole of Europe, Egypt, the Ottoman Empire, and the Holy Land.

Hanging loop lacking.  read more

Code: 23736

A Superb, Original Watercolour of a Victorian 1st Royal Dragoons NCO by H.R. Coombe

A most attractive portrait of a mounted Sergeant of Dragoons in full dress probably late Victorian. One of the non commissioned officers of one of the great historical regiments of the British Army. 14 x 19 framed picture 8.75 x 12.5 inches The regiment also fought at the Battle of Beaumont in April 1794 and the Battle of Willems in May 1794 during the Flanders Campaign. It served under Viscount Wellesley, as the rearguard during the retreat to the Lines of Torres Vedras in September 1810, and charged the enemy at the Battle of Fuentes de Onoro in May 1811 during the Peninsular War. The regiment also took part in the charge of the Union Brigade under the command of Major-General William Ponsonby at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815 during the Hundred Days Campaign. Captain Alexander Kennedy Clark, an officer in the regiment, captured the French Imperial Eagle of the 105th Line Infantry Regiment during the battle.

In 1816 a detachment of the regiment was involved with suppressing the Littleport riots.

Rough Rider Robert Droash of the 1st Royal Dragoons after serving in the Crimean War in 1856
The regiment, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel John Yorke, also took part in the charge of the heavy brigade at the Battle of Balaclava in October 1854 during the Crimean War. Having been re-titled the 1st (Royal) Dragoons in 1877, the regiment also saw action at the Battle of Abu Klea in January 1885 during the Mahdist War. In January 1900, during the Second Boer War, the regiment was part of a force that set out to discover the western flank of the Boer lines. It was able to ambush a column of about 200 Boers near Acton Homes and successfully trapped about 40 of them. Following the end of the war, 623 officers and men of the regiment left South Africa on the SS Kildonan Castle, which arrived at Southampton in October 1902.

The regiment, which had been serving at Potchefstroom in South Africa when the First World War started, returned to the UK and than landed at Ostend as part of the 6th Cavalry Brigade in the 3rd Cavalry Division in October 1914 for service on the Western Front.[9] It took part in the First Battle of Ypres in October 1914, the Second Battle of Ypres in April 1915, the Battle of Loos in September 1915 and the advance to the Hindenburg Line in 1917  read more

Code: 22549

A Most Desirable & Rare Canadian WW1 Historical Regimental Ross Bayonet of The 1st Depot Battalion, 1st Quebec Regt. One Of The Great Heroic Regiments Of Canada From The Close of the Great War.

A veritable museum grade collectors piece. With superb regimental markings from the small number of conscripts and heroes of the ill fated, 1st Depot Batt. The Quebec Regt. Who suffered a terrible percentage of casualties at the Western Front.
A fairly uncommon bayonet to find, even unmarked of regimental details these days, but, very rare indeed to find with good regimental markings, especially by such a small detachment of conscripts from a regiment of such noble history. A draft of Military Service Act, 1917 conscripts from the 1st Depot Battalion, Quebec Regiment, Montreal sailed on the S.S. Scandinavian March 25, 1918 arriving in England April 3, 1918. The total size of this draft at present is unknown probably about 500 soldiers. What is known is that 140 of this draft were channelled through the 23rd Reserve Battalion into the 14th (Royal Montreal) Battalion. Of this draft of 140 soldiers,100 were casualties with 22 deaths all within the last 100 days of the war! Photo in the gallery of Headquarters, Depot Battalion, Quebec Regiment, Montreal, March 27, 1918, Lt.-Col. L.J. Daly-Gingras, D.S.O., O.C. A photo in the gallery of a mounted soldier, Onil Basette of Marieville, 1st Depot Battalion, 1st Quebec Regiment, taken in 1918. The bayonet metal is unusually painted red . Details of their noble and heroic service in just those 100 days are including in the following engagements; The Advance in Picardy (8 August 3 September, 1918) Amiens 8-11 August 1918
The Breaking of the Hindenburg Line (26 August ? 12 October, 1918) Arras, 1918 26 August 3 September 1918
Scarpe, 1918 26-30 August 1918
Drocourt-Queant Line 2-3 September 1918
Hindenburg Line, Battles of the 12 September 9 October 1918
Canal du Nord 27 September 2 October 1918
Picardy (17 October 11 November) Pursuit to Mons 11 November 1918  read more

Code: 20566

A Superb Mauser K98k Bayonet Maker Marked and Coded 1942/43 By Weyersberg and Eickhorn. All Original Blue To The hilt & Blade Normandy Veteran 9th Battalion Cameronians {Scottish rifles} Combat Against 12th SS Hitlerjugend Panzergrenadiers

Karabinier Kurz Mauser K98k Seitengewehr 84/98.

