An Original & Rare Flintlock 'Chief's' Hudson’s Bay Co. Trade Musket. The Identical Form of Parker Field Trade Musket Used By Chief Sitting Bull, of The Battle at Little Big Horn. The Final Engagement of Colonel George A. Custer & His 7th Cavalry

In superb condition, In fact we would go as far to say you may never see a better condition example like this beauty. Likely untouched since it was retired from use likely 150 years ago. Almost identical to the very same guns as were used by Crow Indian Chief Fighting Bear, and Chief Sitting Bull, world renowned and most famed leader of the Lakota Souix at the Battle of the Little Bighorn

With maker marked flint lock, maker stamped with the tombstone inspectors mark and a seated fox, and a superb serpent sideplate. They were carried into the mountain ranges, open plains, and vast deserts by the native people who relied on the Northwest Gun’s dependability, simple – and importantly, easily repaired – mechanics, and readily available ammunition. In short, no other single firearm was carried through as much of American history, from the primeval forests of the east to the shores of the western coast, as were these Northwest Trade Guns.

This very nice specimen was manufactured by the firm of Parker, Field, & Co. of London and is so legibly stamped on the tail of the lock plate. In front of the cock, the lock plate bears the famous Hudson’s Bay Company viewer (inspector) stamp, the “Tombstone Fox” seated over the initial’s “EB”. The initials are believed to be those of Edward Bond, an early viewer employed by the HBC, and whose descendants served the company for many decades after Edward’s death, continuing to use their forbearer’s cartouche.

A very special feature of this Native American Chief’s Trade Gun is the relatively rare viewer’s acceptance stamp which was applied once the gun was fully assembled and delivered to the HBC. This stamp is partially legible on the right side of the butt stock – the outline of the ½” circle that when originally newly struck it would have been fully legible, it wasa an encircled a standing fox surrounded by the initials “H. H. B. C.” for the Honorable Hudson’s Bay Company.
These acceptance stamps were characteristically lightly struck, and with any wear or handling, they were soon worn away. To my knowledge, only two guns exist on which this stamp is fully legible, and it is very rare that even the outline of the stamp survives as is present on this Trade Gun. The presence of this stamp is certainly an added value and interest.

This is a very good specimen of a Northwest Trade Gun which was traded from the Hudson’s Bay Company at a time before the Indians had access to the later metallic cartridge guns, and certainly present during the active conflicts of the Indian War engagements in the west immediately following the Civil War.

Some Parker Field trade muskets are known to have been used at the Battle of Little Bighorn, and other incidents at the end of the Indian Wars. Another Parker, Field & Sons Trade Gun sold in 2018, it is carved with Sitting Bull's name on the butt, and is directly attributed to him. {See the photos in the gallery}, It sold at auction for $162,500 in 2018. You will notice his had fared poorly under the Chief's ownership, with considerable fore-stock damage.

Another identical Parker Field, Hudson's Bay Co. trade musket belonged to the Apsáalooke (Crow) leader, Fighting Bear. That musket was formerly in the collection of Edwin W. Countryman (1872-1946, a Buffalo, New York, attorney); it was subsequently acquired by Reuben B. Oldfield a collector of Indian items from Bath, New York, at an unknown date; then it was purchased from Reuben Oldfield by Thomas J. Watson (Chairman and CEO of IBM) in 1947; transferred to the IBM Gallery of Arts and Sciences; then donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, by the IBM Gallery of Arts and Sciences in 1960.

One other photo in the gallery is an old painting of Sitting Bull holding his musket.

By the early eighteen hundreds, the trading companies had established rigid requirements for the Northwest guns. The full-stocked, smoothbore trade guns varied little in shape and style, but under went changes in barrel lengths. By the late 1820’s, the shorter barrel had become popular. The overall length of a standard Northwest gun with a 30-inch barrel was 45.5 inches. A distinctive feature of these guns was the dragon or serpent shaped side plate. Most Indians would not trade for a gun that did not have the serpent plate. Hansen states that the earliest record of the Hudson’s Bay gun with its distinctive dragon ornament is dated 1805.
After 1800, almost all the Indian trade guns were supplied with blue barrels, brown-varnished stocks, and bright polished locks. These guns were stamped below the pan with a large sitting fox-like animal and enclosed in a viewers panel. These guns carried the brass serpent side plate and an over sized trigger guard for use with mittens.

