A Rare and Very Fine WW1 German Sniper's Scharfschutzengewehr Optical Scope. Some Of The Best & Most Desirable Sniper Scopes Are 20th Century Fine German Examples Such As This

WW1 German Sniper Optical Scope, steel body scope with bracket fittings to the lower section. Top focusing mount is maker marked “Rudiger & Bischoff Braunschweig”. Remains of the blued finish. Optics remain clear. Photo in the gallery of German snipers in WW1 and a cabinet of original snipers kit, including the rifle and sniper site, in the Imperial War Museum. During World War I, snipers appeared as deadly sharpshooters in the trenches. At the start of the war, only Imperial Germany had troops that were issued scoped sniper rifles. Although sharpshooters existed on all sides, the Germans specially equipped some of their soldiers with scoped rifles that could pick off enemy soldiers showing their heads out of their trench. At first the French and British believed such hits to be coincidental hits, until the German scoped rifles were discovered. During World War I, the German army received a reputation for the deadliness and efficiency of its snipers, partly because of the high-quality lenses that German industry could manufacture.

During the First World War, the static movement of trench warfare and a need for protection from snipers created a requirement for loopholes both for discharging firearms and for observation. Often a steel plate was used with a "key hole", which had a rotating piece to cover the loophole when not in use.Imperial German Scharfschutzengewehr (Sharpshooters rifle in German) Model 1898 sniper rifle in 7.92x57 or more commonly known as 8mm Mauser. At the beginning of World War 1 no country had a "sniper program" as we know it today. Germany in 1915 outfitted the most experienced marksmen (typically pre-war game wardens and poachers) with specially selected factory rifles and equiped them with optical hunting sights. These early telescopic sights usually consisted of 2.5x, 3x and 4x power, produced by manufactures like Görtz, Gérard, Oige, Zeiss, Hensoldt, Voigtländer Rudiger & Bischoff and various civilian models from manufacturers like Bock, Busch and Füss. These rifles were standard 1898 Military Model which held exceptionaly high accuracy at the factory. They were fitted with a Model 1898AZ carbine bolt and optic and issued to an individual Soldier (Soldat) instead of a unit. Due to the very high usage of steel armor piercing ammunition the barrels were rapidly erroded and the life span for accuracy was between 1000-2500 rounds, often less, before having to be replaced. Soon the British army began to train their own snipers in specialized sniper schools. Major Hesketh Hesketh-Prichard was given formal permission to begin sniper training in 1915, and founded the First Army School of Sniping, Observation, and Scouting at Linghem in France in 1916. Starting with a first class of only six, in time he was able to lecture to large numbers of soldiers from different Allied nations, proudly proclaiming in a letter that his school was turning out snipers at three times the rate of any such other school in the world.

He also devised a metal-armoured double loophole that would protect the sniper observer from enemy fire. The front loophole was fixed, but the rear was housed in a metal shutter sliding in grooves. Only when the two loopholes were lined up—a one-to-twenty chance—could an enemy shoot between them. Another innovation was the use of a dummy head to find the location of an enemy sniper. The papier-mâché figures were painted to resemble soldiers to draw sniper fire. Some were equipped with rubber surgical tubing so the dummy could "smoke" a cigarette and thus appear realistic. Holes punched in the dummy by enemy sniper bullets then could be used for triangulation purposes to determine the position of the enemy sniper, who could then be attacked with artillery fire. He developed many of the modern techniques in sniping, including the use of spotting scopes and working in pairs, and using Kim's Game to train observational skills. An original complete Imperial German Scharfschutzengewehr (Sharpshooters rifle in German) Model 1898 GEW98 rifle, with its scope, just as this one, can now fetch over $11,000.  read more

Code: 23342

A Crimean & Zulu War Original 1821/45 Pattern Victorian Wilkinson Infantry Officer’s Deluxe Grade Combat Sword. Traditional Gothic Style Pierced Half Basket Hilt With Queen Victoria’s Cypher. Exactly As Worn By Lt Bromhead. Of a 57th Regt. Of Foot Officer

Commissioned from Wilkinson sword in late 1854, delivered in early 1855, for an officer of the 57th Foot, the West Middlesex Regiment, Lt. Alexander F. A. Slade, while serving in the Crimean War, at Sebastopol, then, much later it was further used in the regiment in the Zulu War, in the Battle of Gingindlovu. Lt Slade later became a Captain {by purchase} in 1859, while then serving in India. We acquired the sword with a complete set of Kinglake, A.W., “The Invasion of the Crimea: Its Origin, and an Account of its Progress to the Death of Lord Raglan”. Including Ist Editions. See them for sale in the book section.

