A Superb Collection of 10 Original Byzantine Roman Trade, Scale, Jewellery Weights Circa 8th Century. Acquired During a 'Grand Tour' In The 1820's
A barrel weight, 4 polyhedron weights stamped with concentric circles, the largest one weighing around 95 grams, 1 cylindrical weight and 4 square. Including I uncia Literally, “a twelfth part.” The word is the source of the English words “ounce” and “inch, Plus a ”half an uncia called a semiuncia All in good well preserved condition with nice patina. One inlaid with silver
Richard Lassels, an expatriate Roman Catholic priest, first used the phrase “Grand Tour” in his 1670 book Voyage to Italy, published posthumously in Paris in 1670. In its introduction, Lassels listed four areas in which travel furnished "an accomplished, consummate traveler" with opportunities to experience first hand the intellectual, the social, the ethical, and the political life of the Continent.
The English gentry of the 17th century believed that what a person knew came from the physical stimuli to which he or she has been exposed. Thus, being on-site and seeing famous works of art and history was an all important part of the Grand Tour. So most Grand Tourists spent the majority of their time visiting museums and historic sites.
Once young men began embarking on these journeys, additional guidebooks and tour guides began to appear to meet the needs of the 20-something male and female travelers and their tutors traveling a standard European itinerary. They carried letters of reference and introduction with them as they departed from southern England, enabling them to access money and invitations along the way.
With nearly unlimited funds, aristocratic connections and months or years to roam, these wealthy young tourists commissioned paintings, perfected their language skills and mingled with the upper crust of the Continent.
The wealthy believed the primary value of the Grand Tour lay in the exposure both to classical antiquity and the Renaissance, and to the aristocratic and fashionably polite society of the European continent. In addition, it provided the only opportunity to view specific works of art, and possibly the only chance to hear certain music. A Grand Tour could last from several months to several years. The youthful Grand Tourists usually traveled in the company of a Cicerone, a knowledgeable guide or tutor.
The ‘Grand Tour’ era of classical acquisitions from history existed up to around the 1850’s, and extended around the whole of Europe, Egypt, the Ottoman Empire, and the Holy Land. read more
395.00 GBP
A Very Fine & Beautiful, Antique, Likely German, 16th-17th Century 'Longsword' Style, With Double Edged Graduating Diamond Shaped Blade, Bearing Armourers Mark The Hilt's Crossguard Designed With Single Oval Side Ring
The longsword might have had longer blades than the arming sword, also called the knightly sword which was designed purely for single-handed use, but not necessarily. The difference was the longsword’s longer grip that allowed hand-and-a-half or two-handed use. However, these swords were generally shorter than the German two-hander or zweihander, which was not light enough for single-handed use.
For hilt type see; hilt 10, page 72, A.B.V Norman around 1510 to 1650, The Rapier and Small Sword 1460-1820
Blade Type, Ewart Oakshott XVIIIb and XVIIIc that represent the later longswords of the mid-15th to early 16th centuries. They have a flattened diamond cross-section, often with pronounced mid-rib, some being hollow-ground.
Combining an Oakshott type XVIiic, with the shorter than usual AVB Norman hilt type 10 indicates a hybrid form with the blade of a more usual two handed sword, and the more practical hilt of the shorter bastard style. A most impressive long sword ideal for sword combat competition in many ways.
107 cm blade, cm hilt and 19cm grip
The German school of fencing (Deutsche Schule; Kunst des Fechtensa) is a system of combat taught in the Holy Roman Empire during the Late Medieval, German Renaissance, and early modern periods. It is described in the contemporary Fechtbücher ("fencing books") written at the time. The geographical center of this tradition was in what is now Southern Germany including Augsburg, Frankfurt, and Nuremberg. During the period in which it was taught, it was known as the Kunst des Fechtens, or the "Art of Fighting".b The German school of fencing focuses primarily on the use of the two-handed longsword; it also describes the use of many other weapons, including polearms, medieval daggers, messers (with or without a buckler), and the staff, as well as describing mounted combat and unarmed grappling (ringen).