A set of souvenirs of a British Normandy veteran deployed to combat in Caen In 1944 after his landing on D.Day.
Taken by a British officer during his combat with a soldier from the 12th SS German Hitlerjugend Panzergrenadier and where he acquired his Hitlerjend membership badge and with his wound badge, and K98 bayonet {all sold separately} with the 9th Battalion Cameronians {Scottish rifles} officer's pistol holster. A great little historic collection but all likely of interest to different collectors. 1/SS-Panzergrenadierregiment 26. 1/SS-Panzergrenadierregiment 26.

Raised in 1943 with seventeen-year-olds from the Hitler Youth movement, and following the twin disasters of Stalingrad and ‘Tunisgrad’, the Hitlerjugend Panzer Division emerged as the most effective German division fighting in the West. The core of the division was a cadre of offices and NCOs provided by Hitler’s bodyguard division, the elite Leibstandarte, with the aim of producing a division of ‘equal value’ to fight alongside them in I SS Panzer Corps.

During the fighting in Normandy, the Hitlerjugend proved to be implacable foes to both the British and the Canadians, repeatedly blunting Montgomery’s offensives, fighting with skill and a degree of determination well beyond the norm. This they did from D+1 through to the final battle to escape from the Falaise Pocket, despite huge disadvantages, namely constant Allied air attack, highly destructive naval gunfire and a chronic lack of combat supplies and replacements of men and equipment.


In 1944 the 12th SS-Panzer-Division Hitlerjugend was deployed during the Battle of Normandy against the British and Canadian forces to the north of Caen. Over 20,000 German youths participated in the attempt to repulse the D-Day invasion; while they knocked out 28 Canadian tanks during their first effort, they ultimately lost 3,000 lives before the Normandy assault was complete. During the following months, the division earned a reputation for ferocity and fanaticism. When Witt was killed by Allied naval gunfire, SS-Brigadeführer Kurt Meyer assumed command and became the divisional commander at age 33

In 1944, Hitler was counting on an elite group: "the Werwolf." A secret group formed by the combat section of the Waffen-SS. They had only one mission: to resist the advance of the Allied forces at all cost. Their training was based on guerrilla tactics. But the fearsome Waffen-SS, in 1945, were almost exterminated and for that reason Hitler gave the order that children who at most reached 14 years, would become soldiers of the Werwolf. The young people of the Werwolf were under the command of the lieutenant general of the SS, Hans Prützmann. Commanding him was the leader of the SS, Heinrich Himmler.
The group would commit other resounding crimes, such as the killing of Major John Poston (liaison officer of Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery), General Nikolai Berzarin (Soviet commander in Berlin) and General Maurice Rose, the oldest Jewish officer in the US Army.

Bayonet and blade in 5 Star plus condition, the scabbard has denting but the bayonet fits and extracts perfectly.
Good maker markings by crs { Paul Weyersberg & Co} and blade dated 1943, The scabbard 1942 cof {Carl Eikhorn} with considerable number of Swastika waffenamt markings. A bayonet for the standard Mauser arm used by the Heer Army, Kriegsmarine Navy, used before and during the allied liberation of France, and subsequently the whole of the enslaved Western Europe, until, finally, the capture of Berlin by the Red Army. The Karabiner 98 kurz (German; "carbine 98 short", often abbreviated Kar98k or K98k and often incorrectly referred to as a "K98" (which was a Polish Carbine), is a bolt-action rifle chambered for the 7.92 ×57mm Mauser cartridge that was adopted on 21 June 1935 as the standard service rifle by the German Wehrmacht. It was one of the final developments in the long line of Mauser military rifles. Although supplemented by semi- and fully automatic rifles during World War II, it remained the primary German service rifle until the end of the war in 1945. Sold to over 18s only.
A very interesting book on the 12th Hitlerjugend SS-Panzer to be found on this link below;

https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/12th-Hitlerjugend-SS-Panzer-Division-in-Normandy-ePub/p/19736.

