A Beautiful Aikuchi Tanto Sword With a Fine Early Shinto Blade Circa 1600 & A Full Suite of Koshirae Of the Tokugawa. The Shoguns Of Japan

A most fine tanto sword blade {all Japanese swords even tanto, are classified as swords} in superb polish showing an elegant suguha hamon. In wonderful full suite of original Edo aikuchi koshirae {fittings and mounts} are shakudo and sinchu, and decorated throughout with fourteen 'mon' {clan crest} panels of Shogun Tokugawa Iyesu. Likely the stunning aikuchi tanto of a high ranking Tokugawa retainer. All are Tokugawa mon with scrolling vines and ginger leaves and roots. There are four Tokugawa mon panels on the tsuka and ten panels on the saya. The kashira and saya jiri are in the form of decorated samurai court caps.

The tanto was invented partway through the Heian period. With the beginning of the Kamakura period, tanto were forged to be more aesthetically pleasing, and hira and uchi-sori tanto becoming the most popular styles. Near the middle of the Kamakura period, more tant? artisans were seen, increasing the abundance of the weapon, and the kanmuri-otoshi style became prevalent in the cities of Kyoto and Yamato. Because of the style introduced by the tachi in the late Kamakura period, tanto began to be forged longer and wider. The introduction of the Hachiman faith became visible in the carvings in the hilts around this time. The hamon (line of temper) is similar to that of the tachi, except for the absence of choji-midare, which is nioi and utsuri. Gunomi-midare and suguha are found to have taken its place.

During the era of the Northern and Southern Courts, the tanto were forged to be up to forty centimetres as opposed to the normal one shaku (about thirty centimetres) length. The blades became thinner between the uri and the omote, and wider between the ha and mune. At this point in time, two styles of hamon were prevalent: the older style, which was subtle and artistic, and the newer, more popular style. With the beginning of the Muromachi period, constant fighting caused the greater production of blades. Blades that were custom-forged still were of exceptional quality. As the end of the period neared, the average blade narrowed and the curvature shallowed

As once told to us by an esteemed regular visitor to us here in our gallery, Victor Harris, in order to study and discuss our extensive collection, and he used the same words that are repeated in his book below;

“In these textures lies an extraordinary and unique feature of the sword - the steel itself possesses an intrinsic beauty. The Japanese sword has been appreciated as an art object since its perfection some time during the tenth century AD. Fine swords have been more highly prized than lands or riches, those of superior quality being handed down from generation to generation. In fact, many well-documented swords, whose blades are signed by their makers, survive from nearly a thousand years ago. Recognizable features of the blades of hundreds of schools of sword-making have been punctiliously recorded, and the study of the sword is a guide to the flow of Japanese history.”
Victor Harris
Curator, Assistant Keeper and then Keeper (1998-2003) of the Department of Japanese Antiquities at the British Museum. He studied from 1968-71 under Sato Kenzan, Tokyo National Museum and Society for the Preservation of Japanese Swords

One of the greatest joys of sword collecting is the opportunity to learn about the history and culture of different civilisations. Swords have been used by warriors for millennia, and each culture has developed its own unique sword designs and traditions. By studying swords, collectors can gain a deeper understanding of the people who made and used them.

Another joy of sword collecting is the sheer variety of swords that are available. There are swords in our gallery from all over the world and from every period of history. Collectors can choose to specialize in a particular type of sword, such as Japanese katanas or medieval longswords, or they can collect a variety of swords from different cultures and time periods. No matter what your reasons for collecting swords, it is a hobby that can provide many years of enjoyment. Swords are beautiful, fascinating, and historically significant objects.

Collecting antique swords, arms and armour is not merely an acquisition of objects; it’s an engagement with the historical and cultural significance that these pieces embody. As collectors, we become custodians of history, preserving these heritage symbols for future generations to study and appreciate.

We are now, likely the oldest, and still thriving, arms armour and militaria stores in the UK, Europe and probably the rest of the world too. We know of no other store of our kind that is still operating under the control its fourth successive generation of family traders


We are very privileged to be the UK’s premier original military antiques gallery and website, and to be able to consistently, continually, and regularly, offer the finest original collectors items in our shop for over 100 years

Blade 12 inches long  read more

Code: 26276

A Wonderful 500 Year Old Koto Period Samurai 'Dragon' Wakizashi Samurai Short Sword, Another Absolute Beauty From Our Remarkable Collection of Samurai Museum Pieces

Based entirely around the legendary Japanese dragon, Bearing the dragon on all of its fittings and mounts including its kozuka utility knife. All of the fittings are original Edo period, of very nice quality the dragon tsuba is iron with gold highlights, of a chiselled takebori dragon signed by a very good tsuba maker, Kinai.

One has to bear in mind this tanto has been used by numerous samurai over more than a dozen generations, since the era, in England, when King Henry the VIIIth was a child.

The tsuka is superb and has its original, Edo period, beautiful mid blue silk binding, that is patterned damask silk with a clan mon design theme, with two very old, small surface moth marks. It is a very rare, and most infrequently seen form of deluxe quality tsuka-ito, that is wrapped over black samegawa giant ray-skin, over the gold dragon menuki. The fuchi is fine Soten school, of a pure gold decor takebori dragon, over a shakudo Nanak o ground. The kashira is hand carved and polished black buffalo horn.

The saya has its incredible Edo period urushi lacquer in a stippled ishime stone finish. and within its saya pocket is the kozuka utility knife, with a sinchu handle, decorated with a takebori carved sea dragon in crashing waves, the saya bears a shakudo mount of a deep and crisp, rare type takebori mythical flying sea dragon with a fishtail. The blade is in super and beautiful polish, showing a delightful light notare, based on suguha, hamon.

The original Edo period urushi lacquer on the saya is in simply excellent condition for age and shows most elegant patterning, it reveals within that intricacy the finest craftsmanship and beauty worthy of a master of the art of urushi decor. Japanese lacquer, or urushi, is a transformative and highly prized material that has traced it origins, and been refined, for over several thousands of years.

