A Superb & Very Rare Original Grouping, 5th to 7th Century Roman & Goth Period 'Ceremonially Folded' Sword, From a Pagan Ritual, A Warrior or Legionary's Spartha Sword, and War Shield Mounts

A very similar find of a Roman sword and shield boss was excavated in Greece last May, and caused a sensation and world news. The 'astonishing' findings have been shared by Errikos Maniotis, an archaeologist at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece, who believes the man likely served in the Roman imperial army.

'Usually, these types of swords were used by the auxiliary cavalry forces of the Roman army,' Maniotis told Live Science.

'Thus, we may say that the deceased, taking also into consideration the importance of the burial location, was a high-ranking officer of the Roman army.

It's rare to find a 'folded' sword in an urban landscape, let alone in this part of Europe, Maniotis pointed out. The term 'folded' sword describes that it has been believed to have been ceremonially killed and bent, in a pagan rite, to sacrifice the sword from current use, to represent a warrior passing into the afterlife, for it to be used in the afterlife by the warrior, and thus buried with his shield and offerings to the gods. Our sword group is around 1400 to 1600 years old. It was likely recovered more up to two centuries ago, probably a ‘Grand Tour’ find, from the area historically known as Merovingian Roman-Frankish Germany or France. The shield boss and handle have survived remarkably well, naturally the leather covered wooden shield body and sword hilt have rotted away over its 1200 plus years underground. The organic parts of shields and swords simply never survive this great period of time being buried. For example, we know not of a single complete Viking wooden shield in existence today, the only way we know today of their appearance is from ancient texts and poems that have survived. The spatha is a type of straight and long sword, measuring between 0.75 and 1 m , with a handle length between 18 and 20 cm , in use in the territory of the Roman Empire during the 1st to 6th centuries AD. Later swords, from the 6th to 10th centuries, like the Viking swords, are recognisable derivatives and sometimes subsumed under the term spatha.

The Roman spatha was used in war and in gladiatorial fights. The spatha of literature appears in the Roman Empire in the 1st century AD as a weapon used by presumably Germanic auxiliaries and gradually became a standard heavy infantry weapon, relegating the gladius to use as a light infantry weapon. The spatha apparently replaced the gladius in the front ranks, giving the infantry more reach when thrusting. While the infantry version had a long point, versions carried by the cavalry had a rounded tip that prevented accidental stabbing of the cavalryman's own foot or horse.

Archaeologically many instances of the spatha have been found in Britain and Germany. It was used extensively by Germanic warriors. It is unclear whether it came from the Pompeii gladius or the longer Celtic swords, or whether it served as a model for the various arming swords and Viking swords of Europe. The spatha remained popular throughout the Migration Period. It evolved into the knightly sword of the High Middle Ages by the 12th century. Picture of combating Frankish warrior knights using spartha and shields of the same type, from the Stuttgart Psalter.

The Merovingians were a Salian Frankish dynasty that ruled the Franks for nearly 300 years in a region known as Francia in Latin, beginning in the middle of the 5th century. Their territory largely corresponded to ancient Gaul as well as the Roman provinces of Raetia, Germania Superior and the southern part of Germania. The semi legendary Merovech was supposed to have founded the Merovingian dynasty, but it was his famous grandson Clovis I (ruled c.481-511) who united all of Gaul under Merovingian rule. Charles de Gaulle is on record as stating his opinion that "For me, the history of France begins with Clovis, elected as king of France by the tribe of the Franks, who gave their name to France. Before Clovis, we have Gallo-Roman and Gaulish prehistory. The decisive element, for me, is that Clovis was the first king to have been baptized a Christian. My country is a Christian country and I reckon the history of France beginning with the accession of a Christian king who bore the name of the Franks. The Merovingians are featured in the book The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail (1982) where they are depicted as descendants of Jesus, inspired by the "Priory of Sion" story developed by Pierre Plantard in the 1960s. Plantard playfully sold the story as non-fiction, giving rise to a number of works of pseudohistory among which The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail was the most successful. The "Priory of Sion" material has given rise to later works in popular fiction, notably The Da Vinci Code (2003), which mentions the Merovingians in chapter 60 . The ritual 'killing' of swords, such as bending or breaking have been found in thousands of examples of this practice across Europe, indicating that it was a ritual common to all the pan-Celtic tribes. However, although many theories have been postulated, for now the exact significance of this mysterious custom remains unclear. Some suggest it may be for all to know that the blade is not to recovered by grave robbers, or, possibly, the warrior or knight owner has been killed in battle, and thus his sword, as part of him, is also now dead. Or, maybe an offering to the gods of the afterlife. A Merovingian Frankish sword in 'un-killed' condition, is such a rare piece to survive to today, would likely be valued comfortably into five figures £12,000 plus. In May 2021 An iron sword deliberately bent as part of a pagan ritual has been discovered in a Roman soldier's grave in Greece, an archaeologist has revealed.

