A Stunning & Rare Victorian US Civil War Period 'Whitworth' Rifle, One Of The Best Condition Examples We Have Seen in Over 20 Years. The Most Desirable & Highly Prized Gun Of The American Civil War. That Could Cost Over $1,000 During The War

A rifle so highly prized for its quality of service and accuracy, it could cost, at the time, more than the value of an average home in America..

With an absolutely mouthwatering patina, as good as any Whitworth we have seen in the finest museum collections.
Serial number 198. One of the most famous types of rifles used by snipers in the US Civil War in the 1860's. In fact they can be such a significant and rare weapon that with known Confederate provenence with correct serial numbering stamping and the like a Whitworth rifle value has been known to approach $100,000 in today's collectors market. Sadly, this fabulous arm has no known provenence surviving, however, it is a most intriguing and an even rarer example in some respects, in that it was converted in the 1870's to the improved 'Snider' breech loading configuration. We have never seen another surviving example of a Snider converted 'Whitworth' rifle before in over 50 years.

A once recorded story of sniper and his Whitworth was detailed below;

‘From hundreds of yards away, a Confederate sharpshooter carefully aimed his prized Whitworth, the crosshairs of its Davidson telescopic sight outlined against the ramparts of Fort Stevens in Washington, D.C. Through the scope fitted to the left side of the stock his eye scanned the ample crowd of Union soldiers and plucky civilians who had ventured by, hoping to observe warfare up close. Suddenly, the shooter’s attention shifted to a tall bearded man wearing a stovepipe hat, realizing it was that Yankee president, within easy range of his English-made precision rifle. As he prepared to fire though, a Federal officer dragged Abraham Lincoln out of view.’

When issued, the rifles came with specific rules of engagement. The Whitworth sharpshooter would only use his gun against high-value targets. Artillery positions, cavalry scouts, exposed officers, and enemy sharpshooters were fair game. Furthermore, they were free to operate independently, choosing their own targets and locations on the battlefield. Some Confederate generals, especially Maj. Gen. Patrick Cleburne of the Army of Tennessee, consolidated their sharpshooters into dedicated companies, using them to divert enemy forces where needed.

While many high-ranking Union officers had fallen victim to sharpshooters armed with Whitworth rifles, Maj. Gen. John Sedgwick, in command of the 6th Corps at Spotsylvania, was the most noteworthy witness to their effectiveness. Sedgwick was no stranger to enemy bullets, having been wounded several times prior to Spotsylvania. Ironically, he was hit, but not injured, by a spent bullet on May 8, 1864. The next day, his luck ran out.

The story of the Whitworth and the Civil War; What the Confederacy needed as it prepared for war was a means of equalizing the disparity in arms fielded by the industrially superior North. Unable to produce what they needed, the South looked abroad. Arms buyers secretly visiting Great Britain obtained contracts for hundreds of thousands of regular P1853 Enfield rifles, and many other munitions that could be sent home by blockade-runners. But the available Whitworths were costly and difficult to come by.

Under wartime conditions, the price of a Whitworth rifle quickly jumped from $100 to $500, then again to $1,000 an expensive proposition considering how many regular muskets and rifles that same sum could buy, a Colt revolver in 1863 for example was just $20, and that was considered an expensive pistol at the time. $1,000 then was a simply mind boggling sum by today's standards.

The Whitworth projectiles were made by ‘swaging’, a unique forging process that were difficult for the South to manufacture, so cylindrical bullet moulds were added to shipments to supplement the smaller stores of hexagonal ammunition. These cylindrical moulds then went to Southern arsenals to produce additional loads for distribution, once the British rounds had run out.
Overall 52 inches long

As with all our antique guns no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables  read more

Code: 23154

A Simply Fabulous, Cased, Double Barrelled Percussion Sporting Gun by James Wilkinson, Successor To The Legendary Henry Nock, and Later To Become The World Famous Wilkinson Sword Co.

SOLD.

Only the third, originally fully cased 'Wilkinson' finest double barrel gun we have had in the past ten years, the last one was last year.

29 inch sighted Damascus browned barrels engraved with the manufacturer's details on the sighting rib, serial no. 4105, border and scroll engraving of the finest quality, with signed back action locks, half stocked with chequered wrist, border and scroll engraved steel mounts, contained in a relined mahogany case with commensurate accessories, lid with later label. Prior to the death of Henry Nock in 1804 James Wilkinson had been foreman and general manager to his Father-in-Laws business. No doubt a very capable man clearly perfectly placed to carry on the business at hand managing not only the premises at Ludgate Hill but the many other workshops scattered around London.

History would show James Wilkinson every bit the equal to Henry Nock save for Nock’s inventive genius. However James would grow the reputation of the business with many of his fine sporting guns being the envy of sportsman and royalty a like.

After the death of Henry Nock in 1804 James Wilkinson had advertised himself as “ James Wilkinson Gunmaker, successor and son-in-law to the late Mr Henry Nock ” as was the fashion of that period. So when in 1824 Henry joined the family business this was changed to reflect the new situation. From then Father & Son would be trading under “ James Wilkinson & Son ” or more simply “ Wilkinson & Son ”.

To replicate such a fine hand made ‘bespoke’ double barrelled gun today, only Purdey or Boss of London could have the skills required to replicate it. A fine engraved bespoke single Purdey side by side shotgun, with a pair of Damas barrels, costs today £113,500, each, that is £227,000 for a pair, with an 18 months to 2 year waiting time, and additional costs for casing and tools.  read more

Code: 23372

A Wonderful Original Antique Signed Samurai Glaive, C.1725, An Honorific Representation of Seiryūtō, the 'Green Dragon', of Kanshō. From The Collection of World's Greatest Authority and Author On Japanese Polearms, And Use In Combat. Signed Masakiyo

Part of the amazing collection, accumulated over 70 years, of edged weapons, helmets and armour that we acquired, from the late great collector and one of the most famous and first martial art practitioners and sensei in the UK, that shall be added soon for sale, once conserved in the workshop.