The following excerpts from an article on The Guns of the Little Big Horn by Terry Shulman are interesting:
In the Battle of the Little Bighorn, Lieutenant Colonel George A. Custer and five companies of the 7th Cavalry were overwhelmed in southeastern Montana Territory by a combined force of Lakota and Cheyenne Indians on June 25, 1876.
The Seventh Cavalry troopers were armed with the Springfield carbine Model 1873 and the Colt Single Action Army revolver Model 1873. The best effective range for this carbine was less than 300 yards.
There is much speculation as to the guns carried by the Indians. Private Charles Windolph of Company H was probably closest to the truth when he estimated that half the warriors carried bows and arrows, one-quarter of them carried a variety of old muzzleloaders and single-shot rifles, and one-quarter carried modern repeaters.
At the Little Bighorn, about 42,000 rounds were either expended or lost. At that rate, the soldiers hit one Indian for about every 840 shots. Since much of the ammunition was probably lost–Indians commented on capturing ammunition in cartridge belts and saddlebags–the hit rate must have been higher.
In the Battle of the Rosebud, eight days before the Little Bighorn fight, General George Crook’s forces fired about 25,000 rounds and may have caused about 100 Indian casualties–about one hit for every 250 shots.

28 inch barrell 44 inches overall
If we knew the name of the Native American Chief that once owned this gun, in our opinion, it would add at least another nought to its price, but, needless to say, we sadly don't.

* Slight error in photos 1,2, & 3. In those photos the trigger guard looks proud to the wood, it isn't, it had not been screwed back in place correctly. See photos 8 and 9 to see how it correctly looks

As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity  read more

Code: 24795

A Beautiful & Incredibly Impressive Original Antique Omani Silver Al Saidi 'Royal' Khanjar, Just The Type As Was Presented To The Famed Lawrence of Arabia Over 100 Years Ago

A rare and complete example of an Omani Sa'idiyyah khanjar, a Royal Khanjar with the distinctive ‘7 Rings’ to denote its owner is a person of high status, comprising of an all silver scabbard and hilt. Decorated in intricate silver filigree wirework with a pattern similar to the 'tree of life'.
Also known as the Jambiya, daggers of this quality were almost always usually custom made for presentation. Lawrence of Arabia had several very similar ones presented to him, they were his favourite dagger, and he was frequently photographed wearing them. One picture is a portrait of Lawrence with his silver Jambiya, near identical to this one. Information only not included Silver, usually more often than not, coin silver, not English hallmarked silver. The jambia, a curved Islamic dagger, is the main customary accessory to the clothing worn by Arabian men. For centuries the people of South Arabia have inherited the their jambiahs from generation to generation. There are several theories about the origin of the Jambia. There are historical facts, concerning the existence of the Jambia revealing that it used to be worn at Sheban times, in the Himiarite kingdom. They take the statue of the Sheban king (Madi Karb 500 bc ) as proof. This statue, which was discovered by an American mission in Marib in the 1950s, was found to be wearing a Jambia.
Since The most expensive and famous jambiya was purchased by Sheikh Naji Bin Abdul-Aziz Al-Sha'if, who was able to pay US $1 million for one prized and ancient piece. This jambiah had a historical importance, belonging to Imam Ahmed Hamid Al-Din, who ruled Yemen from 1948 to 1962. The Imam's most precious possession was transferred to Sheikh Hussein Al-Watari, who in turn sold it to Sheikh Al-Sha'if.
According to Sheikh Muhammad Naji, the son of current owner of the most precious jambiah, his father?s prize is the most expensive and famous one in the country. Its cost was made so high because it is one of the best jambiahs ever made by Al-Saifani, and a piece of history, as well.
The second highest price ever paid for a jambiah was for the one that Sheikh Ahmed Hamid Al-Habari sold to Sheikh Abdullah Bin Hussein Al-Ahmar for £440,000 GBP.


A picture in tha gallery from the 1950's shows a khanjar being given to a British member (Colonel Watson) of the Trucial Oman Levies

for reference see
Ernst Hieke; Zur Geschichte des Deutschen Handels Mit Oastafrika Teil, 1 Wm Oswald & Co, page 40 1939
Robert Elgood; The Arms and armour of Arabia
Approx 27 cm top to bottom  read more

Code: 23903

A fabulous Chinese Export Chinoisserie Black Lacquer and Gold Large Tea Caddy Chest of the Finest Quality, King George IIIrd, circa 1800's from the Estate of a 23rd Foot, Royal Welsh Fusiliers Peninsular War and Waterloo Officer George Fielding

An antique finest quality Chinese export hand gilded Chinoiserie tea chest caddy with hinged lid, and interior lidded pewter container, for the most precious tea, and made for the European market. Possibly made in Foo Chow.

Not only is the exterior stunningly decorated in the Chinoiserie style, the interior pewter container’s lid is exquisitely engraved to match, with another fabulous and highly elaborate oriental scene of figures and countryside. The lacquer shows scenes of a typical Southern Chinese scholar's garden with people in it, all done in black and gold. Surrounding these scenes are typical Chinese decorative motifs incorporating several auspicious symbols..