The deformed or 'folded' sword was buried with an as yet unidentified soldier about 1,600 years ago in the Greek city of Thessaloniki.

His 'arch-shaped' grave was found in the underground remains of a basilica – a large public building and place of worship – dating from the fifth century AD. 'Folded swords are usually excavated in sites in Northern Europe,' he said.

'It seems that Romans didn't practise it, let alone when the new religion, Christianity, dominated, due to the fact that this ritual was considered to be pagan.'

Archaeologists are yet to assess the remains of the soldier, described as likely a 'Romanized Goth or from any other Germanic tribe who served as a mercenary'.

'We don't know anything about his profile – age of death, cause of death, possible wounds that he might have from the wars he fought,' Maniotis said.

The soldier's grave was one of seven found in the basilica, but not all of them were found containing artefacts. in the third century A.D., the Goths launched a series of raids into the Roman Empire. “The first known attack came in 238, when Goths sacked the city of Histria at the mouth of the river Danube. A series of much more substantial land incursions followed a decade later,” writes Peter Heather, a professor at King’s College London, in his book “The Goths” (Blackwell Publishers, 1996).

He notes that in A.D. 268, a massive expedition of Goths, along with other groups also called barbarians, broke into the Aegean Sea, wreaking havoc. They attacked a number of settlements, including Ephesus (a city in Anatolia inhabited by Greeks), where they destroyed a temple dedicated to the goddess Diana.

“The destruction wrought by this combined assault on land and sea were severe, and prompted a fierce Roman response. Not only were the individual groups defeated, but no major raid ever again broke through the Dardanelles,” writes Heather.

The Goths' tumultuous relationship with Rome would continue into the fourth century. While Goths served as Roman soldiers, and trade took place across the Danube River, there was plenty of conflict.

Heather notes that a Gothic group called the Tervingi intervened in Roman imperial politics, supporting two unsuccessful claimants to the emperorship. In A.D. 321, they supported Licinius against Constantine, and in A.D. 365, they supported Procopius against Valens. In both instances this backfired, with Constantine and Valens launching attacks against the Tervingi after becoming emperor.

As contact with Rome intensified, a form of Christianity known as Arianism spread among the Goths.

“In the 340s, the Arian Gothic bishop Ulfilas or Wulfila (d. 383) translated the Bible into the Gothic language in a script based chiefly upon the uncial Greek alphabet and said to have been invented by Ulfilas for the purpose,” writes Robin Sowerby, a lecturer at the University of Stirling, in an article in the book “A New Companion to the Gothic” (Wiley, 2012).
In time, the Goths would adopt the Catholic form of Christianity that came to be used in Rome. ; From a private collection of an English gentleman acquired in the 1940's. As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity. Almost every iron weapon that has survived today from this era is now in a fully russetted condition, as is this one, because only the swords of kings, that have been preserved in national or Royal collections are today still in a relative good state and condition. We show in the gallery two photos of the excavated Roman's tomb in Thessaloniki, and the Roman's folded spartha sword. In the photo of the tomb interior one can plainly see the folded sword and shield boss, the shield boss has been crushed flat. Another photograph is of the exhibit in the museum of Nuremberg Germany showing another original spartha sword unfolded and a fully formed shield boss, both are extremely similar to ours.