This wondrous museum piece has indeed just returned from its no expense spared conservation, and looks amazing.

His number one friend and dojo ‘sempai’ was also our great friend and work colleague of 40 years Christopher Fox.

One of the most powerful Nagata polearm we have ever experienced, it has a weight and heft that is quite remarkable and it is extraordinarily elegant and beautiful. It is superbly bright and in exceptional condition, it bears a full and glowing carved horimono of dragon’s breath, that is decorated with dramatic red urushi lacquer, It has a notare based on suguha hamon

It has a typical long tang for mounting within a pole handle. But, as in all current museum exhibits of finest Japanese blades it is now meant for display without the haft en situ

The habaki is a stunning three dimensional bronze okimono, the head of the ‘green dragon’ of legend executed with enormous skill. It emphasises the entire representation superbly and creates an amazingly dramatic work of art. The best okimono have exquisite workmanship, graceful design, are often strikingly original in conception and usually naturalistic in detail.

This wonderful 300 year old naginata, signed Mondonosho Masakiyo, is not only an incredible and highly effective weapon of combat, but it was hand crafted by a most skilled swordsmith as a representation of Daitō Kanshō's great spear, called Seiryūtō, and it appears illustrated in the author's second seminal work on samurai polearms and their combat use, of 'Japanese Spears: Polearms and Their Use in Old Japan' published in 2004.

The original version is a very most fabulous polearm of legend, and represented in the book, written in the 14th century, Suikoden, and appears in chapter 62, used by Daito Kansho.

Daitō Kanshō was born in Hotō-gun, the grandson of Juteikō (Shouting hou), and was a descendant of the great general, Kan-u Unchō (Guanyu Yunchang), during the time of the Three Kingdoms; he is thought to have greatly resembled him. He was a municipal guard and always used a glaive called a 'seiryūtō', or ‘green dragon’ the origin of his nickname, Daitō (big spear). While he was young, he became well versed in martial arts and weaponry and his style of fighting was similar to that of Kan-u.

Famous prints, that we we show in the gallery, depicts the battle of Tōshōfu (Dongchang fu) where Kanshō is blocking the stones that are being thrown by Botsu-usen Chōsei (Zhang Qing), using the butt of his enormous glaive to parry them. He was considered particularly brave to fight against Chōsei who was famous for being able to hit his target with a stone ten times out of ten.
This print of Kanshō forms a diptych with a print of Chōsei in Kuniyoshi's Suikoden.

From Chinese based martial art stores one will be able to see online 101 different reproduction representations of Seiryūtō, but this, will be the only one you may ever see that is hundreds of years old,..... and real!

29.5 inches long inc tang, blade, including dragon habaki, 20 inches long. It weighs three pounds eight ounces, 1.65 kilos.  read more

Code: 26220

A Most Fine Knightly Polish War-Hammer Nadziak or Obuch, 1500's A.D. Inlaid with Silver Cross Hatching. Certainly one of the Most Beautiful & Well Preserved We Have Ever Seen.

A fine early original war-hammer composed of an ovoid haft socket, a fierce downturned ‘tiger’s claw’ spike, and a square section hammer head, all inlaid with a stunning and intricate silver geometric design. Overall in superb condition for its great age.

We show it in the gallery with the form of haft it would have had, and indeed could do once more, but this one shown is for information only and not present or included

The name obuch is Polish and means 'the blind end of an axe', but already at the beginning of the 15th century it meant a unspecified war hammer. According to Polish sources of 17th century, the war-hammer could have been formed into the shape of an axe (czekan), or in the form of a thick, slightly sloping spike (nadziak), or curved like a round cracknel (obuch). A 17th century description states: 'It was a terrible instrument in the hand of a Pole...With the sabre one could cut off somebody’s hand, cut the face, injure the head, and the running blood of the adversary would calm down the rancour. But with the obuch one could cause a deadly wound without even seeing the blood, and – not seeing it – he would not calm down instantly, but would strike several times without cutting the skin, breaking ribs and bones at the same time.'

There is a stunning original drawing of a very similar example [we show a copy of it in the gallery] with a full description and how it was used in the attempted assassination of the king of Poland by Michal Piekarski in 1620.

The translation of the drawings text reads

:” a sledge hammer, a war hammer design called a 'Crane' with which Russian nobleman Michele [Michal] Piekarski, aged 40, wounded the King of Poland called Sigismund of Lithuania in the back with one blow of the hammer point and another of the hammer shaft (having used the metal for the first blow). This happened on Sunday the 15th of November 1620 at 9 ½ hours in Warsaw while his Majesty was in church studying the learnings of the Dominican Fathers. In June of that year [The King/the Hammer] cut to pieces .?. Polish people with the death of their earthly life.”

The drawing is perhaps the work of a political sympathiser in opposition to the Swedish annexation of Poland under Sigismund III Vasa as part of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

By the end of the 16th century, the hussars had adopted enough armor to become a new, more agile heavy cavalry, using their trademark 18-foot light-long lance as their initial shock weapon. They sported breastplate, a mail shirt, forearm guards, thigh armor (cuirass), and an open-faced burgonet-like helmet called a zischaage. Total weight of a hussar’s armor was no more than 30 pounds. An animal-skin mantle, particularly leopard, was a showy form of identity and esprit de corps. Perhaps the most notable element of the latter array was the famous “wings” the hussars would sometimes wear—eagle wings attached to arching frames and a special support on their back armor or saddle. The rush of these wings during a charge was psychologically unnerving, and the extra height they gave riders was intimidating.