Most authors of writings on the system are, or claim to be, in the tradition of the 14th-century master Johannes Liechtenauer. The earliest surviving treatise on Liechtenauer's system is a manuscript dated to possibly the late 14th, or early 15th century, known as Ms. 3227a. More manuscripts survive from the 15th century, and during the 16th century the system was also presented in print, most notably by Joachim Meyer in 1570.
The German tradition was largely eclipsed by the Italian school of rapier fencing by the early 17th century. Practitioners of the German school persisted at least until the end of the 18th century, though.
The "longsword" type exists in a morphological continuum with the medieval knightly sword and the Renaissance-era Zweihänder. It was prevalent during the late medieval and Renaissance periods (approximately 1350 to 1550), with early and late use reaching into the 12th and 17th centuries. read more
6750.00 GBP
A Very Rare, English, Light Dragoon Officer's Sword 1773, of the American Revolutionary War, Used By Both American and British Dragoon Regiments. This Has a Fabulous Ancestral Blade Likely for An Officer of King George's Royal Blood Line
A very, very rare sword, and this is the first example, bespoke ancestral bladed, that we have ever had in 100 years, however, the regulation type, that is also extraordnarily rare, {in that we have had only two of those in 35 years} was also made around 1773, with the 1773 regulation pattern hilt, but had its regulation, plain, flat sided and long blade, with clipped back point. That very, very rare regulation example sword, formerly from the Tower of London collection, that we fortunately also acquired, was sold only a couple of weeks ago by us to an esteemed American collector, potentially for his planned, new, American museum.
This sword returned to England from an American museum collection that was dispersed sometime before WW2
This swords blade has a family ancestral blade, with British Royal family's Hanovarian crest, of deluxe engraving, complete with the Hanovarian royal motto. This would likely indicate it was for British officer who was a prince of the royal blood, from King George IIIrd's Hanovarian bloodline
One of the of the American Revolutionary War cavalry swords used by both protagonists. This superb sword was near identical {apart from the blade type and engraving} to one formerly in the world renown Tower of London collection, see another similar featured in photo plate 70, sword D, in "European Swords and Daggers in the Tower of London" by Arthur Richard Dufty, Master of the Armouries. That we were delighted to also acqure and sold just recently.
A beautifully engraved blade with King George's crest and family motto of the Hanovarian princes, 'Suscipere et Finire' trans. 'to support and finish', and another, on the other blade face, a loyalty motto 'for king and country', also in Latin, 'Pro Rege et Patria' This blade is an ancestral blade, as the regulation blade was be flat sided without fuller and clip back point.
The Coat of Arms of HM King George III as King underwent a number of changes during his reign because the British Royal Arms are territorial and represent the main countries over which the Monarch rules rather than being personal. The Hanoverian Dynasty 'inherited' the Arms of the last Stuart Monarch, Queen Anne, and added a Quarter for their own territory, namely the then Electorate/Duchy of Brunswick and Lüneburg, commonly known as Hanover.
A sword of particular fine elegance, yet this was designed to do a very specific task for an 18th century dragoon officer, and it did it well. Brass stirrup hilt now very finely and naturally heavily patinated, through age, and a very long heavy guage fighting weight blade, and It has all its original ribbed carved horn grip. This English sword is most rarely seen, with very little known of it's design origins, and as very few remain in existence it rarely appears photographed in many reference books on British/American swords of the American Revolutionary War or War of Independence as it is also known.
