Antique Arms & Militaria

Apart from the blue finish being somewhat worn on the blade, overall it is a 9 out of 10 grade sword for it's age.

All steel combat scabbard with steel 'P' hilt and sharkskin triple wire bound grip. The 'blue and gilt' blade is very good and nice overall, fully engraved with royal cyphers, crests, stand of arms, and a light dragoon officer with his drawn sword in combat. The blue is around 70% intact with natural age wear.

The mounted swordsmanship training of the British emphasised the cut, at the face for maiming or killing, or at the arms to disable. This left masses of mutilated or disabled troops; the French, in contrast, favoured the thrust, which gave cleaner kills. A cut with the 1796 LC sabre was, however, perfectly capable of killing outright, as was recorded by George Farmer of the 11th Regiment of Light Dragoons, who was involved in a skirmish on the Guadiana River in 1811, during the Peninsular War:
"Just then a French officer stooping over the body of one of his countrymen, who dropped the instant on his horse's neck, delivered a thrust at poor Harry Wilson's body; and delivered it effectually. I firmly believe that Wilson died on the instant yet, though he felt the sword in its progress, he, with characteristic self-command, kept his eye on the enemy in his front; and, raising himself in his stirrups, let fall upon the Frenchman's head such a blow, that brass and skull parted before it, and the man's head was cloven asunder to the chin. It was the most tremendous blow I ever beheld struck; and both he who gave, and his opponent who received it, dropped dead together. The brass helmet was afterwards examined by order of a French officer, who, as well as myself, was astonished at the exploit; and the cut was found to be as clean as if the sword had gone through a turnip, not so much as a dint being left on either side of it" The blade is remembered today as one of the best of its time and has been described as the finest cutting sword ever manufactured in quantity. Officers of the famous 95th Rifles, other light infantry regiments and the "flank" companies of line regiments adopted swords with an identical hilt to the 1796 light cavalry sabre, but with a lighter and shorter blade.

This sword would have been used by a Light Dragoon officer in any of the light cavalry regiments of the Napoleonic Wars, such as one who served, just for example, in the 10th Light Dragoons

In 1783, the 10th Light Dragoons became the 10th (Prince of Wales's Own) Regiment of (Light) Dragoons in honour of the future King George IV. As a result of its connection with the Prince of Wales, the regiment became known for elaborate and expensive uniforms and the high personal income required to be an officer. In June 1794, Beau Brummell, an arbiter of men's fashion in Regency London, was given a commission in the regiment as cornet but resigned in 1795 when it moved from London to Manchester.
In 1806, the regiment was again re-designated, this time becoming a hussar regiment as the 10th (Prince of Wales's Own) Regiment of (Light) Dragoons (Hussars), and sailed for the Peninsular campaign to Corunna in Spain in November 1808.

The regiment saw further action at the Battle of Sahagún in December 1808 and the Battle of Benavente later in December 1808 during the Peninsular War. At Benavente the regiment captured General Charles Lefebvre-Desnouettes, the French cavalry commander. The regiment then took part in the Battle of Corunna in January 1809 before returning to England.

In 1813, having landed once more in Spain, the regiment fought at the Battle of Morales in June 1813. During the battle the regiment destroyed the 16th French Dragoons between Toro and Zamora, taking around 260 prisoners. The regiment also fought at the Battle of Vitoria later in the month while still in Spain and then, having advanced into France, fought at the Battle of Orthez in February 1814 and the Battle of Toulouse in April 1814. As part of the 6th Cavalry Brigade, the regiment charged the French cavalry and infantry at the Battle of Waterloo in June 1815.