Cherished for its infinite versatility, urushi is a distinctive art form that has spread across all facets of Japanese culture from the tea ceremony to the saya scabbards of samurai swords

Japanese artists created their own style and perfected the art of decorated lacquerware during the 8th century. Japanese lacquer skills reached its peak as early as the twelfth century, at the end of the Heian period (794-1185). This skill was passed on from father to son and from master to apprentice.

The varnish used in Japanese lacquer is made from the sap of the urushi tree, also known as the lacquer tree or the Japanese varnish tree (Rhus vernacifera), which mainly grows in Japan and China, as well as Southeast Asia. Japanese lacquer, 漆 urushi, is made from the sap of the lacquer tree. The tree must be tapped carefully, as in its raw form the liquid is poisonous to the touch, and even breathing in the fumes can be dangerous. But people in Japan have been working with this material for many millennia, so there has been time to refine the technique!

Flowing from incisions made in the bark, the sap, or raw lacquer is a viscous greyish-white juice. The harvesting of the resin can only be done in very small quantities.
Three to five years after being harvested, the resin is treated to make an extremely resistant, honey-textured lacquer. After filtering, homogenization and dehydration, the sap becomes transparent and can be tinted in black, red, yellow, green or brown.

As once told to us by an esteemed regular visitor to us here in our gallery, Victor Harris, in order to study and discuss our extensive collection, and he used the same words that are repeated in his book below;

“In these textures lies an extraordinary and unique feature of the sword - the steel itself possesses an intrinsic beauty. The Japanese sword has been appreciated as an art object since its perfection some time during the tenth century AD. Fine swords have been more highly prized than lands or riches, those of superior quality being handed down from generation to generation. In fact, many well-documented swords, whose blades are signed by their makers, survive from nearly a thousand years ago. Recognizable features of the blades of hundreds of schools of sword-making have been punctiliously recorded, and the study of the sword is a guide to the flow of Japanese history.”
Victor Harris
Curator, Assistant Keeper and then Keeper (1998-2003) of the Department of Japanese Antiquities at the British Museum. He studied from 1968-71 under Sato Kenzan, Tokyo National Museum and Society for the Preservation of Japanese Swords

One of the greatest joys of sword collecting is the opportunity to learn about the history and culture of different civilisations. Swords have been used by warriors for millennia, and each culture has developed its own unique sword designs and traditions. By studying swords, collectors can gain a deeper understanding of the people who made and used them.

Another joy of sword collecting is the sheer variety of swords that are available. There are swords in our gallery from all over the world and from every period of history. Collectors can choose to specialize in a particular type of sword, such as Japanese katanas or medieval longswords, or they can collect a variety of swords from different cultures and time periods. No matter what your reasons for collecting swords, it is a hobby that can provide many years of enjoyment. Swords are beautiful, fascinating, and historically significant objects.

Collecting antique swords, arms and armour is not merely an acquisition of objects; it’s an engagement with the historical and cultural significance that these pieces embody. As collectors, we become custodians of history, preserving these heritage symbols for future generations to study and appreciate.

We are now, likely the oldest, and still thriving, arms armour and militaria stores in the UK, Europe and probably the rest of the world too. We know of no other store of our kind that is still operating under the control its fourth successive generation of family traders


We are very privileged to be the UK’s premier original military antiques gallery and website, and to be able to consistently, continually, and regularly, offer the finest original collectors items in our shop for over 100 years  read more

Code: 24556

A Most Attractive 500 Plus Year Old Samurai Battle Katana With All Original Edo Mounts,

Shibui mounted in all its original Edo period mounts and saya. Higo iron fushigashira mounts, decorated with takebori gold aoi leaves. Tetsu round tsuba with pierced kozuka and [gilt copper filled] kogai hitsu-ana. The original Edo saya lacquer is simply beautiful, in two shades of black with an intricate fine rainfall pattern within the design. The menuki under the Edo silk binding, are patinated takebori flowers with pure gold highlights. The blade has a beautiful undulating hamon pattern of considerable depth.
Shibui is a term that effectively translates to ‘quiet’ , it is a reference to a sword that has a relatively subdued look as it concentrates on high quality yet subtle elegance, as it is a sword entirely concentrating on combat and less on flamboyant display. Of course all samurai swords were designed for combat, often despite being mounted as works of art, often with fantastic quality fittings worthy of Italian Renaissance jewels, such as the European equivalent work by the Italian master Cellini, but they would be for samurai eager to display their status in the elite hierarchy of the samurai class, such as daimyo. The swords mounted shibui were for the samurai of far more serious nature, dedicated to their more basic standards of bushido, the art of the ultimate warrior, with little or no interest in displays of rank. A samurai of the highest skill but preferring the anonymity of almost being invisible to unwanted attention.

Samurai endured for almost 700 years, from 1185 to 1867. Samurai families were considered the elite. They made up only about six percent of the population and included daimyo and the loyal soldiers who fought under them. Samurai means one who serves."

Samurai were expected to be both fierce warriors and lovers of art, a dichotomy summed up by the Japanese concepts of bu [to stop the spear] exanding into bushido (the way of life of the warrior) and bun (the artistic, intellectual and spiritual side of the samurai). Originally conceived as away of dignifying raw military power, the two concepts were synthesised in feudal Japan and later became a key feature of Japanese culture and morality. The quintessential samurai was Miyamoto Musashi, a legendary early Edo-period swordsman who reportedly killed 60 men before his 30th birthday and was also a painting master. Members of a hierarchal class or caste, samurai were the sons of samurai and they were taught from an early age to unquestionably obey their mother, father and daimyo. When they grew older they may be trained by Zen Buddhist masters in meditation and the Zen concepts of impermanence and harmony with nature. The were also taught about painting, calligraphy, nature poetry, mythological literature, flower arranging, and the tea ceremony. 40 inches long overall. 28.5 inch long blade, from tsuba to tip., The blade is in super condition for its age, with just a few wear marks, and pit marks on the mune back edge near the boshi. The saya lacquer has some natural age craking at the base  read more

Code: 24217

Fabulous & Incredibly Rare Museum Piece. An Original WW2 SOE {Special Operations Executive} Secret Espionage Agent's Suitcase Radio Transmitter & Reciever Of An SOE Agent {Male Or Female} of the 'Secret Army', Used In Occupied German Territory 1942-45

SOE Special forces
Role; Espionage Irregular warfare (especially sabotage and raiding operations) Special reconnaissance
Nickname "The Baker Street Irregulars" "Churchill's Secret Army" "Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare"

A phenomenally rare, mid war WW2 SOE spy radio set, transceiver, with earphone headset and various and numerous components, in it's leather case with two catches. {later models changed from three to just two catches}.