This is a superlative tea chest, and note that its exceptional size makes it a most rare type of tea 'chest' size caddy. It is hand crafted with hand painted chinoiserie gilt and ebonized black lacquer. It is painted on all sides with multiple figures, pagoda and palace gardens, with additional geometric and floral designs. It retains its original hand engraved pewter lidded tea casket; It has 2 carrying handles on the sides. It also has most satisfying heft in its weight. The lid’s gilding is worn as to be expected, but all the remaining 4 faces are in excellent near mint condition, as is the interior and the tea casket. The inner lid area contains the monogram of George Fielding, ‘G F’, a British army officer and a Peninsular War and Waterloo veteran, for whom it was commissioned. Captain George Fielding, of the 23rd Regiment of Foot, the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, was a veteran of the Battle of Waterloo who was wounded at the battle, and who resided at Startforth Hall, Startforth, County Durham.

Captain Fielding served in the Peninsular War from Aug 1811 to April 1814, at Aldea de Ponte, Badajoz, Cuidad Rodrigo, Nive, Toulouse, & Orthez. He died in Bath in 1830.

Chinoiserie, so called from 'Chinois' the French for Chinese, was a style inspired by the finest art and design imported from China, Japan and other Asian countries in the 18th century. At its height in Britain from the mid 18th century, this fanciful style relied more on the designer's and craftsman's imagination than on accurately portraying oriental motifs and ornament.

In it earliest days the tea it contained would have been valued by today’s standard thousands of pounds so one can understand why its container should be so fine and a superb work of art in it’s own right. In England in the 1700s, tea was an incredibly expensive commodity. To keep it safe, people would store it in a tea Chest or tea box, which eventually became known as a tea caddy (the word caddy is derived from the Malay "Kati", a unit of weight by which tea was sold). As tea was too expensive to risk leaving in the presence of servants, the caddy in which it was stored would generally be kept in the drawing-room. Subsequently, the tea caddy became an important & fashionable accessory for the home. Tea Caddies were made in a huge variety of styles and materials..

In the manufacture of lacquer-ware the lightest kinds of wood are used. After planing, the surface is covered with a coating of grasscloth fibre and Broussonetia paper, and a mixture of pigs' or buffaloes' gall and pulverised old red sandstone serves as a priming. The article is then placed in a dark room, and a coating of the prepared lacquer laid on with a brush and allowed to dry; and according to the fineness of the ware these coatings are repeated from 3 to 15 times. When the hut coat is dry the articles are painted and gilded. The lacquer, sap of the Vemix vemieiaf used in Canton, is imported from Szechuen or Kiangsi. The gold colouring (a solution of gold leaf in glue water) is laid on with lye of potash ; red is native cinnabar, pink a varnish prepared from Carthamus and green is formed by a mixture of hartall and indigo. Nearly all the lacquer-ware is manufactured in Canton, but magnificent specimens, far exceeding the Canton ware in beauty, colour and fineness are turned out at Foochow. They are made by a single family, said to be of Japanese origin, who brought the secret over with them and have retained it ever since.

From: Catalogue of the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs Collection
at the United States International Exhibition, Philadelphia, 1876
Inspectorate General of Customs, 1876

13.5 inches x 9.75 inches x 8 inches  read more

Code: 23900

A Most Powerful Rare Romano-Frankish Iron Socket Spear 1900 to 1500 Years Old. A Stunning Original Antiquity Of Great Heft & Presence, This Would Make A Fabulous Addition or Any Collection of Ancient Roman Empire Artifacts From The Era Of Emperor Commodus

To the invasions of Rome by the Huns and Visigoths.

Recovered many centuries ago from a Merovingian warrior's excavation of the 6th century. Roman to Frankish period 2nd to 6th century AD. Diamond form blade which would have incredible penetrative power, strong enough to pierce the strongest armour or breastplate of the time. Romano-Germanic cultural contact begins as early as the first Roman accounts of the Germanic peoples. Roman influence is perceptible beyond the boundaries of the empire, in the Northern European Roman Iron Age of the first centuries AD. The nature of this cultural contact changes with the decline of the Roman Empire and the beginning Migration period in the wake of the crisis of the third century: the "barbarian" peoples of Germania Magna formerly known as mercenaries and traders now came as invaders and eventually as a new ruling elite, even in Italy itself, beginning with Odoacer's rise to the rank of Dux Italiae in 476 AD.

The cultural syncretism was most pronounced in Francia. In West Francia, the nucleus of what was to become France, the Frankish language was eventually extinct, but not without leaving significant traces in the emerging Romance language. In East Francia on the other hand, the nucleus of what was to become the kingdom of Germany and ultimately German-speaking Europe, the syncretism was less pronounced since only its southernmost portion had ever been part of the Roman Empire, as Germania Superior: all territories on the right hand side of the Rhine remain Germanic-speaking. Those parts of the Germanic sphere extends along the left of the Rhine, including the Swiss plateau, the Alsace, the Rhineland and Flanders, are the parts where Romano-Germanic cultural contact remains most evident.