A sword was still so valued in the much later Norse society that good blades were prized by successive generations of warriors. There is even some evidence from Viking burials for the deliberate and possibly ritual "killing" of swords, a ritual from ancient times, which still involved the blade being bent so that it was unusable. Because Vikings were often buried with their weapons, the "killing" of swords may have served two functions, namely a ritualistic function in retiring a weapon with a warrior, and a practical one in deterring any grave robbers from disturbing the burial in order to get one of these costly weapons. Indeed, archaeological finds of the bent and brittle pieces of metal sword remains testify to the regular burial of Vikings with weapons, as well as the habitual "killing" of sword  read more

Code: 21852

A Breathtaking & Large Original Ancient Greek Leaf Shaped Dagger From The Greco-Persian Wars Era, From the Time of the Spartans at Thermopylae, To Alexander the Great's Conquest of Persia & Egypt

An original and most rare ancient Greek warrior's dagger, circa 500 to 300 b.c. In superb excavated condition and very nice indeed for its age, with light areas of encrustations and an overall delightful patina, all one piece cast construction. Likely the dagger of a warrior used from the time of the Spartans at Thermopylae to Alexander the Great, son of Philip II of Macedon, and his renown conquests of the known world. The Battle of Thermopylae was fought between an alliance of Greek city-states, led by King Leonidas I of Sparta, and the Achaemenid Empire of Xerxes I. It was fought over the course of three days, during the second Persian invasion of Greece. The battle took place simultaneously with the naval battle at Artemisium. It was held at the narrow coastal pass of Thermopylae ("The Hot Gates") in August or September 480 BC. The Persian invasion was a delayed response to the defeat of the first Persian invasion of Greece, which had been ended by the Athenian victory at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. By 480 BC, Xerxes had amassed a massive army and navy and set out to conquer all of Greece. The Athenian politician and general Themistocles had proposed that the allied Greeks block the advance of the Persian army at the pass of Thermopylae, while simultaneously blocking the Persian navy at the Straits of Artemisium.

A Greek force of approximately 7,000 men marched north to block the pass in the middle of 480 BC. The Persian army was rumoured to have numbered over one million soldiers. Herodotus, a contemporary writer put the Persian army strength as one million and went to great pains to describe how they were counted in groups of ten thousand at a review of the troops. Simonides went as far as to put the Persian number at three million. Today, it is considered to have been much smaller. Scholars report various figures ranging between about 100,000 and 150,000 soldiers. The Persian army arrived at the pass in late August or early September. The vastly outnumbered Greeks held off the Persians for seven days (including three of battle) before the rear-guard was annihilated in one of history's most famous last stands. During two full days of battle, the small force led by Leonidas blocked the only road by which the massive Persian army could pass. After the second day, a local resident named Ephialtes betrayed the Greeks by revealing a small path used by shepherds. It led the Persians behind the Greek lines. Leonidas, aware that his force was being outflanked, dismissed the bulk of the Greek army and remained to guard their retreat with 300 Spartans and 700 Thespians. It has been reported that others also remained, including up to 900 helots and 400 Thebans. The remaining soldiers fought to the death. Most of the Thebans reportedly surrendered. Around 150 years later Alexander the Great, Greece’s most famous king created an Empire that still today resonates in its magnitude. Ancient Greek warriors were still using daggers such as this one. While Alexander's army mainly fielded Pezhetairoi (Foot Companions) as his main force, his army also included some classic Hoplites, either provided by the League of Corinth or from hired mercenaries. Beside these units, the Macedonians also used the so-called Hypaspists, an elite force of units possibly originally fighting as Hoplites and used to guard the exposed right wing of Alexander's phalanx. Today, Alexander the Great is still considered one of the most successful military leaders in history. His conquests shaped not just eastern and western culture but also the history of the world. Alexander was born July 20, 356 BC in Pella, a city in the Ancient Greek Kingdom of Macedonia. As the son of Philip II, King of Macedon, Alexander was raised as a noble Macedonian youth. Learning to read, play the lyre, ride, fight, and hunt were high priorities for Alexander.