The SOE agents transceiver suitcase radio was the iconic, and indeed most rarest of surviving SOE clandestine spy equipment, It may well indeed be one of the rarest pieces of WW2 spy equipment in the world, and as such an incredible and unique piece of original spy-craft history.
Developer of the transceiver was Captain John Brown (SOE).

The type used by SOE and OSS agent Virginia Hall. Dubbed by the Gestapo as the Limping Lady, as she had a wooden leg! { that she called Cuthbert}.
She had all the makings of a diplomat. Impeccably educated, fluent in multiple languages, and worldly from her years spent abroad from her native Baltimore, Virginia’s dream of a life in the foreign service was shattered when a hunting accident led to the amputation of her left leg. Attitudes toward disabilities were different in the 1930s, and even fitted with a prosthetic leg (which she named “Cuthbert”) Virginia was deemed unfit for the life of a diplomat.

The outbreak of WWII changed that attitude. Virginia, by then living in France, was well-placed to act as a forward agent for the Allies. Volunteering first for the British Special Operations Executive (SOE), Virginia worked agents, ran safehouses, and reported intelligence from Vichy France. Later, she volunteered with the US Office of Strategic Services (OSS), forerunner to the CIA. Her efforts earned her a place on the Gestapo’s “Most Wanted” list as “The Limping Lady”. She and Cuthbert continued to work against the Nazis right up through the Normandy invasion and liberation and earned a Distinguished Service Cross for her efforts – a rare honour for a civilian, and rarer still for a woman.

This is only the second we have had in years since WW2, and as fine as any one in the Imperial War Museum or the very few dedicated spy and espionage museums.

After France signed an armistice with Germany in June 1940, Great Britain feared the shadow of Nazism would continue to fall over Europe. Dedicated to keeping the French people fighting, Prime Minister Winston Churchill pledged the United Kingdom’s support to the resistance movement. Charged with “set(ting) Europe ablaze,” the Special Operations Executive, or SOE, was born.

Used by the most dedicated and bravest of people, men and women, who have ever served their country. Agents, such as Violette Szabo and Noor Inayat Khan, code name Madeleine, who only too well knew their chances of surviving without capture, torture and execution were slim at best. For them, and many, many others, survival was not to be.

Headquartered at 64 Baker Street in London, the SOE’s official purpose was to put British special agents on the ground to “coordinate, inspire, control and assist the nationals of the oppressed countries.” Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton borrowed irregular warfare tactics used by the Irish Republican Army two decades before. The “Baker Street Irregulars,” as they came to be known, were trained in sabotage, small arms, radio and telegraph communication and unarmed combat. SOE agents were also required to be fluent in the language of the nation in which they would be inserted so they could fit into the society seamlessly. If their presence aroused undue suspicion, their missions could well be over before they even began.

Portable communication devices were of utmost importance as radio and telegraph communication ensured the French resistance (and SOE agents) were not cut off from the outside world. Radio operators had to stay mobile, often carrying their radio equipment on their backs as they moved from safe house to safe house. Their survival depended on their ability to transmit messages rapidly and move quickly.
Along with irregular tactics and unusual materiel, the British government knew an irregular war required irregular warriors. Women proved to be invaluable as couriers, spies, saboteurs and radio operators in the field. Though female agents received the same training as the men, some balked at the idea of sending women behind enemy lines. They grudgingly agreed female spies would have distinct advantages over the men on the ground. Women could travel freely because they were not expected to work during the day. Gender stereotypes also helped keep the women above suspicion. After all, who could possibly imagine a woman could be a viable combatant in war? the Germans certainly thought not.

Women were more than viable, however: they were critical to SOE mission success. Though they would later be honoured for their “conspicuous courage,” the female spies of the SOE were successful because they learned to be inconspicuous. They took on secret identities, went on secret missions and were trusted with their nation’s greatest secrets. Thirty-nine of the 470 SOE agents in France were women, with an additional sixteen deployed to other areas.
The Gestapo gave Nancy Grace August Wake the nickname “the white mouse” because of her uncanny ability to evade capture. When she learned one of the resistance groups no longer had a radio for communication, she rode almost 300 kilometers on a bicycle to make radio contact with the SOE headquarters and arrange for an equipment drop. Despite many close calls, Wake survived the war. First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY) member Odette Hallowes also cheated death. Embedded with the resistance in Cannes, Hallowes was captured and sent to the Ravensbrück concentration camp. She survived two years in prison, often in solitary confinement, before the camp was liberated by the Allied forces.
Other women were not so fortunate. Noor Inayat Khan, code name Madeleine, was a radio operator in France. After her entire team was ambushed and arrested, she was betrayed to the Gestapo by a French national hoping for a large reward. Khan did not break during interrogation and attempted escape from her captors several times. Sent to Dachau in September 1944, she was executed upon arrival. Violette Szabo, an agent inserted into Limoges, faced a similar fate at Ravensbrück. She was 23 years old.
By Kate Murphy Schaefer {abridged}. Kate Murphy Schaefer holds a MA in History with a Military History concentration for Southern New Hampshire University. She is also the author of a woman’s history blog, www.fragilelikeabomb.com.

Type 3 Mk. II B2
Clandestine suitcase transceiver · 1942
Type 3 Mark II, commonly referred to as B2, is a British WWII portable clandestine transceiver, also known as a spy radio set, developed in 1942 by (then) Captain John Brown at SOE Station IX, and manufactured by the Radio Communication Department of the SOE at Stonebridge Park. The set was issued to agents, resistance groups and special forces, operating on occupied territory. The official designator is Type 3 Mk. II but the radio is also known as Type B Mk. II, B.II and B2.

