A Good, & Very Rare, German Third Reich, WW2 Wehrmacht 14th Kavallerie Regimental Sword. Used In Operation Barbarossa The Invasion of Russia and the Eastern Front. Amazing that It Is One Of The Few To Survive the Debacle of The War in the East.

Used in WW2, yet with only a 20% survival rate of the Eastern Front campaign by German forces, this sword is a remarkable survivor. Cavalry regiments had an even greater loss percentage.

Fully etched combat blade with full regimental name of the 14th Kavallerie and an etched panel of a cavalry charge, with all the troop wearing steel combat helmets. Steel P hilt, black celluliod grip with wire binding. Black painted steel scabbard. Fully etched blade with 14th Kavallerie etched, with cavalry combat charges, a horse's head profile and florid d?cor. The same type of sword worn by General der Kavallerie Edwin Graf von Rothkirch und Trach, who joined the 14th Kavellerie, aged 42, in 1930, as a major. In September 1939 he was made Chief of the General Staff of the XXXIV Corps Command. Serving in the war for two years on the Eastern Front he was promoted in November 1944 to Commanding General of the LIII Army. General Graf von Rothkirch und Trach was captured at Neunkirchen by Lieutenant Colonel Abrams' 37th Tank Battalion in March 1945. The remnants of Graf von Rothkirch und Trachs LIII Army Corps fell back across the Rhine River but was destroyed a month later in the Ruhr pocket. Kavallerie was drawn down somewhat in the German armed forces after the French campaign, but soon after the invasion of Russia it was realised an increase in Cavalry was essential for anti-partisan policing and for recce in terrain unsuitable for vehicles. In the picture gallery their shows an original photo of a WW2 German cavalry trooper who has his identical sword mounted on his saddle. During the war German cavalry units increased in numbers from a single brigade to a larger but still limited force of six cavalry divisions and two corps HQ. All regular cavalry troops served on the Eastern Front and the Balkans and a few Cossack battalions served on the Western Front.

The German Army of 1941 had a single cavalry division assigned to Heinz Guderian's panzer group. Continuously engaged against Soviet troops, it increased in size to six regiments and in the beginning of 1942 was reformed into the 24th Panzer Division that later perished in the Battle of Stalingrad. In April-June 1943 the Germans set up three separate cavalry regiments (Nord, Mitte, Sud) horse units reinforced with tanks and halftrack-mounted infantry. In August 1944 these regiments were reformed into two brigades and a division forming, together with the Hungarian 1st Cavalry Division, Gustav Harteneck’s Cavalry Corps that operated in Belorussia. In February 1945 the brigades were reformed into cavalry divisions (German stud farms in East Prussia were not affected by the Allied air raids that crippled German industry
The SS operated both paramilitary horse units (23 cavalry regiments in 1941) and military Waffen SS cavalry. The SS Cavalry Brigade, formed in 1940, was engaged against civilians and guerrillas in the occupied territories and then severely checked by the Soviet Rzhev-Sychevka offensive. In 1942 the SS reformed the brigade into the 8th SS Cavalry Division manned by volksdeutsche, which operated on the Eastern Front until October 1943. In December 1943 the 8th Cavalry spun off the 22nd SS Cavalry Division manned with Hungarian Germans. These divisions were properly augmented with heavy, field and anti-aircraft artillery. Another SS cavalry division, the 33rd Cavalry, was formed in 1944 but never deployed to full strength.

The Germans recruited anti-Soviet cossacks since the beginning of Operation Barbarossa, although Hitler did not approve the practice until April 1942. Army Cossacks of 1942 formed four regiments and in August 1943 were merged into the 1st Cossack Division (six regiments, up to 13,000 men) trained in Poland and deployed in Yugoslavia. In November 1944 the division was split in two and reformed into the XVth Cossack Corps. The Kalmyks formed another cavalry corps, employed in rear guard duties.

In February 1945 German and Hungarian cavalry divisions were thrown into the Lake Balaton offensive; after a limited success, German forces were ground down by the Soviet counteroffensive. Remnants of Army cavalry fell back into Austria; 22,000 men surrendered to the Western allies, bringing with them 16,000 horses. Remnants of SS cavalry, merged into the 37th SS Division, followed the same route
Expected areas of service wear to the scabbard paint and light surface pitting on areas of the blade and hilt. Very bright polished overall  read more