The war hammer was the hussars’ most common secondary weapon. Slung from the saddlebow, the early Polish hussar war hammer was of German and Italian design, with a long shaft. Two styles had names derived from Turkish. The czekan was a combination of hammerhead on one side and an ax on the other. The nadziak, perhaps the most popular war hammer, had a hexagonal head balanced by a long, slightly drooping beak.

By 1600, Polish hussars had bested all other cavalries thrown against them. Each hussar unit charged in three or four ranks, depending on terrain, with the rear rank ready to deal with flank attacks. Hussars initially attacked in open order for ease of movement and maneuvering, but nearing impact with the enemy, they would squeeze together knee to knee, moving at full gallop. This difficult maneuver not only gave them powerful crushing strength, but also minimized losses from enemy firepower.

In comparison to the heavy cavalry of the West, which depended more on sheer weight than speed, the hussars could move quickly from standing to maximum speed. The deadly lance was practical only for the first few ranks, with the rest ready with their secondary weapon of preference, the war hammer, second only to the much-revered sabre.

The haft that fitted the socket would often have been turned or carved wood, but it simply doesn't usually survive around 500 years. However a good cabinet maker or a wood turner could easily create a replacement for a fine display.

Approx 19cm long overall.

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

Code: 24624

Welcome to The Lanes Armoury, Britain's Truly Magical Place, Where Thousands of Original & Breathtaking Wonders Are For Sale And New Fantastic Original Treasures From The Past Are Added, Every, Single, Day, Since 1921

Our beautiful pieces from history are not always just for looking at, some {such as the B3 Pilots Jacket} can still be enjoyed, and even worn, for every one to see.

Based in Brighton for generations the Lanes Armoury stems from a family of antiques dealers that was one if the leading antiques exporting companies in the world. Including, being pioneers of antiques shipments worldwide at the very beginning of containerisation exports that began in the 1960’s, after its invention by Malcolm McLean, in America, in 1956. Mark was the export director of the family company, and personally supervised the sale and export an average of over 3,000 of the finest antiques, every week for over 15 years.

The Lanes Armoury is incredibly fortunate that we occupy a position within the worldwide collectors market that we can, and do, every day, locate and pass on great and fantastic historical pieces, of great beauty and quality for just a small percentage of the cost that other antique stores, at the top of their area of interest, have to make available. In almost all the other top level areas of the sphere of collecting antiques, their offerings must often be in the hundreds of thousands, and even millions of pounds range. Colleagues in the profession we have personally known, that are similar leaders in their field, such as Renaissance bronzes and sculptures, and they can be up to 20 millions, fine art paintings, that can be millions or tens of millions, the finest French furniture that will be hundreds of thousands and even millions as well. In fact, we know of no other sphere of antique collecting, where the best available can be found so inexpensively, by comparison, to all other forms of antiques and art. Please view over the next 130 plus pages, detailing thousands of pieces of world class historical interest, and every single piece has brought, and will continue to bring, great joy for their owners, the new custodians of great artefacts of history.
Our ratings on Google:
they classify us as
'Exceptional'

Recently acquired, added to our web store and also, due to be added;
A collection of arms, helmets and armour from one of the foremost authorities, and late author of two seminal works, on Japanese polearms and combat techniques in the world. Sadly, not a rich man, so he wasn’t able to amass a huge collection, but what he did acquire, over the past 60 plus years, was simply incredible and we were most privileged to acquire the ‘museum pieces’ that we did. Including the ‘Green Dragon’ polearm naganata, his polearm of legend, and, his ‘great sword’ nagamaki, full length and unaltered, and almost six feet long. Plus armour, helmets, sword blades and polearms. Including a very rare momoyama nanban cuirass body armour. Nanban gusoku (南蛮具足): an interesting case of cross cultural exchange in East Asia. Japanese Samurai of the 16th century adopted and modified European breastplate and helmets into their own armour system. A fine, complete, and original momoyama nanban suit of gosuko today can cost between £50,000 to £100,000

A 1st Edition 1st Printing of The Great Gatsby, Publisher, Charles Scribners Sons, New York, Publication Date 1925, with the important words uncorrected, ‘chatter’ and ‘Northern’. Etc.
‘Now Under Offer’

Some superb French Napoleonic weaponry from the Grande Armee. A sword of the commander of the Grenadier Guards in the Crimean War, A fabulous quality and very good Napoleonic Wars Brown Bess, an incredible pair of Zulu War knopkerrie clubs, one a fabulous rare chiefs war club, the other a telegraph wire bound impi warriors war club, NOW BOTH SOLD, and one of the best and beautiful regimental pattern Napoleonic Wars swords, for one of the great Scottish regiments that saw incredible action in the Peninsular war and Waterloo. Also, a stunning Martini Henry 450-577 rifle {with both optional bayonet patterns} NOW SOLD one of the first 1400 ever made. And, one of the rarest Royal Marines pattern swords, 1796, we have ever seen. Trafalgar battle damaged. NOW SOLD
We also have two amazing Japanese swords both Museum pieces, by high ranked smiths, Dewa Daijo Fujiwara Kunimichi circa 1615, and Hamabe Toshizane, 1814. Plus, another super Brown Bess, (that now just sold ), but, another has arrived just the other day. Also a remarkable WW1 German snipers bullet proof armour shield. Some jolly nice Imperial and Third Reich German swords. And a super very rare Victorian tchapka lance cap of the 17th Lancers, of The Charge of the Light Brigade fame. Plus, lots, lots more!

“When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!”

These words were made famous by Alfred Lord Tennyson in his poem, ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’, and refer to that fateful day on 25th October 1854 when around six hundred men led by Lord Cardigan rode into the unknown.