The night of the 17th/18th June 1815 is well known for being extremely wet, so that the men had to mount up with wet clothes and march through boggy ground. The 6th Brigade was placed on the extreme left of the whole army. Vivian requested the 10th to supply a reconnaissance party which was ordered to locate the advance parties of the Prussians, This party, under Major Thomas Taylor, reached as far as Ohain, and met with a Prussian patrol and discovered that General Bülow was at St Lambert. Back at the battlefield, the French began their advance, and Hougoumont came under attack at 11.30am. Vandeleur’s brigade of Light Dragoons were on the right of Vivian’s regiments, and they, together with the 10th Hussars were positioned to confront the French troops. Meanwhile the heavy cavalry were sent in to charge against enemy cavalry and infantry. Ponsonby’s Union Brigade found themselves in difficulties when they were charged by Lancers and Chasseurs, so the 12th and 16th Light Dragoons of Vandeleur’s Brigade dashed through a column of French infantry to attack the left flank of the Lancers and forced them to withdraw.

The 10th and 18th Hussars who for several hours had withstood the French artillery barrage were ordered to move to the right along a hollow way but did not go into action at this stage. During the late afternoon, Vivian’s Brigade moved further to the right. As they took up a new position Colonel Quentin was wounded in the ankle, and his place taken by Lord Robert Manners.
The brigade were drawn up behind infantry units of Brunswick and Nassau which were wavering. The Nassau troops fell back so that they were almost touching the heads of the 10th’s horses. Due to strong encouragement and persuasion these German soldiers were discouraged from further retreat. Vivian then ordered the KGL forward to link up with the Hanoverians and other German allies. This gave heart to the faltering men of Nassau and a forward movement took place. The 10th followed in support but were unable to attack as cavalry should, so were vulnerable to enemy musketry. They sustained many injuries including three officers.The brigade cantered forward with the 10th Hussars leading. As they passed Vandeleur’s Light Dragoons and Maitland’s brigade of Guards, they were cheered on. Vivian saw masses of French troops on the left of La Belle Alliance and decided to concentrate the attack there. The 10th were ordered to incline to the right and the 18th and KGL to support them. The squadrons formed line and charged in echelon so that the right squadron under Major the Hon Frederick Howard, were first in action. The force of their charge pushed the French back and sent them off in all directions so that as the other squadrons came up they pursued fleeing troops. Vivian, having seen how the Scots Greys had charged too far, earlier in the day, called a halt and rally.
The Tenth, having been ordered to halt, came under attack from cuirassiers. Howard’s squadron bore the brunt of the attack but could not be supported by the other two squadrons as they failed to hear the order to halt and carried on with their pursuit under the command of Lt-Col Manners. Vivian caught up with Howard who, it seems, had beaten off the cuirassiers, and ordered the squadron to charge a square formed by the Grenadiers of the Guard. This was a forlorn hope as the French Grenadiers were seasoned troops and well able to fend off the attack with a wall of bayonets. It was supposed to be a coordinated attack together with a unit of infantry but the infantry commander declined to cooperate. According to Captain Taylor, Howard consulted with him about the proposed attack and Taylor advised against it. ‘Major Howard said that having been ordered to attack he thought it a ticklish thing not to do it, and gave the order accordingly.’ Major Howard was killed in this action, shot through the mouth and having his head beaten with a rifle butt. With two other officers wounded (Lieuts Arnold and Bacon), and another killed (George Gunning), the squadron was extricated by Cornet William Hamilton. There is no mention of whether Captain Taylor took part. Even though the attack failed, the enemy square was forced to fall back as part of a general retreat.

Final Charge of the 10th
Meanwhile the two pursuing squadrons continued to a point southeast of Hougoumont, driving back cuirassiers. They then came upon the enemy infantry in retreat and recognised men of the Imperial Guard in their tall bearskins who covered the retreat by forming a defensive position. They fired on the squadrons, so Manners halted the men at a distance of 40 paces, formed the men into line and sounded the charge. The impact of the 10th against the French defence was too great and the veterans of the Imperial Guard were forced to give way. Vandeleur saw what was happening and brought his brigade to support the right flank of Vivien’s men. The infantry of Adam’s Brigade, on the left of the Tenth, made great progress and were soon led by Wellington himself to put the final nail in the French Army’s coffin. Napoleon quit the field and his army was in full retreat. Adams’s men were halted at La Belle Alliance, Vandeleur’s Brigade bivouacked at the woods of Cellois. But Vivien’s Brigade were led some distance further, to Hilaincourt.