Code: 21358

Part of a Superb WW1 Machine Gunner's Collection, British and German. An Incredibly Rare WW1 German Machine Gunners Abteilung Marked Utility and Combat Axe and Cradle Leather Belt Holster Regimentally Marked

steel axe head stamped with standing lion makers mark and “G. LEWELT”, waved wooden haft. Housed in brown leather cradle with stud fittings, stamped to the inside “1 M.G.A” 1st Maschinengewehr Abteilung and the axe block with “BA II 1917” Issued to Bekleidungsamt Armee Korps Stettin. Split to leather by brass stud. Used by the machinegunner to cut down trees or wood that thus enabled a machine gun to be placed at its best advantage point, preferably concealed by wood or thicket. It was also the perfect trench warfare close combat weapon. The German army had been a late convert to the potential of machine guns, but its tactical employment of them in 1914 proved superior to that of its enemies. German machine gunners exploited the weapon’s long-range accuracy, and the fact that the guns were a regimental (rather than battalion) asset allowed them to be grouped to achieve maximum effect. This efficiency created a myth that Germany deployed far more machine guns than its opponents in 1914.

Following the onset of positional warfare, machine guns gained notoriety as highly effective direct-fire weapons. They could theoretically fire over 500 rounds per minute (rpm), but this was not normal in combat, where "rapid fire" generally consisted of repeated bursts amounting to 250 rpm. The effectiveness of these bursts of between ten and fifty bullets was enhanced by exploitation of ballistics and the precision offered by firing from adjustable mounts. At ranges of 600 metres or less, machine guns could create fixed lines of fire which would never rise higher than a man's head, with deadly results for those attempting to advance across them. Or the gun could be traversed between bursts to offer what the French called feu fauchant (mowing fire). At longer range, their bullets fell in an elliptical "beaten-zone", giving them an area-fire capability.

Groups of guns could interlock their fire. In favourable circumstances, such as at Loos on 26 September 1915, or on the Somme on 1 July 1916, this could prove devastating. But although this is how machine guns are now best remembered, new methods of using them were developed from 1915 onwards.

Every item is accompanied with our unique, Certificate of Authenticity. Of course any certificate of authenticity, given by even the best specialist dealers, in any field, all around the world, is simply a piece of paper,…however, ours is backed up with the fact we are the largest dealers of our kind in the world, with over 100 years and four generation’s of professional trading experience behind us  read more

Code: 23343

A Good 19th-20th Century French 1886 Pattern Lebel Rifle Sword Bayonet & Frog Hook Scabbard. WW1 French Foreign Legion Issue

With full quillon, complete, and in nice condition. Used by the French Foreign Legion into WW1, a very good example of these long and impressive sword bayonets. 65.5cm long overall. {25.75 inches}. Cross section epee blade nickle hilt. The scabbard has a frog hook fitting that fixes to the belt with a strap {complete with strap} instead of the past and common frog button
Our current just arrived selection of bayonets ranges from a collection just acquired of really great and rare bayonets, from a collector who wanted the very best he could find over the past 40 years. Rare French examples from the Russian contract during WW1, uncovered in Ukraine in the late 90's, French Foreign Legion bayonets, acquired from a French Foreign Legion reserve armoury depot clear-out in the 70's,

The bayonet was made famous as the bayonet used by the French Foreign Legion used in WWI and WWII, albeit with several modifications. The bayonet was produced with a long cruciform blade on a white alloy hilt. The crossguard originally had a downswept quillon like this one {was removed in 1916} and had a press button rifle locking mechanism.

The French Foreign Legion fought in the trenches during WWI on the Western Front, alongside other European theaters of war like the Balkans. This was a shift from their traditional role as they were deployed to fight in Europe instead of just colonial territories. The Legion's units were made up of both veteran mercenaries and wartime volunteers who joined to fight for France, with the latter often finding themselves in the Legion due to circumstances rather than choice.
Deployment: The Legion was not only on the Western Front but also fought in other theaters, such as in the Balkans in engagements in Greece, Serbia, and Macedonia.
Composition: While the traditional "mercenary" legionnaires were part of the force, a large number of new volunteers also joined specifically to fight in the war for France.
Trench warfare: Legion units, like other French army units, were involved in the brutal trench warfare that characterized the war on the Western Front.
Combined forces: The Legion fought alongside other Allied forces, such as the British army in some theaters.