Exactly the same form of sword used by Lt Bromhead in the Zulu war, as was portrayed and carried in the film 'Zulu' by Sir Michael Caine. A fully etched blade, bearing the cypher and crest of H.M. Queen Victoria, traditional Gothic pieced half basket hilt, combined combat-dress steel scabbard. Combat weight, fully etched VR Crown blade with Wilkinson monogramme

In the gallery is photograph of a group of five officers from the 57th Regiment. The officers are arranged in a line, with one man seated and the rest standing. All are wearing military uniform and are carrying the very same swords. A dog lies on the ground in front of them and there is a tent behind. It is perfectly possible Lt. Slade is one of the officer's within the photo.

The 57th Regiment served during the Crimean War, and whilst there were photographed on a number of occasions by Roger Fenton {see photo}.

The 57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot: Participated in major Crimean battles (Alma, Inkerman, Sevastopol) and also served in the Zulu War.

Arrival: The 57th landed in Natal in March 1879, joining the effort to relieve the besieged garrison at Eshowe.
Battle of Gingindlovu (April 2, 1879): They formed part of the relief force, holding the laager's right flank and repelling attacks, earning commendation from Lord Chelmsford for their steadiness under intense fire.
Second Invasion: Afterward, they marched with Crealock's Division, advancing along the coast, burning Zulu homesteads, and forming part of the force that occupied Ulundi.

Traditional gilt hilt of Gothic form, pierced with Queen Victoria's cypher

Photo in the gallery from the film "Zulu" and Michael Caine as Bromhead with his sword for information only not included.
The 1822/45 pattern of sword has a Gothic hilt and Queen Victoria's cypher within the pierced oval centre. This sabre would have seen service by an officer at the very cusp of England's Glory of Empire. A sabre fit to represent the age and used throughout the Zulu War and numerous other great and famous conflicts of the Victorian era. The 1822 pattern infantry with it's elegant pierced Gothic style hilt, and the graceful monogram of Queen Victoria make it one of the most attractive patterns of sword ever used by British Army officers, and it was a pattern that saw service for almost 80 years. The blade is by Henry Wilkinson, who developed in 1845 pattern blade. Many swords of British officers were continually used for many decades, until the 1890's in fact, as swords were quite often passed on from father to son, down the generations, in many military families. During the period of this sword's use, two of most famous pair of engagements in the British army's history, during the last quarter of the 19th century, happened over two consecutive days. Curiously, it is fair to say that these two engagements, by the 24th Foot, against the mighty Zulu Impi, are iconic examples of how successful or unsuccessful leadership can result, in either the very best conclusion, or the very worst. And amazingly, within only one day of each other. The 1879 Zulu War, for the 24th Foot, will, for many, only mean two significant events, Isandlhwana and Rorke's Drift. This is the brief story of the 24th Foot in South Africa; In 1875 the 1st Battalion arrived in Southern Africa and subsequently saw service, along with the 2nd Battalion, in the 9th Xhosa War in 1878. In 1879 both battalions took part in the Zulu War, begun after a British invasion of Zululand, ruled by Cetshwayo. The 24th Foot took part in the crossing of the Buffalo River on 11 January, entering Zululand. The first engagement (and the most disastrous for the British) came at Isandhlwana. The British had pitched camp at Isandhlwana and not established any fortifications due to the sheer size of the force, the hard ground and a shortage of entrenching tools. The 24th Foot provided most of the British force and when the overall commander, Lord Chelmsford, split his forces on 22 January to search for the Zulus, the 1st Battalion (5 companies) and a company of the 2nd Battalion were left behind to guard the camp, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Pulleine (CO of the 1/24th Foot).