Little or no documentation on its original ordnance order, made some 250 years ago, regarding its manufacture, exists. What is known however, is that it is estimated it was made from 1773, but possibly slightly earlier, and it was replaced by the more abundant 1788 pattern version. That replacement 1788 sword is far more well recorded, and fair number of that type survive. A very few examples of this sword are kept in just a few, select American museums, that contain the military collections of captured British weapons, and also those used by former American born British officers that moved over to serve in the new American Continental Army Light Dragoons under George Washington in the American Revolutionary War. We show two paintings of American Continental Dragoons using this pattern of sword. In our conversations in the 1980's with the eminent Howard Blackmore, Assistant Keeper of Weapons at the Tower of London, he believed these cavalry swords, when they surfaced, were possibly one of the most interesting of swords used in the Revolution in America, in that they were used by officers of both sides, but sadly so few survived the war itself that they are now considered to be one of the rarest swords of their type to exist. These swords were originally made for, and used by, the British Light Dragoon Regiments, including the infamous and well recorded through history 'Tarleton's Green Dragoons'. Banastre Tarleton was originally a young British officer of the 1st Dragoon Guards, who purchased his rank of cornet. He proved to be such a gifted horseman and leader of troops, due to his outstanding ability alone, he worked his way up through the ranks to Lieutenant Colonel without having to purchase any further commissions.
In December 1775, he sailed from Cork as a volunteer to North America where rebellion had recently broken out triggering the American War of Independence. Tarleton sailed with Lord Cornwallis as part of an expedition to capture the southern city of Charleston. After this failed, he joined the main British Army in New York under General Howe. His service during 1776 gained him the position of a brigade major of cavalry. After becoming the commander of the British Legion, a mixed force of cavalry and light infantry also called Tarleton's Raiders, he proceeded at the beginning of 1780 to South Carolina, rendering valuable services to Sir Henry Clinton in the operations which culminated in the capture of Charleston. This was part of the 'southern strategy' by which the British directed most of their efforts to that theater hoping to restore authority over the southern colonies where they believed there was more support for the crown. On 29 May 1780, Tarleton, with a force of 150 mounted soldiers, overtook a detachment of 350 to 380 Virginia Continentals led by Abraham Buford. Buford refused to surrender or even to stop his march. Only after sustaining heavy casualties did Buford order the surrender. What happened next is cause of heated debate. According to American accounts, Tarleton ignored the white flag and mercilessly massacred Buford's men. In the end, 113 Americans were killed and another 203 captured, 150 of whom were so badly wounded that they had to be left behind. Tarleton's casualties were 5 killed and 12 wounded.6 The British called the affair the Battle of Waxhaw Creek, while the Americans called it the "Buford Massacre" or the "Waxhaw Massacre." In recounting Tarleton's action at the scene, an American field surgeon named Robert Brownfield wrote that Col. Buford raised a white flag of surrender, "expecting the usual treatment sanctioned by civilized warfare". While Buford was calling for quarter, Tarleton's horse was struck by a musket ball and fell. This gave the loyalist cavalrymen the impression that the rebels had shot at their commander while asking for mercy. Enraged, the loyalist troops charged at the Virginians. According to Brownfield, the loyalists attacked, carrying out "indiscriminate carnage never surpassed by the most ruthless atrocities of the most barbarous savages." Tarleton's men stabbed the wounded where they lay. In Tarleton's own account, he virtually admits the massacre, stating that his horse had been shot from under him during the initial charge and his men, thinking him dead, engaged in "a vindictive asperity not easily restrained." However there are strange contraditions as to Tarleton's behaviour, for, contrary to his nature, as described by his conduct at Monticello, Thomas Jefferson himself later noted,
"I did not suffer by him. On the contrary he behaved very genteely with me. … He gave strict orders to Capt. Mcleod to suffer nothing to be injured." Tarleton materially helped Cornwallis to win the Battle of Camden in August 1780. He was completely victorious in an engagement with Thomas Sumter at Fishing Creek, aka "Catawba Fords", but was less successful when he encountered the same general at Blackstock's Farm in November 1780. Then in January 1781, Tarleton's forces were virtually destroyed by American Brigadier General Daniel Morgan at the Battle of Cowpens. Tarleton however managed to flee the battlefield with perhaps 250 men. Although Tarleton had a deservedly dastardly reputation, many other Light Dragoon forces were commanded by far more respected and gentlemanly officers, and the troops under their command fought in the most formative conflicts of both American and British history. A war that shaped the whole world that followed it, arguably more than any other war before it. Although in terms of casualties, fewer men perished in the whole war of Independence, that covered several years, than in a single day during the Battle of Gettysberg, less than 100 years later in the Civil War.
