A Fine & Original Chapka Plate for the 9th Royal Lancers WW1 Issue

With all battle honours up to the Boer War. The last Lancer regiment to engage in Lance on Lance combat in WW1. The chapka was a type of helmet worn by 19th century Polish light cavalry and later adopted by another nations, including Britain.
During the Second Boer War, 1899-1902, the Lancers took part in the following actions: Belmont, Battle of Modder River, Magerfonstien, Relief of Kimberley, and the following Battle of Paardeberg which resulted in Cronje?s surrender. They provided Lord Roberts? escort for his state entry into Bloemfontein. After the war, the 9th returned to Sialkot in the Punjab Although engaged in combat for the whole of the war the Lancers only operated as a cavalry unit during 1914. This was due to the widespread use of machine guns and shelling and also the advent of the tank. For the remainder of the war they operated as infantry in the trenches.

Notable events included a Victoria Cross for Captain Francis Octavius Grenfell for his actions in saving the guns of 119th Battery, Royal Field Artillery on 24 August 1914 (he was later killed in action on 24 May 1915, as was his twin brother, Riversdale, a yeomanry officer who attached to 9th Lancers), and the regiment's participation in the final "lance on lance" action of the First World War on 7 September 1914 at Moncel in which Lieutenant Colonel David Campbell led a charge of two troops of B Squadron and overthrew a squadron of the 1st Guard Dragoons. After Campbell left on promotion he was replaced as commanding officer by Desmond Beale-Browne.

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By the end of the war 274 Lancers had died.

In August 1914 Hume's regiment was in Belgium with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). On 24 August during the Battle of Mons, they charged a large body of German infantry who were advancing to encircle the 5th Division at Audregnies. This famous action saw Captain Francis Grenfell win the Victoria Cross. The 9th Queen's Royal Lancers, or the Delhi Spearmen, were a cavalry regiment of the British Army. They are best known for their roles in the Indian mutiny of 1857, the WW1 Charge at Mons, and for their part in the North African campaign of World War II including the retreat to and the battle of El Alamein in 1942.The 9th Queen's Royal Lancers were originally formed during the Jacobite Risings in 1715. They were formed by Major-General Owen Wynne and were the second cavalry regiment in the British Army. They were initially known as the "9th Dragoons" or "Wynne's Dragoons". In 1717, the regiment embarked for Ballinrobe, in Ireland, and was placed on the Irish establishment.

In 1783 they converted into Light Dragoons, becoming the 9th Light Dragoons, and served in the Irish Rebellion of 1798, Sir Samuel Auchmuty's expedition to the River Plate in 1803, the occupation of Montevideo and Wellington's Peninsula War between 1811 and 1813.

In 1816 they were constituted Lancers and in 1830 were given the distinguished title of "Queen's Royal", in honour of Queen Adelaide, consort of William IV, hence becoming the 9th Queen's Royal Lancers.
The Lancers were first posted to India during the Gwalior Campaign of 1843. They subsequently took part in the First Anglo-Sikh War of 1845-46 and the Second Anglo-Sikh War of 1848-49 where they were often led by Sir Hope Grant and were the first recipients of the Bronze Star Medal.

During the Indian mutiny of 1857, the 9th Lancers earned the name the Delhi Spearmen, a name which is believed to have been given to them by the mutineers themselves. 9th Lancers was present in all three of the most notable events associated with the Indian mutiny, namely, the seizure of Delhi, the seizure of Lucknow and the relief of Lucknow. For their actions the Lancers were awarded twelve Victoria Crosses, more than any other cavalry regiment. They were described by an ally as:-


"The beau ideal of all that British Cavalry ought to be in Oriental countries".  read more

Code: 18936

A Good Victorian Fifth Royal Irish Lancers Tchapka Helmet Plate

In superb condition, fabulous bronze patina and two helmet screw posts.Queen Victoria's crown. The regiment was originally formed in 1689 as James Wynne's Regiment of Dragoons. They fought in the Battle of the Boyne and at the Battle of Aughrim under William of Orange. Renamed the Royal Dragoons of Ireland, they went on to serve with the Duke of Marlborough during the Spanish War of Succession and earned three battle honours there.In 1751, they were retitled 5th Regiment of Dragoons and in 1756 the 5th (or Royal Irish) Regiment of Dragoons. As such, they served in Ireland and were active during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. However, they were accused of treachery; their accusers claimed their ranks had been infiltrated by rebels. (According to Continental Magazine, April 1863, the unit refused to attack a group of rebels.) This accusation appears to have been false, but nevertheless they were disbanded at Chatham in 1799. The regiment was reformed in 1858, keeping its old number and title, but losing precedence, being ranked after the 17th Lancers. It was immediately converted into a lancer regiment and titled 5th (or Royal Irish) Regiment of Dragoons (Lancers). In 1861, it was renamed the 5th (or Royal Irish) Lancers and then the 5th (Royal Irish) Lancers. The regiment served in India and a section served in Egypt in 1885, taking part in the battles at Suakin. It served with distinction in the Second Boer War from 1899 to 1902, gaining battle honours at Battle of Elandslaagte and The Defence of Ladysmith.

The regiment then returned to England where it stayed until the outbreak of World War I, when it became part of the British Expeditionary Force and saw action continually from 1914 to 1918 in some of the war's bloodiest battles. During the battle of Bourlon Wood George William Burdett Clare received the Victoria Cross posthumously. The 5th (Royal Irish) Lancers won a total of 20 battle honours during the Great War.

