A Fine & Fabulous, Koto To Shinto Period, Rare, Original Antique Japanese Shikomi-zue 仕込み杖, "Prepared Cane". A Traditional, ‘Hidden Sword Stick’, 400 to 500 Years Old. With a Sakura Branch Trompe-l'œil Concealment

New fabulous photos added today since the blade was cleaned of its storage varnish.

This is one of the most beautiful, early bladed swords of its type we have ever seen, with a breathtaking chisa katana blade, up to around 400 to 500 years old, with a spectacular hamon and hada, and its gilt habaki blade collar. All cunningly concealed within an innocent looking {simulated} black sekura tree branch

A very fine, masterwork by a finest, Koto period to early Shinto, sword smith. A samurai blade, of superb quality, in stunning polish, showing a wonderously, vivid and complex hamon of immense beauty.

Very finely carved Edo period wooden saya and tsuka, disguise decorated, with ishime urushi stone finished lacquer, in order to 'deceive the eye' {Trompe-l'œil} and to imitate a black bark sakura tree branch walking stick.

The early blade is superb, but it was covered in antique Victorian preservative clear lacquer, we are had it professionally artisan removed, in order to reveal the stunning polish of the blade.. Overall this super rare piece is in fantastic condition for age.

In the 1870's the Meiji Emperor disbanded the fuedal samurai order and banned the wearing of the sword. This created much unrest between the samurai and the government and some samurai moved to carrying 'shikome-zue' the hidden sword.

Therefore, via a circuitous route of deception, they still remain armed, but, with their katana concealed and hidden from public view. But by that deception they felt, least in part, their honour remained intact. With their most elegant and finest bespoke blade upon their person.

In ninjutsu shikomizue became quite popular, as it provided the night warriors with what they needed most – versatility, secrecy and mortality.

The walking stick was popular among all the classes of japanese society and carrying it caused no suspicion at all. Combined with the impersonation skills, shikomizue was really a dangerous and most advabntagouly concealed weapon, enabling attack of ones enemy or even assassin, most suddenly and with deadly skill.

This is possibly one of the nicest of it's types we have ever seen. The blade is typical chisa katana with elegant curvature. Very nice hamon in very nice polish {once cleaned}. The stick is fully and superbly hand carved and over lacquered in urushi to simulate an anonymous prunus tree branch walking stick.

This piece was absolutely the sword of choice of the world reknown, fictional, blind samurai, Zatoichi.

He does not carry a traditional katana, instead using a very well traditionally made shikomi-zue (cane sword) within a sakura branch Trompe-l'œil concealment, exactly as this sword is mounted.

Zatoichi's cane sword shikome-zue, was forged by a famous master bladesmith, and is of superior quality, just like this rare, fine and beautiful traditional ancient chisa katana bladed example.

A conversation piece par excellance

We show in the gallery a modern Japanese painting of Zatoichi, old poster of the blind swordsman movie, and an 1817 Japanese print by Hokusai of his depiction of an all black clad warrior, a so called ninja, climbing a rope, with what appears to be his identical mounted black shikome-zue hidden sword stick. For historical context purposes.  read more

Code: 26361

A Superb Officer's 'Bombay Bowler' Sun Hat, The Favourite Pith Helmet Sun Hat Type of Sir Winston Churchill, Made by the Bombay Hatworks In Bangalore. In Excellent Condition

Churchill famously donned his Bombay Bowler alongside his custom zip-up "siren suit" while inspecting troops at El Alamein, Egypt, in August 1942 and across Tunisia in 1943.

Churchill flew into Cairo, Egypt, on August 5, 1942, following a string of disastrous British defeats against German General Erwin Rommel.
Facing political pressure at home, Churchill took bold action to restructure the military command. He sacked General Claude Auchinleck as Commander-in-Chief Middle East. He replaced him with General Harold Alexander and placed Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery in command of the Eighth Army. This new leadership duo ultimately delivered victory at El Alamein.

Wearing his famous "siren suit," sunglasses, and Bangalore made Bombay Bowler sun hat, while carrying a walking umbrella to block the desert sun, Churchill toured the front lines. He visited the El Alamein positions, met with the 51st Highland Division, and somberly paid his respects at a rough graveyard for fallen New Zealand troops.