The charge against Russian forces was part of the Battle of Balaclava, a conflict making up a much larger series of events known as the Crimean War. The order for the cavalry charge proved catastrophic for the British cavalrymen: a disastrous mistake riddled with misinformation and miscommunication. The calamitous charge was to be remembered for both its bravery and tragedy.

Recently we also have some superb, British, Victorian swords from the Crimean War, for a new young officer serving in The Zulu War, and one beauty, regimentally marked to the 1st Battalion The Welsh Regiment, for an officer that served in combat Mahdist War (1888): The 1st Battalion was dispatched to Egypt in 1886, playing a key role in the Mahdist War at the Battle of Gemaizah (Suakin) in December 1888, where they were highly praised for their efficiency by their commander, Col.Kitchener.

Colonel Herbert Kitchener, {later to become known as the great Field Marshal Lord Kitchener} who wrote in his dispatches:

‘The half-Battalion of The Welsh Regiment are seasoned soldiers and whatever I asked of them to do they did well. They’re marksmen at Gemaizah Fort and the remainder of the half-Battalion on the left fired section volleys driving the Dervishes from their right position and inflicting severe punishment upon them when in the open. Significantly the Battalion did not lose a man”

Later, the 1st Battalion was dispatched to South Africa in November 1899 for the Second Boer War: it was engaged in Battle of Paardeberg in February 1900, where they suffered heavy losses, and again at the Battle of Driefontein in March 1900

Also, cannon balls from the English Civil War seige. One ball was recovered {in living memory} almost five feet beneath the surface mud. And an incredibly very rare and historical.

Also, see our latest incredible 'Royal' daggers from the 17th century Pattal-hatara (Four Workshops) of the King of Sri Lanka.

Occasionally, as we are Great Britain’s leading gallery of our kind, we have had had such knives, over the past 30 years, before, but nothing as fine as these museum grade examples, from the small collection we were thrilled to have acquired.

We have just also just added to the web store; a German colonels sword surrendered at the formal surrender of the German armed forces in May 1945 to Field Marshal Lord Montgomery, and a beautiful and magnificent samurai swords from the 1600's Tokugawa Shogunate period, one of the most fabulous samurai swords you might ever see. Plus, an Ancient Greek short sword or long dagger From The Greco-Persian Wars era, From the time of the Spartans at Thermopylae, to Alexander the Great's conquest of Persia & Egypt {now sold}

We Are Not Just A Webstore, We Are Always Welcoming Thousands Personal Visitors To View or Buy our Museum Pieces in Our Gallery In Brighton, Every Day* {but Sunday}. In the world of antiques and collectables especially with online only companies, we are one of the oldest established family dealers in the world, and although we now have a premier online presence, we will always have premises where one-to-one contact is always available. We cannot over emphasise how important it is to conduct business with people who clearly declare, who they are, and an address from where they trade. Those that do not confirm to that essential principle, are not, in our opinion, respecting the safety and security of their customers, first and foremost. If you cannot clearly see who you are consulting, and where, ask yourself, why can’t I..

Thousands of original, historic, ancient, antique and vintage collectables. For example; from Ancient Rome, China and Greece, to Medieval Japan, and Viking Europe. Covering British, European, and in fact, all worldwide eras of historical events from the past 4000 years, with antiquities, weaponry, armour, object d’art, militaria and fabulous books, from the Stone Age, the Bronze Age and the iron age, and right up to WW2.

Where else in the world could you find, under one roof, original artifacts, such as,; a mace and archer’s ring recovered from the site of Battle of Crecy, a sword of a British Admiral or notorious pirate fleet captain of the Golden Age of piracy of 17th century England, a battle mace, possibly once used by of one the personal guards in the service of the most famous Pharoah, Rameses the Great of Egypt, or, a museum quality 500 year old sword of a samurai clan Daimyo lord, and a pair of gold and enamel Art Deco 1920’s Magic Circle medals awarded to a friend of Harry Houdini. And all of the above, with many, many other Museum pieces, have been just been offered upon the site within the past couple of weeks.

Personalised and unique ‘Certificates of Authenticity’ can be supplied for every, single, purchase.

Our family have been personally serving the public in Brighton for several generations, in fact, for over 105 years.

* Opening hours Monday to Saturday 11.00am till 4.00pm, closed Sundays and Bank Holidays.


See in the gallery Will Young wearing one of our fabulous Victorian tunics, plus, James Marshall ‘Jimi’ Hendrix

And Tom pops in again to pick up a few trinkets the other day, and Liz and Richard pop down to visit us in October 1970  read more

Code: 24055

An Absolutely Beautiful Original 2nd Century Imperial Roman Officer or Noble's Carved Intaglio, Carnelian Gem Stone, Status Seal Ring, Depicting a Dolphin. Originally Worn in the Roman Empire's of Trajan to Commodus

In Rosemary Sutcliff’s 'Eagle of the Ninth' series of books, a similar Dolphin ring was first owned by a Roman soldier and passed down the family over the centuries.

Made and worn during the reigns of;
Emperor Trajan
Emperor Hadrian
Emperor Marcus Aurelius
Emperor Lucius Aurelius Verus
Emperor Commodus Antoninus

The carvings on rings and seals are known as Intaglio, and a seal ring was part of Roman society for nobles, military officers and citizens. They were personal signets, and the more valuable were made from a small gemstone, with a design cut into the surface by skilled craftsmen, and usually set within a ring. They were used to seal important documents, and objects by making an impression on soft clay or wax. Wearing a carved carnelian signet ring immediately showed that you were of rank, and thus had status, wealth and influence. Some surviving rings have been found across Roman Britain, in towns and military sites alike, including two at the Waddon Hill former Roman military fort site..