As he got older, his father had the famous Aristotle tutor his son. His father knew he could no longer effectively challenge the mind and body of his son. Aristotle educated Alexander and his companions in various disciplines such as medicine, philosophy, morality, religion, logic, and art. Many of his study companions would later become generals in his army.

When King Philip was assassinated, Alexander ascended to the throne at the young age of 20. After quelling small uprisings and rebellions after his father’s death, Alexander began his campaign against the Persian Empire.

Crossing into Asia with over 100,000 men, he began his war against Persia which lasted more than seven years. Alexander displayed tactical brilliance in the fight against the Persian army, remaining undefeated despite having fewer soldiers.

His successes took him to the very edge of India, to the banks of the Ganges River. His armies feared the might of the Indian empires and mutinied, which marked the end of his campaign to the East. He had intended to march further into India, but he was persuaded against it because his soldiers wanted to return to their families.

Alexander died unexpectedly after his return to Babylon. Because his death was sudden and he did not name a successor to his throne, his empire fell into chaos as generals fought to take control. As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity.
A bronze dagger with leaf-shaped blade, flat-section grip widening at the end. 630 grams, 38.5cm (15 1/4"). Fine condition.
 read more

Code: 23524

Welcome to The Lanes Armoury, Britain's Truly Magical Place, Where Thousands of Original & Breathtaking Wonders Are For Sale

Our beautiful pieces from history are not always just for looking at, some can still be enjoyed and worn for every one to see.

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

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}

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 other pieces, have been just been offered upon the site within the past week.

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  read more

Code: 24055

Beautiful Signed, Takeda Clan Mon Katana, With a Stunning Notare Midare Hamon. Traditionally Samurai Mounted Katana in Fine Polish, By Seki Yoshimitsu. Edo Period Shakudo Tsuba. Samegawa Saya With Flecked Lacquer. An Incredible Bargain For A Collector

A very good 1930’s Japanese sword, signed by {Noshu} Seki ju Yoshimitsu, likely a sword of Takeda Sōkaku, the 20th century Takeda clan leader, and renown martial artist, until his death in 1943. The blade in superb polish showing a very fine notare midare hamon with great activity, and, in superb condition, the habaki {blade collar} is it's deluxe, traditional, hand made example, gold coated, from the 1930's. In just a very few years this will be not only what it is currently today, an original Japanese sword, but, also, an antique samurai sword

This katana is really beautiful, and extraordinarily inexpensive, thus we will be very surprised if it remains available for very long.

This sword is beautifully mounted, in the traditional samurai katana manner, with Takeda clan antique and vintage fittings. The Edo period shakudo tsuba is a particularly nice example. A simple style but sophisticated in its simplicity. Its traditional lacquer saya is also most attractive, with its giant rayskin top section decor, and the saya is showing very fine workmanship.

The tsuka-ito {hilt binding} is in stunning black, with chrysanthemum Hirohito menuki, over traditional samegawa, and the fuchi kashira are beautiful antique silver, with the shakudo clan mon, of the Takeda-bishi 武田菱, of the highly esteemed Takeda clan.

The Takeda clan, a prestigious branch of the Minamoto clan (Seiwa Genji), used a clan mon (kamon) known as the Takeda-bishi (武田菱, Takeda Diamond), featuring four diamond shapes arranged in a larger diamond pattern. Based in Kai Province, this aristocratic samurai clan was one of the most powerful during the Sengoku period, led most famously by Takeda Shingen.
The emblem consists of four diamonds (菱, hishi) grouped to form a larger diamond or square.
Variations: While the core "four diamonds" (四つ割菱, Yotsubaribishi) remained consistent, the spacing between the diamonds sometimes varied, with the Takeda-bishi traditionally referring to a design with narrow gaps between the diamonds.
Symbolism: The crest is said to be derived from the armored "Tatenashi" suit worn by Minamoto no Yoshimitsu, the ancestor of the Takeda, or designed to represent the character "Ta" (田) in Takeda.
4 Elements (Furinkazan): Takeda Shingen famously used a battle standard representing the four elements—Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain—derived from Sun Tzu's The Art of War, which is often associated with the Takeda clan's spirit.
The Takeda were descendants of Emperor Seiwa (850–880) and a branch of the Minamoto clan, with Minamoto no Yoshikiyo (1075–1149) being the first to use the name Takeda.