Following the expulsion of Axis forces from North Africa, Churchill returned for celebratory visits. In early 1943, he traveled to Tripoli shortly after Montgomery's Eighth Army captured it, delivering a stirring speech to the New Zealand Division

He visited Algiers, Tripoli, and ancient Carthage, famously waving to cheering crowds past captured German Tiger tanks and receiving grand salutes from Eisenhower, Montgomery, and American leaders

These visits, always adorned and protected by his Bangalore 'Bombay Bowler', marked the high water mark of his Mediterranean strategy, paving the way for the invasion of Sicily

The Bombay Bowler is a distinct, flatter style of pith helmet (or sola topee) that became an iconic symbol of the British Raj in India, evolving from a 19th-century civilian sporting hat into widely issued military headgear. Named slangily after the Indian city of Bombay (now Mumbai) due to its manufacture across the subcontinent, the hat is famous for its distinctive, low-profile silhouette that resembles a traditional Western bowler hat more than other bulbous military sun helmets.

The Bombay Bowler can track its design heritage back to the Cawnpore Tent Club Hat, a wide-brimmed sun hat popularized in India during the 1875–1876 tour of the Prince of Wales (the future King Edward VII)

By the onset of the First World War, production of the hat ramped up exponentially. During World War II, it became the most commonly issued style of sun helmet for forces in India and Southeast Asia.

Both Churchill's, and Field Marshall Auckinleck's Bombay Bowler's {see the photos of same in the gallery} were devoid of all military badging, just as this beauty. Military badging was only normally to seen on other ranks servicemen's sun hats.

Queen Elizabeth II stated
"the whole world is the poorer by the loss of his many-sided genius" when Sir Winston Churchill died in 1965.  read more

Code: 26374

A Beautiful Koto Period Ancient Aikuchi Tanto Circa 1500, With An Equally Beautiful Blade

Around 500 years old.

With kodzuka utility knife decorated with deep relief takebori crabs. Unusually the saya is covered with black lacquered leather. All original Edo period mounts and fittings. Silver inlaid iron hilt mounts with patinated copper menuki of shishi liondogs. The saya has a small mount of a silver inlaid quail. The blade has now just returned from re-polishing and looks absolutely beautiful. The tanto was invented partway through the Heian period, when it was mainly used as a weapon. With the beginning of the Kamakura period, tanto were forged to be more aesthetically pleasing, and hira and uchi-sori tanto were the most popular styles for wars in the kamakura period. Near the middle of the Kamakura period, more tanto artisans were seen, increasing the abundance of the weapon, and the kanmuri-otoshi style became prevalent in the cities of Kyoto and Yamato. Because of the style introduced by the tachi in the late Kamakura period, tanto began to be forged longer and wider. The introduction of the Hachiman faith became visible in the carvings in the tanto hilts around this time. The hamon (line of temper) is similar to that of the tachi, except for the absence of choji-midare, which is nioi and utsuri. Gunomi-midare and suguha are found to have taken its place. In Nambokucho, the tanto were forged to be up to forty centimetres as opposed to the normal one shaku (about thirty centimetres) length. The tanto blades became thinner between the uri and the omote, and wider between the ha and mune. At this point in time, two styles of hamon were prevalent: the older style, which was subtle and artistic, and the newer, more popular style. Blades could be of exceptional quality. As the end of the period neared, the average blade narrowed and the sori became shallow. The aikuchi is a tanto koshirae where the fuchi is flush with the mouth of the saya. Overall 21 3/4 inches long, blade length 12 1/4 inches  read more

Code: 23142

A Shinto Aikuchi Tanto, Unokubi-Zukuri With Hi Blade & Stunning Bi-Colour Shakudo Fittings Katakiri-bori Carving, on Migaki-ji of Insects, a Cricket a Hornet and a Praying Mantis

Circa 1700. A very attractive Samurai tanto that has lain untouched for likely 140 odd years or more. All matching and most attractive Edo period bi-colour hand carved shakudo fittings katakiri-bori carving, on migaki-ji including a kozuka, engraved with a preying mantis, a wasp on the kashira and a grasshopper on the sayajiri. The menuki are of fine gold overlay of dragon, and the tsuka has imperial off-white silk binding. The blade is in a unokubi-zukuri form similar to naga nata in stunning polish. The original Edo lacquer saya is uniformly ribbed along it's length with age cracking below the kozuka pocket, and small bruises at the base. Very fine hammered silver foil covered habaki.