The 5th (Royal Irish) Lancers also has the grim honour of being the regiment of the last British soldier to die in the Great War. This was Private George Edwin Ellison from Leeds, who was killed by a sniper as the regiment advanced into Mons a short time before the armistice came into effect.

The regiment was renamed 5th Royal Irish Lancers and disbanded in 1921, but a squadron was reconstituted in 1922 and immediately amalgamated with the 16th The Queen's Lancers to become the 16th/5th Lancers The Royal Irish Lancers were in Mons at the time of retreat in 1914 but escaped and returned on Armistice Day. The last cavalry regiment out and the first back!. The memorial panel we show in the gallery records the return welcomed by the Maire and the Cur?. The scene is taken from a painting, ?5th Lancers, Re-entry into Mons?, last heard of in the private collection of a Belgian citizen. This in turn is almost a mirror image of a painting ?5th Lancers, Retreat from Mons? (whereabouts unknown). In the former, the troopers are heading in the opposite direction to the ?Retreat?, and a middle-aged priest and a pregnant woman watching the departure of the regiment among a worried-looking crowd of Belgian citizens have subtly changed: the priest is now white-haired and the mother holds up her four-year-old child, having lived through the occupation of the German forces in Mons for four years. The Great War 1914

The 5 Lancers, as part of the 3rd Cavalry Brigade, were heavily involved and played a major role in the initial mobile actions fought by the BEF. They gained the distinction of being the last cavalry regiment to withdraw from Mons during the retreat; they also had the privilege to be the first British regiment to re-enter Mons after the pursuit in November 1918. Generally the First World War is described as a war of trench deadlock primarily fought by the infantry, gunners and engineers, this assessment is correct. It must however be remembered that cavalry regiments were expected to take their place in the line from time to time and did share the privations of trench warfare suffered by the infantry. On a number of occasions 5 L particularly distinguished themselves: in the defence of Guillemont Farm, June 1917, 3 MCs, and 4 MMs were won and during the defence of Bourlon Wood in 1918 Private George Clare won a posthumous VC. While the main focus of the First World War remained with the armies fighting on the western front it was by no means the only theatre of war. In 1918 Allenby, a 5th Lancer and later a Field Marshal, reorganised British forces in the Middle East pushing his lines forward into northern Palestine. Allenby's Army broke through at Megiddo resulting in the collapse of Turkish resistance. 8.25 inches x 5 inches approx.  read more

Code: 19688

Wonderful Napoleonic Wars 'Brown Bess' Officer's Musket, Made by One Of The Most Famous & Greatest English Gunsmiths, Harvey Walklate Mortimer. A Fabulous Example, In Superb Condition. A Far Better Example Than The Mortimer Bess in The Royal Collection

Excellent steel on all parts, barrel and lock, finest walnut stock with stunning natural patina, very fine regulation pattern brass mounts, including side plate ramrod pipes and butt plate {regimentally numbered 10} both original sling swivels present. As this is the officers issue Brown Bess, this would be very unlikely to be a rack number, as the officers did not keep their muskets on racks with the other ranks guns, but in their quarters on campaign, thus it may represent the 10th (North Lincolnshire) Regiment of Foot.

The regiment served with particular distinction in the Napoleonic Peninsular War (1808-14) from 1812 to 1814. Their key campaigns were the Siege of Tarragona: The battalion formed part of General John Mackenzie’s 2nd Division in 1813.
The Battle of Castalla: Fought in April 1813, this was one of their major engagements, resulting in a successful allied victory against French forces. The Blockade of Barcelona: The regiment saw out the final stages of the Peninsular War in Spain through 1814 as operations shifted to Catalonia. The battalion also saw service in Malta, Sicily, and northern Italy

It would be very hard indeed to see a better example, of an officer's issue 'Brown Bess' {Third Pattern} anywhere. Another one of these India Pattern, 1st model ‘Brown Bess’, also by H W Mortimer, likely from the very same contract order, is now in the British Royal Collection, and it is not in anywhere in as good condition as this absolute beauty.

Harvey Walklate Mortimer (1753-1819) gun maker for His Majesty the King, was a British gunsmith known for his exquisite craftsmanship and innovative designs. His pistols, and muskets, often adorned with intricate engravings, were highly sought after by both military officers and civilians. Mortimer's work is characterized by its precision, balance, and meticulous attention to detail, showcasing a mastery of both form and function. His legacy continues to inspire gunsmiths and collectors today, cementing his place as a significant figure in the history of firearms.
The Royal Collection has an identical British infantry officer's example, made for the Napoleonic Wars, Object number:
XII.103, but their Brown Bess by Mortimer has been converted to a percussion action.

The 'Brown Bess' infantry musket was the standard weapon of the British infantry for more than a century.

From the Seven Years war, the American revolution, The Anglo French Wars and The Napoleonic Wars. Also soldiers on both sides of the Anglo American War of 1812 employed it in battle, staring down its barrel at opponents across distances of less than a hundred yards.

British foot soldiers marched into battle with this musket—nicknamed “Brown Bess”—for more than 100 years. British redcoats used the 'Brown Bess' to fight the War of Independence in the colonies, and many of their opponents in the Americans’ Continental army used it as well. British soldiers fighting in the Napoleonic wars carried it into battle, and it was the principal firearm used by the infantrymen who fought the War of 1812.

