A Boer War Queen's South Africa Medal for a South Lancashire Regt. Soldier With 3 Bars

The 1st Battalion sailed on the Canada about 1st December 1899 and arrived at the Cape about 20th December. Along with the 2nd Royal Lancaster, 2nd Lancashire Fusiliers, and 1st York and Lancaster Regiment, they formed the 11th Brigade under Major General Woodgate, and part of the Vth Division under Lieutenant General Sir Charles Warren. The work of the brigade is sketched under the 2nd Royal Lancaster, and that of the Natal Army generally under the 2nd Queen's, Royal West Surrey.

At Venter's Spruit, 20th to 22nd January 1900, the 11th Brigade were on the right. The Royal Lancaster and South Lancashire Regiments were not so heavily engaged as the Lancashire Fusiliers and York and Lancaster, the casualties in the South Lancashire Regiment from the 19th to the 23rd being about 20.

On the night of the 23rd Spion Kop was taken, part of the battalion being in General Woodgate's force, —unofficial accounts say two companies, but the despatches take no notice of their existence beyond announcing their casualties, which were severe for the small number engaged. The losses on the Spion were 2 officers and 3 men killed, 22 wounded, and some missing.

On 5th February the brigade made the feint attack on Brakfontein.

After the failure at Vaal Krantz the Royal Lancaster and South Lancashire Regiments went with General Buller to the old position at Chieveley, the other two battalions remaining behind to watch the British left and rear.

The South Lancashire took part in the fighting between the 13th and 27th February, having at times a very prominent part. On the 22nd, when General Wynne was endeavouring to capture the hills between Onderbrook and Langerwachte Spruits, the South Lancashires led in the chief assault. Many positions were captured, including the "principal objective"; but the crest could not be held, the fire from other surrounding positions being so severe. The situation must have reminded some of the never-to-be-forgotten 24th of January. General Wynne was wounded on 22nd February.

The brigade, now under Major General F Kitchener, with the West Yorkshire in place of the Composite Rifle Battalion, which had been temporarily in the brigade, had very hard work on the 27th February (see 2nd Queen's and 2nd Royal Lancaster). In the quotation from Sir Redvers Buller's despatch, already given under the latter regiment, it will be seen that he specially mentions the South Lancashire Regiment and the loss of their colonel, "who fell while gallantly leading his regiment". In his telegraphic despatch of 28th February General Buller says, "The enemy's main position was magnificently carried by the South Lancashire Regiment about sunset". Between 13th and 27th February the South Lancashires lost 1 officer and 10 men killed, and 3 officers and 81 men wounded.

Five officers and 11 men were mentioned in despatches for the relief operations, 2 men being recommended for the distinguished conduct medal.

Like the rest of the Vth Division, the South Lancashire Regiment took part in General Hildyard's march from Ladysmith to Newcastle, his operations in the Wakkerstroom district, in the taking of Botha's Pass, and the turning of Laing's Nek.

In General Buller's final despatch of 9th November 1900, 6 officers, 1 non-commissioned officer, and 1 private were mentioned; and in Lord Roberts' final despatch 10 officers and 15 non-commissioned officers and men.

After the battle of Alleman's Nek the division was chiefly employed about the north of Natal and southeast of the Transvaal; and when Major Gough's force of 200 Mounted Infantry was ambushed at Blood River on 17th September the battalion lost 8 wounded and 17 men taken prisoners.