The Zulus, 22,000 strong, attacked the camp and their sheer numbers overwhelmed the British. As the officers paced their men far too far apart to face the coming onslaught. During the battle Lieutenant-Colonel Pulleine ordered Lieutenants Coghill and Melvill to save the Queen's Colour—the Regimental Colour was located at Helpmakaar with G Company. The two Lieutenants attempted to escape by crossing the Buffalo River where the Colour fell and was lost downstream, later being recovered. Both officers were killed. At this time the Victoria Cross (VC) was not awarded posthumously. This changed in the early 1900s when both Lieutenants were awarded posthumous Victoria Crosses for their bravery. The 2nd Battalion lost both its Colours at Isandhlwana though parts of the Colours—the crown, the pike and a colour case—were retrieved and trooped when the battalion was presented with new Colours in 1880.

The 24th had performed with distinction during the battle. The last survivors made their way to the foot of a mountain where they fought until they expended all their ammunition and were killed. The 24th Foot suffered 540 dead, including the 1st Battalion's commanding officer.

After the battle, some 4,000 to 5,000 Zulus headed for Rorke's Drift, a small missionary post garrisoned by a company of the 2/24th Foot, native levies and others under the command of Lieutenant Chard, Royal Engineers, the most senior officer of the 24th present being Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead. Two Boer cavalry officers, Lieutenants Adendorff and Vane, arrived to inform the garrison of the defeat at Isandhlwana. The Acting Assistant Commissary James Langley Dalton persuaded Bromhead and Chard to stay and the small garrison frantically prepared rudimentary fortifications.

The Zulus first attacked at 4:30 pm. Throughout the day the garrison was attacked from all sides, including rifle fire from the heights above the garrison, and bitter hand-to-hand fighting often ensued. At one point the Zulus entered the hospital, which was stoutly defended by the wounded inside until it was set alight and eventually burnt down. The battle raged on into the early hours of 23 January but by dawn the Zulu Army had withdrawn. Lord Chelmsford and a column of British troops arrived soon afterwards. The garrison had suffered 15 killed during the battle (two died later) and 11 defenders were awarded the Victoria Cross for their distinguished defense of the post, 7 going to soldiers of the 24th Foot.

The stand at Rorke's Drift was immortalised in the 1964 movie Zulu, and Michael Caine is carrying this very same pattern of sword.

Overall in nice condition, triple wire bound sharkskin grip, steel combat scabbard with light surface old russetting and two small combat dents at the bottom near the shoe. Blade nicely royal etched with old polished out bright surface russetting.  read more

Code: 26087

A Stunning, Original 1840's ‘Prototype’ Bronze Cannon of a Dundas 32 Pounder Cannon On Original Bronze Carriage For Coastal Artillery. Around Quarter Size Original Presentation Cannon Made Circa 1840 To Demonstrate to The Ordnance To Gain The Contract

An absolute joyful piece, perfect for a former military officer, or maybe a gentleman's study or boardroom. A working bronze demonstrator cannon of a Col. Dundas 1840's pattern cannon, such as a 32 pounder. Likely, in that case , the first ever example of the later known 'Dundas 32 pounder' cannon ever made, but naturally a scaled down version.

The contract submission was successful, thanks in greater part due to this cannon, and thus used by the Royal Navy and Coastal Artillery from the 1840's.

Very possibly made by the cannon maker, at their Low Moor Iron Works in Yorkshire, as the prototype working piece to demonstrate to Colonel Dundas, for the benefit of a Royal Ordnance contract, and probably later became a presentation piece, possibly given to Col Dundas.

What an absolute corker! It is a very fine bronze cast barrel, with superb aged patination, on its original cast bronze and wooden carriage, with wooden wheels. Overall 18 inches long.