The Brown Bess had several distinctive features. It was a large-calibre weapon: the bullet it fired was a lead ball up to three-quarters of an inch in diameter, three times the diameter of a modern .22-caliber rifle round. The inside of its barrel was smooth: unlike more accurate “rifled” muskets used by the famous rifle regiments, the Brown Bess had a smooth bore with no grooves to make its fire more accurate. Soldiers loaded the musket through the muzzle, which meant that each bullet had to be forced down a longer than three foot barrel before firing. Even trained soldiers could only launch two or three shots per minute.

Because the weapon was slow to load and relatively inaccurate (experienced soldiers generally estimated its range between 50 and 100 yards), armies developed tactics that helped compensate for its shortcomings. The limitations of smoothbore muskets like the Brown Bess forced units employ “linear tactics,” in which a hundreds of soldiers stood in neat lines, shoulder-to-shoulder and out in the open. While such tactics appear decidedly unstealthy to twenty-first century eyes, they proved essential on the battlefields of all the conflicts which Britain was involved.
There, stealth was a low priority. Packing the men into blocks allowed officers to coordinate their troops’ fire into synchronized volleys. Firing a hundred guns in the same direction at once helped ensure that at least some, often most of the inaccurate musket balls found their targets. And grouping the men into neat lines out in the open helped commanders ensure that few of their troops gave in to the natural instinct to flee.

Of course, packing troops into blocks and fighting in the open required tremendous discipline from the individual soldiers. Infantrymen had to stand exposed to enemy fire as they loaded and fired their own muskets. And in some situations, soldiers learned the grisly dangers of fighting in lines—as at the Battle of New Orleans in the 1812 war, where American artillery attacked the exposed British formations with devastating effect.

The world changed in 1793, a mere 10 years after the loss of the American colonies. Britain found itself once again at war, this time with Revolutionary France. An army now reduced in size to an authorized strength of only 44,432 men had to be expanded rapidly, along with the local militia and volunteer forces. The call for muskets was huge. Indeed, in 1793 the total stock of muskets in all the armouries around Britain, including the central arsenal at the Tower of London, was around a mere 60,000. The stocks held in French arsenals amounted to over a very sensible 700,000. Although it is clear that we are currently abysmally unprepared for the defence of these islands today, 250 years ago, it was exactly the same, as it was in 1939 before WW2. Around 110 years ago former army general Baden Powell created the Boy Scouts with the motto 'Be Prepared', hopefully, to instill in those young minds, a sound and sensible life principle to counter the constant unpreparedness, for all manner of emergencies, of the British Government. A situation that the General Staff consistently find so tragic, yet it is never able to change the policy of the politicians, and this appalling deadly situation, continues, even unto today.

The Board of Ordnance had to fill the gap. They did this by ordering 10,000 muskets from the Birmingham and London gun trade

The lock is stamped by the primary, senior ordnance inspector, for arms provided by ordnance contractors for the armaments required for the Napoleonic Wars
Richard Duce {his mark of Crown 2}. He was also the controller of tempering & hardening of locks, after their arrival from the stores for fitting to the musket.
Stamped with London Gunmaker's Company proof marks. It has a hook breech and is secured by three slides. Lock engraved with the name of the maker Mortimer.

He also inspected all the EIC Brown Bess that were handed over to the British Ordnance for the Napoleonic Wars. An account that was confirmed to us by our friend and historic colleague, Howard Blackmore of the Tower of London armoury.  read more

Code: 26253

A, Original Napoleonic Wars ‘Tower of London’ Brown Bess Musket. Third Pattern, Napoleonic Wars Issue. 39 inch Barrel Regulation Lock, Stock, Mounts and Fittings. Circa 1808 With Ring Necked Cock

A very good regulation Brown Bess ‘Tower of London’ India Pattern Musket of The Napoleonic Wars, Waterloo etc. The standard musket issued to the British soldier throughout the late 18th and early 19th centuries was the India Pattern model, made in two variants and used against both Revolutionary and Napoleonic France. The first model was introduced in 1793 and the updated version in 1810

Probably the most famous military flintlock musket in the world today, and certainly one of the most historically important and desirable long guns of its type from the Napoleonic wars.

In one day alone, June 1815, at the Battle of Waterloo, it is estimated four million rounds were fired by the 50,000 infantry {estimated at 80 cartridges per man} with their India Pattern Brown Bess muskets, at Napoleon’s army.

A typical regulation example exceptional and excellent condition, with a stunning colour and patina.
A British Napoleonic Wars regulation, regiment of the line issue musket, Crown GR and Tower, ring neck cock lock with government GR Crown stamp, regulation brass mounts, iron ramrod replaced. Walnut stock with signs of combat use but still exceptionally fine. A musket that it would be difficult to improve upon to find a better example.