In the splendid defence of Fort Itala (see 2nd Royal Lancaster) the South Lancashire shared the heavy losses and the resultant glory. Out of 21 men killed 7 belonged to the battalion, and in addition they had 9 wounded.  read more

Code: 24833

A Very Fine Yasutsugu School Katana, circa 1675-1684 Likely the 4th Generation, Signed, with Aoi Mon, Namban Tetsu Oite Bushu Edo Echizen Yasutsugu

With a stunning bi coloured, black ribbed and cinnabar red lacquer saya, hand decorated with a wonderful light feathering and a scrolling silver saya jiri bottom mount. The mounts [fuchi kashira and menuki] are gold and shakudo decorated of the chrysanthemum. The story of the Yasutsugu lineage starts with the birth of the first generation, Ichizaemon, who is believed to have been born around the middle of the sixteenth century. His place of birth was in Shimosaka of Shiga-gun in the province of Omi. Omi is next to Mino and contains Lake Biwa. Yasutsugu was born into a sword making family headed by his father, Hironaga, reputed to be the last descendent of Yamato no Kuni Senjuin. Though his father was from Omi, he was trained in the Mino tradition. Around the 11th or 12th year of this same period of Keicho (1606-1607), Yasutsugu’s fame reached the point that he was called to Edo (Tokyo) to share his forging skills with Tokugawa Ieyasu. About this time Yasutsugu was given the privilege of using the character “Yasu” (康) from Tokugawa Ieyasu’s (徳川家康) name. Thus, from that point on, he changed his name to Yasutsugu. About the same time (some feel it was a few years later) he was given the additional privilege of carving the Hollyhock crest (Aoi mon) on his blades. These privileges were given in perpetuity to Yasutsugu and his descendants. Thus the Yasutsugu swordsmiths became the kaji of the Tokugawa Family.
Yasutsugu worked in Echizen and Edo as was the custom with the Tokugawa family in those days. It was much like the practice of Sankin Kodai (alternate year attendance) that was required of the Daimyo of the country. He died in seventh year of Genna (1621) probably in his 70’s.

Upon the death of the first generation Yasutsugu , the family mantle was taken up by his son, Ichinojô.
Nidai Yasutsugu made swords in the same style as the first generation. Some say that his ability was nearly the equal of his father’s. While all do not agree, there seems to be a consensus that he was without a doubt a close second
The two branches of the Yasutsugu school continued for many generations. The Edo school continued through eleven generations. It is generally agreed that the only two smiths of the last eight generations that were of note are the fourth our sword and the eleventh generations. The fourth generation had the advantage of being trained by the third generation, a quality smith. In addition, the fourth generation left several works in which he collaborated with the well-known smith, Izumi (no) Kami Kaneshige. The fourth generation’s working period was from 1675, the third year of Enpo to 1684, the first year of Teikyo era.
Interestingly, the steel used to produce this sword was in part sourced from Europe, likely from
Dutch traders. This steel was known as “Namban tetsu”, (lit. Southern Barbarian steel). It would
have been expensive and unique to produce swords with steel from faraway lands in the late
1600s. Thus the nakago (tang) is chiselled with the words Namban tetsu.

it is mounted with An Antique Edo Period Iron Large Tsuba Inlaid with Silver Aoi Leaves
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. The tsukaito is beautifully traditionally rebound as is the black ribbing lacquer, on its original Edo lacquer saya.
As can be seen it is likely in its last original Edo polish in stunning condition which is beautiful, with just the tiniest natural aged surface mark. The kashira is carved buffalo horn with an applied gold lacquer partially complete aoi mon

Overall length in saya 38 3/4, blade tsuba to tip 27 3/4 inches long  read more

Code: 24038

A King George IIIrd Royal Naval Fire Bucket Issued by the Board of Ordnance Circa 1790's. As Used on HMS Victory and The British Ship's-of-the-Line

Hardened leather with all riveted seams in excellent condition, and part leather handle. Bears the remainder of an applied royal crest. Broad arrow & Board of Ordnance stamp to the base. Fire aboard a wooden ship was a constant peril, from such as burning powder shot or cannon fire, or even from an enemy fire ship, and could be the destruction of a vessel and crew in a very short time, if not subdued as quickly as possible. Thus good and sturdy leather fire buckets were an essential piece of Royal Naval equipment aboard every vessel. We show a row of Royal Naval issue fire buckets {reproductions} aboard Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory, now in permanent dock at Portsmouth. It is still the flagship of the Royal Navy in honour of Nelsons famous victory at Trafalgar. Fire buckets have been popular with collectors and owners of period homes for a very long time, but especially the board of ordnance issue examples for naval warships. They represent a time long before most towns had established and well-equipped fire departments ready to respond at a moment’s notice to a house or shop fire, when people relied on their neighbours to come to their aid. The risk for catastrophe from fire was great. A single stand-alone house could be consumed in minutes. In towns, fire in densely populated neighbourhoods could quickly result in the destruction of dozens of buildings.