Dolphins, like those seen on the Venus Mosaic found at Kingscote in Gloucestershire, are a fairly popular image in Roman art. They have a rich background in Greek and Roman mythology, literature, and folklore. They were often included in sculptures to improve the stability of the main figures!

Dolphins are featured in many Greek and Roman myths. Here, they are symbols of romance, illustrating the theme established by the depiction of Venus, the Roman Goddess of Love, in the central roundel of the mosaic. The presence of these dolphins alongside Venus also serves as a reminder of the myth that Venus was born from the sea, famously depicted in Botticelli’s late fifteenth century painting ‘The Birth of Venus’.

Their association with Venus is by no means their only significance in Greek and Roman mythology. In the sixth/seventh century B.C. ‘Homeric Hymns’, Dionysus, the Greek God of Wine and Theatre (who later became Bacchus in Roman mythology), was kidnapped by pirates. He turned into a lion to punish the kidnappers and, terrified, they jumped overboard. When they hit the water, Dionysus turned them into dolphins. The ‘Homeric Hymns’ also describe Apollo, a Greek and Roman God, turning into a dolphin to guide a ship into harbour. Another myth tells that Apollo’s son, Eikadios, was shipwrecked and carried to shore by a dolphin. This is one of many myths about dolphins rescuing drowming men, or bringing bodies back to shore for burial.

Dolphins are also often associated with minor sea deities. The Roman author Statius wrote in his first century A.D. epic poem ‘Achilleid’ that the sea-nymph Thetis rode a chariot through the sea that was pulled by two dolphins. Similarly, Philostratus’ ‘Imagines’describes a scene in which the one-eyed cyclops Polyphemus falls in love with the sea-nymph Galatea while she is riding four dolphins.


3/4 of an inch across.  read more

Code: 24626

A Stunning Rarity, A Solid Silver Roman Military Ring, Possibly of a Tribune or Legatus, or Even the Personal Guard of the Emperor Contantine Ist, of the Roman Empire. Engraved with the Personal Wreathed Labarum Standard of Constantine the Great

Engraved with the Personal ‘Wreathed Labarum’ Standard of Constantine the Great.
A Labarum engraved ring of Constantine Ist's Military standard showing the symbol 'Chi Rho' surrounded by the victory symbol laurel wreath. As it is a solid silver ring it likely demonstrates it was awarded and worn by an Imperial Roman military commander of high rank. Roman bronze rings and bracelets were awarded and allowed to be worn by the Legionary or Centurion, but the silver grade was only for the ranks of such as the Centurion, Tribune or Legate. Plus, as the Emperors symbol is framed in the engraving within a laurel wreath of victory, it may most likely have been awarded to the highest rank of Tribune [a wide stripe Tribune] or, a Legate, after a great victory in combat. Possibly after the Battles of Livium Bridge against Maxentius and the Battle of Chrysopolis against Emperor Licinius in the East, The religious aspect of the conflict was reflected in Licinius drawing up his battle lines with images of the pagan gods of Rome prominently displayed, whilst Constantine's army fought under his talismanic Christian standard, the labarum. Licinius had developed such a superstitious dread of the Labarum he forbade his troops from attacking it, or even looking directly at it.

Constantine’s saw his divine message from Christ, it was;
‘In hoc signo vinces’ – “In this sign, you will win”

The Labarum was a square legion's banner of the 4th century Roman Empire, with golden fringes, hung on a cross beam, on which was embedded the Chi-Rho Christogram, and sometimes also the image of Christ in purple and gold. It was introduced by Emperor Constantine the Great. It was the banner of the Roman legions but used only when the emperor was with the army.

According to an account by Eusebius of Caesarea, before the battle at the Milvian Bridge (October 28, 312 CE) Constantine the Great had a vision that allowed him to win. Around noon, he was to see a luminous cross in the sky, and under it, an inscription in Greek – “You will overcome this”. Better known in Latin translation In hoc signo vinces – “In this sign, you will win”. The next night in a dream, Christ commanded him to use the sign of the cross against his enemies. Eusebius then describes labarum (legionary’s banner) with the sign of Chi Rho.

The Labarum, became the sacred military standard of the Christian Roman emperors, first used by Constantine I in the early part of the 4th century AD. The Labarum—a Christian version of the vexillum, the military standard used earlier in the Roman Empire—incorporated the Chi-Rho, the monogram of Christ, in a golden wreath atop the staff. The flag was made of purple silk (purple dye being at this time a rarity derived from a shellfish of the genus Murex) richly embroidered with gold. Although usually suspended from a horizontal bar, it appears to have been displayed occasionally by fastening one of its sides to its staff.

Constantine was the first emperor to convert to Christianity. He ended the policy of persecuting Christians and in 313 CE issued the Edict of Milan, proclaiming the freedom to profess this religion.

A silver ring of a hoop form, with nicely shaped shoulders, circular bezel nicely engraved with the Emperor's Chi Rho cross, within a laurel wreath roundel. In the gallery is the Labarum of Constantine I, reconstructed from the depiction on a follis Roman coin, minted c. 337. The three dots represent "medallions" which are said to have shown portraits of Constantine and his sons. plus another Roman coin showing his standard, an artistic representation of the Emperor's Labarum, and an original roman carved marble panel, showing Emperor Constantine holding his personal standard adorned with his Chi Rho symbol at the very top.