The Brown Bess musket began its life almost 300 years ago, and it helped in creating one of the greatest trading empires the world has ever seen and, among other achievements, made the 'British Square' the almost undefeated form of infantry defence throughout the world. Made in four distinct patterns it originally started life as a 46 inch barrel musket called the Long Land or Ist pattern Brown Bess. Then in around 1768 the gun evolved and the barrel was shortened to 42 inches as 46 was deemed unwieldy and renamed the Short Land or 2nd pattern. Although the Long Land was made continually for another 20 years. With the onset of the Napoleonic Wars in the 1790s, the British Board of Ordnance found itself woefully short of the 250,000 muskets it would need to equip its forces. It managed to produce around 20,000 short land pattern muskets but this was simply not sufficient. At that time the British East India Company maintained it own troops and had contracted with makers to produce a simplified version of the Brown Bess musket with a 39-inch barrel and less ornate furniture and stock work. It was generally felt that the standard of these "India pattern" muskets was not up to the standard of the earlier Besses, but necessity required action so the authorities convinced Company officials to turn over their stores to the Crown. By 1797 the urgencies of war ultimately created the demise of the Short Pattern, and all manufacture was turned to building the more simple 'India' pattern. For the most part, the gun underwent few changes from its introduction until Waterloo, with the exception of the cock, which was altered from the traditional swan-neck style to a sturdier, reinforced ringed version in around 1808.

The Brown Bess musket was the standard weapon of the British for more than a century. soldiers marched into battle with this musket—nicknamed “Brown Bess”—for more than 100 years. British redcoats used the Brown Bess to fight the War of Independence in the colonies, and many of their opponents in the Americans’ Continental army used it as well.
British soldiers fighting in the Napoleonic wars carried it into battle, and it was the principal firearm used by the infantrymen who fought the War of 1812.

Because the weapon was slow to load and relatively inaccurate (experienced soldiers generally estimated its range between 50 and 100 yards), armies developed tactics that helped compensate for its shortcomings. The limitations of smoothbore muskets like the Brown Bess forced units employ “linear tactics,” in which a hundreds of soldiers stood in neat lines, shoulder-to-shoulder and out in the open. While such tactics appear decidedly unstealthy to twenty-first century eyes, they proved essential on the battlefields of all the conflicts which Britain was involved.
There, stealth was a low priority. Packing the men into blocks allowed officers to coordinate their troops’ fire into synchronized volleys. Firing a hundred guns in the same direction at once helped ensure that at least some, often most of the inaccurate musket balls found their targets. And grouping the men into neat lines out in the open helped commanders ensure that few of their troops gave in to the natural instinct to flee.

Of course, packing troops into blocks and fighting in the open required tremendous discipline from the individual soldiers. Infantrymen had to stand exposed to enemy fire as they loaded and fired their own muskets. And in some situations, soldiers learned the grisly dangers of fighting in lines—as at the Battle of New Orleans in the 1812 war, where American artillery attacked the exposed British formations with devastating effect.

Engagements for the infantry were traditionally at relatively close distances, often the result of closely controlled battlefield management. In 1811 a soldier of the 71st Regiment of Foot, writing of fighting the French at Fuentes de Onõro, recorded: “… during our first advance a bayonet went through between my side and clothes, to my knapsack, which stopped its progress. The Frenchman to whom the bayonet belonged fell, pierced by a musket ball from my rear-rank man. Whilst freeing myself from the bayonet, a ball took off part of my right shoulder wing and killed the rear-rank man, who fell upon me. We kept up our fire until long after dark. My shoulder was black as coal from the recoil of my musket; for this day I had fired 107 round of ball cartridge.”

This was not an uncommon account and it would have been just as true of Waterloo. If we were to take an average of 80 cartridges fired by about 50,000 allied infantry at Waterloo the expenditure of ammunition would have amounted to more than four million cartridges. Although not scientific, it does give a flavour of the ferocity of battle that Sunday in June 1815.

Barrel 39inch overall 54.75 inches long.

Action has a very good and strong mainspring. As with all our antique guns no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables  read more

Code: 26254

A Fine and Long, Saudi Arabian, Silver & Copper Alloy Dharia Jambiya 19th Century

A scarce jambiya to find as the smaller Omani and Yemeni types were made in far greater numbers over the past century.

A long bladed Dharia jambiya, with shbeyl hilt type, more within the short-sword size, with a flat beyd blade as opposed to the more frequently seen Omani dagger sized pieces. Late 19th century also called in the west a Wahhabi jambiya covered in geometrically patterned silver. A "Wahhabi jambiya" is a occidental collector's term. "Weapons of the Islamic World" by The King Faisal Centre, the Centre for Research & Islamic Studies categorises these by type, tribal or regional origin, not by religious sect.
Obviously jambiyas of this type were carried by Wahhabis and certain of the tribes they are associated with would be predominately Wahhabi.
These are from the Asir, Hejaz, Nejd (generally the South, West and Central Saudi Arabia) and were the origins and backbone of the "Ikwhan" which was of course Wahhabi. Dharia is the term used to describe the long dagger which originates from the west of modern day Saudi Arabia, around the Azir/Hijaz area, and down as far as Yemen.

The word Dharia appears to come from the Arabic Dhura'eyah which translates as Arm Long Dagger. These daggers are also called Sabiki, Sabak, Sabik etc depending on the spelling. The term Wahabite is also commonly used to describe these, but any direct connection with the Wahhabi Movement except perhaps the actual geographical area is likely very co-incidental, and perhaps that this style was one used by them.

The jambia was given its name because it is worn on the side of a person – the word jambia is derived from the Arabic word janb (Arabic: جنب, lit. 'side'). A jambia is constituted of a handle, a blade, and a sheath in which the blade is held. It is made of a certain sort of wood, to hold the blade that is fixed to the waist from underneath with an upward curved sheath. The belt that holds the jambia is made of tanned leather, or some thick cloth. There are specialised markets and handicraft markets that decorate it with golden wires.