The Takeda clan, particularly under Takeda Shingen, were known for their elite cavalry, and this four-diamond crest was widely recognized across Japan.

In the 1930s, the Takeda clan, a famous branch of the Minamoto clan (specifically the Seiwa Genji line), maintained its legacy and was represented by the martial artist Takeda Sōkaku (1859–1943), who was actively teaching Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu to elite members of Japanese society, including police and military officers. The clan mon upon the tsuka of this sword may indicate this once belonged to Takeda Sōkaku or his son Tokumune. Both clan leaders of the Takeda, and masters of the martial arts.
Tokimune Takeda (武田 時宗 Takeda Tokimune, 1916–1993), became the head-master of the art following Sokaku's death in 1943. Tokimune taught what he called "Daitō-ryū Aikibudō" (大東流合気武道), an art that included the sword techniques of the Ono-ha Ittō-ryū along with the traditional techniques of Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu.
Ono-ha Ittō-ryū (小野派一刀流) is a prestigious 16th-century Japanese kenjutsu (swordsmanship) school founded by Ono Jiroemon Tadaaki, based on the teachings of Itō Ittōsai. As the "one sword" school, it emphasizes defeating opponents with a single, precise cut, significantly influencing modern Kendo and traditional martial arts.

The nakago is clearly signed with Emperor Hirohito's period stamp {he the last divine emperor} and coloured rich red with some old preservative around 80 years ago. It could certainly be removed, but it has done a good job so far, and it assists in seeing the signature.

For those that have interest in original Japanese swords, this is a perfect way to have a superbly made original hand made sword that it mounted in original Japanese fittings of the early samurai form of katana.
** Authentic, currently, modern hand-made nihonto (Japanese sword blades) from licensed swordsmiths in Japan today, typically start around $10,000–$25,000 for a katana, with prices often exceeding $60,000 for renowned top-tier sword masters or customized commissions.
These blades, forged from tamahagane steel, require 12+ months to create due to strict legal limits on production, with some high-end, custom pieces from master smiths such as Yoshindo Yoshihara exceeding $10,000 for smaller tanto blades.
A brand new, katana blade from a reputable but lower ranked smith usually starts around $7,500–$10,000.

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

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

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.

The world of antique and vintage sword collecting is a fascinating journey into the past, offering a unique lens through which to view history and culture. More than mere weapons, these artifacts serve as tangible connections to the societies and ancient times where they originated. Each blade tells a story, not just of the battles it may have seen but of the craftsmanship, artistic trends, and technological advancement of its time.

The swords mountings can be equally telling. Engravings and decorative elements may enhance the sword’s beauty and hint at its historical context. The materials used for them can reveal the sword’s age

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

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

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

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

Code: 26016

A Beautiful Noble's Early Antique Sinhalese Ceylonese Piha Kaetta Knife Dagger

A most engaging ornate pihas and made exclusively by the Pattal Hattara (The Four Workshops). They were employed directly by the Kings of Kandy. Kandy, the independent kingdom, was first established by King Wickramabahu (1357-1374 AD).