Early Germanic law reflects the coexistence of Roman and Germanic cultures during the Migration period in applying separate laws to Roman and Germanic individuals, notably the Lex Romana Visigothorum (506), the Lex Romana Curiensis and the Lex Romana Burgundionum. The separate cultures amalgamated after Christianization, and by the Carolingian period the distinction of Roman vs. Germanic subjects had been replaced by the feudal system of the Three Estates of the Realm. 11.85 inches long 250 grams Almost every iron 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.  read more

Code: 21964

A Wonderful 18th Century French Small-Sword of Parcel Gilt and Blued Steel A Simply Stunning Museum Grade Piece

A sword that is certainly worthy of a finest collection of all forms of object d'art, antiquities, antiques and militaria.
Likely made at Versailles, at the royal workshops, by a royal swordsmith of King Louis XVIth, such as the master swordsmiths of the king, Lecourt, Liger or Guilman. A very finest grade sword of the form as was made for the king to present to favoured nobles and friends. He presented a similar sword to John Paul Jones see painting in the gallery now in the US Naval Academy Museum.

Three near identical swords to this now reside in the Metropolitan A simply superb small-sword, with stunningly engraved chiselled steel hilt, overlaid with pure gold over a fish-roe background,, decorated with hand chiselled scenes in the rococo Italianate renaissance style depicting various hunting scenes, of hunting hounds and game birds. The multi wire spiral bound grip is finest silver, in with Turks head finials. The blade is in the typical trefoil form, ideal for the gentleman's art of duelling. The degree of craftsmanship of this spectacular sword is simply astounding, worthy of significant admiration, it reveals an incredible attention to detail and the skill of it's execution is second to none. Other similar swords are in also in the British Royal Collection and in Les Invalides in Paris. Trefoil bladed swords had a special popularity with the officers of the French and Indian War period. Even George Washington had a very fine one just as this example. For example of the workmanship in creating this sword for such as the King and Marie Antoinette we show the keys for the Louis XVI Secretary Desk (Circa 1783) made for Marie-Antoinette by Jean Henri Riesener, one of the worlds finest cabinetmakers, and whose works of furniture are the most valuable in the world. The steel and gold metalwork key for Marie Antoinette's desk, is attributed to Pierre Gouthoire (1732-1813), the most famous Parisian bronzeworker of the late eighteenth century who became gilder to the king in 1767. This sword bears identical workmanship and style to that magnificent key. This is the quality of sword one might have expected find inscribed upon the blade 'Ex Dono Regis' given by the King. Very good condition overall, with natural aged patination throughout. This painting, entitled John Paul Jones and Louis XVI, by the American artist Jean Leon Gerome Ferris depicts John Paul Jones and Benjamin Franklin at the court of Louis XVIth and being presented a similar sword now in US Naval Academy Museum.
39.1/4 inches long overall.  read more

Code: 23138

Native American Plains Indian Stone War-Club Hunting-Maul, Wood Handle Raw Hide Bound

Basalt stone head, held and bound with rawhide with tassles and a small tail of beadwork. Possibly, Lakota, Dakota, Nakoda style. Known as an iwatajinga, they can have conical pointed stone heads, right through to round stone heads. The term Nakota (or Nakoda or Nakona) is the endonym used by those native peoples of North America who usually go by the name of Assiniboine (or Hohe), in the United States, and of Stoney, in Canada.

They are Dakotan-speaking tribes that broke away from the main branches of the Sioux nation in earlier times. They moved farther from the original territory in the woodlands of what is now Minnesota into the northern and northwestern regions: Montana and North Dakota in the United States, and Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta in Canada. Later they became competitors for resources and enemies of their former language-family "allies". (In each of the dialects, nakota, dakota and lakota means "friend" or "ally".).
Probably late 19th early 20th century. 19 inches long, stone head 4.75 inches across.
Importing this indigenous native item into the USA is not possible. It is completely understandable that it is no longer possible to export American indigenous native art and artifacts from America in order to preserve the cultural integrity of Native US artifacts within America, but taking this rule to an entirely mystical level of curiousness, it is no longer legal to import such pieces back into America either, ie to return them from whence they came.??? Thus American bureaucracy insists nothing of such valuable early native history is allowed to leave anymore, but they don’t want anything back either.  read more

Code: 23688

A Stunning, Large, Original, Roman Classical Carved Carnelian Intaglio Seal of the Goddess Laetitia . This Amazing Roman Intaglio Could Make A Beautiful Ring With A Bespoke Mount