The carved ribbed horn grip is naturally aged expansion crack, North to South. read more
3650.00 GBP
An Exceptionally Beautiful, Almost 500 Year Old Ancient Samurai Aikuchi Tanto, Signed Bizen Osafune Ju Sukesada
Aikuchi tanto are intentionally designed to have an uninterrupted profile, for ease of access, for the securing and withdrawing from an obi, and bear no tsuba sword guard. This is an absolute beauty, in fabulous condition.
It is from a museum grade small collection of remarkable and exceptional samurai tanto. Acquired by a discerning collector over many years seeking an example of all the varrying forms and styles of tanto and their blades, from the zenith of the samurai period of the Koto era and beyond.
Each one is a veritable work of art demonstrating the skill of craftsmen at the apex of their careers, as the very finest swordsmiths and koshirae fitting makers, that has been combined to create wonders of rare beauty. Not only to represent the acme of samurai art, but also functional and usable swords [in the culture of samurai, even small tanto are classified as swords] for the samurai of the highest rank and status, including daimyo and lords, from the Koto to Edo period.
It has a very fine signed Koto ancient blade, in superb Edo polish with a sophisticated, deep, straight hamon. The saya is an absolutely stunning, original Edo period beauty, of finest two colour urushi lacquer of cinnabar flecks red over deep lustrous black. The fabulous menuki are contrasting pure gold and copper gambolling ponies, and the kozuka is decorated a pair of mythical hooved beasts [similar to shishi lion dogs] on a nanako ground, and a small saya mount is Alison in gold and copper of two shishi puppies.
All the mounts are carved buffallo horn. The tsuka is bound with a very fine quality micro herringbone pattern ito, and intricate finely chiselled round, flowerhead form, gold mukugi rims.
Made and signed by one of the early Sukesada, from the Sukesada school of master swordsmiths, in around 1500, between around 500 and 530 years ago.
The highly regarded Sukesada line of swordsmiths descended in the Osafune school and are recorded as far back as the end of the Nambokucho period (around 1394). This blade here is placed it in the Sue-Koto Period (1469-1596).
The whole tanto is in very good condition with just a few natural aging small urushi lacquer surface nicks.
The original Edo period urushi lacquer on the stand is in simply excellent condition for age and shows most elegant intricacy, it reveals within that intricacy the finest craftsmanship and beauty worthy of a master of the art of urushi decor. Japanese lacquer, or urushi, is a transformative and highly prized material that has been refined for over 7000 years.
Cherished for its infinite versatility, urushi is a distinctive art form that has spread across all facets of Japanese culture from the tea ceremony to the saya scabbards of samurai swords
Japanese artists created their own style and perfected the art of decorated lacquerware during the 8th century. Japanese lacquer skills reached its peak as early as the twelfth century, at the end of the Heian period (794-1185). This skill was passed on from father to son and from master to apprentice.
The varnish used in Japanese lacquer is made from the sap of the urushi tree, also known as the lacquer tree or the Japanese varnish tree (Rhus vernacifera), which mainly grows in Japan and China, as well as Southeast Asia. Japanese lacquer, 漆 urushi, is made from the sap of the lacquer tree. The tree must be tapped carefully, as in its raw form the liquid is poisonous to the touch, and even breathing in the fumes can be dangerous. But people in Japan have been working with this material for many millennia, so there has been time to refine the technique! read more
4750.00 GBP
Koto Tanto By Masaiye With A Full Matching Suite of Edo Mounts, & a Fabulous Oni Demon Mount on The Saya
Around 500 years old. A stunning tanto with carved steel mounts decorated with geometric Ha-kenkoroitsu pattern, a version of the Hachisuka clan mon, it also has a matching kozuka with gold inlay to match the gold inlay workmanship on the tsuba. Cockeral menuki and a super oni demon mount on the two tone banded lacquer saya. Signed koshirae and blade by Masaiye circa 1530. Although called the manji in Japan symbolising 10,000 years and infinity, and usually used as a Buddhist symbol for temples, this version though is the Ha-kenkoroitsu (from the German word Hakenkreuz, or crooked cross) and it describes it as the 45-degree clockwise manji used by the Nazi party.