The tanto is commonly referred to as a knife or dagger. The blade can be single or double edged with a length between 15 and 30 cm (6-12 inches, in Japanese 1 shaku).

The tanto was designed primarily as a stabbing weapon, but the edge can be used for slashing as well. Tanto are generally forged in hira-zukuri style (without ridgeline), meaning that their sides have no ridge line and are nearly flat, unlike the shinogi-zukuri structure of a katana.

Some tanto have particularly thick cross-sections for armour-piercing duty, and are called yoroi toshi.  read more

Code: 25141

A Very Good & Attractive, Continental, Historical American Revolutionary War 18th Century Infantry Military Musket

The form of musket used by the Continental forces sent to fight in the American Revolutionary War, such as the Netherlander's, Hessian's and Prussians. Walnut stock with all steel furniture. A direct competitor to the English 'Brown Bess' Long Land and Short Land pattern muskets, however as it doesn’t have the fame of the Brown Bess of that period it is up to 70% less expensive today, thus makes a tremendous value collector’s piece from that era and conflict, despite actually being a rarer musket to find. The term "Hessians" refers to the approximately 30,000 German troops hired by the British to help fight during the American Revolution. They were principally drawn from the German state of Hesse-Cassel, although soldiers from other German states also saw action in America. (At the time, Germany was not a unified country but a collection of individual states that shared a language and culture.)

Hiring a foreign army was not unusual in the eighteenth century. For Hesse-Cassel, soldiers were a major export. By renting its army to the British, Hesse-Cassel took in an amount equal to about thirteen years' worth of tax revenue Life in the Hessian Army was harsh. The system aimed to instill iron discipline and the punishments could be brutal. Still, morale was generally high. Officers were well-educated, promotion was by merit, and soldiers took pride in serving their prince and their people. Furthermore, military service provided economic benefits. The families of soldiers were exempt from certain taxes, wages were higher than in farm work, and there was the promise of booty (money earned through the sale of captured military property) and plunder (property taken from civilians). In spite of such action, some 3,000 Hessians decided they liked the country well enough to make it their new home after the war, and they declined returning to Europe. In America, they lived side by side—and perhaps shared a Christmas drink—with their former foes. 44 inch long barrel, overall 60 inches long  read more

Code: 23406

A Beautiful Late 18th Century Sikh Empire Prince's or High Status Noble's Lahore Tulwar, Gold Inlaid Koftgari Hilt & Finest Wootz Damascus Steel Blade. Returned From a Museum Grade Blade Conservation

The hilt is covered in pure gold koftgari decor, as a symbol of the owner's rank and status.

A superb blade just returned from specialist cleaning and etching to reveal the Damascus steel patterning.

Gold decorated steel Lahore hilt decorated with stunning design with matching pommel disc. Strong and powerful blade of substance. There are clear indications that this particular hilt is of Punjab manufacture: the fat vase shape of the grip section, the very slightly forward angle of the lotus head quillons and the beautiful gold koftgari.

The Tulwar had historically been the quintessential combat sword used by Sikhs as their sacred kirpan due to its superior handling while mounted on horseback. With a curved blade optimized for cutting and slashing with sweeping cuts delivered from the shoulder by a horseman the curved blade of the tulwar could strike repeated blows without the danger of the blade getting stuck in bone or armour. It allowed for fierce slashing on all sides cutting through enemy formations while mounted on horseback.

This tulwar has a curved blade of approximately 72cm in length with a graduating blade where it eventually begins its taper to the point. With its curved blade the point of the sword cannot be very effectively used for thrusting and the Tulwars defensive capabilities are limited. In this circumstance defence was taken up by using the shield (Dhal) in tandem with the Tulwar as an integral duo on the battlefield.