With the figure of the Goddess Laetitia leaning upon a shield of nine stars, with an anchor at her feet. A delightful object d'art in the typical classical Greco-Roman form, probably mounted in a pinchbeck type mount in Georgian England circa 1770, but the carnelian is probably 1st century bc to 2nd, 3rd century Roman, mounted in a gilded metal oval mount in the 18th century. Roman carved intaglio carnelian stone seals were very popular in the era of the English aristocracy's 'Grand Tours' with many brought back from trips to Rome and mounted as rings or seals in the time of King George IIIrd. Laetitia is the Roman Goddess of joy, gaiety, and celebration, and is especially linked with holidays and festivals. She was often shown with an anchor, as a representation of stability. Laetitia was given several epithets depending on the type of joy the Emperor was attempting to take credit for bringing to the Empire. On coins of the Emperors Gordian III and Gallienus, who both reigned in the mid 3rd century CE, She is Laetitia Augusta, "the Joy of the Emperor", which, in propaganda-style, can be taken to mean "the joy the Emperor brings to the people", though it may also have been a way of announcing the birth of a child into the imperial family. On these She is shown standing in Her typical pose, with a garland in one hand and an anchor supporting the other; The red variety of chalcedony has been known to be used as beads since the Early Neolithic in Bulgaria. The first faceted (with constant 16+16=32 facets on each side of the bead) carnelian beads are described from the Varna Chalcolithic necropolis (middle of the 5th millennium BC). The bow drill was used to drill holes into carnelian in Mehrgarh in the 4th-5th millennium BC. Carnelian was recovered from Bronze Age Minoan layers at Knossos on Crete in a form that demonstrated its use in decorative arts; this use dates to approximately 1800 BC. Carnelian was used widely during Roman times to make engraved gems for signet or seal rings for imprinting a seal with wax on correspondence or other important documents. Hot wax does not stick to carnelian. Sard was used for Assyrian cylinder seals, Egyptian and Phoenician scarabs, and early Greek and Etruscan gems. The Roman Empire was the seat of power and wealth in the Western world for hundreds of years. Because of their impressive span, they were able to trade with cultures throughout the world, not only in Europe, but also in northern Africa.

This gave them access to numerous gemstones which they could use to craft their jewelry. Because of their wealth, they were able to afford many precious and semi-precious stones, as well as detailed artisan craftwork.

We show in the gallery another similar Roman carnelian seal that has been re-mounted in a yellow gold ring mount, it looks spectacular. We show another similar sized that was remounted as a ring in the 19th century, it sold in auction for £8,125.

We also show in the photo gallery a similar Carnelion intaglio seal of Empress Catherine the Great sold recently for just under 30,000 gbp.

Pinchbeck is a durable yellow metal that resembles gold but is made with a combination of copper and zinc—much less zinc than the combo of the same two metals used to produce brass. The formula was developed by Christopher Pinchbeck, a London clockmaker who lived from about 1670 to 1732.
The seal is 32mm x 26mm in mount  read more

Code: 20846

A Simply Breathtaking Original Viking High Carat Fine Gold Bracelet, Most Likely By An Irish Master Goldsmith, In Twisted Gold Wirework That The Irish Goldworkers Were Most Famed, From The 1st Millenia BC to The Viking Era, Circa 10th Century

Composed of twisted gold wirework upon gold wire coils. The only place one can normally only see such a beautiful masterpiece would be in a National Museum Collection in Ireland, Britain or Scandinavia, yet to own such a unique piece could be such a joy for the admirer of original Viking historical artistry, and especially, by a likely Irish master craftsman.

Since the Vikings were famed for their constant renegade raiding and looting – it was paramount that Viking kings earls, lords and warriors cemented their alliances. One way to show bonds of loyalty was through the exchange of rings. Kings and Lords, who held most of the wealth, gifted rings or arm bracelets of precious metals to warriors as a means of redistributing treasure and giving thanks. Some might say a most ironic practice, that of using the invasion, pillage and raiding of others, in order to promote peace and prosperity for their own.

If you’ve ever read Beowulf, you know that dragons were among the mythical creatures most despised by the tribes of Northern Europe. Apart from breathing fire, dragons also represented a self-destructive force inherent in tribal culture. Dragons hoard treasure in dungeons and caverns far removed from villages and cities. For the Vikings, along with other Northern tribes, wealth was best served as a means for building communities. Lords who gifted treasure gained alliances, and thereby strengthened their own ranks. The distribution of wealth meant larger, safer, more vibrant populations. Lords who hoarded wealth like dragons weakened necessary social structures, and essentially rendered their wealth useless.

Gold jewelry was always reserved for the Viking elite, as a symbol of great wealth and power..

The Vikings smelted all sorts of looted art pieces and jewelry from their hoards. Worn by both men and women, Viking jewelry was mostly made of silver or bronze, with gold jewelry often reserved for the elite. Women wore brooches that fastened their clothes together, as well as necklaces. Men, on the other hand, wore rings and armlets. The rings were not limited to fingers, but also worn about the wrists, arms, and neck. Warriors also adorned their weapons, especially the sword hilt.