Its first recorded occurrence of the swastika named from a sanskirt word dates all the way back the the 6th to 5th millennium BC when it was used in the Vinca script of Neolithic Europe. After that it has been used by primitive society consitently from China to the Americas passing by Greece and Africa. The crooked cross is a historical sacred symbol in all Indian religions. It is used in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. It rose
to importance in Buddhism during the Mauryan
Empire and in Hinduism with the decline of Buddhism in India during the Gupta Empire. It followed the silk road with Buddhism to reach Tibet and China. The symbol was also introduced
to Bali with Hinduism by Hindu kings. The use of the swastika by the Bon faith of Tibet, as well as later religions like Cao Dai of Vietnam and Falun Gong of China, can also be traced to Buddhist influence. The oni is the demon of Japanese folklore. It takes on many other names, sometimes referred to as a devil. Unlike most western cultures, the oni is not necessarily seen as an evil being. It is said to be of a dual nature, meaning it's powers can be good or evil, depending on if it likes the subject it attaches itself too. Oni are credited with bringing good health, safety, peace and avoiding disaster. A typical oni mask has horns, bulging eyes, a sinister looking smile and sharp teeth.
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 read more
4750.00 GBP
A Beautiful Suit of Edo Samurai Armour in Gold and Black Lacquer With Blue and Black Lacing, Multi Plate Helmet with Dragon Fly Fukegaeshi, With Ressai {Fierce Face} Menpo
This is a wonderful piece of Japanese Samurai 'art' made for warfare, in a mixture of golds and black lacquer with blue and black with multi plate kabuto {helmet} with a dragonfly on the lacquer oneach front wing, and ressai {fierce face} mento face armour, which features a kuchi hige (mustache), shiwa (facial wrinkles). Extremely collectable art that is most desirable in its own right, often stunningly used for interior decoration as an individual work of samurai art in its own right. A very good urushi lacqured embossed iron mask of 'Me no Shita Men' (half face) type.
Gold and black lacquer do with blue lacing, kazuri with blue lacing, gold and blue laced shirokoro, kusazuri in gold lacquer and purple lacing, armoured sleeve kote.
This armour has remained untouched since it arrival in England likely over a hundred years ago, and probably for longer than that when it was in Japan, and only the two red cords have been replaced on the helmet and waist. We are leaving it exactly as is
Samurai used dragonfly motifs on their armour, clothing and weapons in hope of success in battle.
The urushi lacquer saya is in ishime stone finish pattern.
Japan was once known as the “Land of the Dragonfly”, as the Emperor Jimmu is said to have once climbed a mountain in Nara, and looking out over the land, claimed that his country was shaped like two Akitsu, the ancient name for the winged insects, mating.
Dragonflies appeared in great numbers in 1274 and again in 1281, when Kublai Khan sent his Mongol forces to conquer Japan. Both times the samurai repelled the attackers, with the aid of huge typhoons, later titled Kamikaze (the Divine Winds), that welled up, destroying the Mongol ships, saving Japan from invasion. For that reason, dragonflies were seen as bringers of divine victory.
Dragonflies never retreat, they will stop, but will always advance, which was seen as an ideal of the samurai. Further, although the modern Japanese word for dragonfly is Tombo, the old (Pre Meiji era) word for dragonfly was Katchimushi. “Katchi” means “To win”, hence dragonflies were seen as auspicious by the samurai.