The jambia handle often tells of the social status of the man who wears it. Jambias can be made with ivory handles or hilts of other rare and exotic materials.
T. E. Lawrence was famous for using a jambiya knife historically.  read more

Code: 26264

Truly Exceptional, Original, Highest Grade Napoleonic Wars Period Museum Piece Silver Miquelet, A Magnificent Musket Dated 1776 Presented To Ali Pasha the Lion of Alexandria. An All Silver Mounted Miquelet Gun, Another Was Presented to President Jefferson

Just returned today from silver conservation.

Dated lock 1190 AH which translates to 1776 to 1777 AD. combined with Sultanate mark in script. The lock is stunningly inlaid with silver and gold. The walnut gunstock has around twenty intricate panels of rococo silver inlaid throughout, a very fine long barrel inlaid with an intricate silver design and held by five silver mounting capuchine bands. The ram rod has a long silver fore-end. The stock has a brass butt-stock end, superbly engraved throughout.

We were astounded when we were offered this fabulous presentation piece, also from the peak of the Ottoman Empire, that was almost certainly e near pair, presented to Ali Pasha, 'The Lion of Alexandria' the famous Great Pasha and ruler in the Ottoman Empire, to another, near identical Miquelet example, that we sold just a few months ago. It is also a near pair to one presented to President Thomas Jefferson {now in the Smithsonian}

Intriguingly, it is more than possible this fabulous silver mounted long gun was likely presented to Ali Pasha in order to counteract its previous presentation pair. When this Miquelet presented it may have been so gifted on behalf of either, The Duke of Wellington or Napoleon Bonaparte, as they were both currying favour with the Great Pasha, in order for him to change allegiances, which he did, from Napoleon to Wellington, and then assisted the Ottoman Army to eject napoleon from Egypt in 1802.

Muhammad 'Ali Pasha, also known as 'the Father of Egypt' and the 'Lion of Alexandria', held a significant role in shaping modern Egypt. After a long period of foreign occupation in Egypt, his ascendancy in 1806 marked a pivotal point as he established control over Egypt and Sudan, a domination that endured until the Egyptian revolution of 1952.

Born in Kavalla, Macedonia in the late 1760s, Muhammad 'Ali gained prominence as a commander in the Albanian military, collaborating with British and Ottoman forces to expel Napoleon Bonaparte's army from Egypt in 1802. After the allied forces withdrew, Muhammad 'Ali remained in power, eventually declaring himself Egypt's de facto ruler in 1806. He skillfully navigated the geo-political complexities of his time, securing recognition from the Ottomans as governor or pasha, and thereby successfully reinstating an autonomous and hereditary dynasty at a time when the Ottoman Empire was exerting growing control over other Arab regions.
Fabulous arms were the great pieces of choice in order to be presented from Kings, Emperors and Generals, to their foreign counterparts {other Kings, Emperors, and Generals} in order to sway their decisions of state, for alliances and influence, essential in times of great war.

This very type of magnificent silver inlaid long gun were renown as the presentation pieces of choice for Emperors, Kings, Pashas and Presidents. President Thomas Jefferson was presented another near identical example just like ours, in November 1805, by the Bey of Tunis, it is now part of the Smithsonian Collection of great arms, in America.

Photo 10 though is Ali Pasha’s other identical example, now in the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Clearly these magnificent silver long guns were the personal favourites of the great Pasha, likely one kept in each of his royal palaces, in his empire.

Ali Pasha of Tepelena had several residences and strongholds, with his primary palace located in Ioannina (modern-day Greece), where he ruled as the Ottoman governor. Additionally, he maintained significant fortresses/residences at Porto Palermo and in his hometown of Tepelenë (both in modern Albania).
Ioannina Palace: His main administrative centre and audience chamber were in Ioannina, which became a cosmopolitan hub under his rule.
Porto Palermo Castle: A well-known coastal fortress on a small peninsula near Himara, often associated with a romantic legend.
Tepelena Castle: A large, 4-hectare castle in Tepelenë served as a vital residence and stronghold.
Butrint Castle: He used a small, fortified, formerly Venetian, structure on an islet at the mouth of the Vivari Channel

Another singularly spectacular ‘statement piece’ for any collection of rare and fine arms or antiques. From the Napoleonic Wars era, made for the famous Ottoman ruler Ali Pasha.
**See photo 10 in the gallery for reference, and link below, to another almost identical example and another of Ali Pasha's miquelets now in the Metropolitan in New York

The great ruler of the Ottoman's, Ali Pasha was, at first, an admirer of Napoleon and formed a brief alliance with him during the Napoleonic wars, but, with changing winds he went against his previous ally to support the British. Napoleon thus sanctioned a planned rebellion against Ali, but the British arrived, as funds were being collected and rebels were being recruited.
Ali's rival, Ibrahim Pasha of Berat, turned to the French and gathered a coalition of Ali's enemies, including Mustafa Pasha of Delvinë, Pronio Aga of Paramythia, Hasan Çapari of Margariti, the Beys of Himara, the Aga of Konispoli and the Souliotes. This coalition began attacking Ali's realm with support from French artillery, and Ali responded by bribing Ibrahim's supporters with British support. Ali besieged Ibrahim Pasha in Berat with an 8,000-man army commanded by the Albanian captain Omer Bey Vrioni, and with the aid of British rockets, Berat finally fell after a year of skirmishing. Ibrahim retired to Vlorë, and Ali told the Porte that he had taken Berat in response to the revolts in upper Albania that were the result of Ibrahim's inability to rule