Battle of Milvian Bridge, (October 28, 312 CE), major battle in a Roman civil war between Constantine I and Maxentius. After the collapse of the Roman Empire’s Second Tetrarchy, Constantine and Maxentius asserted competing claims to the imperial throne. At Maxentius’s goading, Constantine invaded the Italian Peninsula. A lightning campaign saw Maxentius killed in battle at the Milvian Bridge on the outskirts of Rome. Constantine’s victory confirmed his role as ruler of the Western Empire. According to ancient sources, Constantine converted to Christianity just before the battle. The Battle of the Milvian Bridge may have concluded Constantine’s civil war with Maxentius, but it was not his final battle. In the East, Licinius conquered his rival Maximinus Daia’s lands. However, he held them only briefly before Constantine invaded, first in 314 and again in 316. Constantine seemingly eschewed any subtlety of manoeuvre, he launched a single massive frontal assault on Licinius' troops and routed them.[6][8] He won a decisive victory in what was a very large-scale battle. According to the fifth-century historian Zosimus, “There was great slaughter at Chrysopolis.” Emperor Licinius was reported to have lost 25,000 to 30,000 men, with thousands more breaking and running in flight. Licinius managed to escape and gathered around 30,000 of his surviving troops at the city of Nicomedia.

Recognising that his surviving forces in Nicomedia could not stand against Constantine's victorious army, Licinius was persuaded to throw himself on the mercy of his enemy. Constantia, Constantine's half-sister and Licinius' wife, acted as intermediary. Initially, yielding to the pleas of his sister, Constantine spared the life of his brother-in-law, but some months later he ordered his execution, thereby breaking his solemn oath. This occurred because Licinius was suspected of treasonable actions, and the army command pressed for his execution. A year later, Constantine's nephew, the younger Licinius, also fell victim to the emperor's anger or suspicions. He was executed in 326 and had his name expunged from official inscriptions.

In defeating his last foe, Licinius, Constantine became the sole emperor of the Roman Empire; the first such since the elevation of Maximian to the status of Augustus by Diocletian in April 286. After his conquest of the eastern portion of the Roman Empire, Constantine made the momentous decision to give the east its own capital, and the empire as a whole its second. Constantine was now the undisputed ruler of the entire Roman Empire. As thanks for his good fortune and proof of his conviction, he would make Christianity the state’s most favoured religion. But Constantine would also abandon the city whose conquest had cemented his conversion. The capital would be relocated east to the city of Byzantium (renamed Constantinople, modern Istanbul). Rome would be left to crumble, and with it the Western Empire.

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


 read more

Code: 24628

A Gold Inlaid Traditional Persian Armour Suite, of Helmet, Shield & Arm Defence. The Kulah Khud,(کلاه‌خود) Sipar (سپر), and Bazu Band (بازوبند). Late 18th to Early 19th Century, Possibly Wootz Steel { Pulad}

A simply stunning suite of original armour comprising the traditional Kulah khud, dhal, and bazu band. Most likely made in Isfahan

A very fine set of Persian armour consisting of a shield; sipar (سپر), helmet; kulah khud (کلاه‌خود) and armguard; bazu band (بازوبند) for the left hand. Such sets often come with only one bazu band, and curiously, it is always the left one like seen here.

The helmet has a hemi-spherical skull, pierced with four heart-shaped panels each fitted with an iron plate within a moulded frame, the skull fitted at its apex with a low spike, a pair of plume-holders at the front and with a staple for a sliding optional nasal guard, decorated over the greater part of its surface with gold koftgari flowers and foliage and mail neck-defence of butted links; the bazu band of a gutter-shaped form, fitted with hinged inner arm-defence, each decorated with gold and silver koftgari foliage, and chain mail covering for the hand of butted links, and with a padded lining; and the dhal somewhat in the size of a buckler of shallow convex form, the outer face applied with brass and gold and silver koftgari inlay foliage and flowers and decorated with silver koftgari foliage enriched with gold flowers: Koftgari is the name for Indian form of Damascening used on Indo-Persian armour and weaponry, which also closely resembles the Damascening found in Persia and Syria.

The inlay process begins after the piece is moulded and fully formed. The intended design is engraved into the base metal and fine gold or silver wire is then hammered into the grooves.

The base metal is always a hard metal, either steel, iron or bronze, and the inlay a soft metal, either gold or silver. This combination prevents the base from deforming when the wire inlay is hammered into the surface and results in the inlaid areas being well defined and of sharp appearance.

Swords, shield and armour were often decorated in koftgari . Persian arms and armor enjoyed widespread fame across the world and naturally found their way to the armories of Ottoman and Indian rulers. Aside from fine craftsmanship, the Persians were known to produce very fine wootz, most notably in the city of Isfahan.

Armours such as this fine suite could be used by the guard of nobility or Ta'zieh

The Ta'zieh were religious passion plays that recounted the tragedy of Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. They were performed at set dates and local royalty, and even the Shah himself, took great pride in organizing them in the most lavish manner:

"Among the " properties " may be reckoned horses, mules, camels, etc, all richly caparisoned; lions and other wild beasts from the Shah's menagerie; carpets, shawls, dresses, and suits of armour of every description; European uniforms for the Feringhi ambassador and his suite, who intercede with Yezid for the lives of Hussein's family; and an endless variety of ornamental objects old and new. Some months ago the Shah ordered a collection of ancient metal vases to be made, to add to the splendour of the next Tazieh."

-Robert Murdoch Smith, 1876



Fine sets of Persian arms and armour thus found their way through export to the palaces of Ottoman and Indian rulers but also to the arms panoplies that were commonly found in the homes of European gentlemen, particularly in Britain. The British traditionally always had a great fondness of this form of high quality, exotic Asian weaponry, helmetry and armour.  read more

Code: 21499

One Of The Most Incredible And Rare Early Samurai Swords We Have Ever Seen The Great Sword Nagamaki, From The Collection of Likely The World's Greatest Authority and Author On Japanese Polearms & Their Use

What a magnificent beauty! The Great Nagamaki sword that crosses the divide between the fearsome naganata long pole-arm and the no-dachi great sword.