Insects in general have been celebrated in Japanese culture for centuries. The Lady Who Loved Insects is a classic story of a caterpillar-collecting lady of the 12th century court; the Tamamushi, or Jewel Beetle Shrine, is a seventh century miniature temple, once shingled with 9,000 iridescent beetle forewings. In old Japanese literature, poems upon insects are to be found by thousands, Daisaburo Okumoto is director of the Fabre Insect Museum. An avid insect collector and a scholar of French literature, he has translated many of Fabre's works. He ascribes the popularity of insects in Japan to national character. It seems like Japanese eyes are like macro lenses and Western eyes are wide-angle, he says. A garden in Versailles, it's very wide and symmetrical. But Japanese gardens are continuous from the room and also very small. We feel calm when we look at small things. The medieval Japanese monk Yoshida Kenko put it this way: “If man were never to fade away like the dews of Adashino, never to vanish like the smoke over Toribeyama, how things would lose their power to move us!
In the 16th century, Japan began trading with Europe, during what would become known as the Nanban trade. This was the first time matchlock muskets were imported, and as they became mass-produced domestically, samurai needed lighter and more protective armour. As a result, a new style of armour called tosei-gusoku (gusoku), which means modern armour, appeared. After the Battle of Sekigahara and the victory of the Tokugawa, a united Japan was created and entered the so-called 'peaceful Edo period', however, then from henceforth, the shoguns promoted rivallry between his daimyo fuedal clan lords, in order for their military ambitions, attention and suspicions to be upon each other, rather than the shogun. So there were no wars, as such, for over 250 years, but, hundreds of internecine battles, thus samurai continued to combat as usual, using both plate and lamellar armour. This practice, of a version of divide and conquer, of internal factions, rather than external forces, was adopted by many despots ever since, including Sadam Hussein of Iraq, extremely efficiently, and for over 20 years in his case.
Ōyamazumi Shrine is known as a treasure house of Japanese armour. It houses 40% of Japanese armour that has been designated as a National treasure and an Important Cultural Property. Kasuga Grand Shrine is also known as a treasure house of valuable armour
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 read more
12950.00 GBP
A Simply Beautiful, Edo Era Chrysanthemum Silver Kiku Mon Crested, Samurai Abumi Stirrup. Used By Samurai on Horseback, For Standing Archery in Combat, And As A Close Combat Kick Motion Weapon Against Enemy Foot Samurai
This Japanese stirrup, 17th to 18th century, is made in the traditional 'dove's breast' (hato mune) shape with an open platform lined with abilone shell slightly curved forward so that the foot fits in without sliding backwards. In the front extremity the stirrup has a rectangular buckle with several horizontal slots which also serve as a handle.
The whole surface is fine decorated in engraved and inlaid silver with the Kiku Mon {chrysanthemum} the imperial flower of Japan pattern has 16 petals, however this is the most rare 18 petal type which means that they likely belonged to a Samurai of a branch of the Imperial family. During the Meiji period, no one was permitted to use the Imperial Seal except the Emperor of Japan, who used a 16-petalled chrysanthemum with sixteen tips of another row of petals showing behind the first row. Therefore, each member of the Imperial family used a slightly modified version of the seal. Shinto shrines either displayed the imperial seal or incorporated elements of the seal into their own tag.
Earlier in Japanese history, when Emperor Go-Daigo, who tried to break the power of the shogunate in 1333, was exiled, he adopted the seventeen-petalled chrysanthemum in order to differentiate himself from the Northern Court's Emperor Kōgon, who kept the imperial 16-petalled mon.
It is to be noted that these stirrups, due to their weight, were also used as weapons against the infantry adversaries. Abumi, Japanese stirrups, were used in Japan as early as the 5th century, and were a necessary component along with the Japanese saddle (kura) for the use of horses in warfare. Abumi became the type of stirrup used by the samurai class of feudal Japan Early abumi were flat-bottomed rings of metal-covered wood, similar to European stirrups. The earliest known examples were excavated from tombs. Cup-shaped stirrups (tsubo abumi) that enclosed the front half of the rider's foot eventually replaced the earlier design.