The Lebel bayonet type with the quillon removed is the M1886/93/16 (Model 1886/93/16).
The original M1886 bayonet featured a prominent hooked quillon, intended for parrying or trapping enemy bayonets. This design was updated in 1893 with a new press button mechanism (M1886/93), and then altered again in 1916 (M1886/93/16) to eliminate the quillon.
The quillon was removed for several practical reasons during World War I:
Ease of manufacture: Removing the quillon simplified and sped up the production process to meet the demands of the war effort.
Field functionality: The hooked quillon was found to be impractical in close combat, as it could get tangled in equipment or other objects.
Material conservation: Around the same time, the original nickel-silver (cupro-nickel-zinc alloy) handles were replaced with brass or steel to conserve nickel for other war uses.
Bayonets produced with the quillon (pre-1915 models) were often officially modified later by having the quillon cut off while in service. Bayonets manufactured after 1916 were made without the quillon from the start.

French Model 1886/93/16 Epee Lebel Bayonet

The model M1886/93/16 Bayonet was standard issue to French Foreign Legion soldiers fighting in the second half of WW1 after 1916 who were issued the Lebel rifle.

The M1886 bayonet is an usual design which has a long thin cruciform Blade with a peculiar locking device just behind the muzzle ring and an all metal grip

The later model was the same but with adjustments, see below, and re designated the M1886/93/16 bayonet

Cast smooth handle
No hooked Qullion
Square cut press stud
Cruciform blade
Black steel tube scabbard with frog hook.
Overall length 67cms
Blade length 51.5cms
Originally the bayonets had a nickel-silver handle and a hooked quillion, just as this example. By 1916, with the need to conserve nickel for the war effort, some of the handles were made of brass. About the same time they were manufactured without the quillion.

The steel quillon and scabbard has old age russetting, the quatrefoil blade and nickel are excellent.

Delivery cost shown as for UK mainland only. Non UK delivery is now considerably upgraded for safety issues  read more

Code: 26071

A Superb K98 Mauser Combat Bayonet. Early to Pre War Manufacture 1939 By Coppel GmbH. Matching Bayonet & Nickel Plated Scabbard.

Karabinier Kurz Mauser K98k Seitengewehr 84/98. Early bakelite gripped, Serial number 7333. Matching Waffenamt 'Wa253' inspector markings to the scabbard and pommel, with full matching maker markings to both parts. Bayonet blade and scabbard, in wonderful bright plus condition, the bayonet fits and extracts perfectly, with perfect functioning rifle button catch.

A bayonet for the standard Mauser arm used by the Heer Army, Kriegsmarine Navy, used before and during the allied liberation of France, and subsequently the whole of the enslaved Western Europe, until, finally, the capture of Berlin by the Red Army. The Karabiner 98 kurz (German; "carbine 98 short", often abbreviated Kar98k or K98k and often incorrectly referred to as a "K98" (which was a Polish Carbine), is a bolt-action rifle chambered for the 7.92 ×57mm Mauser cartridge that was adopted on 21 June 1935 as the standard service rifle by the German Wehrmacht. It was one of the final developments in the long line of Mauser military rifles. Although supplemented by semi- and fully automatic rifles during World War II, it remained the primary German service rifle until the end of the war in 1945.


Sold to over 18s only.  read more

Code: 25904

An Original, Edo Period, Antique Samurai Taiko War Drum, { Nagado-Daiko} For The Playing Of Samurai Taiko Battle Music. Wooden Barrel With Two Hides One Stamped with Square Kanji Seal. Set Upon Its 5 Legged Stand

A superb Taiko samurai war drum, Edo period, on carved wooden stand. The skin bears a square wood block kanji stamp but it is too old to read any longer.

The body it lacquered black with two fine skins attached with rows of handmade nails. Iron rings upon the body for carrying cords. This example is most unusual, as, within the body of the drum, is a bell type instrument, likely as a symbolic accompanying sound, for the drum beat, of some kind

From the Sensei Roald Knutsen Collection.

Samurai used taiko drums as vital communication and psychological warfare tools on the battlefield. Ranging from the 6th century up through the 16th-century Sengoku (Warring States) period, the thundering rhythms allowed warlords to coordinate troop movements, set marching paces, and boost soldier morale over the chaos of war.
Because visual signals were easily obscured by dust, smoke, and distance, taiko drums served as an auditory command system. Specific rhythmic patterns acted as distinct orders. For instance, according to the historical text Gunji Yoshū, nine sets of five beats summoned allies, while nine sets of three beats signaled an advancing charge.
Drummers established a steady tempo to keep massive formations of ashigaru (foot soldiers) and samurai marching in sync, typically setting the pace to six steps per beat.
The deep resonance of taiko drums, often vibrating at frequencies that mimic rolling thunder, was used to instill fear in opposing armies and disorient enemy formations.
The drumming unified the troops, reminding them of their shared purpose and boosting their courage before a clash. The Japanese verb for encouraging someone—kobu suru (鼓舞する)—literally translates to "beat a drum and dance".
During the 16th century, the prominent warlord Takeda Shingen famously utilized a specialized 21-drummer troop called Osuwa Daiko to coordinate his armies and intimidate enemies.