The blade was firmly attached to the hilt of the Tulwar commonly using a heated paste of lac or red dye from the papal tree which when it hardened provided a solid and effective adhesive between the two parts of the sword.

The hilt of the Tulwar has a button on top and a circular dished pommel disk {without domed pommel cap or knuckle bow} featuring the koftgari inlaid design patterns of flowers, in pure hammered gold inlaid into the traditional steel hilt of the Sixh tulwar.
The grip of the Tulwar below the pommel disk narrows at the top and bottom while bulging out in the middle. The crossguard between the grip and the blade features two short but very thick rounded domed quillions.

The index finger could be wrapped around a quillion rather than the grip providing the swordsman with extra maneuverability of the sword. Some Tulwars feature a knuckle guard extending from the quillion to the pommel disk, while others do not, both styles of Tulwars were commonly used by Sikhs. This sword once had a knuckle guard, but removed likely by the prince owner for comfort .

Guru Hargobind, the 6th Sikh Guru is said to have always carried two Tulwars representing his temporal and spiritual authority. They both had gold onlaid hilts.  read more

Code: 22814

A Beautiful 17th-18th Century Sikh Tulwar With Gold Inlaid Royal Hilt & Seal Stamped Blade, With Double Crescent Armourer’s Marks. It Has Just Returned From Expert Museum Grade Conservation, Polishing & Etching of The Blade To Reveal Its Stunning Pattern

The tulwar hilt is covered in pure gold Koftgari decoration. superb hybrid wootz Damascus shamshir blade with square seal mark and twin crescent armourer's mark to the blade. It has now returned from a no expense spared museum grade conservation and polish that has revealed its absolutely stunning hybrid wootz Damascus grain. The blade was not removed from the gold hilt, so the blade polishing had started below the hilt, in order to maintain its historical integrity. The beauty of this wonderful historical sword and blade is breathtaking in its combination of opulence and subtlety. The blade has a wondrous and elegant deep curvature, that joined with its material beauty is a joy to behold. It would have been a credit to the former Dr Leo S.Figial Collection that, until it’s auction and dispersal in 1998 at Butterfields Auction, was one of the finest in the world outside of any national museum.

Persian: شمشیر (type, which refers to a Persian or Iranian sword with a radical curve. The name is derived from the shamshīr, which means “lion’s claw or lions tale” in the Persian language – pointing towards the curve of the blade. These types of blades are normally used for slashing unarmored opponents either on foot or mounted; while the tip could be used for thrusting. In India, the term ‘Goliya’ (meaning circle) was used to describe these types of blades; referring to their curve.

The Tulwar had historically been the quintessential combat sword used by Sikhs as their sacred kirpan due to its superior handling while mounted on horseback. With a curved blade optimized for cutting and slashing with sweeping cuts delivered from the shoulder by a horseman the curved blade of the tulwar could strike repeated blows without the danger of the blade getting stuck in bone or armour. It allowed for fierce slashing on all sides cutting through enemy formations while mounted on horseback.

This tulwar has a curved blade of approximately 76cm in length with a graduating blade where it eventually begins its taper to the point. With its curved blade the point of the sword cannot be very effectively used for thrusting and the Tulwars defensive capabilities are limited. In this circumstance defence was taken up by using the shield (Dhal) in tandem with the Tulwar as an integral duo on the battlefield.

The blade was firmly attached to the hilt of the Tulwar commonly using a heated paste of lac or red dye from the papal tree which when it hardened provided a solid and effective adhesive between the two parts of the sword.

The hilt of the Tulwar has a button on top and a circular dished pommel disk featuring the koftgari design patterns of flowers in pure hammered gold. The grip of the Tulwar below the pommel disk narrows at the top and bottom while bulging out in the middle. The crossguard between the grip and the blade features two short but very thick rounded quillions. The index finger could be wrapped around a quillion rather than the grip providing the swordsman with extra maneuverability of the sword. Some Tulwars feature a knuckle guard extending from the quillion to the pommel disk, while others do not, both styles of Tulwars were commonly used by Sikhs.
The pure gold inlay upon the hilt is worn as is often the case due to its great age, but much still remains to show it wondrous quality and former royal status. The blade is now once more in superb condition for its age.