During the Nara period, the base of the stirrup which supported the rider's sole was elongated past the toe cup. This half-tongued style of stirrup (hanshita abumi) remained in use until the late Heian period (794 to 1185) when a new stirrup was developed. The fukuro abumi or musashi abumi had a base that extended the full length of the rider's foot and the right and left sides of the toe cup were removed. The open sides were designed to prevent the rider from catching a foot in the stirrup and being dragged.
The military version of this open-sided stirrup, called the shitanaga abumi, was in use by the middle Heian period. It was thinner, had a deeper toe pocket and an even longer and flatter foot shelf. It is not known why the Japanese developed this unique style of stirrup, but this stirrup stayed in use until European style-stirrups were introduced in the late 19th century. The abumi has a distinctive swan-like shape, curved up and backward at the front so as to bring the loop for the leather strap over the instep and achieve a correct balance. Most of the surviving specimens from this period are made entirely of iron, inlaid with designs of silver or other materials, and covered with lacquer. In some cases, there is an iron rod from the loop to the footplate near the heel to prevent the foot from slipping out. The footplates are occasionally perforated to let out water when crossing rivers, and these types are called suiba abumi. There are also abumi with holes in the front forming sockets for a lance or banner. Seieibushi (Elite Samurai)
Traditionally the highest rank among the samurai, these are highly skilled fully-fledged samurai. Most samurai at the level of Seieibushi take on apprentices or Aonisaibushi-samurai as their disciples.
Kodenbushi (Legendary Samurai)
A highly coveted rank, and often seen as the highest attainable position, with the sole exception of the rank of Shogun. These are samurai of tremendous capability, and are regarded as being of Shogun-level. Kodenbushi are hired to accomplish some of the most dangerous international missions. Samurai of Kodenbushi rank are extremely rare, and there are no more than four in any given country.
Daimyo (Lords)
This title translates to 'Big Name' and is given to the heads of the clan lords of Japan.
Shogun (Military Dictator)
The apex of the samurai, the Shogun was the most prestigious rank possible for a samurai. Shoguns were the military leaders of the country, { the Emperors from around 1600 were purely ceremonial leaders } and thus the Shogun were regarded as the most powerful men of all Japan, and thus the samurai. read more
1950.00 GBP
A Superb US 'Wild West' Period Marlin Fire-Arms Co. Lever Action Repeating Rifle Manufactured in 1883. Nr. Exactly As Used By Apache Indian Fighter Brig. Gen. George C. Crook. A Superior Gun Compared To The Winchester Lever Repeater.
A very rare and good all original Marlin .40-60 lever action repeating rifle. Model 1881 in an obsolete calibre.
This has a very good rifle indeed and has gathered a beautiful patina. Serial no. 4456, for 1883. octagonal barrel, the top-flat signed ‘MARLIN FIRE-ARMS CO. NEW-HAVEN C.T. USA’ over patent dates to ‘1880’, dove-tailed fore-sight, elevating buckhorn rearsight, slab-sided receiver with sliding load gate and top ejection.
Bolt with integral dust-cover walnut butt-stock and fore-end and full-length under-barrel magazine, overall length 45.5in., weight approx
According to Flayderman’s Guide To Antique American Firearms, “The Model 1881
was years ahead of the Model 1886 Winchester, and proved a very popular rifle.”
In October 1881, the Miles City, Montana Territory, gun dealer Broadwater, Hubbell
& Co. advertised that a case of the Model 1881 Marlins had already been sold to “Hunters,” adding that, “these guns promise to be very popular and take preference over all others.” In March 1882, another of their advertisements lauded
the Model 1881: “The New Buffalo Gun. A large Stock on hand, of various weights,
from 8 to 16 lbs., from which to make selection. These are THE Buffalo Gun.” In 1882 other dealers—such as W.H. Bradt in Leadville, Colo., and C.D. Ladd in San Francisco—were also advertising the Model 1881. The Marlin Company itself promoted the Model 1881 in July 1885 in Denver’s Rocky Mountain News as “The Best In The World.” And in April 1889, Marlin advertised in the Sitka Alaskan, “The Best And Simplest Rifles Made, Strongest Shooting, Easiest Working.”