The B2 came in two versions. The initial version came in an unobtrusive leather suitcase that allowed an agent to travel inconspicuously. This is the most well-known variant. Later in the war it was dropped by parachute in two water-tight containers, that were more suitable for use by resistance groups operating in the field.

The images show this SOE Type 3 Mk.II transceiver in its brown leather suitcase, which can easily be recognized as the second type as it has two locks at the front.

Operating the Type 3 Mark II (B2)

The radio set consists of three units: a receiver (RX), a transmitter (TX) and a Power Supply Unit (PSU), plus a box with spares and accessories. When mounted in the suitcase, the transmitter is located at the center top, with the receiver mounted below it. The PSU is at the right in such a position that the two other units can be connected to it. The spares box is generally positioned at the left. When operating the B2, the lid of the spares box should be placed on the table, so that the Morse key can be operated.

The Type 3 Mk.II (B2) was relatively small for its day and produced an HF output power of 20 Watts. Nevertheless, it was too big to carry around unobtrusively especially when travelling by public transport. For this reason, later radios, such as the Model A Mk. III (A3) were made much smaller, albeit with a limited frequency range (3.2-9.55 MHz) and reduced power output (5 Watt).
The most well-known appearance of the B2 is the suitcase version, but hardly any surviving B2 is found in its original red leather suitcase. In fact, the B2 was delivered in a variety of different suitcases, ranging from sturdy leather cases to simple cardboard and even wooden based variants.

The first model original leather case is easily recognised, as it has three locks rather than the usual two. In many cases, the original case was swapped for a more common two-lock version, as it was easily recognised by the enemy, and any gain by the use of three locks became a severe hinderance in occupied territory while being hunted by the Gestapo.

Louis Meulstee's excellent book Wireless for the Warrior, volume 4 even shows an example of a wooden carpenter's toolbox in which a B2 is fitted. The dimensions of the suitcase are pretty standard for the era. The first B2 was in it's simulated leather cardboard covered wood frame suitcase. The cases were later changed in the war for twin catched cases, as the the earliest type had three {one lock and two catches} but that became too identifiable by the Gestapo.

A photograph in the gallery was taken during WWII, probably in 1942 or 1943, and shows this B2 radio's production line at the Bontex Knitting Mills, which became SOE Station VIIa (7a) . This facility is also known as Stonebridge Park,

While Virgina Hall {see her photo in the gallery} was adept in all aspects of tradecraft, one of the most powerful tools at her disposal was the suitcase radio, a catch-all term used to describe any transceiver small enough to be transported into the field and operated covertly. A suitcase was often used to house the radio as it would be less likely to arouse suspicion if the spy’s lair was discovered. The B2 suitcase radio was also a great form factor for a portable transceiver – just the right size for the miniaturized radios of the day, good operational ergonomics, and perfect for quick setup and teardown. You can even imagine a spy minimally obfuscating the suitcase’s real purpose with a thin layer of folded clothing packed over the radio.

Great care was given to ensure that the field agent would have every chance of using the radio successfully and that it would operate as long as possible under adverse conditions. With a power budget often limited to five watts or so, these radios were strictly QRP affairs. Almost every suitcase rig operated on the high-frequency bands between 3 MHz and 30 MHz, to take advantage of ionospheric skip and other forms of propagation. An antenna optimized for these bands would likely be a calling card to the enemy, especially in an urban setting, so controls were provided to tune almost any length of wire into a decent antenna.

Footnote; it is estimated around 7,000 of this form of clandestine spy-craft equipment were made by the British. It’s historical WW2 Nazi equivalent, the German made Enigma Machine, over 100,000 of those were manufactured, almost 15 times as many. Yet, surviving examples of the Enigma Machine can now achieve between $250,000 to $800,000. Thus, it is entirely possible that these suitcase transceivers can one day approach these figures, if not even likely. In fact in almost all respects they should be on a value parity already, as the operators of the Enigmas were based in relatively comfortable German bases, ships or field commands. Safe and relatively well protected and far away from fear and terror. The operators of these transceivers, men and women, many barely out of their teenage years, were, every single minute of every single day at appalling risk of capture and the inevitable, unspeakable torture {especially the women}, at the hands of the Gestapo, and summary execution, after being transferred to a concentration camp, sometimes simply within a few weeks of the start of their clandestine service in Nazi occupied Europe.

A dear friend of The Lanes Armoury partners {Mark and David's} remarkable late mother, Camilla Anne Hawkins, was Anita Vulliamy, daughter in law of Major-General C.H.H. Vulliamy. She was a simply a remarkable lady, who, during the war, was captured by the Gestapo, horrifyingly tortured, but managed to survive captivity. During her months in the Gestapo prison she crocheted a holy cross, made of prison cell straw bedding. After the war, her cross was exhibited alongside a similar piece, a straw doll, made by British SOE heroine Odette Churchill at a Charity event in London in 1956 and they raised £875 for the Polio Fund in one week. A huge sum in those days. Camilla mentioned that her friend, Anita, almost always wore fine leather gloves in company, as her finger nails had been torn out by her Gestapo interrogators. They grew back in part, but not well enough for Anita to feel comfortable to show her hands in public. Anita and Odette survived, and both considered themselves to be the extraordinarily lucky ones.

Interestingly the family have known, often purely by coincidence, numerous WW2 clandestine operatives. Mark knew another famous lady spy, when she was in her 60’s, quite well, but she was from the ‘other side’ so to speak. She was the very first of the notorious and despicable ‘Cambridge Five’ Spy Ring.