The last Kandyan king was in the early 1800's, and the workshops are no longer in existence today.The simplest are of plain steel, but very graceful form, with wooden or horn handles, and carried in the belt, to lop off inconvenient branches as one passes through the jungle, or, to open coconuts, or cut jungle ropes. From these knives there are all transitions to the finest versions of nobles and princes, the most elaborate and costly of silver or gold inlaid and overlaid knives worn by the greatest chiefs as a part of their formal dress, and possibly never intended for regular use. The workmanship of many of these is most exquisite but this fine work is done rather by the higher craftsmen, the silversmiths and ivory carvers, than by the mere blacksmith. Many of the best knives were doubtless made in the Four Workshops, such as is this example, the blades being supplied to the silversmith by the blacksmiths.
"The best of the higher craftsmen (gold and silversmiths, painters, and ivory carvers, etc.) working immediately for the king formed a close, largely hereditary, corporation of craftsmen called the Pattal-hatara (Four Workshops). They were named as follows; The Ran Kadu Golden Arms, the Abarana Regalia, the Sinhasana Lion Throne, and the Otunu Crown these men worked only for the King, unless by his express permission (though, of course, their sons or pupils might do otherwise); they were liable to be continually engaged in Kandy, while the Kottal-badda men were divided into relays, serving by turns in Kandy for periods of two months. The Kottal-badda men in each district were under a foreman (mul-acariya) belonging to the Pattal-hatara. Four other foremen, one from each pattala, were in constant attendance at the palace.This beautiful noble's dagger is stunningly decorated with veka deka liya vela double curve vine motif and the flower motif sina mal, and a bold vine in damascene silver. The blade is traditonal iron and the hilt beautifully carved black coral  read more

Code: 14577

Antique 17th-18th century Sinhalese Nobleman's Dagger Piha Kaetta, With Fabulous Carved Black Coral Grip, and Very Unually With its Original Scabbard.

The knife is being cleaned and conserved in the workshop, it is photographed here pre-conservation at present

A single edged robust steel blade with fuller along the back edge. The forte and spine of the blade are heavily encrusted in silver with scrolling foliage, encased on each side with chased silver alloy bolster panels, over the base, decorated with finely chased floral and vine scrolling foliage, with finely carved black coral grip.


The hilt is finely carved and detailed with aliya-pata pattern hilt. The end is encased in a broad rounding of metal that has been chased in high relief with particularly fine Ceylonese scrolling foliage and flower motifs. From this is emitted a rounded tang button. In its wood scabbard with fluted finish and small wood part lacking.

These elaborately decorated knives are usually the product of the Pattal-hatara (four workshops), the blades being supplied by smiths. This was a mainly hereditary corporation of the best craftsmen who worked exclusively for the king in Kandy. Originally there was only one pattala but this was subsequently divided into sections which included a Randaku pattala (golden sword armoury or workshop). As well as being worn by courtiers, these knives were given by the king to nobles and to the temples. "The best of the higher craftsmen (gold and silversmiths, painters, and ivory carvers, etc.) working immediately for the king formed a close, largely hereditary, corporation of craftsmen called the Pattal-hatara (Four Workshops). They were named as follows; The Ran Kadu Golden Arms, the Abarana Regalia, the Sinhasana Lion Throne, and the Otunu Crown these men worked only for the King, unless by his express permission (though, of course, their sons or pupils might do otherwise); they were liable to be continually engaged in Kandy, while the Kottal-badda men were divided into relays, serving by turns in Kandy for periods of two months.
A related but less ornate example but without a scabbard currently is on display in London’s Victoria & Albert Museum. Another example is in the Clive Collection (see Archer, 1987, p. 45 for an illustration.). The Clive example was first mentioned in inventories in 1775.
References
Caravana, J. et al, Rites of Power: Oriental Weapons: Collection of Jorge Caravana, Caleidoscopio, 2010.
Hales, R.,
Islamic and Oriental Arms and Armour: A Lifetime’s Passion, Robert Hale CI Ltd, 2013.

De Silva, P.H.D.H & S. Wickramasinghe,
Ancient Swords, Daggers & Knives in Sri Lankan Museums, Sri Lanka National Museums, 2006.

Weereratne, N.,
Visions of an Island: Rare works from Sri Lanka in the Christopher Ondaatje Collection, Harper Collins, 1999.  read more

Code: 20007

A Most Beautiful and Intriguing, Early, Possibly 17th Century, Carved Lion Head Sinhalese Simha Makkara Lionhead Hilted, Tail-Bladed Knife

A large knife version of a Sinhalese early kastane short sword.

Traces of an early armourer's stamp at the ricasso of the blade, carved hardwood hilt in the form of a Sinhalese simha lion. The hilt has a pair of rivets through which the blade tang is held in place, and the rivet heads have copper rosette collars, very similar to the rosettes found on 17th century cabassat helmet rivets. A wide blade with an unusual recurved tail, and a single cutting edge. It is of a most unusual form and may for sacrificial purposes, or, a ceremonial implement of another function entirely. We feel it may be Sinhalese, by the hilt design, possible even loosely based on a very large piha kaetta knife.