The Vikings acquired wealth in a few ways. Firstly, they were traders. Viking coins and runes have made it to many ends of the earth. Eventually, the Vikings realised that precious metals, along with other luxury goods, could be more easily acquired by raiding the monasteries of Britain, Ireland and Northern Europe. At the time, Viking ships were fast and coastal British monasteries were isolated and poorly defended. The Viking “reign of terror” is generally agreed to have begun in 793 after a raid on England’s Lindisfarne monastery. Archaeologist Colleen Batey of the Glasgow Museums wryly notes that the Vikings “had a preference for anything that looked pretty.” Eventually, the Vikings settled in many of these areas, choosing to colonize rather than extort their southern neighbours.

It has been observed that Viking Age gold finds in Scandinavia and Britain, especially Ireland are frequently associated with watery environments and may represent ritual or votive depositions. There is also evidence, literary and archaeological, for the ritual deposition of some silver hoards in the Viking world. This considers the evidence of those Viking Age gold and silver hoards and single finds from Ireland that derive from watery locations, including Irish crannogs and their environs. It is noted that all recorded gold hoards, with one exception, have an apparent association with water or watery places and thus conform to the patterns noted elsewhere. As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity.

50mm, 5.88 gms  read more

Code: 24778

A Wonderful & Historical Pair of Mid 18th Century 'Royal' French Long Holster Pistols, Marked 'Cour Royal', 1754 American Anglo-French-Indian War & Revolutionary War of 1776 Period Flintlocks, Circa 1750. Made For An Officer Of the French Royal Court

The walnut has wonderful patina, the steel barrel and mounts are all in the rococco décor form, both hand chisseled and engraved, with overall surface age pitting. Very good tight actions to both. The locks were transform silex almost two hundred years ago, which is an upgrade system to convert the actions to percussion, in order to ensure their working life by an additional forty years or so. Locks engraved Cour Royal with feint makers name beneath. Barrels bear superb gun barrel makers proof stamps. Sadly we know not the name of the officer in Louis XVth’s court for whom they were made, but they were used in the Americas in the 1750’s, and 1770’s and were upgraded likely there too in the early 1800’s. However, being a Royal Court maker he must of been of substantial position, rank, and indeed power, within the King’s army. It is intriguing to wonder who it may have been, possibly one of the French general’s. Such as, Louis-Joseph de Montcalm
Marquis de Vaudreuil
Baron Dieskau
François-Marie de Lignery

The French and Indian War (1754–63) comprised the North American theatre of the worldwide Seven Years' War of 1756–63. It pitted the colonies of British America against those of New France. Both sides were supported by military units from their parent countries of Great Britain and France, as well as by American Indian allies. At the start of the war, the French North American colonies had a population of roughly 60,000 settlers, compared with 2 million in the British North American colonies. The outnumbered French particularly depended on the Indians. The European nations declared war on one another in 1756 following months of localized conflict, escalating the war from a regional affair into an intercontinental conflict.

The name French and Indian War is used mainly in the United States. It refers to the two main enemies of the British colonists: the royal French forces and the various American Indian forces allied with them. The British colonists were supported at various times by the Iroquois, Catawba, and Cherokee, and the French colonists were supported by Wabanaki Confederacy members Abenaki and Mi'kmaq, and Algonquin, Lenape, Ojibwa, Ottawa, Shawnee, and Wyandot.

British and other European historians use the term the Seven Years' War, as do English-speaking Canadians. French Canadians call it La guerre de la Conquête (the War of the Conquest) or (rarely) the Fourth Intercolonial War.

Fighting took place primarily along the frontiers between New France and the British colonies, from Virginia in the south to Newfoundland in the north. It began with a dispute over control of the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers called the Forks of the Ohio, and the site of the French Fort Duquesne within present-day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The dispute erupted into violence in the Battle of Jumonville Glen in May 1754, during which Virginia militiamen under the command of 22-year-old George Washington ambushed a French patrol.

In 1755, six colonial governors in North America met with General Edward Braddock, the newly arrived British Army commander, and planned a four-way attack on the French. None succeeded, and the main effort by Braddock proved a disaster; he lost the Battle of the Monongahela on July 9, 1755 and died a few days later. British operations failed in the frontier areas of Pennsylvania and New York during 1755–57 due to a combination of poor management, internal divisions, effective Canadian scouts, French regular forces, and Indian warrior allies. In 1755, the British captured Fort Beauséjour on the border separating Nova Scotia from Acadia, and they ordered the expulsion of the Acadians (1755–64) soon afterwards. Orders for the deportation were given by William Shirley, Commander-in-Chief, North America, without direction from Great Britain. The Acadians were expelled, both those captured in arms and those who had sworn the loyalty oath to His Britannic Majesty. Indians likewise were driven off the land to make way for settlers from New England.