Between 1630 and 1700 Boston experienced at least six major fires that destroyed well over 200 buildings. Most fire buckets were likely purchased from merchant craftsmen who specialised in leather goods, or wholesalers who imported wares from England. The earliest reference for the sale of fire buckets in Boston comes from a 1743 newspaper where an advertisement from an unnamed merchant simply states, “A Parcel of Choice Fire Buckets to be sold.” it is very rare to find a mark or signature on a fire bucket that identifies its maker.

At Christies auction house on the 17th December 2015 a fire bucket from HMS Victory, Nelson's flagship, sold for £6875
Leather handle split in two parts remaining  read more

Code: 24830

An Excellent German 1940 K98 Bayonet with All Its Original Blue to the Blade and Hilt

Bayonet and blade in 5 Star plus condition, the scabbard has denting but the bayonet fits and extracts perfectly.
Good maker markings by E.F.Horster and blade dated 1940, 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.  read more

Code: 24825

A Very Good WW2 'Chindit' Ghurkha Kukri of the 9th Ghurkha Rifles. In Excellent Condition for Age, in Original Belt Frog

The 9th Ghurkha Rifles were part of 16th Brigade in 1944. On 5 February 1944, Fergusson's 16th Brigade left Ledo for Burma. They avoided Japanese forces by traversing exceptionally difficult terrain. The rest of the Brigades were brought in by air to create fortified bases with airstrips.

"Ayo Gorkali" The Gurkha Battle Call "The Gurkhas Are Coming!" Field Marshall Manekshaw once said, " If someone says he does not fear death, then he is either telling a lie or he is a Gurkha".
The Gukhas are probably the finest and bravest, combat soldiers in the world, and universally agreed as the most feared, with legendary loyalty to the British Crown.

600 sorties by Dakota transport aircraft transferred 9,000 men to the landing zones. Chowringhee was abandoned once the fly-in was completed, but Broadway was held with a garrison which included field artillery, anti-aircraft guns and even a detachment of six Mk.VIII Spitfires of No.81 Squadron RAF from 12 March to 17 March. On 17 March they were attacked during take-off by Japanese Ki-43 'Oscars'. S/L William 'Babe' Whitamore and F/O Alan M Peart managed to get airborne, with both shooting down one 'Oscar' each. Whitamore was shot down and killed but Peart survived for over half an hour, holding off over 20 enemy fighters. The remaining Spitfires were destroyed on the ground for the loss of another pilot, F/Lt Coulter. Peart flew back to Kangla the same day in his damaged Spitfire (FL-E JF818) and reported the action.28 The detachment was duly ended by AFC Stanley Vincent, the CO of No. 221 Group.27

Fergusson's brigade set up another base named Aberdeen north of Indaw, into which 14th Brigade was flown. Calvert's brigade established yet another, named White City at Mawlu, astride the main railway and road leading to the Japanese northern front. 111 Brigade set up ambushes and roadblocks south of Indaw (although part of the brigade which landed at Chowringhee was delayed in crossing the Irrawaddy River), before moving west to Pinlebu.

Ferocious jungle fighting ensued around Broadway and White City {all the Chindit bases had British city region names}. At times, British and Japanese troops were in close combat, bayonets and kukris against katanas. On 27 March, after days of aircraft attack, the Japanese attacked Broadway for several nights before the attack was repulsed with flown-in artillery and the aid of locally recruited Kachin irregulars.