Warlords like Oda Nobunaga utilized massive taiko drums to strike fear into enemies and coordinate complicated maneuvers during decisive battles, such as the Battle of Nagashino in 1575.Gojinjo Daiko: In 1577, during the Noto Peninsula conflict, the villagers of Nafune successfully utilized unique taiko drumming to terrify the invading Uesugi Kenshin army, ultimately forcing a retreat.

One picture in the gallery of a view of Sakai Tadatsugu Striking the Clock Drum, 1874 - Terrific scene of Sakai Tadatsugu beating a drum during the Battle of Mikatagahara between the forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu and his ally, Oda Nobunaga, and Takeda Shingen. The defeated Ieyasu managed to retreat to Hamamatsu Castle, but cleverly ordered the gates left wide open and bonfires lit, while Sakai beat the drum loudly. Takeda's pursuing troops were confused, and thinking there must be some trick, did not attack the unattended castle, but camped outside and left the next day. Sakai strikes a bold pose in the center, gripping a drumstick, as the weary general sits on a folding stool at right holding a shallow cup of sake. Flame and smoke rise from a fire on a small stand in the drum tower, while a huge bonfire lights up the dark night sky at upper left. Warriors returning from the battlefield gather below, one flying a red banner with the Oda Clan crest on it. A dramatic composition with wonderfully detailed figures.

Another picture of 47 loyal samurai. Obosi, Kuranosuke Yoshio, sitting on a folding chair, holding the drum stick and the supporting shoulder spear

It was formerly part of the collection of sensei Roald Knutsen, likely the worlds foremost expert and author on samurai polarms and their use in combat, with various pieces acquired with, or from, Henry Russell Robinson's private collection. (7 May 1920, Hackney, London - 15 January 1978) He became Keeper of Armour at 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.

The black body lacquer is worn throughout but the thick unbleached rawhide skins are excellent, and the body very sound indeed.

The drum is 13 inches high, on the stand its 24 inches high  read more

Code: 26225

A Super King George IIIrd Royal Naval Bosun's 'Persuader' or 'Start'. Ideal Implement Of the Bosun When on Press-Gang Service In The Landing Party After The Ship Docks In Harbour To Replenish Crews

Georgian Royal Navy with our Royal Navy Bosun’s Starter or Cosh Persuader, circa 1800. Handmade and weighted, hardwood cosh with a leather-covered end, leather button belt mount, and original wrist strap reflects the brutal realities of the maritime world. A unique collectible in its original condition.
The "Bosun's Persuader" (also known as a Start Club, Cosh, or Starter).Were brutal instruments used during the 18th and 19th centuries by Royal Navy boatswains (bosuns) and press gangs.
They were used as a form of physical discipline to "start" or encourage lazy or slow sailors to work faster, and to enforce compliance during press-gang recruitment.
It was ironically called a "persuader" or "starter" because the strike of the club served to "start" the sailor into action. Because they were handmade by sailors, they varied significantly in length and design. They were concealable up a sleeve, or hung upon a belt, but powerful enough to cause injury or render someone unconscious if needed.

A most fascinating piece, and thus reveals the type of situations that it's owner would have had to face both while on press gang shore patrol, and in boarding party conflicts at sea. It could also be mighty handy in the darkened, sinister back streets of all the likely ports travelled by Royal Naval matelots in the Georgian to Victorian era, such as at Canton, Marseilles New York, San Francisco, Shanghai, Port au Prince, Montego Bay, Kingstown, and not least London and Liverpool etc.
Press Gang – words to the song

As I walked out on London Street
A press gang there I chanced to meet
They asked me if I’d join the fleet
On board of a man-o-war, boys

Come brother shipmates tell to me
What kind of treatment they give you
That I may know before I go
On board of a man-o-war, boys

When I got there to my surprise
All they had told me was shocking lies
There was a row and a bloody old row
On board of a man-o-war, boys

The first thing they done they took me in hand
They lashed me with a ‘tar of a strand’
They flogged me till I could not stand
On board of a man-o-war, boys

Now I was married and me wife’s name was Grace
‘Twas she that led me to shocking disgrace
It’s oft I’d curse her ugly face
On board of a man-o-war, boys

When next I get may foot on shore
To see them London girls once more
I’ll never go to sea no more
On board of a man-o-war, boys

The popular image of press gangs, as illustrated right, is one of men being forcibly taken. While violence might have been threatened it was rarely used as dead or injured seamen were of no use to the Royal Navy. The last recorded press was in 1814 towards the end of Britain’s long war with Napoleon Bonaparte’s France, yet press-ganging remained legal for another 50 years. Despite a public campaign for abolition, the government retained the right to impress until the 1860s when it finally created an effective Naval Reserve to crew the fleet in an emergency.  read more

Code: 26224

A Most Scarce Antique Edo Period Original Samurai Commander's Saihai (采配). A Samurai Army Signalling Baton

Edo period. From a pair of different forms of saihai acquired by us. The other is now sold.