This bayonet is certainly a little more expensive than regular, similar surviving K98k bayonets, but all its 5* plus points, regarding knowing its owner's service in the 12th SS Hitlerjugen Panzergrenadiers at Normandy in 1944 are so numerous as to still make it incredible value for money.

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury 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, as Britain’s oldest established, and favourite, armoury and gallery  read more

Code: 25771

A British Officer's Webbing Service Revolver Holster Government Issue Dated 1942 A Souvenir of a British Normandy Veteran 9th Battalion Cameronians {Scottish rifles} Combat Against 12th SS Hitlerjugend Panzergrenadiers

His uniform souvenir of a British Normandy veteran deployed to combat in Caen In 1944 after his landing on D.Day.
Used by the British officer during his combat with a soldier from the 12th SS German Hitlerjugend Panzergrenadier and where he acquired his Hitlerjend membership badge and with his wound badge, and K98 bayonet {all sold separately} with the 9th Battalion Cameronians {Scottish rifles} officer's pistol holster. A great little historic collection but all likely of interest to different collectors. 1/SS-Panzergrenadierregiment 26. 1/SS-Panzergrenadierregiment 26.

Raised in 1943 with seventeen-year-olds from the Hitler Youth movement, and following the twin disasters of Stalingrad and ‘Tunisgrad’, the Hitlerjugend Panzer Division emerged as the most effective German division fighting in the West. The core of the division was a cadre of offices and NCOs provided by Hitler’s bodyguard division, the elite Leibstandarte, with the aim of producing a division of ‘equal value’ to fight alongside them in I SS Panzer Corps.

During the fighting in Normandy, the Hitlerjugend proved to be implacable foes to both the British and the Canadians, repeatedly blunting Montgomery’s offensives, fighting with skill and a degree of determination well beyond the norm. This they did from D+1 through to the final battle to escape from the Falaise Pocket, despite huge disadvantages, namely constant Allied air attack, highly destructive naval gunfire and a chronic lack of combat supplies and replacements of men and equipment.


In 1944 the 12th SS-Panzer-Division Hitlerjugend was deployed during the Battle of Normandy against the British and Canadian forces to the north of Caen. Over 20,000 German youths participated in the attempt to repulse the D-Day invasion; while they knocked out 28 Canadian tanks during their first effort, they ultimately lost 3,000 lives before the Normandy assault was complete. During the following months, the division earned a reputation for ferocity and fanaticism. When Witt was killed by Allied naval gunfire, SS-Brigadeführer Kurt Meyer assumed command and became the divisional commander at age 33

In 1944, Hitler was counting on an elite group: "the Werwolf." A secret group formed by the combat section of the Waffen-SS. They had only one mission: to resist the advance of the Allied forces at all cost. Their training was based on guerrilla tactics. But the fearsome Waffen-SS, in 1945, were almost exterminated and for that reason Hitler gave the order that children who at most reached 14 years, would become soldiers of the Werwolf. The young people of the Werwolf were under the command of the lieutenant general of the SS, Hans Prützmann. Commanding him was the leader of the SS, Heinrich Himmler.
The group would commit other resounding crimes, such as the killing of Major John Poston (liaison officer of Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery), General Nikolai Berzarin (Soviet commander in Berlin) and General Maurice Rose, the oldest Jewish officer in the US Army.

A very interesting book on the 12th Hitlerjugend SS-Panzer to be found on this link below;

https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/12th-Hitlerjugend-SS-Panzer-Division-in-Normandy-ePub/p/19736

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury 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, as Britain’s oldest established, and favourite, armoury and gallery  read more

Code: 25770

A Simply Stunning Ancient Roman Museum Grade Fine Gold Seal Ring with Intaglio Portrait Engraved Garnet Gem Stone 2nd to 3rd Century A.D. Likely a Depiction of an Emperor Such As Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus, or Even A Parthian Vassal King.

A museum grade, around 1900 year old pure gold ancient Roman intaglio carved garnet gemstone seal ring.

Worn by such a noble as the rank of Imperial Legate { Legatus Augusti pro praetore}. The commander of two or more legions, who also served as the governor of an eastern province in which the legions he commanded were stationed. He was of Senatorial rank and was appointed by the Emperor for a term of 3 or 4 years.