Curiously it is incredibly similar to artefacts of the early pre-Colombian Central American period, such as Incan or Mayan. 13.5 inches long overall.  read more

Code: 22539

A Late 1600’s Very Fine Black Coral Handled Sinhalese King’s or Noble’s Knife. A Royal Piha-Kaetta (Pihiya)

The knife is being cleaned and conserved in the workshop, it is photographed here pre-conservation at present


A Fine Sinhalese Knife Piha-Kaetta (Pihiya) from Sri Lanka, Late 17th early 18th Century.

For a close related example cfr. Met Museum acc. N. 20.138.3a,b.

This Pihiya is a very well known form of early Ceylonese royal knife, with a straight-backed blade and a curved cutting edge.
The Pihiya Handle and part of the blade are beautifully and finely engraved and decorated with delicate tendrils, the powerful hilt is made out of different combinations of materials such as Gold, Silver, Brass, Copper, Rock Crystal, Ivory, Horn, Black Coral Steel and Wood. Sometimes the Gold or Silver mounts extend down halfway the blade.
Handles were made in a certain and very distinctive form, occasionally they were made in the form of serpentines or a mythical creature’s head, most similar to this stunning piece.
The Kaetta means a beak or billhook, it is a similar but larger knife to the Pihiya, it has a blade with a carved back and a straight cutting edge that curves only towards the tip.
The finest examples were made at the four workshop (Pattal-Hatara), where a selected group of craftsmen worked exclusively for the King and his court, and were bestowed to nobles and officials together with the kasthan? and a cane as a sign of rank and / or office. Others were presented as diplomatic gifts. Many of the best knives were doubtless made in the Four Workshops, such as is this example, the blades being supplied to the silversmith by the blacksmiths.
"The best of the higher craftsmen (gold and silversmiths, painters, and ivory carvers, etc.) working immediately for the king formed a close, largely hereditary, corporation of craftsmen called the Pattal-hatara (Four Workshops). They were named as follows; The Ran Kadu Golden Arms, the Abarana Regalia, the Sinhasana Lion Throne, and the Otunu Crown these men worked only for the King, unless by his express permission (though, of course, their sons or pupils might do otherwise); they were liable to be continually engaged in Kandy, while the Kottal-badda men were divided into relays, serving by turns in Kandy for periods of two months. The Kottal-badda men in each district were under a foreman (mul-acariya) belonging to the Pattal-hatara. Four other foremen, one from each pattala, were in constant attendance at the palace. Prince Vijaya was a legendary king of Sri Lanka, mentioned in the Pali chronicles, including Mahavamsa. He is the first recorded King of Sri Lanka. His reign is traditionally dated to 543?505 bce. According to the legends, he and several hundred of his followers came to Lanka after being expelled from an Indian kingdom. In Lanka, they displaced the island's original inhabitants (Yakkhas), established a kingdom and became ancestors of the modern Sinhalese people. 13 inches long overall  read more

Code: 22534

A Very Nice, Beautiful and Early Black Coral Handled, Gold Alloy Mounted Sinhalese King's Knife 'Piha-Kaetta' (Pihiya)

A Fine Sinhalese Knife Piha-Kaetta (Pihiya) from Sri Lanka, Late 17th early 18th Century.

The knife is being cleaned and conserved in the workshop, it is photographed here pre-conservation at present

The Pihiya is a very well known Ceylonese highest status knife, made for Sri lankan royalty, with a straight-backed blade and a curved cutting edge.

For a close related example cfr. Met Museum acc. N. 20.138.3a,b.

The Pihiya Handle and part of the blade are beautifully and finely engraved and decorated with delicate tendrils, the powerful hilt is made out of different combinations of materials such as Gold, Silver, Brass, Copper, Rock Crystal, Ivory, Horn, Black Coral Steel and Wood. Sometimes the Gold or Silver mounts extend down halfway the blade.