For a samurai high ranking commander to signal troop movements to his samurai army in battle.

A Saihai, a most lightweight item of samurai warfare, and certainly a most innocuous looking instrument, despite being an important part of the control of samurai troop movements in combat, usually consisted of a lacquered wooden haft with metal ends.
The butt had a hole for a cord for the saihai to be hung from the armour of the samurai commander when not being used. The head of the saihai had a hole with a cord attached to a tassel of strips of lacquered paper, metal, leather, cloth or yak hair

This example uses yak hair.

A saihai (采配) was a vital baton carried by high-ranking samurai commanders to direct troops and signal orders during the chaotic battles of feudal Japan.
A typical saihai consisted of a short, lacquered wooden baton (roughly 37 cm long) capped with ornamental metal ends, featuring a prominent, flowing tassel of washi paper, leather, cloth, or animal hair (like yak) attached to one end.

Commanders used it in several specific ways on and off the battlefield.
Commanders waved the saihai in various patterns to direct large troop movements. Because armies grew to massive sizes during the Sengoku period, commanders often directed the battlefield from the rear or elevated towers. Raising, lowering, or circling the highly visible tassel gave clear visual commands (such as ordering an advance, retreat, or flank).
When the commander aggressively whipped the saihai through the air, the stiff paper or leather tassel produced a sharp "crack" or snapping sound. This distinctive whip-like noise served as an auditory cue to alert nearby troops to look for the next visual command amid the din of war. Visually, the staff strongly resembled the shide (zigzag paper streamers) waved by Shinto priests in purification rituals. Waving the saihai also served as a symbolic prayer to the gods of war to bless their troops with victory.
Beyond its tactical function, it was an immediate marker of high status and authority, indicating a daimyo (lord) or general. When not in active use, the baton was hung from a small metal ring (saihai-no-kan) fixed to the left breast of the commander's armour.

By the peaceful Edo Period, the saihai evolved primarily into an accessory of prestige, power, and military legacy, often passed down through generations or presented as a distinguished gift

We show the lord Uesugi Kenshin holding his in an antique woodblock print in the gallery.

The saihai first came into use during the 1570s and the 1590s between the Genki and Tensho year periods. Large troop movements and improved and varied tactics required commanders in the rear to be able to signal their troops during a battle

Uesugi Kenshin (February 18, 1530 - April 19, 1578) would have used just such a sahai,
He was a daimyo who was born as Nagao Kagetora, and after the adoption into the Uesugi clan, ruled Echigo Province in the Sengoku period of Japan. He was one of the most powerful daimyos of the Sengoku period. While chiefly remembered for his prowess on the battlefield, Kenshin is also regarded as an extremely skillful administrator who fostered the growth of local industries and trade; his rule saw a marked rise in the standard of living of Echigo.

Kenshin is famed for his honourable conduct, his military expertise, a long-standing rivalry with Takeda Shingen, his numerous campaigns to restore order in the Kanto region as the Kanto Kanrei, and his belief in the Buddhist god of war Bishamonten. In fact, many of his followers and others believed him to be the Avatar of Bishamonten, and called Kenshin "God of War".  read more

Code: 21517

A Simply Stunning Japanese Koto Period Wakazashi Bound In Imperial White & 'Red Devil' Urushi Lacquer From The Time of The Battle of Sekigahara, The End of the Sengoku. The Colours Of The Famed Li Clan Tokugawa Ieyesu's Favoured Fearless Warriors

Late Koto period blade, circa 1590, in beautiful polish and fine suguha hamon. With a full suite of Edo period, gold and patinated shakudo fittings, a fine iron Edo tsuba, and a crayfish handled kodzuka utilty knife in patinated copper and gold. With a pair of pure gold overlaid takebori galloping ponies as menuki underneath the white silk ito.