This cannon was designed in response to the need for heavier weaponry as armour on ships of the line improved. Colonel William Dundas, the government's Inspector of Artillery between 1839 and 1852, designed the cannon in 1846. It was cast by the Low Moor Iron Works in Bradford in 1847 and entered service soon after. Like numerous cannon before it, the full size version was made in cast iron, and smoothbore, loaded from the muzzle. The cannon was ‘relatively’ inexpensive to produce – the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom estimated that each cannon cost approximately £167 around £32,000 today.
Over 2000 were cast before 1861 and its exceptional durability, range and accuracy earned it a reputation as the finest smoothbore cannon ever made.

The use of coastal artillery expanded during the Age of Discoveries, in the 16th century; when a colonial power took over an overseas territory, one of their first tasks was to build a coastal fortress, both to deter rival naval powers and to subjugate the natives. The Martello tower is an excellent example of a widely used coastal fort that mounted defensive artillery, in this case, muzzle-loading cannon. During the 19th century China also built hundreds of coastal fortresses in an attempt to counter Western naval threats.

Coastal artillery fortifications generally followed the development of land fortifications; sometimes separate land defence forts were built to protect coastal forts. Through the middle 19th century, coastal forts could be bastion forts, star forts, polygonal forts, or sea forts, the first three types often with detached gun batteries called "water batteries".Coastal defence weapons throughout history were heavy naval guns or weapons based on them, often supplemented by lighter weapons.

Between 1804 and 1812 the British authorities built a chain of towers based on the original Mortella tower to defend the south and east coast of England, Ireland, Jersey and Guernsey to guard against possible invasion from France, then under the rule of Napoleon I. A total of 103 Martello towers were built in England, set at regular intervals along the coast from Seaford, Sussex, to Aldeburgh, Suffolk. Most were constructed under the direction of General William Twiss (1745–1827) and a Captain Ford. The northernmost tower at Aldeburgh is of quatrefoil design, and there are two towers at Clacton-on-Sea, one near the town and the other to the west near the local Golf Course

Included in the scheme were three much larger circular forts or redoubts that were constructed at Harwich, Dymchurch and Eastbourne; they acted as supply depots for the smaller towers as well as being powerful fortifications in their own right.

The effectiveness of Britain's Martello towers was never actually tested in combat against a Napoleonic invasion fleet. They were, however, effective in hindering smuggling. After the threat had passed, the Martello towers in England met a variety of fates. The Coastguard took over many to aid in the fight against smuggling.


Weight of this presentation piece is 18.5 kilos  read more

Code: 23351

A 16th C. Moghul - Hindu 'Shaturnal' Swivel Cannon Barrel For Use on Moghul War-Elephant Or War-Camel. Up To 500 Years Old. An Amazing Early War-Piece of Early Mobile Artillery Used In The Moghul Empire Of Akbar The Great

This incredible and historical war piece would have been mounted upon the Howdah, the huge wooden travelling carriage type apparatus for which the war crew would be seated, one to drive, steer and command the elephant, the others to operate cannon and arquebusses. Or, mounted upon the front of a war camel’s saddle.

A superb late Medieval matchlock swivel cannon barrel, called a shaturnal, specifically designed for combat service mounted upon the back of a great beast of war.

Only the second example of such an intriguing war-piece that we have seen in the past ten years. They are truly very scarce to find, and a great and most impressive piece of historical weaponry from late medieval India.

Interestingly the best way to see just how they were used would be in Sir Peter Jackson’s magnificent trilogy and interpretation of Tolkien’s masterpiece, Lord of the Rings. In one of the awesome battle scenes there are huge giant ‘fantasy’ war elephants, and each one bears a massive howdah for the crew to rain arrows and spears down upon the unfortunate enemy below, just as the Moghul war elephants once did in reality in India, centuries ago, but with arquebuss and light-cannon fire, instead of simply arrows or spears.
In the gallery is an engraving of War elephants depicted in Hannibal crossing the Rhône
A war elephant was an elephant that was trained and guided by humans for combat. The war elephant's main use was to charge the enemy, break their ranks, and instill terror and fear. Elephantry is a term for specific military units using elephant-mounted troops.