It is a joy to acquire this monumental and incredibly rare example of ancient samurai arms, even if just for a brief while. It is in the process of being conserved for the next 500 years, and once completed it will be photographed in all its magnificence. We show it in the gallery as is prior to its completion. The original Edo period koshirae fittings will be relatively left untouched as they are already in great condition, with light artistic 風が吹いている (kaze ga fuite iru) ‘the wind is blowing’ decor. Which may be a symbolic representational name of the sword, such as 山颪 yamaoroshi, ‘wind blowing down from a mountain’

The blade has no damage at all, and in superb order, but, it requires considerable cleaning and expert hand conservation in order to return the blade’s beauty to its previous best.

We also show in the gallery early Japanese woodblock prints of similar examples used by great figures of samurai history.

The nagamaki is a type of sword developed from the Odachi but has the reach of a polearm too. It offers versatile combat techniques, and has the cutting power and technique of a sword with the reach of a longer weapon/polearm.

This behemoth of a sword appears illustrated in the author's second seminal work on samurai polearms and their combat use, of 'Japanese Spears: Polearms and Their Use in Old Japan' published in 2004.

Hosokawa Sumimoto (1489–1520) was a prominent samurai commander during Japan's Muromachi period, often depicted in art holding or associated with the nagamaki, a distinctive, long-handled Japanese sword.
Sumimoto is famously depicted in a 1507 equestrian portrait by Kano Motonobu wearing armor and holding a nagamaki, which is often used in modern media to illustrate this specific weapon.

The nagamaki ("long wrapping") is a sword with a blade length similar to a katana but with a very long handle (sometimes equal in length to the blade) that is wrapped in cord or leather. It was used for powerful sweeping and slicing strokes, particularly effective for infantry against cavalry.
Armor Connection: The armour worn by Sumimoto in his famous 1507 portrait (now associated with the Eisei-Bunko Museum) was later worn by his descendant, Hosokawa Narimori, making his, and the weapon's, appearance historically significant to the family's legacy.
Historical Context: Sumimoto was a key figure in the Hosokawa clan, acting as a deputy shogun (Kanrei) during a period of extreme civil strife in early 16th-century Japan.

We acquired this collector's prized nagamaki great sword, that is over six feet long in its koshirae, made prior to the Azuchi Momoyama period, circa 1550. The type of samurai sword you very, very rarely see in Europe today outside of a museum, and often not in most museums either. This is one of the rarest types, of an example that escaped the Shogun's *edict to cut the nagamakis and no-dachis down to regular katana sword length, as he believed swords that were over length for regular close quarter combat and should be shortened. {see details below}

We show a famous woodbloock print of Hosokawa Sumimoto carrying his nagamaki while on horse back. Our nagamaki was likely made within eighty years or so of Sumimoto's sword, just around the time of the Battle of Sekigahara. From the dimensions in the print, our blade is likely around a foot longer than his nagamaki.

Hosokawa Sumimoto (1489–1520) was a prominent samurai commander during Japan's Muromachi period, often depicted in art holding or associated with the nagamaki, a distinctive, long-handled Japanese sword.
The nagamaki is a type of sword developed from the Odachi but has the reach of a polearm too. It offers versatile combat techniques, and has the cutting power and technique of a sword with the reach of a longer weapon/polearm.

The nagamaki ("long wrapping") is a sword with a blade length similar to a katana or considerably longer, our nagamaki has a 43 inch blade, and with a very long tsuka {handle} sometimes equal in length to the blade that is wrapped in cord or leather. Ours is wrapped in leather, the saya is decorated in a blowing wind pattern. This incredible sword was used for powerful sweeping and slicing strokes, particularly effective for infantry against cavalry.

To appreciate the heft and greatness of this sword, by just reading here, it is around 70% longer than a more usual long katana, and around 50% wider, and thicker, thus, likely six to eight times heavier. Once mounted it is likely the most impressive, original, and early samurai sword you will ever likely see or handle, a true behemoth of a museum piece.

*The Tokugawa shogunate did not issue a single, specific edict exclusively to reduce sword lengths but rather, in 1603, shortly after establishing the Tokugawa Shogunate, they enacted strict regulations that mandated all swords—including the massive no-dachi (field swords) and nagamaki, —be restricted to a specific, shorter length.
Many long no-dachi and nagamaki blades used in the previous warring era (Sengoku) were cut down at the tang (the handle part) and reduce the blade length to meet the new, shorter regulations to fit with the standard daishō (pair of swords) that samurai were allowed to carry.

It also needs overall conservation, and will be shown and offered for sale once completed.

As of this time we know of no other original length Nagamaki available on the worldwide collectors market today. In over 100 years we can recollect only owning three before, and we have likely handled in that time more original Japanese swords than any other still remaining antique sword dealers in the world today.

Many pieces that we acquired from Roald Knutsen Collection were from his friend and fellow enthusiast Henry Russell Robinson's private collection. (7 May 1920, Hackney, London - 15 January 1978) He became Keeper of Armour at The Tower Of London, and it is likely many pieces of his was part of a display of Japanese armour he organised for display in the Tower of London. The Japanese armour exhibition in 1965, which featured samurai artefacts arranged to demonstrate evolving defensive technologies and cultural contexts, drawing thousands of visitors to the Tower.

He was a British military armourer and historian.He served in the RAF during the Second World War making models interpreting aerial photographs. This was when he met Sir James Mann, Master of the Armouries at the Tower of London. Robinson joined the staff of the Tower Armouries in 1946 as a Temporary Assistant, before rising to Assistant Keeper and finally, in 1970, Keeper of Armour.

Robinson was a founder member and president of the Arms and Armour Society. In 1965, he was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London. In 1977, he was awarded an honorary MA by the University of Newcastle upon Tyne.