Guru Hargobind, { Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji } the 6th Sikh Guru is said to have always carried two such gold hilted Tulwars, representing his temporal and spiritual authority. They both had gold onlaid hilts just as this sword. It is possible, however slim, this sword may have been even the side arm of a member of the great Sikh Guru’s Darbar {court}. Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji was the first Sikh Guru to engage in warfare.
Guru HarGobind Ji excelled in matters of the state and his Darbar (Court) was noted for its splendor. The arming and training of some of his devoted followers began, and once the Guru came to possess seven hundred horses, his Risaldari (Army) grew to three hundred horsemen and sixty gunners. Additionally, five hundred men from the Majha area of Punjab were recruited as infantry. Guru HarGobind Ji built a fortress at Amritsar called Lohgarh (Fortress of Steel). He had his own flag and a war-drum which was beaten twice a day. Those who had worked to have Guru Arjan destroyed now turned their attention and efforts to convincing Jahangir that the Lohgarh fort, the Akal Takhat, and the growing Risaldari army were all intended to allow Guru HarGobind Ji to one day take revenge for his father's unjust death.  read more

Code: 25574

A Most Rare Early, 15th Century Medievil Iron Hand Cannon or 'Handgonne' Made in the Period, & Used From the Battle of Agincourt era.

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

From a collection of original rare antiquities collection we acquired, and this is the third extraordinarily rare original handgonne from that collection. We normally find only one or two every ten years or so, or even longer, but to buy all three from the collection was amazing.
Small enough and light enough to be manoeuvred by hand and thus then loosely fixed, or semi-permanently fixed, in either an L shaped wooden block and used like a mortar, or, onto a length of sturdy wooden haft, from three feet to five foot long to be used almost musket like and bound with wrought iron bands see illustration in the photo gallery of these medievil variations of mounting. The precursor to the modern day pistol and musket from which this form of ancient so called handgonne developed into over the centuries. It is thought that gunpowder was invented in China and found its way to Europe in the 13th Century. In the mid to late 13th Century gunpowder began to be used in cannons and handguns, and by the mid 14th Century they were in relatively common use for castle sieges. By the end of the 14th Century both gunpowder, guns and cannon had greatly evolved and were an essential part of fortifications which were being modified to change arrow slits for gun loops. Hand cannon' date of origin ranges around 1350. Hand cannon were inexpensive to manufacture, but not accurate to fire. Nevertheless, they were employed for their shock value. In 1492 Columbus carried one on his discovery exploration to the Americas. Conquistadors Hernando Cortez and Francisco Pizzaro also used them, in 1519 and 1533, during their respective conquests and colonization of Mexico and Peru. Not primary arms of war, hand cannon were adequate tools of protection for fighting men.. Approx, 4 3/4 inches long 1 inch bore, and weighs around 3.2 lbs

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

THE HOME OF ORIGINAL AND AFFORDABLE ANCIENT ANTIQUITIES & ANTIQUE COLLECTABLES IN BRITAIN.

The Lanes Armoury, world renown as Britain's favourite specialist collectors shop, and also a font of historical and educational information that is detailed with every single item. We detail each piece alongside its historical context, either generic or specific, for those that may wish to read, learn, or be informed, as opposed to simply acquire collectable items. It is probably one of the oldest companies of our kind in the whole of Europe and we have been established through generations, as specialists in armoury antiques, militaria collectables, and specialist books, since the early 1900’s, and thus we have continued to be one of the largest in the world today. We are also very pleased to know we are also studied and read by academics and students from hundreds of universities around the world, by those that are interested in not only British but worldwide history.
For this reason we also like to be known as a learning and researching website.
Everyday we are contacted by historians that wish to make contributions to our detailed information for our pieces, and to thus add to our constant dedication to impart historical knowledge, that may be unknown to many of our millions of viewers.