War elephants played a critical role in several key battles in antiquity, especially in ancient India.While seeing limited and periodic use in Ancient China, they became a permanent fixture in armies of historical kingdoms in Southeast Asia. During classical antiquity they were also used in ancient Persia and in the Mediterranean world within armies of Macedon, Hellenistic Greek states, the Roman Republic and later Empire, and Ancient Carthage in North Africa. In some regions they maintained a firm presence on the battlefield throughout the Medieval era. War-elephants were significantly used in the Battle of the Hydaspes,
The Battle of Zama, the Second Battle of Panipat
And the Battle of Ambur. At the Battle of Panipat, in 1556, the Hindu ruler King Hemu had a force of 500 war elephants, but although defeated, and Hemu beheaded, Hemu’s war elephants so impressed his enemy, by their awesome power and the effectiveness of their arquebuss musketeers and crossbowmen mounted in their howdahs, they took 120 surviving elephants from the battle and adopted them into the Moghul army. It is even possible this may be one of those Hindu shaturnal, used by the war-elephant musketeers, that were captured in that battle.

With a bore of around 5/8th inch and a barrel around eight times thicker than the normal width of a musket, this superb piece of early forged ironwork, known as a shaturnal, would have been fitted upon a wooden support on the back of the beast and rotated with something resembling a row boat rowlock. Extraordinarily effective, easy to manipulate, and quite devastating in battle.

By the time of Akbar (October 15, 1542 - October 27, 1605) heavy mortars and cannons were rarely used in the Mughal military, the preference being for lighter more easily mobile artillery such as this shaturnal.

Light cannons that could be used on the battlefield were the mainstay of the Mughal artillery corps, including the shaturnal, similar to swivel guns, but carried on the backs of war-camels and in the howdahs of war-elephants.

Akbar, widely considered the greatest of the Mughal emperors was thirteen years old when he ascended the throne in Delhi, following the death of his father Humayun. During his reign, he eliminated military threats from the Pashtun descendants of Sher Shah Suri, and at the Second Battle of Panipat he defeated the Hindu king Hemu. It took him nearly two more decades to consolidate his power and bring parts of northern and central India into his realm. There are original paintings copied in the gallery showing Akbar's matchlocks and artillery being used in combat. Towards the end of 1568 Akbar concentrated his forces around the fort of Ranthambhor, held by a vassal of the Maharana of Chittor, Rao Surjan Hada of Bundi. This fort had been attacked earlier in 1560, but that Mughal army had been defeated by the Rajputs.

The fort of Gagraun, to the south of Bundi, had however been captured that year. Now after the capture of Chittor Akbar could turn once again to Ranthambhor.

Weight around 5.25 kilos. 28.75 inches long. With an old Maharajah of Jaipur’s arsenal armoury’s storage mark. Around 50 years ago a colleague of ours acquired the entire contents of the Maharajah of Jaipur’s palace armoury of original antique Moghul and pre Raj period arms. We were fortunate to acquire from his great purchase a few hundred of the great arquebusses, some, up to 10 feet long, for our armoury collection, some of which we still have stored in our gun rooms here at The Lanes Armoury

As with all our antique guns no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables. Photographed on a temporary stand, but this is not included.

Picture 5 shows a 19th century photograph of a much smaller shaturnal, from a museum, mounted upon a camel for an historical demonstration of early war camel warfare in India..  read more

Code: 20243

Original Ancient Imperial Roman ‘Cross-bow” Fibula Bronze Toga Pin Military Issue, Fine Piece For Higher Ranking Figures in the Legion, Such As a Centurion or Tribune