The British colonial government fell in the region of modern Nova Scotia after several disastrous campaigns in 1757, including a failed expedition against Louisbourg and the Siege of Fort William Henry; this last was followed by Indians torturing and massacring their British victims. William Pitt came to power and significantly increased British military resources in the colonies at a time when France was unwilling to risk large convoys to aid the limited forces that they had in New France, preferring to concentrate their forces against Prussia and its allies in the European theater of the war. Between 1758 and 1760, the British military launched a campaign to capture the Colony of Canada (part of New France). They succeeded in capturing territory in surrounding colonies and ultimately the city of Quebec (1759). The British later lost the Battle of Sainte-Foy west of Quebec (1760), but the French ceded Canada in accordance with the Treaty of Paris (1763).

The outcome was one of the most significant developments in a century of Anglo-French conflict. France ceded to Great Britain its territory east of the Mississippi. It ceded French Louisiana west of the Mississippi River (including New Orleans) to its ally Spain in compensation for Spain's loss to Britain of Florida. (Spain had ceded Florida to Britain in exchange for the return of Havana, Cuba.) France's colonial presence north of the Caribbean was reduced to the islands of Saint Pierre and Miquelon, confirming Great Britain's position as the dominant colonial power in eastern North America.

Once the war was concluded just over a decade later these pistols saw service in the American Revolutionary War of the 1770’s, but most likely then by an American officer as they were almost certainly taken as war booty or surrendered during the French Indian War, in order for them to have remained in the Americas until the 18th century at least.  read more

Code: 21241

A Superb Esoteric Collection of Vintage Witchcraft Pieces, Witchballs & African Kongo Nail-Fetish Figures, & A Voduo {Voodoo} Entangled Simian Carved Figure. Feared by Victorian Missionaries as Instruments of Sorcery by The Tribal Nganga. & A Draken Head

This wonderful collection acquired over many decades has now arrived, including some intriguing original Kongo Voodou Nkisi oath figures, and so called, antique Witch's 'crystal balls'. The scrying balls, are set in superb, original antique, ormulu gilt and bronze mounts, in the rococco, classical and French Empire style, all based upon a classical and mythical theme, Ancient Roman, Ancient Greek, or Ancient Druidian. All designed to mount their occult scrying balls, that were used by gazing into their centre, for the divination of the future, and the answering of questions. As well as the warding off of evil spirits and misfortune.

Witch balls were found in England in the 1600 and 1700s originally to ward off evil spirits and spells. By the 1800s witch balls crossed the Atlantic to New England. They also spread to other parts of Europe, being found in Italy, France, and Constantinople. The witch ball originated among cultures where harmful magic and those who practiced it were feared. They are one of many folk practices involving objects for protecting the household. The word witch ball may be a corruption of watch ball because it was used to ward off, guard against, evil spirits. They may be hung in an eastern window, placed on top of a vase, or for the very wealthy set upon a decorative gold stand, either pedestal, or figural, or suspended by a cord (as from the mantelpiece or rafters). They may also be placed on sticks in windows or hung in rooms where inhabitants wanted to ward off evil.

Superstitious European sailors valued the talismanic powers of the witch balls in protecting their homes. Witch balls appeared in America in the 19th century and larger, more opaque variations are often found in gardens under the name gazing ball. This name derives from their being used for divination and scrying where a person gazes into them dreamily to try to see future events or to see the answers to questions. However, gazing balls contain no strands within their interior. The witch ball holds great superstition with regard to warding off evil spirits in our particular English counties of East Sussex and West Sussex. The tradition was also taken to overseas British colonies, such as the former British colonies of New England, and remains popular in coastal regions. Apparently, our Hawkins forebears ship’s that sailed across to the New World in the 1600’s, for both trade, emigres, and pilgrims, would carry at least one witch ball hung within a net on board. Our paternal grandmother hung one such in a net from her home’s east window all her life until her death in the 1980’s.

Also see our Völva’s Viking Draken head from an iron staff or wand. It was an important accessory used by the Völva when carrying out Seiđr, Viking magic. A Völva was a Viking Sorcerer or Sorceress of Seiđr. The iron staff or wand was an important accessory used by the Völva when carrying out Seiđr, Viking magic. The.magic staffs were around two to three foot long, forged of iron, often in the form of a distaff, with a knob pommel, that could take many forms, made of other metals, more usually brass or bronze, sometimes the knob might be inlaid with gems, and the staff was used by professional Viking sorcerers and sorceresses when performing Seiđr

The African Kongo Witch Doctor's power figures that stand prominent among all minkisi is called nkisi nkondi likely from the Bakongo people. This type of figure is commonly called a nail fetish and is one of the most recognisable and collectible figures in all of African art. These life-like figures are instantly identified by the many nails, pegs, blades, and shards that are hammered into them. Each individual insertion represents one of three things: an oath or agreement between two parties, a pledge to provide protection against enemies and witchcraft, or a vow of vengeance. 'Nkondi' literally means 'hunter;' and it is generally considered an aggressive entity.