The lady was Russian spy Edith Tudor-Hart. Born in Vienna, she was a dedicated Communist, a talented Bauhaus-trained photographer, and a key KGB "talent spotter" who played a crucial role in recruiting the infamous Cambridge Five spy ring.Following the war and years of intense MI5 scrutiny, she eventually relocated to Brighton, where she operated a small antique shop until her death in 1973. Her highly secretive espionage career was only uncovered decades after she died. Mark used to sell her lace bobbins as a very young man, and over numerous cups of tea, she would chat about the war and her days at Cambridge {naturally, somewhat judiciously} She recommended Litzi Friedmann and Kim Philby for recruitment by the KGB and acted as an intermediary for Anthony Blunt and Bob Stewart when the rezidentura at the Soviet Embassy in London suspended its operations in February 1940

Born Edith Suschitzky in Vienna in 1908, she was a committed leftist who fled to the UK and became one of the 1930s' most prominent covert talent hunters for Soviet intelligence.After intense police and intelligence interrogations in the 1950s destroyed much of her photographic work and forced her out of the media, she moved to the coast. She spent her later years living an unassuming, quiet life in Brighton running an antique shop, only a few hundred yards from The Lanes Armoury.
Her status as an instrumental operative for the KGB was completely unsuspected by the public during her lifetime. Her role only emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s.

The case has the usual service wear, with a small seam split front right, but overall, very good for age,. It has its headphones and complete with its 4 coils, and the power unit {front right of case} was upgraded in its functioning past.

Suitcase lock key lacking.  read more

Code: 26271

A Beautiful Original Victorian Merryweather Pattern Brass Fire Brigade Service Helmet. Complete With Original Liner and Chinscales

An original British Victorian fire service helmet, with signs of service use, naturally, and with denting on the crest and skull as usual, but it is simply part of its character, to demonstrate this is not a piece that never saw service but was used as it should, but cared for, and beautifully preserved for posterity.

The traditional two-piece skull has the embossed raised dragon comb, rose bosses, crossed axe and hoses helmet plate, and original leather liner complete. Overall in every way fair to better condition for age.

The desirable standard pattern of Fire Service helmet used by all British county and city Fire Services in the Victorian era and just past WW1.

The earliest fire brigade was Roman and that is the first fire brigade of which we have any substantial history was created by Marcus Licinius Crassus. Marcus Licinius Crassus was born into a wealthy Roman family around the year 115 BC, and acquired an enormous fortune through (in the words of Plutarch) "fire and rapine." One of his most lucrative schemes took advantage of the fact that Rome had no fire department. Crassus filled this void by creating his own brigade?500 men strong?which rushed to burning buildings at the first cry of alarm. Upon arriving at the scene, however, the fire fighters did nothing while their employer bargained over the price of their services with the distressed property owner. If Crassus could not negotiate a satisfactory price, his men simply let the structure burn to the ground, after which he offered to purchase it for a fraction of its value. Emperor Nero took the basic idea from Crassus and then built on it to form the Vigiles in AD 60 to combat fires using bucket brigades and pumps, as well as poles, hooks and even ballistae to tear down buildings in advance of the flames. The Vigiles patrolled the streets of Rome to watch for fires and served as a police force. The later brigades consisted of hundreds of men, all ready for action. When there was a fire, the men would line up to the nearest water source and pass buckets hand in hand to the fire.

Rome suffered a number of serious fires, most notably the fire on 19 July AD 64 and eventually destroyed two thirds of Rome.
In the UK, the Great Fire of London in 1666 set in motion changes which laid the foundations for organised firefighting in the future. In the wake of the Great Fire, the City Council established the first fire insurance company, "The Fire Office", in 1667, which employed small teams of Thames watermen as firefighters and provided them with uniforms and arm badges showing the company to which they belonged.
However, the first organised municipal fire brigade in the world was established in Edinburgh, Scotland, when the Edinburgh Fire Engine Establishment was formed in 1824, led by James Braidwood. London followed in 1832 with the London Fire Engine Establishment. Some small split perishing repairs on the skull above top right of the badge {facing the badge} and comb service denting.  read more

Code: 26275

A Beautiful 15th Century Chisa Katana Sword, Around 600 Years Old, Signed Nobukuni. From The Japanese Warring States Period. Gold Fan & Shakudo Fuchigashira and A Outstandingly Attractive Kuro Samegawa Togidashi Saya.

Circa 1430. A samurai sword chisa-katana, with an early signed blade, on-zukuri, o-suriage nakago with two-character mei (Nobukuni), with a fine suguha hamon typical of the Koto era, in old polish, with usual light wear marks. A beautiful Edo fuchi kashira of gold and shakudo, depicting folded fans of pure gold onlaid to shakudo. A large dark round tettsu tsuba likely Yokoya School, 19th century of circular form, engraved in katakiri and kebori with flying cranes beneath a willow tree.

Nobukuni Sadamitsu who is a son of third generation of Kyo Nobukuni(Saemon-no-jo) had moved to Buzen, Kyushu province during Nanbokucho period. Chikushi Nobukuni school had prospered long period till the Shinto era where master- smith Yoshida and his son Yoshisada, serving the Kuroda-han, was active.
This work was possibly made by Nobukuni-a son of Nobukuni Sadamitsu who was a master of the of Chikushi Nobukuni school. Many of his works are of the highly useful smaller sized such as chisakatana and wakazashi

The Hand Polished Giant Rayskin {Samegawa} Saya {Scabbard} kuro samegawa togidashi is a unique feature of some of the finest antique Japanese swords. The saya was hand made and bespoke fitted to the blade, and it was then covered in the preserved skin of the giant ray, which was extremely hard and course, made up of thousands of nodules. This surface was then hand polished to create a very hard, highly polished, flat, but uneven surface, that was then over lacquered, within the separate gaps between each nodule, with purest black urushi lacquer, and then polished once more, to create a perfectly flat hardened surface of extraordinary beauty. This remarkable hand finished work, unmatched throughout the world, could take over a year of supreme expert artisan skill, in order to create.