Bow Fibula with a folded or rolled sleeve hinge, c. Early Imperial - Beginning of 2nd Century. We acquired a very small collection of roman toga pins, from super, small collection of original, historical, Imperial Roman and Crusader's artefacts
Shaped in the form of a roman military crossbow fibula, in bronze.
It became the most popular form of closure for Roman fibulae, and is characteristic of the bow brooches from the early imperial times to the beginning of the 2nd century. Outside the Roman Empire and after that time, this type of hinge was seldom used. The sleeve hinge consists of a small sleeve at the top of the head which is forged from a square sheet metal plate and then rolled up. In a center-cut slot, the spiked needle is inserted and held by a shaft (usually iron) passing through the whole sleeve. At the ends of each of the Aucissa fibulae and their early successors were buttons holding the hinge axis; later, the hinge axis was clamped in the sleeve and needed no buttons. The needle always carries a thorn-like projection on its perforated oval plate, which beats against the head of the fibula and, by virtue of this resistance, causes the suspension to spring forth. The sleeve hinge is used exclusively in bow fibulae. The needle is primarily rectilinear, but bends hand in hand with the flattening of the bow to the outside to continue to leave enough space between the bracket and needle. The sleeve hinge is considered a typical Roman construction. The paludamentum was usually worn over one shoulder and fastened with a fibula (ancient version of a safety pin). Arguments abound over what shoulder was exposed, but it seems fairly clear that the garment was fastened loosely enough to move around, The paludamentum was a cloak that was specifically associated with warfare. A general donned one for the ceremonial procession leading an army out of the sacred precinct of the city of Rome and was required to remove it before returning to the city…a sign that he was no longer a general, but a common citizen. The paludamentum or sagum purpura (purple cloak) was the iconic red cloak worn by a Roman general (Legatus) and his staff officers. Originally, it’s distinctive red/purple color clearly delineated between these officers and the rest of the army, which sported the sagum gregale (cloak of the flock). Although the sagum gregale, worn by the rank and file, started out the color of the flock (i.e. undyed wool), it seems likely to have transitioned to a coarser version of the sagum purpura by the imperial period (27BCE – 476CE). Outfitting the entire army in red garments would have been a mark of the great wealth of Rome – well, that and the fact that the Romans controlled the source of purple dye by then.The pin is now frozen through two millennia in a fixed position. Fibula 58mm x 28mm not including pin , pin is now rigid in position.

For example; With regards to some expert conservation methods of bronze objects {and some other materials} The dirt from the surface of the object could be removed manually using a scalpel under magnification. Care would be taken not to dislodge the powdery, corroding surface. Where the surface was in particualrly bad condition the dirt will be left in situ and small areas might be locally consolidated using 2.5% HMG Paraloid B72 (methyl ethyl methacrlylate) in 50:50 Acetone (propan-1-one/dimethyl ketone) and Industrial methylated spirits ethanol,methanol.
The above practice is just one form of conservation method also used by the British Museum.  read more

Code: 24610

Very Small Exclusive Collection of Amazing Crossbow Relics From the 1st Battle of Scottish Independence, The Battle of Bannockburn, in 1314, Crossbow Quarrel Heads. The Decisive Victory of Robert the Bruce In Combat Against King Edward II

For sale individually for 295 each. Recovered around 225 years ago, as a group of heads, covering about 2000 square yards, within in the battle site area, around one and a quarter miles south of Sterling. From the family of a renown 18th-19th century antiquity collector, a nobleman of Scotland. The crossbow was a weapon of both the Scots army and the British. Priced individually.

Overall the crossbowmen in the English army would have been equipped in quite a similar way to the longbowmen, apart from their choice of weapon.

The early fourteenth century was a time of great innovation in crossbow technology. Their stout bows were still being made out of wood, often the yew also used for longbows. However they were also increasingly made in a composite construction – strips of ibex or goat horn glued together formed the core, over which layers of frayed animal tendon were placed, and the whole wrapped in birch bark to seal out moisture. The most advanced bows, however, were made of tempered steel. This was a very new technology in 1314; the first documentary references to steel bows appear only around 1300.
The crossbow was a powerful weapon, with a much greater draw weight than the longbow. However the short bolts shot from the crossbow were also heavier, while the bolt’s acceleration time on the bowstring was much briefer; both of these factors meant that much more bow-strength was required to cast a crossbow bolt the same distance as a longbow arrow. The range and striking power of the crossbows at Bannockburn may not actually have been very different in real terms from those of the longbows deployed alongside them. The crossbow’s key advantage lay in the ease of its use. Only a short time was required to teach the operation of a crossbow, a stark contrast to the lifetime’s practice, beginning in childhood, which was essential for good longbow shooting.