In 1809, Lord Byron together with John Cam Hobhouse visited Ali's court in Tepelena and Ioannina in 1809.
Byron recorded the encounter in his work Childe Harold. They traveled to Albania to see the country that was, until then, mostly unknown in Britain. Byron presented Albanians as a free people who lived in their state under their leader, Ali Pasha, described by Byron as a
"a man of first abilities, who governs the whole of Albania"

A near identical long gun of Ali Pasha, {the third of its kind} is in the Metropolitan museum, exhibited as the Miquelet Rifle of Ali Pasha. Being cognisant of the manipulations of great rulers of history, it is logical to assume the envoys of both King George for Wellington, and Napoleon were informed exactly how to impress the great Pasha, by presenting him with his favourite silver mounted miquelets, hand made by the rulers gunsmith in his empire. Thus with such magnificent pieces Ali Pasha would be swayed to agree to military alliances and mutual defensive pacts. It clearly worked, but likely both Wellington and Napoleon were unawhere just how ‘flexible’ he was in his allegiances.

His rule by Ali's definition, included central and southern Albania, and parts of mainland Greece; in particular, most of the district of Epirus and the western parts of Thessaly and Macedonia. He managed to stretch his control over the sanjaks of Yanina, Delvina, Vlora and Berat, Elbasan, Ohrid and Monastir, Görice, and Tirhala. Ali was granted the Sanjak of Tirhala in 1787, and he delegated its government in 1788 to his second-born Veli Pasha, who also became Pasha of the Morea Eyalet in 1807.
Ali's eldest son, Muhtar Pasha, was granted the Sanjak of Karli-Eli and the Sanjak of Eğriboz in 1792, stretching for the first time Ali's control down to Livadia and the Gulf of Corinth, except Attica. Muhtar Pasha also became governor of the Sanjak of Ohrid in 1796–7 and of the Sanjak of Vlora and Berat in 1810.

Similar finest examples may be viewed in the Topkapi Museum in Istanbul and the Hermitage in Russia. A most similar gun was presented to President Thomas Jefferson by the Bey of Tunis.

A simply superbly beautiful antique presentation long gun from the Early 19th century. A miquelet gun with a very high quality miquelet toe lock decorated with numerous chiseled and fretted silver panels and inlaid foliate arabesques.

The gun is richly inlaid with silver throughout and fitted with a chisseled bronze-brass butt plate, with matching silver barrel bands, and its original silver mounted ramrod. Figured hardwood three-quarter stock profusely inlaid over its full length with numerous silver plaques.

A most similar gun was a gift of the Russian Romanov Tsar to Augustus II King of Poland and Elector of Saxony on his coronation in Krakow.
That gun is published in the book Prunkwaffen: Waffen und Rustungen aus dem Historischen Museum Dresden by Johannes Schobel (Leipzig, 1973) p.249, pl. 178.

Guns of this style with miquelet actions, were popular throughout the whole of Central, Eastern Europe, Russia, the Caucasus and The Ottoman Empire. However this magnificent piece is a much, much higher quality example, made solely for presentation to potentates, rulers and the like, than is more often seen, and certainly sets it well apart from the usual plain miquelet musket of its type.

After the conquest of Istanbul by Mehmed the Conqueror at 1453, construction of the Topkapi Palace was started at the year 1460 and completed at 1478 .The Palace was built upon an Eastern Roman Acropolis located at the Istanbul Peninsula between Sea of Marmara, Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. Topkapi Palace, was the administrative, educational and art center of the Empire for nearly four hundred years since Mehmed the Conqueror until Sultan Abdulmecid who is the thirty-first Sultan. Although Palace was abandoned by the Ottoman Dynasty by moving to the Dolmabahce Palace at middle 19th century, the Topkapi Palace latterly became a world class museum containing some of the worlds finest antique arms and armour.

The year of Catherine II’s acquisition of the Gotzkowsky collection is the Hermitage museum’s birth date. In 1764 Empress Catherine II acquired the collection formed by Johann Gotzkowski for King Frederick II of Prussia. A rich Berlin merchant and founder of silk and porcelain factories in Berlin, Johann Gotzkowski was one of Frederick's agents, in charge of the purchase of works of art for the royal collection. Frederick II (the Great), owner of a wonderful collection of contemporary French paintings, ordered Gotzkowski to purchase paintings by old masters. The merchant was a zealous agent and it took him only a few years to put together a large collection, but by this time Frederick had lost large sums of money in the Seven Years War and he refused to make the purchase.

The enterprising merchant was forced to look around for alternative buyers and he offered the collection to Russia. Catherine II was pleased to take the opportunity of hurting Frederick's self-esteem and of proving that the Russian State Treasury, despite losses which were no less than those of Prussia, could still afford to make such an expensive acquisition. From this purchase onwards the Hermitage has become one of the foremost museums in the world, alongside the British Museum, The Metropolitan, The Louvre and The Prado.

This miquelet is 71 inches long, {our previous near pair example was 55.5 inches long overall}. This gun was likely made purposely longer in order to greately impress the Pasha that its presenter had greater respect for the Great Pasha. This of course, is, reasonable supposition, we have no way of knowing if it is correct.