The deprivations of the Burma campaign were horrifying for all sides. This is just one account in Burma. Several British soldiers said that the crocodiles preyed on the Japanese soldiers in the swamp. The most prominent firsthand retelling of what happened comes from naturalist Bruce Stanley Wright, who participated in the Battle of Ramree Island and gave this written account:

“That night of Feb. 19, 1945 was the most horrible that any member of the M.L. motor launch crews ever experienced. The crocodiles, alerted by the din of warfare and smell of blood, gathered among the mangroves, lying with their eyes above the water, watchfully alert for their next meal. With the ebb of the tide, the crocodiles moved in on the dead, wounded, and uninjured men who had become mired in the mud…

The scattered rifle shots in the pitch black swamp punctured by the screams of the wounded men crushed in the jaws of huge reptiles, and the blurred worrying sound of spinning crocodiles made a cacophony of hell that has rarely been duplicated on Earth. At dawn, the vultures arrived to clean up what the crocodiles had left.” — Bruce Stanley Wright

The giant lizards had a feast of their lives as nearly 1,000 terrified soldiers dripped blood and sweat into the crowded confines of the Ramree mangrove swamp.

Around 500 Japanese soldiers are believed to have fled the mangrove swamps, with 20 of them being recaptured by British forces who had set up a perimeter around the dense jungle. Around 500 of the fleeing men, however, never made it out of the swamp.

Survivors are said to have heard harrowing stories of hundreds of crocodiles assaulting the soldiers in a mass assault, as well as appalling tales of crocodiles attacking the soldiers individually.

On 12/13 May 1945 at Taungdaw, Burma now Myanmar, Rifleman Lachhiman Gurung VC was manning the most forward post of his platoon which bore the brunt of an attack by at least 200 of the Japanese enemy. Twice he hurled back grenades which had fallen on his trench, but the third exploded in his right hand, blowing off his fingers, shattering his arm and severely wounding him in the face, body and right leg. His two comrades were also badly wounded but the rifleman, now alone and disregarding his wounds, loaded and fired his rifle with his left hand for four hours, calmly waiting for each attack which he met with fire at point blank range. Afterwards, when the casualties were counted, it is reported that there were 31 dead Japanese around his position which he had killed, with only one arm.In the Falklands War in 1982 the Argentinians abandoned Mount William without a fight simply because the enemy forces advancing towards them were the 2nd Battalion, 7th Ghurka Rifles. Only one small accessory knife still present  read more

Code: 24828

A WW2 British Royal Navy Vosper Motor Torpedo Boat Binnacle Steering Compass

In superb condition for age. A Cockpit enclosed MTB steering compass with side mounted petrol lamp and red glass filter in order for the boat to avoid being seen by Kriegsmarine ships and u-boats at night. Top viewing lid opens, the top section may be removed entirely revealing the compass fully, the bottom plinth section is still painted battleship grey, and also bears its patent number and serial number stamped upon its makers base plate. The top section is brass and naturally age discoloured as it hasn’t been polished for likely 20 years or more.

There is a photo of the open bridge of a WW2 Vosper 73-foot boat (MTB 383) showing the ship's wheel, with this MTB steering compass above it. To its right are (in order) the engine throttles, the engine telegraph, the torpedo firing levers, and the engine room voice pipe. The hatch and companion way to the left of the wheel leads down to the wheelhouse.

The wartime success of Vosper is largely due to Commander Peter du Cane, a former naval officer and aviator who joined Vosper in 1931 to boost their involvement in high-speed craft The following year he won a controlling interest in the company and secured the contract from Sir Malcolm Campbell to build his record-breaking speedboat Bluebird II. By this stage the company was already building launches for the Royal Navy, and du Cane naturally considered tendering a bid for high-speed 'offensive torpedo boats'. The award of just such a contract to Vosper s rival, the British Power Boat Company, spurred du Cane on to develop a Vosper design, and he personally funded the design and construction of a 68-foot experimental boat with a hard-chine hull, designated PV 1 (standing for 'private venture'). It was duly purchased by the Admiralty as MTB 102. Unlike the Thornycroft and BPB designs (and after some experimentation), it was capable of firing its torpedoes from deck mounts rather than by dropping them astern. To power the craft, du Cane selected the powerful Italian Isotta-Fraschini petrol engine.