The Battle of Bannockburn was fought on 23–24 June 1314, between the army of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, and the army of King Edward II of England, during the First War of Scottish Independence. It was a decisive victory for Robert Bruce and formed a major turning point in the war, which ended 14 years later with the de jure restoration of Scottish independence under the Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton. For this reason, the Battle of Bannockburn is widely considered a landmark moment in Scottish history.

King Edward II invaded Scotland after Bruce demanded in 1313 that all supporters, still loyal to ousted Scottish king John Balliol, acknowledge Bruce as their king or lose their lands. Stirling Castle, a Scots royal fortress occupied by the English, was under siege by the Scottish army. King Edward assembled a formidable force of soldiers to relieve it—the largest army ever to invade Scotland. The English summoned 25,000 infantry soldiers and 2,000 horses from England, Ireland and Wales against 6,000 Scottish soldiers, that Bruce had divided into three different contingents. Edward's attempt to raise the siege failed when he found his path blocked by a smaller army commanded by Bruce

The Scottish army was divided into four divisions of schiltrons commanded by Bruce, his brother Edward Bruce, his nephew, Thomas Randolph, the Earl of Moray and one jointly commanded by Sir James Douglas and the young Walter the Steward. Bruce's friend, Angus Og Macdonald, Lord of the Isles, brought thousands of Islesmen to Bannockburn, including galloglass warriors, and King Robert assigned them the place of honour at his side in his own schiltron with the men of Carrick and Argyll.

After Robert Bruce killed Sir Henry de Bohun on the first day of the battle, the English withdrew for the day. That night, Sir Alexander Seton, a Scottish noble serving in Edward's army, defected to the Scottish side and informed King Robert of the English camp's low morale, telling him they could win. Robert Bruce decided to launch a full-scale attack on the English forces the next day and to use his schiltrons as offensive units, as he had trained them. This was a strategy his predecessor William Wallace had not employed. The English army was defeated in a pitched battle which resulted in the deaths of several prominent commanders, including the Earl of Gloucester and Sir Robert Clifford, and capture of many others, including the Earl of Hereford.

The Two Days of the Battle;
An English army attempting to relieve the siege of Stirling Castle was defeated by a Scottish army under Robert the Bruce over two days.

Robert Bruce had been elected guardian of Scotland in 1298, replacing William Wallace as the leader of the long campaign against the English attempt to conquer Scotland. After the devastating defeat of Wallace at Falkirk (Falkirk, 1298) and then Bruce’s own defeat at Methven (Perth & Kinross, 1306), much of Bruce’s campaign took the form of guerrilla warfare, avoiding as far as possible major set piece battles. In this way he completely changed the balance of power in Scotland, through the progressive reduction of English garrisons.

By 1314 just two major strategic fortresses remained in English hands: that on the border at Berwick and that controlling the crossing of the Forth at Stirling. But the Stirling garrison finally agreed to surrender if the English king did not arrive with a relieving force by 24th June 1314. In response Edward II mustered an army of about 12-13,000 at Berwick, marching north in May and reaching Falkirk on the 22nd June.

Bruce deployed his forces in woodland south west of Stirling, through which the major road approached the town. He carefully prepared his chosen ground, beside the Bannock burn and, as the English advanced against him, over two days of fighting achieved a dramatic victory.

The action was fought, immediately to the north of the area where the Roman road crosses the Bannockburn around 1.2 miles to the south of Stirling. Day 2: Historic Environment Scotland places the fighting around the Carse of Stirling and the Dryfield, though five main alternative sites have been identified separated by more than 2 miles.

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 .