Handles were made in a certain and very distinctive form, occasionally they were made in the form of serpentines or a mythical creature's head, similar to our current lot.

The Kaetta means a beak or billhook, it is a similar but larger knife to the Pihiya, it has a blade with a carved back and a straight cutting edge that curves only towards the tip.

The finest examples were made at the four workshop (Pattal-Hatara), where a selected group of craftsmen worked exclusively for the King and his court, and were bestowed to nobles and officials together with the kasthan and a cane as a sign of rank and / or office. Others were presented as diplomatic gifts. Many of the best knives were doubtless made in the Four Workshops, such as is this example, the blades being supplied to the silversmith by the blacksmiths.
"The best of the higher craftsmen (gold and silversmiths, painters, and ivory carvers, etc.) working immediately for the king formed a close, largely hereditary, corporation of craftsmen called the Pattal-hatara (Four Workshops). They were named as follows; The Ran Kadu Golden Arms, the Abarana Regalia, the Sinhasana Lion Throne, and the Otunu Crown these men worked only for the King, unless by his express permission (though, of course, their sons or pupils might do otherwise); they were liable to be continually engaged in Kandy, while the Kottal-badda men were divided into relays, serving by turns in Kandy for periods of two months. The Kottal-badda men in each district were under a foreman (mul-acariya) belonging to the Pattal-hatara. Four other foremen, one from each pattala, were in constant attendance at the palace. Prince Vijaya was a legendary king of Sri Lanka, mentioned in the Pali chronicles, including Mahavamsa. He is the first recorded King of Sri Lanka. His reign is traditionally dated to 543-505 bce. According to the legends, he and several hundred of his followers came to Lanka after being expelled from an Indian kingdom. In Lanka, they displaced the island's original inhabitants (Yakkhas), established a kingdom and became ancestors of the modern Sinhalese people.  read more

Code: 20795

An Incredibly Rare & Historically Significant. An Early19th Century, Georgian to William IVth Irish, Crum Castle Infantryman's Large Shako Helmet Plate

This is a superb, and incredibly desirable large Bell-Top Shako helmet plate, from one of the small Irish Militia of the early 19th century. Their motto was 'Rebels Lie Down'.

Surviving artefacts of this militia are so scarce that we know of only one other surviving piece of early uniform militaria, a shoulder belt plate, regimentally named and also bearing their motto.
Early 19th century Irish Militia helmet plates are incredibly rare in their own right, and both highly prized and very collectable indeed.

Crum Castle was the alternative old spelling of Crom Castle, County Fermanagh. Although the Yeomanry’s official existence ended in 1834, the last rusty muskets were not removed from their dusty stores till the early 1840s. With unintentional but obvious symbolism, they were escorted to the ordnance stores by members of the new constabulary. Although gone, the Yeomen were most certainly not forgotten. For one thing, they were seen as the most recent manifestation of a tradition of Protestant self-defence stretching back to plantation requirements of armed service from tenants then re-surfacing in different forms such as the Williamite county associations, the eighteenth-century Boyne Societies, anti-Jacobite associations of 1745 and the Volunteers. Such identification had been eagerly promoted. At the foundation of an Apprentice Boys’ club in 1813, Colonel Blacker, a Yeoman and Orangeman, amalgamated the siege tradition, the Yeomanry and 1798 in a song entitled The Crimson Banner:

Again when treason maddened round,
and rebel hordes were swarming,
were Derry’s sons the foremost found,
for King and Country arming.

Moreover, the idea of a yeomanry remained as a structural template for local, gentry-led self-defence, particularly in Ulster. When volunteering was revived in Britain in 1859, northern Irish MPs like Sharman Crawford tried unsuccessfully to use the Yeomanry precedent to get similar Irish legislation. Yeomanry-like associations were mooted in the second Home Rule crisis of 1893. The Ulster Volunteer Force of 1911-14—often led by the same families like Knox of Dungannon—defined their role like Yeomen, giving priority to local defence and exhibiting great reluctance to leave their own districts for training in brigades. Two loop mounts one with old re-bedding 6.25 inches high.  read more

Code: 23283