It has a singularly beautiful and most scarcely seen colour combination of 'Red Devil' red and imperial white. White ito binding being the prerogative of only those of the highest level of status, due to it's obvious difficulty to maintain in pristine condition when worn regularly. Rich, so-called 'Red Devil' red, was the distinctive colour, and famous in Japanese samurai history, as the Li clan family’s colour, depicted with their imposing red lacquered suits of armour and weapons.
Rich red, as opposed to the more usual black and brown, was worn by all from the lord down to the foot soldiers, and it marked them out on the battlefield and advertised their origin to those who stood opposed to them. Known as the 'Red Devils', the samurai adorned in red urushi lacquered armour and weapons, under the rule of the Li family, played an integral part in the battles that ended the civil war and raised Tokugawa Ieyasu to the office of shogun, gaining great fame and a fierce reputation. Distinguished warriors, adorned in devil red, known as the most fierce-some, and, most fearless in all Japan.

The Sengoku period was initiated by the Onin War in 1467 which collapsed the feudal system of Japan under the Ashikaga Shogunate. Various samurai warlords and clans fought for control over Japan in the power vacuum, while the Ikkō-ikki emerged to fight against samurai rule. The arrival of Europeans in 1543 introduced the arquebus into Japanese warfare, and Japan ended its status as a tributary state of China in 1549. Oda Nobunaga dissolved the Ashikaga Shogunate in 1573 and launched a war of political unification by force, including the Ishiyama Hongan-ji War, until his death in the Honnō-ji Incident in 1582. Nobunaga's successor Toyotomi Hideyoshi completed his campaign to unify Japan and consolidated his rule with numerous influential reforms. Hideyoshi launched the Japanese invasions of Korea in 1592, but their eventual failure damaged his prestige before his death in 1598. Tokugawa Ieyasu displaced Hideyoshi's young son and successor Toyotomi Hideyori at the Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 and re-established the feudal system under the Tokugawa Shogunate. The Sengoku period ended when Toyotomi loyalists were defeated at the siege of Osaka in 1615.

The Battle of Sekigahara (Shinjitai: 関ヶ原の戦い; Kyūjitai: 關ヶ原の戰い, Hepburn romanization: Sekigahara no Tatakai) was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 (Keichō 5, 15th day of the 9th month) in what is now Gifu Prefecture, Japan, at the end of the Sengoku period. This battle was fought by the forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu against a coalition of Toyotomi loyalist clans under Ishida Mitsunari, several of which defected before or during the battle, leading to a Tokugawa victory. The Battle of Sekigahara was the largest battle of Japanese feudal history and is often regarded as the most important. Mitsunari's defeat led to the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate.

Tokugawa Ieyasu took three more years to consolidate his position of power over the Toyotomi clan and the various daimyō, but the Battle of Sekigahara is widely considered to be the unofficial beginning of the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled Japan for another two and a half centuries

Ii Naomasa, served as one of Tokugawa Ieyasu's generals, and received the fief of Hikone in Omi Province as a reward for his conduct in battle at Sekigahara. The colour of their armour meant that they were the easiest to recognise on the painted screens that depicted the great events of Japanese history, showing that the Ii family understood the benefits of good public relations. The Ii and a few sub-branches remained daimyo for the duration of the Edo period.

The family remained at the heart of events until 1860 when Ii Naosuke, the last of the lords of Hikone was murdered by anti-shogun and anti-Western rebels. He was deeply involved in the negotiations between the shogunate and the Western diplomats concerning the opening of Japan to trade  read more

Code: 25203

A Beautiful Kabuto 12 Plate Samurai Helmet The Hidari Mitsudomoe Mon, of Kobayakawa Takakage. Meaning "Left Threefold Tomoe". A Hachi (鉢), Mabizashi (目庇) & Fukigaeshi (吹返) Tehen no Ana / Tehen Kanamono (八幡座): & Gold Buddhist Bonji of Amida Nyorai

Around 300 plus years old. Formerly of the Sensei Roald Knutsen Collection.

The traditional Japanese kabuto war helmet consists primarily of the hachi (bowl) and shikoro (neck guard), with key components including the mabizashi (visor), fukigaeshi (side wings), and maedate (front crest). These elements combine iron, lacquer, deer hide and cotton linings, and sometimes precious metals, to create both highly decorative artistry, and functional, excellent protection for the head. This kabuto is a beauty, combat damaged and aged, but a beauty none the less, it has no shikoro {rows of rear neck guards}.

This kabuto’s hachi bowl is made of 12 seperate plates of iron linked together to make a protective skull structure. With a stunning, gold, Buddhist bonji of Amida Nyorai (Amitābha) mounted at the front of the hachi bowl. This would represent the samurai invoking the all powerful principles of Amida Nyorai within his actions as a warrior, and thus he is defined by them.