The Chisa Katana samurai sword;

The most common blade cutting edge lengths for Chisa katana was approximately eighteen to twenty-four inches. They were most commonly made in the Buke-Zukuri mounting (which is generally what is seen on katana and wakizashi). The chisa katana was able to be used with one or two hands like a katana (with a small gap in between the hands) and especially made for double sword combat a sword in each hand.
It was the weapon of preference worn by the personal Samurai guard of a Daimyo Samurai war lord clan chief, as very often the Daimyo would be more likely within his castle than without. The chisa katana sword was far more effective a defence against any threat to the Daimyo's life by assassins or the so-called Ninja when hand to hand sword combat was within the Castle structure, due to the restrictions of their uniform low ceiling height. The hilt was usually around ten to eleven inches in length, but could be from eight inches or up to twelve inches depending on the Samurai's It has been over one thousand years ago that the art of making swords appeared in Japan. The swordsmiths of the time may not have known it but they were creating a legendary sword. The Samurai sword has seen combat in many battlefields. From the early days of the Samurai warrior to the fierce battles in the South Pacific during WWII.
The earliest samurai, that carried this beautiful masterpiece, fought in the Japan's Warring States Period, or Sengoku Jidai (c. 1467–1603) It was a tumultuous era of intense civil war, political upheaval, and social change, marked by the collapse of central authority and the rise of powerful regional lords (daimyo) fighting for control over fractured Japan.
Triggered by the Ōnin War (1467), it saw constant conflict, the introduction of firearms, castle building, and eventually, the emergence of three great unifiers—Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa Ieyasu—who gradually reunified the country after the Battle of Sekigahar

As once told to us by an esteemed regular visitor to us here in our gallery, Victor Harris, in order to study and discuss our extensive collection, and he used the same words that are repeated in his book below;

“In these textures lies an extraordinary and unique feature of the sword - the steel itself possesses an intrinsic beauty. The Japanese sword has been appreciated as an art object since its perfection some time during the tenth century AD. Fine swords have been more highly prized than lands or riches, those of superior quality being handed down from generation to generation. In fact, many well-documented swords, whose blades are signed by their makers, survive from nearly a thousand years ago. Recognizable features of the blades of hundreds of schools of sword-making have been punctiliously recorded, and the study of the sword is a guide to the flow of Japanese history.”
Victor Harris
Curator, Assistant Keeper and then Keeper (1998-2003) of the Department of Japanese Antiquities at the British Museum. He studied from 1968-71 under Sato Kenzan, Tokyo National Museum and Society for the Preservation of Japanese Swords

One of the greatest joys of sword collecting is the opportunity to learn about the history and culture of different civilisations. Swords have been used by warriors for millennia, and each culture has developed its own unique sword designs and traditions. By studying swords, collectors can gain a deeper understanding of the people who made and used them.

Another joy of sword collecting is the sheer variety of swords that are available. There are swords in our gallery from all over the world and from every period of history. Collectors can choose to specialize in a particular type of sword, such as Japanese katanas or medieval longswords, or they can collect a variety of swords from different cultures and time periods. No matter what your reasons for collecting swords, it is a hobby that can provide many years of enjoyment. Swords are beautiful, fascinating, and historically significant objects.

Collecting antique swords, arms and armour is not merely an acquisition of objects; it’s an engagement with the historical and cultural significance that these pieces embody. As collectors, we become custodians of history, preserving these heritage symbols for future generations to study and appreciate.

We are now, likely the oldest, and still thriving, arms armour and militaria stores in the UK, Europe and probably the rest of the world too. We know of no other store of our kind that is still operating under the control its fourth successive generation of family traders



Blade of 21.75, total length including saya 36 inches  read more

Code: 26272

British WW2, Top Secret, Special Operations Executive, Special Air Service & Special Boat Service, Airborne Paras & Commando Issue. Top Secret Infra-red Night Vision Monocular Scope. Circa.1944

Very top secret at the time. It was made to look like a water canteen and was so secret even the US was not told about it. It is in fact the first night vision glasses issued to special force British units like the SAS/SBS.

Rare and Top Secret World War Two night vision infra-red monocular scope contained in its original brown leather carrying case and marked on both piece and carrying case with Identification marks.

The Germans also had their version called the Vampir. ZG 1229;
The ZG 1229 Vampir weighed 2.26 kilograms (5.0 lb) and was fitted with lugs on the StG 44 at C.G. Haenel in Suhl, the weapons production facility. As well as the sight and infrared spotlight, there was a wooden-cased battery for the light weighing 13.59 kilograms (30.0 lb), and a second battery fitted inside a gas mask container to power the image converter. This was all strapped to a Tragegestell 39 (pack frame 1939).The searchlight consisted of a conventional tungsten light source shining through a filter permitting only infrared light. The sensor operated in the near-infrared (light) spectrum rather than in the thermal infrared (heat) spectrum and was, therefore, not sensitive to body heat.

The image given was described as being of great brilliance and good contrast. Standing men could be discerned up to 73 metres (80 yd), especially when moving. However, reports indicate that ZG 1229 units were extremely delicate and considered too cumbersome for attack situations

Brief History of the British version:-

Manufactured in 1943, the British designed monocular Infra red night vision equipment was the first of it’s kind and took it’s basic design from pre-war Farnsworth television equipment. Having the vague appearance of a water bottle in a leather case, this device was used, prior to and on D-Day in Normandy by the assault pilotage {COPPs Combined Operations Pilotage Parties} and the SBS teams) to guide in the invasion task forces onto the beaches.
The unit itself comprised of a hermetically sealed receiver unit containing a triple pyle 3,000 volt battery, (long since dead) and the infra-red optics.

We show in the gallery a photo of the SBS WW2 in Athens , a squad that used these mobile night vision scopes. Another photo is of an WW2 SAS Jeep with the binocular fixed version of the scope fixed for the driver

The screen is magnified by a lens-eyepiece which is adjustable for focus by turning. This device was used by the commando, airborne and ranger units in many famous battles over the period of WWII and was classified as Top Secret.