Pictures in the gallery of crossbowmen from original Medeavil manuscripts, {not included} and a contemporary battle scene drawn from the battle

Please note, *priced individually. The bent tipped quarrel head {photos 3 and 4} is now sold!  read more

Code: 25735

 read more

Code: 25978

Ko Tosho School Swordsmith Made Koto Katana Tsuba Circa 1400

The strong, softly lustrous metal and very well cut, the large Hitsu-ana, and the antique chisel marks around the Hitsu-ana are all characteristic indications of early-Muromachi period works. Carved openwork clan mon. The Hitsu-ana, made when the guard was first produced, suggests that it is a work of the time of Yoshimitsu. A well worked and hammered plate. According to tradition, it says each time a Tosho made a to-ken, he made a habaki with his own hands, and at the same time he also added a single tsuba such as this.
The earliest Tosho tsuba are referred to in Japanese as Ko-Tosho old sword smith and date from the Genpei War (1180-1185) to middle Muromachi Period (1400-1500).

During the late Kamakura Period large Ko-Tosho tsuba were developed and were used mostly as field mounts for odachi by high-ranking Samurai during and after the Mongol invasion of Japan in Genko Jidai (1274-1281 ) in the Muromachi Period (1336-1573) the Ko-Tosho tsuba became even more common with the development and popularization of the onehanded sword uchigatana as the only sword of Ashigaru.
The most common design characteristic, next to the plain flat plate, for Ko-Tosho tsuba is kosukashi the simplistic use of small negative silhouetted openwork. The most common openwork designs are of mon (family crest), sun, moon, tools, plants, Buddhist, Shinto and sometimes Christian religious symbols. The plates iron is characteristically of a good temper, having good hardness and elasticity. The plate is made of local iron forged by the swordsmith or apprentice, the same as for Japanese sword blades. 74mm  read more

Code: 19741

An Iron Plate Katana Edo Tsuba Decorated With Small Figures In Rain Garb

Circa 1650. Small fishermen towing nets wearing rain hats and tied straw body coverings. With large fauna as a side decoration. With kozuka and kogaiana. The Tsuba can be solid, semi pierced of fully pierced, with an overall perforated design, but it always a central opening which narrows at its peak for the blade to fit within. It often can have openings for the kozuka and kogai to pass through, and these openings can also often be filled with metal to seal them closed. For the Samurai, it also functioned as an article of distinction, as his sole personal ornament  read more

Code: 19525

A Most Unusual & Rare Edo Period Katana Tsuba, With Rotational Fitting. This is An Incdibly Rare Form of Tsuba in that it Has Two Methods To Mount It On Katana. Vertical or Horizontal

An iron sukashi tsuba, cut with four different shaped symbols as kozuka-ana and kogai-ana, and two, North and South, or East and West facing blade apertures, to enable the rotation of the tsuba when mounting it onto the blade. Thus altering the profile of the tsuka from wide to narrow.
The tsuba is always usually a round, ovoid or occasionally squarish guard at the end of the tsuka of bladed Japanese weapons but always usually designed to be worn one way upon the sword, either the katana and its various declinations, tachi, wakizashi, tanto, and polearms that have a tsuba, such as naginata etc.

They contribute to the balance of the weapon and to the protection of the hand. The tsuba was mostly meant to be used to prevent the hand from sliding onto the blade during thrusts as opposed to protecting from an opponent's blade. The chudan no kamae guard is determined by the tsuba and the curvature of the blade. The diameter of the average katana tsuba is 7.58 centimetres (3.0-3.1 in), wakizashi tsuba is (2.4-2.6 in), and tanto tsuba is 4.5-6 cm (1.8-2.4 in).

During the Muromachi period (1333-1573) and the Momoyama period (1573-1603) Tsuba were more for functionality than for decoration, being made of stronger metals and designs. During the Edo period (1603-1868) tsuba became more ornamental and made of less practical metals such as gold.

Tsuba are usually finely decorated, and are highly desirable collectors' items in their own right. Tsuba were made by whole dynasties of craftsmen whose only craft was making tsuba. They were usually lavishly decorated. In addition to being collectors items, they were often used as heirlooms, passed from one generation to the next. Japanese families with samurai roots sometimes have their family crest (mon) crafted onto a tsuba. Tsuba can be found in a variety of metals and alloys, including iron, steel, brass, copper and shakudo. In a duel, two participants may lock their katana together at the point of the tsuba and push, trying to gain a better position from which to strike the other down. This is known as tsubazeriai pushing tsuba against each other.  read more

Code: 16704