Bonji (梵字) is the Japanese term for the sacred Sanskrit characters used in esoteric Buddhist schools, such as Shingon and Tendai. Derived from the Siddhaṃ script, these syllables function as shuji (seed characters) that spiritually represent the essence of specific Buddhas, bodhisattvas, or cosmic energies.
Each Bonji character acts as a visual focal point for meditation, protection, and spiritual awakening. Because they are believed to physically manifest the enlightened world of the deities, they are treated with the same reverence as physical statues

The celestial Buddha of Infinite Light, Amida Nyorai (often called Amida Butsu) is a celestial Buddha who has the ability to intervene in this world and save people in a god-like manner. He has passed the bodhisattva path and has achieved superhuman powers giving him the power to live in the heavens.

Hachi (鉢): The main bowl/helmet shell, often made of riveted iron plates.
Mabizashi (目庇): The brim or visor located on the front of the hachi.
Fukigaeshi (吹返): Wing-like, often decorative projections on both sides of the helmet.
Maedate (前立物): The front crest or decoration, which could represent clan identity or religious symbols.
Tehen no Ana / Tehen Kanamono (八幡座): A small opening at the top of the hachi, often finished with an ornamental, chrysanthemum-shaped metal fitting.
Tsunamoto (角元): Mounting points or sockets used to attach the maedate.
Ukebari (受張): The cloth lining inside the hachi that makes it comfortable to wear.
Suji-kabuto: Refers to the type of hachi of ridge plates (suji),
This helmet is lacking its Shikoro (錣): A flexible, multi-layered neck guard hanging from the edge of the hachi at the rear of the kabuto.

The mon of the Kobayakawa clan and Kobayakawa Takakage are mounted on copper discs on the fukigaeshi {front wings}. the front of the helmet is mounted with an applied gold mount of the bonji {script kanji} representing the Buddhist symbol of Amida Nyorai the celestial Buddha of Infinite Light. This would represent the samurai owner's ability to intervene in this world and save people in a god-like manner. In front and below that bonji is an iron prong to hold in place an optional maedate crest.

Kobayakawa Takakage (小早川 隆景, 1533 – July 26, 1597) was a samurai and daimyō (feudal lord) during the Sengoku period and Azuchi–Momoyama period. He was the third son of Mōri Motonari who was adopted by the Kobayakawa clan and became its 14th clan head. He merged the two branches of the Kobayakawa, the Takehara-Kobayakawa clan (竹原小早川氏) and Numata-Kobayakawa clan (沼田小早川氏). He became an active commander of the Mōri army and he with his brother Kikkawa Motoharu became known as the “Mōri Ryōkawa", or “Mōri's Two Rivers" (毛利両川). As head of the Kobayakawa clan, he expanded the clan's territory in the Chūgoku region (western Honshū), and fought for the Mōri clan in all their campaigns

At first he opposed Oda Nobunaga and Toyotomi Hideyoshi but later swore loyalty and became a retainer of Hideyoshi who awarded him domains in Iyo Province on Shikoku and Chikuzen Province on Kyūshū, totalling 350,000 koku. Hideyoshi gave him the title Chûnagon also appointed him to the Council of Five Elders but died before Hideyoshi himself.

The mitsudomoe is also closely associated with Shinto shrines, in particular those dedicated to Hachiman, the god of war and archery. Hachiman in Shinto cosmology and ritual, as for example at Hakozaki Shrine, is repeatedly connected with the number three. In Shintoist thinking, this number is taken to represent the three aspects of the four mitama or 'souls' (the other, the kushimitama being considered far rarer. Fragmentary sources suggest that the First Sho dynasty, who founded the Ryukyu Kingdom, used the symbol if not as their family crest. American historian George H. Kerr claims that King Sho Toku adopted the mitsudomoe as the crest of the royal house after his successful invasion of Kikai Island in 1465. The Second Sho dynasty, who ruled the Ryukyu Kingdom from 1470 to 1879, adopted the mitsudomoe as its family crest. Since it was the royal family crest, its usage was once severely restricted.

According to the story the origin of the Hidari-Gomon takes place in feudal Japan, when the feudal lords and their private armies of samurai fought fiercely for land ownership. It was during a time of constant war in Japan. During these wars, Okinawa was defeated and dominated by the lord of Kagoshima, who imposed conditions on the Ryukyuan people. He proclaimed without exception that the people should go unarmed and that those who were found carrying weapons should be executed. Also, as a tribute of war, he proclaimed that Ryukyuans should submit an annual tax of rice to Kagoshima.
For many years the Ryukyu people religiously fulfilled the terms of the lords agreement. At the time rice was plentiful and no one went armed because a way of fighting had been developed in Okinawa which did not require the use of weapons. We now know this as Karate. Karate was developed because the Ryukyuan King did not want his people to be defenceless and he began secretly sending members of his guard to China, where he knew various forms of bare-hand fighting were being taught. Gradually, karate was being formed, the weapon was the body of the fighter, and it did not conflict in any way the terms imposed by the lord of Kagoshima.