Since the war night vision equipment has become one of the most important pieces of kit of the entire worlds special forces. All of it, effectively, developed from this very first design of top secret military issue night vision monocular. The current version used by British Special Forces cost around £20,000 per unit. The military advantages of such equipment is not to be underestimated, and although expensive, completely essential.  read more

Code: 26274

A Superb Royal Naval WW2 Officer's Sword With Deluxe Etched Combat Weight and Grade Blade, Bearing Naval Devices, Scrollwork and Kings Cypher with Leather and Brass Mounted Scabbard. Still Perfect For Use Today

The deluxe grade RN sword of a Royal Naval Warrant Officers or Masters At Arms. Almost identical to the standard Royal Naval officer's sword, but with a stepped pommel.

Overall in super condition, with sword knot complete.
Used through the war, and post war, yet still perfectly acceptable for current service use.

Royal Navy
The master-at-arms (MAA) is a ship's senior rating, normally carrying the rank of chief petty officer or warrant officer. They are in charge of discipline aboard ship, assisted by regulators of the Royal Navy Police, of which they are a member. The non-substantive (trade) badge of an MAA is a crown within a wreath.

The post of master-at-arms was introduced to the Royal Navy during the reign of King Charles I; their original duties were to be responsible for the ship's small arms and edged weapons, and to drill the ship's company in their use. This was not an onerous task, and masters-at-arms came to be made responsible for "regulating duties"; their role as weapons instructors was eventually taken over by the chief gunner.

The MAA is addressed as "Master" if holding the rank of chief petty officer, regardless of gender, and is often nicknamed the "jaunty", a corruption of the French gendarme, or the "joss/jossman".

Use of the term "warrant officer" dates from the beginnings of the Royal Navy, a time when ships were commanded by noblemen who depended on others with specialist skills to oversee the practicalities of life on board. Specialists such as a ship's carpenter, boatswain and gunner were vital to the safety of all on board, and were accordingly ranked as officers – though by warrant rather than by commission. These and other specialists retained their distinctive rank and status until 1949, when the rank of warrant officer was abolished.

In 1971, warrant officers reappeared in the Royal Navy, but these appointments followed the Army model, with the new warrant officers being classified as ratings rather than officers, superior to the rate of chief petty officer. They were ranked as equivalents to warrant officer class I in the British Army and Royal Marines and with warrant officers in the Royal Air Force. The rate was initially titled as fleet chief petty officer, becoming warrant officer in 1985.  read more

Code: 26273

A Good Koto Period Circa 1500 Wakazashi Mounted In All Original Edo Period Koshirae {Mounts} With Gold and Shakudo Fuchi of a Lion Dog. Higo School Tettsu Tsuba, of a Coiled Rope Design Kanshirō's Style & Superb Pine-Needle Urushi Lacquer Saya

A fine wakizashi, mounted in all original Edo koshirae including a 17th century Higo School iron tsuba, with a distinct Kanshiro influence, carved with three tekebori circles representing coiled rope, and under the original Edo black tsuka-ito, wrapped over traditional samegawa {giant rayskin} are a pair of menuki, representing gold feathers. Carved buffalo horn kashira and a superb Edo shakudo and gold fuchi with takebori Shi-shi {lion dogs} and billowing clouds over a fine nanako ground of shakudo. A good Edo kozuka (utility side knife) of a takebori dragon, in iron, Higo school

A good early 500 year old blade, with, as to be expected, natural age surface wear, and light elements of the usual surface thinning prevalent with ancient blades, with an undulating notare gunome hamon and a fine patinated shakudo habaki.

The saya is stunning highest quality pine-needle urushi lacquer with buffalo horn fittings {kurigata}
The saya is created with a base of black lacquer, applied with a highly complex decorative design pattern of fallen pine needles, laid upon the black urushi lacquer, in a seemingly random pattern. But, in reality each pine needle was strategically placed upon them, when creating the decorative finish, with a tweezer type instrument, and just a single needle, just one at a time, in order to give the impression they fell naturally upon the ground from a pine tree above.
The surface was then lacquered, with many coats, in clear, transparent urushi lacquer, in order to create a uniform smooth surface, in the Edo period it would take anything around a year or more to create a samurai sword saya, as the urushi lacquer coating would be anything up to 12 coats deep, and each would take a month to dry as they were made using on natural materials, not modern quick drying synthetic cellulose lacquers as used today.

The first-generation Kanshirō was the younger brother of a Shinto priest serving at the inner and outer shrines in Futamata village, Tango Province. During the Hosokawa family’s time in Buzen Kokura, he became a disciple of Hirata Hikozō. When the Hosokawa clan was transferred to Kumamoto, he accompanied Hosokawa Sansai and settled in Yatsushiro, Higo Province. After Sansai’s death, he moved to Kumamoto, where he received a stipend of twelve persons’ allowance from the Hosokawa family.
Born in Keichō 18 (1613), he died in Genroku 6 (1693) at the age of eighty-one. All of his works are unsigned, and he produced tsuba and fuchigashira using both iron and soft-metal alloys.
This tsuba represents one aspect of the first-generation Kanshirō’s style, employing a design in the manner of Hikozō. The hitsu-ana on one side is shaped in the suhama form, further revealing the influence of Hikozō.

It has been over one thousand years ago that the art of making swords appeared in Japan. The swordsmiths of the time may not have known it but they were creating a legendary sword. The Samurai sword has seen combat in many battlefields. From the early days of the Samurai warrior to the fierce battles in the South Pacific during WWII.

From the earliest days hand-made traditional the Samurai sword was unique because it was forged using the finest skills known to man. A tremendous amount of work was dedicated to creating these pieces. They were an instrument of war as much as a beautiful artifact to adorn any decor.

As once told to us by an esteemed regular visitor to us here in our gallery, Victor Harris {the most eminent sword expert in Europe, and sword curator of the British Museum} and his same words that are repeated in his book, see below;

“In these textures lies an extraordinary and unique feature of the sword - the steel itself possesses an intrinsic beauty. The Japanese sword has been appreciated as an art object since its perfection some time during the tenth century AD. Fine swords have been more highly prized than lands or riches, those of superior quality being handed down from generation to generation. In fact, many well-documented swords, whose blades are signed by their makers, survive from nearly a thousand years ago. Recognizable features of the blades of hundreds of schools of sword-making have been punctiliously recorded, and the study of the sword is a guide to the flow of Japanese history.”
Victor Harris
Curator, Assistant Keeper and then Keeper (1998-2003) of the Department of Japanese Antiquities at the British Museum. He studied from 1968-71 under Sato Kenzan, Tokyo National Museum and Society for the Preservation of Japanese Swords

For those that have interest in original Japanese swords, to acquire one of our original historic samurai swords is a perfect way to have a superbly made original hand made sword, ancient or antique, that it mounted in original Japanese fittings of the early samurai form of katana.