Our unique certificate of authenticity is provided with every purchase from The Lanes Armoury, backed up by over 100 years of family trading in military antiques of all eras and all known civilizations  read more

Code: 24768

A Most Fine and Beautiful 18th Century French Flintlock Circa 1740. A Superb Flintlock Much Favoured By Pirate, Privateer, Buccaneer & Corsair Captain's, From The Mid 18th Century to The Napoleonic Wars Era. Finest 'Tiger Stripe' Maple Stock

With a very fine and stunning looking tiger stripe maple wooden stock, bearing a simply superb natural age patina. Signed lock and all steel mounts. In jolly nice condition.

Long eared buttcap typical of the 1740's period flintlocks that saw service by pirate and corsair captain's fleets, from the the Anglo French Seven Years War in Europe and America where they raided ships of both sides the French and British supply galleons. And a finest pistol that would see continual use right through the Napoleonic Wars.

The French and Indian War (1754-63) comprised the North American theater of the worldwide Seven Years' War of 1756-63. It pitted the colonies of British America against those of New France.

Both sides were supported by military units from their parent countries, as well as by American Indian allies. At the start of the war, the French North American colonies had a population of roughly 60,000 settlers, compared with 2 million in the British North American colonies. The outnumbered French particularly depended on the Indians. The European nations declared war on one another in 1756 following months of localized conflict, escalating the war from a regional affair into an intercontinental conflict.

In the 1760s, corsairs were primarily privateers operating under a letter of marque, authorized by a state to attack enemy shipping. While often romanticized, they were essentially state-sanctioned pirates, with the potential for both profit and a degree of legitimacy. The most prominent corsairs in the 1760s were likely the Barbary corsairs, who operated out of North Africa, and French corsairs, who were active in the Mediterranean and Atlantic.

Corsairs, unlike pirates, were granted legal authority by a state, typically through a "letter of marque". This document authorized them to attack ships of enemy nations and seize their cargo, with the understanding that the spoils would be divided between the corsair and the state.

The Barbary corsairs, based in North Africa (Barbary Coast), were a significant force in the 1760s. They operated under the loose authority of the Ottoman Empire and preyed on shipping in the Mediterranean, often demanding tribute for safe passage.
French corsairs were also active in the 1760s, particularly during periods of conflict with other European powers. They aimed to disrupt enemy trade and supplement French naval power through privateering.

Corsairing was a risky but potentially lucrative business. While they could amass wealth through captured prizes, they also faced the dangers of capture by enemy navies and the possibility of being treated as pirates (if their letters of marque were not in order or if they engaged in activities beyond their authorization
Corsairs had a significant impact on maritime trade and naval warfare in the 1760s. They disrupted shipping lanes, contributed to naval conflicts, and played a role in the economic and political landscape of the time.

More than 20,000 captives were said to be imprisoned in Algiers alone. The rich were often able to secure release through ransom,

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

British and other European historians use the term the Seven Years' War, as do English-speaking Canadians.

No consensus exists as to when the French Revolutionary Wars ended and the Napoleonic Wars began. Possible dates include 9 November 1799, when Bonaparte seized power on 18 Brumaire, the date according to the Republican Calendar then in use;41 18 May 1803, when Britain and France ended the one short period of peace between 1792 and 1814; or 2 December 1804, when Bonaparte crowned himself Emperor.42

British historians occasionally refer to the nearly continuous period of warfare from 1792 to 1815 as the Great French War, or as the final phase of the Anglo-French Second Hundred Years' War, spanning the period 1689 to 1815.43 Historian Mike Rapport (2013) suggested using the term "French Wars" to unambiguously describe the entire period from 1792 to 1815.44

In France, the Napoleonic Wars are generally integrated with the French Revolutionary Wars: Les guerres de la Révolution et de l'Empire.

It is often the case, as is here, that some descended nobility of France often fought on the side of the revolutionaries and then under Napoleon, and used their predecessors weapons, as little changed in the efficiency of pistols from the 1740’s to the 1790’s or even the 1810’s, so older style pistols had a remarkably useful life for up to 80 years or even more, especially for senior officers serving under Bonaparte.