Apache Indian fighter Brig. Gen. George C. Crook, who coined the frontier axiom that “the only way to catch an Apache is with another Apache,” used a Model 1881 Marlin. Crook spent most of his military career trying to placate, instead of kill, renegade Indians from the Pacific Northwest to the central Plains. But he is most famous for bringing a semblance of peace to the Apache-ravaged southeast corner of Arizona Territory in the 1870s and again in the 1880s at a time when another frontier axiom was “the only good Indian is a dead Indian.”
One of the rifles that Crook passed down to his godson, Webb C. Hayes (son of President Rutherford B. Hayes), is a Model 1881 Marlin, serial number 4254. It was Webb Hayes’ favourite rifle on hunting trips with his godfather. The gun now resides in the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center in Fremont, Ohio.
Mickey Free, (part Mexican, Irish and Apache) one of Crook’s most trusted Apache-wars Indian scouts, is also known to have favoured a 'brass-tack Indian-decorated' Model 1881 Marlin, which is now in the private collection of the Frontier Gun Shop in Tucson, Ariz.
On January 27, 1861, Apache Indians had kidnapped 12-year old Free from the ranch of his stepfather, John Ward, near Sonoita, Arizona Territory. The incident sparked the killing of Apache prisoners by the U.S. Army and white prisoners by the Apaches and drove Chief Cochise on a bloody warpath until 1872. Blinded in the left eye when he was young, the reddish blond–haired Free was raised by White Mountain Apaches.
Free joined the U.S. Army’s Indian Scouts on December 2, 1872, and served with them until 1893.
A .40-60-calibre Model 1881 Marlin that was used by Oklahoma Territory outlaw “Red Buck” Waightman is now on display at the Ralph Foster Museum, College of the Ozarks, Point Lookout, Mo.
In spite of the Model 1881 repeating rifle’s reputation for quality and simplicity, John Marlin discontinued it in 1892 after having produced only about 20,000 of
them.
Section 58 (2) antique / obsolete calibre no licence required to own and collect/display read more
3500.00 GBP
Italian Hunting Dagger, Republic of Genoa, Ligurian 17th - 18th Century. Spiral Twist Carved Multi Coloured Horn with Silver Inserts. Blade with Baluster Shaped Forte Of A Finely Engraved Ricasso, Two Symmetrical Edges To The Tip.
Just returned from a no expense spared museum grade expert hand polishing and cleaning conservation in the workshop.
This Italian hunting dagger has a long history. Its shape and engraved blade type is typical of the Genoa region, and it can be dated to the 17th and 18th century. This dagger was likely used for more than a century
This is the typical blade of Ligurian daggers. It begins with a baluster-shaped part, ricasso, and continues by two symmetrical cutting edges up to the tip.
On the ricasso, there is a deeply engraved bird of paradise decoration, the central spine has fine line ribbon form engraving which continues up to around half of the blade.
These intriguing and most attractive daggers were produced in Italy, Sardinia and Spain from the late 17th to the 18th century.
17th-century Ligurian daggers, often stilettos or parrying daggers (like the main-gauche), were used by civilians for self-defense and by gentlemen as a fashion accessory and tool, while specific types like the swordbreaker were for dueling and others were favored by the lower classes. The exact usage and user depended on the dagger's specific style and design, such as its lethality, ornamentation, or utility. Daggers were an important part of everyday dress and could enhance apparel, with more lavishly decorated daggers carried by the gentry and aristocracy.
The blade has a few minuscule edge to edge combat contact marks, and tip has a very slight inward curve.
9 inches long overall. read more
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