Being made of brass, we have seen the upper sections in the past versions we have had, fully polished, and the resulting finished instrument is very beautiful and can look amazing in the right setting..  read more

Code: 24826

A Rare Pair of 14th Century Medeavil Bronze Winged Polygonal 'Raven's Head' Mace Heads Likely Twin Headed Flail Mace, Mongol Invasion Period

Cast bronze and each mace head had four ravens heads that can be viewed from both above and upside down, below, creating eight ravens per mace. The remaining surfaces are decorated in the circular ‘all seeing eye’, or ‘evil eye’ pattern, that has been used since the time of the ancient Greeks as a feature to ward off evil spirits. When used by the Knight hussars they were called a kisten, and the double headed flail mace were adopted by the hussar knights from those used by Mongols, Turks and Tartars in their invasions into Eastern Europe in the 14th century.

The eyes design creates a zoomorphic design of several back to back ravens heads. We have read of the notorious 'Raven's Head' maces for many years, and more often they appear today in fantasy role play games, but this may be the very first, original, 14th century examples we have ever had the privelege to see and own.

Together, the wolf and raven embody the Mongol or Turkic warrior as he saw himself: a ferocious, predatory being who hunts his enemies, raiding is inherently a predatory action, after all. In addition, the connection of these animals to warfare in the Mongol mindset is also reinforced since both the wolf and raven appear in the aftermath of battle to feed on the dead.

Detail from Battle of Orsha painting, 1520–1534
With Lithuanian hussar in yellow tunic with kisten in his belt.

A flail mace avails the user extra reach used on horseback. Unlike a sword or haft mounted mace, it doesn't transfer vibrations from the impact to the wielder. This is a great advantage to a horseman, who can use his horse's speed to add momentum to and underarmed swing of the ball, but runs less of a risk of being unbalanced from his saddle.
It is difficult to block with a shield or parry with a weapon because it can curve over and round impediments and still strike the target. It also provides defense whilst in motion. However the rigid haft does have the advantage as the flail needs space to swing and can easily endanger the wielder's comrades.

Controlling the flail is much more difficult than rigid weapons. On a Flail it had the name of a Scorpion in England or France, or sometimes a Battle-Whip. It was also wryly known as a 'Holy Water Sprinkler'.
King John The Ist of Bohemia used exactly such a weapon, as he was blind, and the act of 'Flailing the Mace' meant lack of site was no huge disadvantage in close combat. Although blind he was a valiant and the bravest of the Warrior Kings, who perished at the Battle of Crecy against the English in 1346. On the day he was slain he instructed his Knights, both friends and companions, to lead him to the very centre of battle, so he may strike at least one blow against his enemies. His Knights tied their horses to his, so the King would not be separated from them in the press, and they rode together into the thick of battle, where King John managed to strike not one but at least four noble blows. The following day of the battle, the horses and the fallen knights were found all about the body of their most noble King, all still tied to his steed.

During the Middle Ages metal armour such as mail protected against the blows of edged weapons. Solid metal maces and war hammers proved able to inflict damage on well armoured knights, as the force of a blow from a mace is great enough to cause damage without penetrating the armour. Though iron became increasingly common, copper and bronze were also used. Pictures in the gallery, some medieval, showing them used in combat. The mace heads are approximately the size of a walnut  read more

Code: 24822

A Most Rare Early, 14th Century, circa 1340, Medievil Iron Hand Cannon or 'Handgonne' Made in the Period, & Used From the Battle of Crecy and Poitier Era.