It was formerly part of the collection of sensei Roald Knutsen, likely the worlds foremost expert and author on samurai polarms and their use in combat, with various pieces acquired with, or from, Henry Russell Robinson's private collection. (7 May 1920, Hackney, London - 15 January 1978) He became Keeper of Armour at 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.

Its condition clearly shows it has been used in combat, with areas of lacquer surface damage throughout, and, the detachment of the shikoro neck defences, all likely during hand to hand combat.
But, much of the kabuto has survived beautifully, especially its hachi and mabizashi, that are still as stunning as ever, with amazing urushi lacquer in its near, as-new, lustre, however, it has been obviously left 'as-is' overall in order to show respect to the memory its former wearer's honourable battle scars, from likely his final hand-to-hand combat battle.  read more

Code: 26210

A Super, Early, Ancient Koto Period Samurai Sword Wakazashi, Muromachi Era, Signed Jyakusyuu-jyu Fuyushige Late 14th to Early 15th Century. According to Sensei Roald Knutson, It’s Last Owner, It Is A {Nagamaki Naoshi} Wakazashi

The blade has a captivating gunome midare hamon of incredible vibrancy, and overall its in superb condition, especially being so ancient, around 600 years old. Both the beautiful original Edo period fuchi and tsuba are decorated with the subject of takebori hawks hunting their prey, which is a crane in flight. The tsuba is tettsu with copper and gold takebori crane, hawk and reeds.

Jyakusyuu-jyu Fuyushige（若 jyaku , 州 syuu , 住 jyuu , 冬 fuyu , 重 shige , 作 saku was made by a swordsmith who was recorded and lived around 1430-1440 AD.
A Koto-era sword signed Jyakusyuu-jyu Fuyushige (若州住冬重) originates from Wakasa Province (present-day Fukui Prefecture) and translates to "Fuyushige, resident of Jyakusyuu (Wakasa)". Fuyushige was a swordsmith active during the Muromachi Koto period which spans the Muromachi period and earlier, known for high-quality steel forged during times of intense conflict.

The sword is shown here in its various parts, yet to be mounted with it’s tsuka and saya, once they are fully restored conserved and the remounting complete.

It was formerly part of the collection of sensei Roald Knutsen, likely the worlds foremost expert and author on samurai polarms and their use in combat, with various pieces acquired with or from Henry Russell Robinson's private collection. (7 May 1920, Hackney, London - 15 January 1978) He became Keeper of Armour at 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.

Sensei Knutsen believed this blade was formerly in its combat past, several hundred years ago, a naganata or short bladed nagamaki polearm blade, remounted to become a sword in the Edo period.

Several hundreds years past this was a common practice to create more convenient sized weaponry from single edged polearms than became nagamaki naoshi.

Today, un-shortened historical nagamaki are incredibly rare collector's items, but nagamaki-naoshi blades survive as enduring testaments to the evolution of the samurai and the adaptability of their weaponry .
The weapon became synonymous with the bodyguards of elite warlords, most notably Uesugi Kenshin, who employed a dedicated vanguard of nagamaki-wielding retainers. And one such Nagamaki belonged to Sensei Knutsen and we were delighted to acquire it with this sword,

A re-shaped nagamaki is known as a Nagamaki Naoshi (which simply translates to "Nagamaki reshaped").

Because nagamaki were forged purely for lethal combat—not as ceremonial offerings—they were crafted with exceptional steel and durability. This gave birth to a famous Japanese proverb among swordsmiths and warriors: "No sword made by modifying a nagamaki is dull in cutting“

This blade still possesses its naganata/nagamaki saya without kurikata (as a spare)

Nagao Kagetora (長尾 景虎; February 18, 1530 – April 19, 15781), later known as Uesugi Kenshin (上杉 謙信), was a Japanese daimyō (magnate). He was born in Nagao clan,2 and after adoption into the Uesugi clan, ruled Echigo Province in the Sengoku period of Japan.3 He was one of the most powerful daimyō of the Sengoku period. Known as the "Dragon of Echigo", while chiefly remembered for his prowess on the battlefield as a military genius and war hero,  read more

Code: 26217