Compared to a modern day, original blade made today in Japan; Authentic, currently, modern hand-made nihonto (Japanese sword blades) from licensed swordsmiths in Japan today, typically start around $10,000–$25,000 for a katana, with prices often exceeding $60,000 for renowned top-tier sword masters or customized commissions.
These blades, forged from tamahagane steel, require 12+ months to create due to strict legal limits on production, with some high-end, custom pieces from master smiths such as Yoshindo Yoshihara exceeding $10,000 for smaller tanto blades.
A brand new, katana blade from a reputable but lower ranked smith usually starts around $7,500–$10,000.

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

Ukiyo-e Japanese woodblock art print of Hokusai Shoki Riding A Shishi Lion

blade 16.75 in.,  read more

Code: 26270

The Lanes Armoury Probably The Largest Online Militaria Website in the World, After Over 100 Years of Brighton Trading, &, The 25th Anniversary of Our Best Antique & Collectables Shop in Britain Award

In this very special anniversary year of 2026

Presented by MILLER'S Antiques Guide, THE BBC, HOMES & ANTIQUES MAGAZINE in 2001.

With around 2000 visitors at our shop every day the most popular question asked, is, “where in earth do you find thousands of such incredible pieces?”
Well, although the answer relatively simple, it is based around over a 100 years of our firmly established reputation. Those that wish to sell, one way or another, find us, because we have been here, located and trading in Brighton for over four generations, and thus well known around the world, and more importantly, throughout the United Kingdom, as one of the most important buyers of ancient, antique and vintage collectables, in Great Britain.
We have been acquiring treasures from history, almost exclusively, from some of the most remarkable private sources for all that time, The family partners have had their specific and utterly remarkable business experience, literally unchallenged, for over fifty years. With the privilege of meeting some of the most incredible individuals imaginable, and all with their own unique story to tell, and their desire to pass on their past heirlooms, to become others heirlooms of the future.

Five years ago we were approached by a most historically enthusiastic young person studying at Sussex University who asked if they could research through our archive to complete a 'paper' based on us as one of the oldest remaining Sussex family business's.
It resulted in some remarkable statistics, that we thought we would share with our regulars, for those that have interest. The research only included the types of items that we regularly buy, sell and export today, with general antiques, furniture, porcelain, clocks, silver and works of art excluded, as we haven't been devoted to that side of the trade since selling our antique export shipping companies in 1992.

In over 100 years of shop keeping in Brighton, at the time of his research, 80 of them pre-internet, apparently, we have likely sold over 200,000 books, {vintage and antique books were, and are, our largest selling single item}, 135,000 medals & badges, over 95,000 worldwide swords, knives and bayonets, over 32,000 Japanese samurai swords {for example, around 28 years ago we bought over 150 Japanese WW2 NCO swords in one vast lot, from the grandson of a WW2 British military surplus dealer, who acquired them for scrap in 1946 from the War Dept}. We have sold and exported,, apparently over 28,500 helmets of all origins and types, 27,000 pistols and muskets of all countries, at least 2450 suits of armour, European, British or Japanese, and over 1,500 cannon, both signal and full sized. Believe it or not, apparently, according to their research and calculations, these are potentially conservative figures, and the actual figure could indeed be much higher. However, in 1936 business trailed off a bit {WW2} but old pops, William {Bill} Hawkins went to the Alan West factory on the outskirts of Brighton {due to being too old to serve in the Navy} and engineered Army Tanks for the next 6 years.


So, please enjoy our historical website, and remember, every thing you see is available and for sale, we try to not keep our webstore filled with past 'sold' items.

Being part of the centre of the historic Brighton Lanes, anything up 2,000 to 3,000 people, will visit us here most days {especially on Saturdays} winter and summer, rain or shine.

We issue our unique, certificate of authenticity, with every single item purchased, and in regards to our Japanese items, both weapons and fittings etc. our ability to do this is based on well over a century of experience, as probably the largest military antiques dealers in Europe. We detail within our certificates, their beauty, approximate age, style, and the feature of their fittings and mounts, and their potential position and status in Japanese samurai history. We will detail the translations, if known, of the kanji (names) chisselled upon the nakago of swords, under their hilt bindings, but purely for information only, although the myth persists that all Japanese master smiths signed their swords, historically, and factually, it is likely less than 30% of samurai blades were in fact ever signed. This fact is certainly found, and confirmed by us to be the case, due to our family’s 100 plus years experience. For example, it is said one of the greatest master smiths who ever lived, Masamune, was, apparently, most reluctant to ever sign his swords. Although this must be relative speculation, as so very few of his swords have been recognised to still exist

Our Certificates of Authenticity are our own unique version of a lifetime guarantee, based on our expertise honed over 100 years, containing a detailed description of any item purchased from our stock. In relation to our samurai weapons, the description with be a combination of our opinion of its style, approximate age and beauty, and for our Japanese samurai swords in particular, that it is an ‘original’, samurai sword, made and used by samurai, both ancient and vintage, within Japan, over the past 700 years, up to the last samurai period in the Meiji era of 1868, as well as up to 1945, if it is a military mounted shingunto sword.

Photos 4 and 5 are part of an editorial in Art and Antiques Weekly Magazine, featuring the story so far { in 1975} of the partner’s former family antiques export company, one of the largest in the world at that time. In 1992 Mark and David retired from the mass wholesale export market and morphed their business into the becoming one of the largest dedicated ‘military antiques’ businesses instead, both of their true passions.  read more

Code: 22565