The insertions are driven into the figure by the nganga and represent the mambu and the type or degree of severity of an issue can be suggested through the material itself. A peg may refer to a matter being ‘settled’ whereas a nail, or metal shard, deeply inserted, may represent a more serious offense such as murder. Prior to insertion, opposing parties or clients often lick the blades or nails, to seal the function or purpose of the nkisi through their saliva. If an oath is broken by one of the parties or evil befalls one of them, the nkisi nkondi will become activated to carry out its mission of destruction or divine protection

The imposing presence and implied power of nkisi nkondi is certainly enough to keep anyone committed to a promise or agreement. Like other minkisi, powerful medicine is usually stored inside the belly, which can then covered by a piece of glass or mirror. The reflective surface represents the world of the dead and the vision of the spirits. One is a traditional naked fetish witchcraft figure, standing upright, deeply carved staring eyes a the body studded overall with approx 200 similar 3 inch nails, on 2 flat feet on an integral carved pedestal, approx 22.25 " high. Another with hundreds of sharp shards of iron driven into the body, a traditional oath taking figure, with its right arm outstretched, upwards that may, some believe, have once held a spear. One more is of an entangled zoomorphic figure of a simian. Tightly bound and encased at the body in cloth with wood strapping.

After a tribal carver artist completed carving the artifact, the "nganga" transformed it into an object capable of healing illness, settling disputes, safeguarding the peace, and punishing wrongdoers. Each work of this kind or "nkisi" is associated with a spirit, that is subjected to a degree of human control.
Europeans may have encountered these objects during expeditions to the Congo as early as the 15th century. However, several of these fetish objects, as they were often termed, were confiscated by missionaries in the late 19th century and were destroyed as evidence of sorcery or heathenism. Nevertheless, several were collected as objects of fascination and even as an object of study of Kongo culture. Kongo traditions such as those of the nkisi nkondi have survived over the centuries and migrated to the Americas and the Caribbean via Afro-Atlantic religious practices such as vodun, Palo Monte, and macumba. In Hollywood these figures have morphed into objects of superstition such as New Orleans voodoo dolls covered with stick pins. Nonetheless, minkisi have left an indelible imprint as visually provocative figures of spiritual importance and protection.

Often such figures were placed outside, or within, the hut of a certain form of tribal elder, what we would refer to as, the tribal witch-doctor, called a Nganga as a symbol of his position within the local village, and his ability to cause magical curses and unpleasantness for villagers who had fallen out with others of the village or region, who then sought out the services of the so called 'witch-doctor' to resolve the problem, with, such as, a curse.

Vintage Hand Carved African Medicine Man Nkisi figures. Esoteric collector's pieces, connected to the so-called western term of Voodoo {vodou} magic, part of the pantheon of the occult, magic & witchcraft of Africa.

Among the various Kongo peoples, nkisi means a sacred medicine. This word has been extended to include objects containing that medicine as well. The carved wooden statues referred to in the 19th century as nail fetishes and more recently as power figures containing medicine that imbues them with divine power, are therefore nkisi as well. Due to the medicine they contain (which is administered by a witch doctor or nganga), they act as agents of divine power, granting requests. healing or attesting to agreements. Each decision or resolution is literally nailed down in the figure.

A certain class of nkisi, called nkondi, are able to enforce the solutions they provide actively and to seek vengeance against those who heed them not. These figures either menace the viewer with spears and fierce facial expressions, or strike intimidating, belligerent poses.

Nkisi nkondi specialize in different areas of life. The most important nkisi nkondi carries out mangaaka, or preeminent justice.

Surveillance or watchfulness assist the effective enforcement of the power figure’s decisions. This is registered in the size of the eyes or, in some cases, by multiple sets of eyes. The rope wrapped around some figures represents a snake, a watchful predator who lends its powers of observation to the figure. Double-headed figures have double the visual powers and can see into the city of the dead and the realm of the living at the same time.

Each power figure has a distinct personality, ranging from contemplative to angry to soulful to reserved to compassionate. The ability to suggest those qualities visually with such immediacy and precision is one of the most impressive aspect of the surviving figures.

Kongo religion Kikongo: Bukongo. Bakongo religion was translocated to the Americas along with its enslaved practitioners. Some surviving traditions include conjure, dreaming, possession by the dead to learn wisdom from the ancestors, traditional healing and working with minkisi. The spiritual traditions and religions that have preserved Kongo traditions include Hoodoo, Palo Monte, Lumbalú, Kumina, Haitian Vodou, Candomblé Bantu, Kongo traditions such as those of the nkisi nkondi have survived over the centuries and migrated to the Americas and the Caribbean via Afro-Atlantic religious practices such as vodun, Palo Monte, and macumba.

Similar examples in the Smithsonian and Metropolitan in the USA. One very similar nkisi, from the late 19th to mid 20th century has been a highlight of the Rockefeller collection since its acquisition in 1952.  read more

Code: 25492