The carved gem’s seal is depicting a profile hand carving, possibly of an Emperor such as Verus, or vassal King of Parthia. Possibly as a celebration of Verus’s ‘Triumph’ from the Parthian War. Classified by the seminal classification of ancient ring forms, by Dr. Martin Henig, as Ancient Roman, Henig type II

The Roman triumph was one of ancient Rome’s most important civic and sacred institutions. These spectacular processions were celebrations of Rome’s military victories, the courage of its soldiers, and the favour of the gods. They were also one of the highest honors a Roman man could achieve: designated a triumphator, he was awarded a grand procession through the imperial capital. The lavish parade of prisoners and captured treasures was sure to guarantee the eternal fame of the conquering general. Over time, the triumph became an important tool in the manipulation of Roman politics.

Made and worn by the highest ranking Roman, such as a Legate, possibly even a member of the Imperial household at the time from Emperors Marcus Aurelias, Lucius Verus, & Commodus, and just into the early following century.

Rings were one of the most popular pieces of jewellery in Roman culture. Under the Republic the wearing of gold rings was exclusively reserved to certain classes of persons or for specific occasions. In the late 3rd century BC only senators and knights equo publico had this privilege. Towards the end of the Republic, gold rings were also bestowed on civilians. Under the Roman Empire gold rings, although still regarded as a privilege and awarded as a military distinction

During the era of dual Emperors Marcus Aurelius, and Lucius Verus, 161 to 180 ad, the last part of his reign was dramatically represented in the blockbuster film 'Gladiator', starring Richard Harris as the Emperor Marcus Aurelias. He acceded to the throne of Emperor alongside his adoptive brother, who reigned under the name Lucius Verus. Under his rule the Roman Empire witnessed heavy military conflict. In the East, the Romans fought successfully with a revitalised Parthian Empire and the rebel Kingdom of Armenia. Marcus defeated the Marcomanni, Quadi, and Sarmatian Iazyges in the Marcomannic Wars; however, these and other Germanic peoples began to represent a troubling reality for the Empire. Ultimately, the Romans were victorious in the Parthian War of 161-167 CE. After the sacking of Ctesiphon and Seleucia, Lucius Verus took the title Parthicus Maximus. As a feature of his imperial titulature, the epithet conveyed his military might and power. But the question remains: to what extent can the Roman victory over the Parthian Empire be attributed to Verus?
Indeed, much of the successes the Romans enjoyed in this eastern war surely belong to the supremely able retinue of generals and administrators who were with Verus at the time. Regardless, upon his return from the campaign, Verus was awarded a triumph, the traditional celebration of Roman military conquest that had been used since the Republican era. This was to be the high point of Verus’ imperial story, however. In 169 CE, as he was journeying back from the Danubian frontier — where he had been fighting in the Marcomannic wars with Marcus Aurelius — Verus suddenly fell ill and died. It is highly probable, according to historians, that Verus was a victim of the pestilence that his soldiers had carried back to the empire with them from the Parthian War.

Commodus. the successor and son of Emperor Antoninus Pius,, was the Roman emperor who ruled from 177 to 192. He served jointly with his father Marcus Aurelius from 177 until the latter's death in 180, and thereafter he reigned alone until his assassination. His reign is commonly thought of as marking the end of a golden period of peace in the history of the Roman Empire, known as the Pax Romana.
Commodus became the youngest emperor and consul up to that point, at the age of 16. Throughout his reign, Commodus entrusted the management of affairs to his palace chamberlain and praetorian prefects, named Saoterus, Perennis and Cleander.

Commodus's assassination in 192, by a wrestler in the bath, marked the end of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty. He was succeeded by Pertinax, the first emperor in the tumultuous Year of the Five Emperors.

Jewellery in the Roman Republic
The core ideologies of the Roman Republic, centred around moderation and restraint, meant that elaborate jewellery was relatively unpopular until the transformation to imperial rule. The law of the Twelve Tables in the 5th century BC, limited the amount of gold which might have been buried with the dead. The Lex Oppia, 3rd century BC, fixed at half of an ounce the amount of gold which a Roman lady might have worn. During the Roman Empire, however, jewellery became a public display of wealth and power for the elite.
Rings of the higher ranks were often embellished with intaglios, cameos and precious gemstones. Mythology and Roman history were used as a repertoire of decorative themes. Roman rings featuring carved gemstones, such as carnelian, garnet or chalcedony, were often engraved with the depiction of deities, allegories and zoomorphic creatures.