An absolutely beauty and an incredibly significant historical piece, effectively the handgonne, was the very first iron hand held powder and ball piece, that began the evolution into the pistol, almost 700 years ago, and around 500 years before Mr Colt developed his first revolver in the 1840's.

From a collection of original rare antiquities collection we acquired, and this is the third extraordinarily rare original handgonne from that collection. We normally find only one or two every ten years or so, or even longer, but to buy all three from the collection was amazing.

The earliest design of conical form. Small enough and light enough to be manoeuvred by hand and thus then loosely fixed, or semi-permanently fixed, in either an L shaped wooden block and used like a mortar, or, onto a length of sturdy wooden haft, from three feet to five foot long to be used almost musket like and bound with wrought iron bands see illustration in the photo gallery of these medievil variations of mounting. The precursor to the modern day pistol and musket from which this form of ancient so called handgonne developed into over the centuries. It is thought that gunpowder was invented in China and found its way to Europe in the 13th Century. In the mid to late 13th Century gunpowder began to be used in cannons and handguns, and by the mid 14th Century they were in relatively frequent use for castle sieges. By the end of the 14th Century both gunpowder, guns and cannon had greatly evolved and were an essential part of fortifications which were being modified to change arrow slits for gun loops. Hand cannon' date of origin ranges around 1350. Hand cannon were inexpensive to manufacture, but not accurate to fire. Nevertheless, they were employed for their shock value. In 1492 Columbus carried one on his discovery exploration to the Americas. Conquistadors Hernando Cortez and Francisco Pizzaro also used them, in 1519 and 1533, during their respective conquests and colonization of Mexico and Peru. Not primary arms of war, hand cannon were adequate tools of protection for fighting men.. Approx, 4 inches long 1 1/2 inch bore, and weighs around 5.1 lbs

See Funcken, L. & Funcken F., Le costume, l'armure et les armes au temps de la chevalerie, de huitieme au quinzieme siecle, Tournai,1977, pp.66-69, for reconstruction of how such hand cannons were used.
At the beginning of the 14th century, among the infantry troops of the Western Middle Ages, developed the use of manual cannons (such as the Italian schioppetti, spingarde, and the German Fusstbusse).  read more

Code: 24816

A Simply Superb 'Parker Warranted' Constabulary Police Cutlass With Large Etched W. Parker Makers Panel

Very good condition overall. Blade with large W. Parker Warranted panel. The leather hide scabbard has gained a breathtaking bright full polish patina worthy of a King's guardsman's leather boots.

Brass D hilt with sharkskin bound wooden grip, single brass mount to the leather scabbard that has a little shrinkage. the blade is bright an supperb with just minor age staining and a fabulous large panel of etching by the maker W. Parker of Holborn, stating 'W.Parker. Warranted' one of the best looking examples we have seen in quite sometime, especially with Parker's large etched name & Warranted panel on the blade face, which is very rarely seen

W. Parker was also one of England's pre-eminent gunmakers makers of the 19th century, William Parker of 233 High Holborn, was gun maker to Prince Edward, to King William IV (1830-1837) and the Duke of Kent. As a gun maker William Parker was a well known for producing a range of weapons from standard issue items to fine duelling pistols. He later started to produce truncheons and other articles such as handcuffs, swords and rattles.

Current Police Officers, on late night duty, do, what is now very commonly called the 'graveyard shift'. This old English term, is now used worldwide by almost all professions that has a night duty, it is in fact derived from the early days of the British constabulary force, when undertaking the late night duty of patrolling graveyards, which was called by the Victorian constabulary, the 'graveyard shift'. It was a regular patrol made in order to prevent body-snatchers from defiling late burials, and the stealing bodies, for medical experimentation. This was however, a highly dangerous part of Victorian policing, as grave robbing was a capital crime, so, the police constables were armed with these swords to protect them from grave assault. These swords were also issued in case of riot, and in various times for general service wear as well.