Between 1967 and 1969, he (a practical armourer) worked with Charles Daniels to interpret and reconstruct the Roman armour nowadays known as 'lorica segmentata'. He produced a series of reconstructions of the two sub-types of armour from the Roman site at Corbridge and one from Newstead in time for them to be exhibited at the 1969 Congress of Roman Frontier Studies held in Cardiff.

His work on the armour featured in one of his best-known books, The Armour of Imperial Rome. Published in 1975 by Lionel Leventhal at the Arms and Armour Press, it included line illustrations by his friend, Peter Connolly. Robinson's system of categorizing Roman helmets has been widely adopted in the UK and USA but never really found favour in Europe.

Robinson was not only known for Roman armour, since he worked on an exhibition of Japanese armour at the Tower Armouries and subsequently wrote two books on the subject. He was also an authority on Native American artefacts and was responsible for the production of the replica of the revised reconstruction of the Sutton Hoo helmet and wrote a guide to the Stibbert Museum.

We know from records, and from our mutual great friend and colleague of over 35 summers, Christopher Fox, who was Roald’s dojo sempei, that quite a few of his collection {acquired prior to 1978} were from, or gained with assistance, from Robinson and his invaluable recommendations..  read more

Code: 26203

An Edo Period Tettsu ‘ Krishitan’ {Christian} Samurai Sword Tsuba {Sword Guard} Of Twin Symbols of The Rope And The Cross. In Superb Condition & Traditionally Boxed For Display. From A Very Fine Collection Of Beautiful Antique Tsuba

This beautiful iron tsuba, contains the hidden Edo period Christian symbols of the rope and the cross, and it serves as both a reminder to the violence and to the subsequent hiddenness that came out of the Japanese convert Christians’ suffering. The rope was symbol of obedience - the symbol of an untied rope.
It may be that the design of the tsuba confronted the believer to the ambiguity born of a prolonged time of painful secrecy. Surrounded by the threat of violence, even a weapon could bear a hidden symbol of Christianity—the cross.

The Hidden Christians quieted their public expressions and practices of faith in the hope of survival from the great purge. They also suffered unspeakably if captured and failed to renounce their Christian beliefs.

In Silence, Endo depicts the trauma of Rodrigues’ journey into Japan through his early encounter with an abandoned and destroyed Christian village. Rodrigues expresses his distress over the suffering of Japanese Christians and he reports the “deadly silence.”

‘I will not say it was a scene of empty desolation. Rather was it as though a battle had recently devastated the whole district. Strewn all over the roads were broken plates and cups, while the doors were broken down so that all the houses lay open . . . The only thing that kept repeating itself quietly in my mind was: Why this? Why? I walked the village from corner to corner in the deadly silence.

...Somewhere or other there must be Christians secretly living their life of faith as these people had been doing . . . I would look for them and find out what had happened here; and after that I would determine what ought to be done.”

- Silence, Shusaku Endo

The current FX series 'Shogun' by Robert Clavell is based on the true story of William Adams and the Shogun Tokugawa Ieyesu, and apart from being one of the very best film series yet made, it shows superbly and relatively accurately the machinations of the Catholic Jesuits to manipulate the Japanese Regents and their Christian convert samurai Lords.

Oda Nobunaga (1534–82) had taken his first step toward uniting Japan as the first missionaries landed, and as his power increased he encouraged the growing Kirishitan movement as a means of subverting the great political strength of Buddhism. Oppressed peasants welcomed the gospel of salvation, but merchants and trade-conscious daimyos saw Christianity as an important link with valuable European trade. Oda’s successor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537–98), was much cooler toward the alien religion. The Japanese were becoming aware of competition between the Jesuits and the Franciscans and between Spanish and Portuguese trading interests. Toyotomi questioned the reliability of subjects with some allegiance to the foreign power at the Vatican. In 1587 he ordered all foreign missionaries to leave Japan but did not enforce the edict harshly until a decade later, when nine missionaries and 17 native Kirishitan were martyred.

After Toyotomi’s death and the brief regency of his adopted child, the pressures relaxed. However, Tokugawa Ieyasu, who founded the great Tokugawa shogunate (1603–1867), gradually came to see the foreign missionaries as a threat to political stability. By 1614, through his son and successor, Tokugawa Hidetada, he banned Kirishitan and ordered the missionaries expelled. Severe persecution continued for a generation under his son and grandson. Kirishitan were required to renounce their faith on pain of exile or torture. Every family was required to belong to a Buddhist temple, and periodic reports on them were expected from the temple priests.

By 1650 all known Kirishitan had been exiled or executed. Undetected survivors were driven underground into a secret movement that came to be known as Kakure Kirishitan (“Hidden Christians”), existing mainly in western Kyushu island around Nagasaki and Shimabara. To avoid detection they were obliged to practice deceptions such as using images of the Virgin Mary disguised as the popular and merciful Bōsatsu (bodhisattva) Kannon, whose gender is ambiguous and whom carvers often render as female.

The populace at large remained unaware that the Kakure Kirishitan managed to survive for two centuries, and when the prohibition against Roman Catholics began to ease again in the mid-19th century, arriving European priests were told there were no Japanese Christians left. A Roman Catholic church set up in Nagasaki in 1865 was dedicated to the 26 martyrs of 1597, and within the year 20,000 Kakure Kirishitan dropped their disguise and openly professed their Christian faith. They faced some repression during the waning years of the Tokugawa shogunate, but early in the reforms of the emperor Meiji (reigned 1867–1912) the Kirishitan won the right to declare their faith and worship publicly.

Two images in the gallery are drawings of bronze fumi-e in use during the 1660s in Japan, during the time of the persecution. Each of these drawings mirrors actual brass fumi-e portraying Stations of the Cross, which are held in the collections of the Tokyo National Museum. Picture four in the gallery shows a samurai Christian convert wearing adapted papal armour taking a blessing from a missionary priest.  read more

Code: 25310