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

For reference, the rifle of Ali Pasha
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/28998

See photo 10 in the gallery of the Metropolitan Museums Miquelet Rifle of Ali Pasha
lock and stock, Algerian; barrel, European
lock and stock, dated A.H. 1224/1809–10 CE; barrel, 18th century

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of our family’s trading, as Britain’s oldest established, and favourite, armoury and gallery

Another magnificent and extremely similar Miquelet, undoubtedly by the same gunsmith of Ali Pasha, was the silver inlaid gun presented to President Thomas Jefferson presented by the Bey of Tunis in 1805 is a 7-foot-long, Miquelet-lock Jezail (musket). It was presented as a gift intended to strengthen diplomatic relations following the end of the Tripolitan War. It now resides by loan in the Smithsonian affiliated museum, the Buffalo Bill Museum of the West in Cody Wyoming

The musket was presented on November 30, 1805, at the Washington Navy Yard by Sidi Soliman Mellimelli, the ambassador of the Bey of Tunis.

Link;

https://americanhistory.si.edu/explore/stories/journeying-west-distinctive-firearms-travel-buffalo-bill-center-west

Lock locates with a single side nail instead of three. Small panel of inlay lacking at the cheek side butt.  read more

Code: 26221

M43 Luftwaffe Trapezoid Eagle 'Ski Cap' Insignia. Tunic Removed

From a small collection of breast eagles, cap badges, and uniform medals etc acquired from a British Army veteran's family, of WW2 1945 German POW surrendered combatants. Taken from German uniforms worn by the captured soldiers and officers.

Luftwaffe NCOs wore two main styles of ski caps, or Bergmütze. These caps featured fold-down ear and neck flaps secured by either one or two pebbled buttons.The primary variants they wore included, Luftwaffe Mountain Cap (1937 Pattern)
Originally introduced for skiing and mountain sports. It was later authorized for signals and Flak (anti-aircraft) troops stationed in mountainous regions. This cap was made of blue-grey wool or cotton twill and had a slightly shorter visor than standard caps.

Officially introduced in 1943, the M43 replaced earlier side caps and was based directly on the ski cap designs of the Gebirgsjäger (mountain troops). These were widely worn by Luftwaffe ground units and Flak crews.Insignia & Distinguishing Features:Both caps were adorned with the Luftwaffe national eagle emblem and a national tricolour cockade.
NCO (Unteroffizier) caps were unpiped (lacking the silver or gold twisted cords reserved for officers).  read more

Code: 26262

WWII German Kriegsmarine Coastal Artillery Breast Eagle Tunic Removed

From a small collection of breast eagles, cap badges, and uniform medals etc acquired from a veteran's family of WW2 1945 German POW surrendered combatants. Taken from German uniforms worn by the captured soldiers and officers.

The Kriegsmarine Coastal Artillery (Marine-Artillerie) was a dedicated naval branch responsible for protecting Germany's occupied and home coastlines from sea and air attacks. Manned by naval sailors and officers, they operated heavy shore batteries and anti-aircraft guns, eventually integrating into the Atlantic Wall.
Engaging enemy warships, protecting harbors, and defending against amphibious landings.Units: Organized into Naval Coastal Artillery Battalions (Marine-Artillerie-Abteilung or MAA), and Marine Anti-Aircraft Battalions (Marine-Flak).Command: Despite being land-based, these units were strictly under Navy command, led by a regional naval commander known as the Seekommandant.

Naval artillery constituted the most formidable firepower of the Atlantic Wall, ranging from 6.5 cm to 40.6 cm guns.English Channel: Batteries like the Batterie Todt and Batterie Lindemann in the Pas-de-Calais region engaged in long-range duels across the Dover Strait.Notable Survivors: The Longues-sur-Mer Battery in Normandy is a famous example that engaged Allied naval forces on D-Day, and is one of the few in France still retaining its original guns.Scandinavia: Vast networks of heavy batteries were deployed throughout Norway to control shipping lanes.

Unlike Army units placed further inland, naval coastal batteries were stationed directly on the coastline and utilized direct fire control methods similar to those used on warships  read more

Code: 26261

A Super Pair of WW2 Badges For A Scottish ATS Girl Based at Rosneath House and Her US Submariners Sweetheart Badge for Crewman of USS Herring, Lost With all Hands Off Matsuwa Island

A regulation WW2 issue ATS cap badge, and a silver US Submariner's sweetheart brooch. The ATS girl served at Rosneath House Dumbartonshire, and her sweetheart was a crewman of USS Herring based in Scotland in Submarine Squadron 50. Tragically the submaring was lost in the Pacific June 1st 1944 off the Japanese Islands. The house was of note as both the home of Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll and as the military base where Operation Torch was planned, and was the location of the important meeting between Churchill, Eisenhower and Montgomery to negotiate Operation Torch: the invasion of North Africa.

The ATS girl, Miss Mary Smith, was not informed of the loss of the submarine for well over six months. She later married after the war.

The Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) in Rosneath served vital support roles for both the Royal Navy and the US Navy (HMS Rosneath/US Navy Base Two). ATS personnel were stationed there to operate switchboards, provide clerical support, maintain vehicles, and run vital communication centers for the Allied amphibious operations.
ATS women managed the administrative and clerical burden at Rosneath House, which became the American staff headquarters for planning operations like the 1942 invasion of North Africa (Operation Torch).