Metropolitan Police patrols took to the streets on 29 September 1829, despite resistance from certain elements of the community who saw them to be a threat to civil liberties. The initial force consisted of two Commissioners, eight Superintendents, 20 Inspectors, 88 Sergeants and 895 Constables. Patrolling the streets within a seven-mile (11 km) radius of Charing Cross, in order to prevent crime and pursue offenders.

Between 1829 and 1830, 17 local divisions each with a central police station were established, with each division assigned a letter. These divisions were:

A (Whitehall)
B (Westminstera)
C (St James's)
D (Marylebone)
E (Holborn)
F (Covent Garden)
G (Finsbury)
H (Whitechapel)
K (Stepneyb)
L (Lambeth)
M (Southwark)
N (Islington)
P (Camberwell)
R (Greenwich)
S (Hampstead)
T (Kensingtonc)
V (Wandsworth)

On 28 June 1830, Constable Joseph Grantham became the first member of the force to be killed in the line of duty, an incident described by the Coroner's Inquest as "justifiable homicide". Other indications of the Constabulary's unpopularity of the time, were such nicknames as 'Raw Lobsters', 'Blue Devils' and 'Peel's Bloody Gang'. Officers were physically assaulted, others impaled, blinded, and on one occasion held down while a vehicle was driven over them.  read more

Code: 24819

A Beautiful Harlequin Pair Chinese Ching Dynasty 18th Cent. 'Shoe' Stirrups

Shaped like chinese shoes and worn as protective armour for the feet when a mandarin or officer travelled around the Ching empire on horseback. The more regular type we are used to seeing today were used, but this most scarce high quality bronze 'shoe-form' type is very rarely seen to survive. Peasants in Qing China were not permitted to travel and certainly never on horseback. The stirrup was invented in China in the first few centuries AD and spread westward through the nomadic peoples of Central Eurasia. The use of paired stirrups is credited to the Chinese Jin Dynasty and came to Europe during the Middle Ages. Some argue that the stirrup was one of the basic tools used to create and spread modern civilization, possibly as important as the wheel or printing press. The stirrup, which gives greater stability to a rider, has been described as one of the most significant inventions in the history of warfare, prior to gunpowder. As a tool allowing expanded use of horses in warfare, the stirrup is often called the third revolutionary step in equipment, after the chariot and the saddle. The basic tactics of mounted warfare were significantly altered by the stirrup. A rider supported by stirrups was less likely to fall off while fighting, and could deliver a blow with a weapon that more fully employed the weight and momentum of horse and rider. Among other advantages, stirrups provided greater balance and support to the rider, which allowed the knight to use a sword more efficiently without falling, especially against infantry adversaries. The Qing [or Ching] dynasty, officially the Great Qing, also called the Qing Empire by itself or the Manchu dynasty by foreigners, was the last imperial dynasty of China, established in 1636 and ruling China from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming dynasty and succeeded by the Republic of China. The Qing multi-cultural empire lasted almost three centuries and formed the territorial base for the modern Chinese state. After conquering "China proper", the Manchus identified their state as "China", and referred to it as Dulimbai Gurun in Manchu (Dulimbai means "central" or "middle," gurun means "nation" or "state"). The emperors equated the lands of the Qing state (including present-day Northeast China, Xinjiang, Mongolia, Tibet and other areas) as "China" in both the Chinese and Manchu languages, defining China as a multi-ethnic state, and rejecting the idea that "China" only meant Han areas. The Qing emperors proclaimed that both Han and non-Han peoples were part of "China". They used both "China" and "Qing" to refer to their state in official documents, international treaties (as the Qing was known internationally as "China" or the "Chinese Empire") and foreign affairs, and "Chinese language" (Dulimbai gurun I bithe) included Chinese, Manchu, and Mongol languages, and "Chinese people" referred to all subjects of the empire. In the Chinese-language versions of its treaties and its maps of the world, the Qing government used "Qing" and "China" interchangeably.  read more

Code: 20698