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

Code: 21456

18th Century Royal Naval 100 Gunner Ship-Of-The-Line, Gunner's Cannon Priming Flask, Made and Used from the American Revolution, the Battle of Trafalgar and Beyond. Bearing a Royal Naval Ordnance Crown Stamp

King George IIIrd period. Used in the Royal Navy from the 1770's onwards. This is from a wonderful very small collection of fine, early, British Royal Naval pieces that we acquired. A traditional and most rare King George IIIrd period, 18th century gunner's flask, used on board a warship for likely 50 years or more, into the early 19th century of the Admiral Nelson period, and through the Napoleonic Wars.

A Royal Naval gunner's priming powder flask, of polished cow horn body, with traditional turned wooden base with screw threaded removable handle, with Royal Naval Ordnance Crown Stamp {see photo 10}, turned brass and spring actioned pouring spout, and two iron carrying rings.

A near identical example is in Oxford University's Pitt Rivers Museum that came from a gunner serving on HMS Victory at Trafalgar see photo in the gallery In the firing naval cannon at Trafalgar, huge amounts of gunpowder were required to fire them, and the cannon were ignited with very fine quality, fine ground priming powder poured into the touch hole. Young boys, often known as powder monkeys, would haul gunpowder to the gun decks within barrels. Cow horns flasks, with brass spring actioned spouts, just such as this one, were used to contain the fine grain priming powder, which was poured into the pan of the touch hole of each cannon before firing. The example that can be seen photographed in our gallery was donated to the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford by the Wellcome Historical Medical Museum (now Wellcome Institute) in 1952, it is said to have belonged to a gunner on Admiral Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory.
The Victory famously led a fleet of twenty-seven British ships to victory over Napoleon's forces at the Battle of Trafalgar in October 1805, although Nelson himself sustained a mortal injury aboard deck. Because the vast majority of an 18th century ship's armament was mounted in its broadside, fleets typically formed into a single line ahead in preparation for battle. This simplified command and control each ship could simply follow the ship in front and enabled the fleet to uniformly arrange its firepower along a continuous formation with no weak spots. The line was sometimes divided into van (forward), centre, and rear divisions under subordinate commanders. Maintenance of a continuous, unbroken line was important. If the enemy was able to position directly ahead or behind a friendly ship, he would be comparatively safe from attack (as only a handful of guns fired directly ahead or astern) and could concentrate his broadside against the weakest parts of his target the lightly constructed bow and stern. For this reason, fleet battles often resolved into two parallel lines of ships edging towards each other with each ship indecisively facing its opposite. More aggressive admirals sought ways to overcome this tactical stalemate, concentrating their force against a smaller portion of the enemy by breaking the line.

Firing began once the fleets closed within range. At the extreme, cannon shot might reach the enemy at ranges up to a mile, but British commanders often held their fire until the ships had closed to only a few hundred yards, or even less. The adversaries would then pour fire into one another, shattering hulls, masts, rigging, and men with heavy cannon shot. Individual ships might surrender by hauling down (striking) their colours when disabled by damage or casualties. As a last resort, a ship might be forced to surrender through boarding. Battle usually continued until one side disengaged or the sun set though a number of battles were fought partly or entirely in the dark.

Priming powder was a refined type of gunpowder that ignited more easily and so it was important to use the right amount. Too much powder could be catastrophic, too little powder might prevent ignition of the main charge in the breech, resulting in just a flash in the pan. Here, a brass mounted spring catch helped control the amount that was poured out. Two screw hooks can be seen where the horn would have been attached to a belt or baldrick and slung around the gunner?s torso, and it could be refilled by unscrewing the wooden stopper at the broad end.

Horn was an ideal material for powder flasks as it was readily available and provided a natural container; unlike metal it was not liable to create sparks that might accidentally ignite the powder inside; and it was also translucent when held up to the light, so it was possible to see how much powder was left.

See photos 8 and 9 in the gallery that shows the identical gunner's priiming flask on board HMS Victory, as part of the museum's display

This flask is just under 11 inches long.  read more

Code: 22928