Operating telephones and teleprinters was crucial for coordinating the heavy convoy and amphibious traffic on the Firth of Clyde.
Members of the ATS drove military vehicles and helped maintain transport pools that supplied the bases and surrounding camps

Submarine Squadron 50 (SubRon 50) was a specialized U.S. Navy wolfpack established in September 1942 at New London, Connecticut, and deployed to Scotland to hunt German U-boats and enemy shipping during the Battle of the Atlantic.The squadron consisted of seven brand-new Gato-class fleet submarines—including the USS Herring. Between 1942 and 1943, these vessels operated out of Rosneath, Scotland, making them the only U.S. submarines to operate in European waters during the war.
Assigned to patrol the Bay of Biscay, Norway, and Iceland, as well as support the Operation Torch amphibious landings.
Utilized the Rosneath Naval Base in Dumbartonshire
Operating the USS Beaver (AS-5) as a tender, the unit prowled the approaches to Europe and conducted patrols off North Africa.
Herring's The Atlantic was less fruitful for targets than the Pacific, and the boats in SubRon 50 were hindered by defective torpedoes and mechanical issues.

Because of these limitations and a lack of German shipping targets, Squadron 50 was reassigned to the Pacific theatre in 1943 to combat the Japanese.

On June 1, 1944, during her eighth war patrol, the USS Herring was sunk with all 83 crew members by Japanese shore batteries and depth charges near Matsuwa Island in the Kuriles.
Crew list;
RT2 Fred Harvey Anderson
MoMM2 John Leonard, Jr. Anderson
RM1 James Elbert Armstrong
ENS Salvatore Balestrieri
F1 Jack Lee Blair
S1 J. T. Blevins
S1 Leo Joseph Boucher
TM1 James Joseph Brennan
SC2 John Jack Bronder
S2 Weldon Junior Brown
CK1 Timothy Burkett
MoMM2 Charles E. Burton
StM2 Nathaniel Campbell
MoMMC Malcolm Dillard Carroll
TM3 Robert Allan Carter
TM1 Robert Joseph Chouinard
TM1 Raymond Walter Christopherson
LT John Norvin Compton
MoMM2 Arnold Jerome Cook
ENS Edward Paul Cunningham
EM1 Henry Lester Cushion
MoMM1 James Ray Dawkins
TM3 Robert Earl Devenport
MoMM3 Franklin Kenneth Edginton
MoMM1 William John, Jr. Eitelbach
MoMM3 George William French
F2 Donald Russell Gagnon
TM3 James LeRoy Gregory
EM2 Charles George Groshens
RM3 Clifford Henry Grote
PhMC Armand Alois Guerra
TM3 Paul Blaney Harper
MoMM2 Robert Gerald Haskell
S1 Billy Glen Hill
LT(jg) William Anthony Hofman
SC3 Lawrence Harvey Isbell
MoMM2 John Martin Johnson
S2 Laurel Kenneth Johnson
RM2 Samuel Loy, Jr. Johnson
StM1 Louis Hill Jones, 26-Jan-44 HERRING (SS-233)
EM2 Earl Albert Kelley
LT(jg) Michael Frank, Jr. Kostal
LT Edward Lawrence, Jr. Leahy
TM3 Warren Edwin Lewis
MoMM1 Rex Henry Loftis
RM3 Robert Lawrence Mack
LCDR (XO) Wilbur Jerome Mason
SM3 John Burns Mayes
QMC John William, Jr. McCreary
TM3 Willie Raderick McLendon
SO2 Joel Atwood, Jr. Merriman
EMC Robert Scott Millis
EM2 Gordon Richard Mitchell
F1 Herbert Barnes Much
F2 Lester Odom
MoMMC Harry Joseph O'Howell (AKA Howell, Harry Joseph), 1-Jun-44
GM2 Robert Edgar Payne
FC2 Gabriel Joseph Pepera
S1 James Gordon Perkins
SM3 Carl Eugene Poland
QM3 Omer Paul Potvin
ENS William Bright Pressnall
EM2 Sone Herbert Price
MoMM2 Charles Edward Riley
MoMM3 Donald Leroy Robbins
EM1 Emerson Everett Rockwell
MoMM3 Donald Edwin Ryan
MoMM3 Andrey Harold Saarm
F1 Charles Augustus Schmidt
GM3 William Kenneth Smiley
S1 William Stern
SC3 Robert Ray Stoneking
F1 James Arthur Sutherland
YN2 Frederick Allen Swanson
EM1 Allan Wilson Twigg
EM3 Van Harlan VanMatre
COX Leroy Moroney Vreeland
FC3 George Edward Wagoner
MoMM2 Carman Duncan Walker
EM3 John Robert Walsh
S1 Kenneth Karl Way
TM2 Howard Ray Wilson
S1 Elmer Christian Wuertele
LCDR (CO) David, Jr. Zabriskie.

Her US sailor beau, ‘Eddy’ was from Rhode Island and was 26 when he was declared MIA  read more

Code: 26260

A Super Rare Volume, Superbly Bound in Vellum, of :The Voiages and Travels of John Struys through Italy, Greece, Muscovy, Tartary, Media, Persia, East-India, Japan, and other Countries in Europe, Africa, and Asia Published in 1684

Containing Remarks and Observations Upon the Manners, Religion, Polities, Customs and Laws of the Inhabitants; and a Description of Their Several Cities, Towns, Forts, and Places of Strength: Together with an Account of the Authors Many Dangers by Shipwreck, Robbery, Slavery, Hunger, Torture, and the Like. And Two Narratives of the Taking of Astracan by the Cossacks, Sent from Captain D.
Done Out of Dutch, by Johh sic Morrison.
STRUYS, Jan Janszoon.  read more

Code: 26255