1 inch across, UK size H1/2, {measured on the round inside the oval} 9.6 grams, approx 22 carat gold 91.16% Gold, 6.66% silver, 1.93% copper, which is a typical consistency of ancient Roman gold determined by x-ray flourescence analysis with Oxford Instruments in 2017
As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity.  read more

Code: 24779

A Most Attractive & Handsome Antique Shinto Wakazashi Around 1600. With Silver Koshirae & Late Edo Sukashi Hawk & Chidori Tsuba. Fine Blade With Beautiful Suguha Hamon, Itame Hada. In Full and Beautiful Polish .

All original Edo period saya with fine stone finish ishime urushi lacquer in black, with carved buffalo kurigata and fittings throughout. Kozuka pocket with copper gilt kozuka, decorated with takebori mounted samurai attacking a tower castle fortification and a bright late polished steel kogatana blade. Fully bound tsuka with original Edo silk ito over samegawa. 'Hawk and Chidori' silvered sukashi tsuba of a raptor within a pine tree espying sparrows. Silvered fuchigashira decorated with village scenes including a cedar tree, a village house with thatched roof, bushels of wheat, a half water barrel, a double gourd drinking vessel, and a waterfall.

Wakizashi have been in use as far back as the 15th or 16th century. The wakizashi was used as a backup or auxiliary sword; it was also used for close quarters fighting, and also to behead a defeated opponent and sometimes to commit ritual suicide. The wakizashi was one of several short swords available for use by samurai including the yoroi toshi, the chisa-katana and the tanto. The term wakizashi did not originally specify swords of any official blade length and was an abbreviation of "wakizashi no katana" ("sword thrust at one's side"); the term was applied to companion swords of all sizes. It was not until the Edo period in 1638 when the rulers of Japan tried to regulate the types of swords and the social groups which were allowed to wear them that the lengths of katana and wakizashi were officially set.

Kanzan Sato, in his book titled "The Japanese Sword", notes that the wakizashi may have become more popular than the tanto due to the wakizashi being more suited for indoor fighting. He mentions the custom of leaving the katana at the door of a castle or palace when entering while continuing to wear the wakizashi inside. Wakizashi were worn on the left side, secured to the obi waist sash. The Sengoku period Sengoku Jidai, "Warring States period") is a period in Japanese history of near-constant civil war, social upheaval, and intrigue from 1467 to 1615, straddling the end of the Koto era and into the early Shinto.
20.3 inches overall in saya, 13.5 inch blade tsuba to tip blade Overall in very nice condition, natural aging wear to the tsukaito, usual age wear to fuchigashira. Saya and blade excellent.

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury 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, as Britain’s oldest established, and favourite, armoury and gallery  read more

Code: 25759

A Good, Antique, Edo Period Iron Plate 17th Century Saotome Tembo Katana Tsuba, From The Tembo School of Tsubako.

A well hammered rough surface forged iron plate Saotome Tembo tsuba.

The first master of the Saotome school was Nobuyasu of Shimotsuke. Nobuyasu moved to Odawara in Sagami were the Saotome school itself was founded. Some of the early Saotome makers were Nobuyasu, Iyenori, Iyetsugu, Iyetada and Iyesada although there is some disagreement on the lineage of the school. There were many other generations working well into the late Edo period. The Saotome School gave rise to the Tembo School of tsubako.

Tempo {Tembo} school and the yakite finish (heat treatment) is typical, as is the excellent iron. Typical wildness of the hot-stamping, and it is very finely constructed. The patina is amazingly soft and velvety, kozuka and kogai ana, on each side, numerous deep stamps, kozuka and kogai hitsu ana (suhama) copper ume infills. 74 mm  read more

Code: 22454

A Really Good and Interesting 18th Century Indian Sikh or Mughal Empire Lahore Combat & Battle Talwar, With a Good Blade

The hilt also known as tulwar comprises langets with lotus-head outlines, domed quillons, and a centrally swollen grip. A knuckle guard with a terminal that recurves toward the disc-pommel which has been attached with domed top and lotus bud finial.

The surface is plain

There are clear indications that this particular hilt is of Punjab manufacture: the fat vase shape of the grip section, the slightly forward angle of the quillons. The hilt is of average proportions.

The blade shape is quite deeply curved. Such blades are ideal for close-quarters cutters, with the deep curve helping it target specific places that normal swords could not attach. The type of blade is a referred to as a ‘goliya’ (meaning round) in India. The blade is a highly practical one, with several indications impacts etc. that show that it was clearly used in battle.

Blade 24.5 inches overall 29.5 inches long No scabbard  read more

Code: 25739