This superb sabre in overall in excellent condition for age, and it fits beautifully snug in its original scabbard, it just has with average wear to the sharkskin grip, no surface pitting throughout, just light discolouration, and the scabbard has only a very a few minor light dents.


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 trading  read more

Code: 25423

Very rare piece indeed, in that the Howitzer were sparsely used at Waterloo, due to there size, with 6 regular cannon, used in support, by the French artillery, for every two Howitzers used, and each Howitzer was operated with a 13 man crew. And of course, more than half of all the Howitzer six inch rounds were explosive, and thus detonated, leaving no residual cannonball to recover. This is a recovered non-explosive version recovered at either La Haye Sainte or Mont St Jean

What an amazing, large and impressive historical centrepiece for any collector or collection. We bought a very small collection of very rare 6" Howitzer cannon balls recovered during a Grand Tour of the battle site in around 1820 when the Prince of orange mound was being built. Two explosive and two solid round shot 6" Howitzer balls, Imagine the family gatherings or dinner parties that would be enlivened by such an incredible historical artefact and conversation piece! To speculate the incredible hours of battle, with hand to hand combat and the frantic melee that this cannonball was involved within, fired by a French Howitzer crew at the heroic British infantry, or our valiant Prussian volunteer allies of the Kings German Legion, during the glorious defence of La Haye Saint, or the British Guards regiments defenders of Hougemont

The artillery of the French army was almost completely redesigned by Jean Baptiste Grimbeauval from 1765 onwards, standardising gun calibres and making gun carriages lighter and easier to transport, allowing for more flexible and efficient manoeuvring. A typical French artillery battery during the Napoleonic Wars was made up of four to six cannons with the support of two 6-inch howitzers. The shell we discovered would have had a maximum range of around 1100m and would have been most deadly at a range of 640m

Our shell would have been shot from a 6-inch howitzer, that fired, either hollow cast or solid round shot cannonballs. Around 24lb in iron weight for a hollow cast exploding mortar, and around 30lb in weight for round shot. It was the largest of the 3 sizes of howitzer used by the French during the Battle of Waterloo, which would have required 4 horses to draw it and 13 crewmen to fire it – an efficient team would have been able to fire one round ever minute.

A cannonball is a solid ball of metal, known as round shot, which could smash through the ranks of soldiers, causing massive devastation. In contrast, an explosive mortar howitzer shell is a hollow iron sphere filled with gunpowder, with a slow burning fuse fitted to the case. Once lit, it was intended to explode above the heads or at the feet of the Allied soldiers, causing enormous amounts of damage to their formations. A howitzer throws it shells high into the air with a sharp trajectory, and is designed to bring ‘indirect fire’ down on enemy formations either in buildings as at Hougoumont, or, as here, behind a ridge and out of direct sight. While the shell discovered at Mont Jean is known as a 6-inch howitzer shell, an Old French inch is actually equivalent to 1.066 modern inches, so the dug up shell was in fact 6.4 inches in diameter but with size losses due to surface erosion.

We show in the gallery the 6 inch French Howitzer cannon ball recently recovered at Mont St Jean at Waterloo, that when fired, impacted deep underground, and was latterly recovered from the dig. the engraving photographed in our gallery shows the farm house of Mont St. Jean. This house being close to the rear of the action, it was much dilapidated by random shot (1815). Engraver James Rouse. Note the round shot impacts through its walls.

Better photos to be added, currently photos are shown of the past sold Howitzer
In our opinion this is a "never possible to better" original, WW2 sword, used and carried by of an officer of the divine Emperor Hirohito's Imperial Navy in WW2. Ideal for the collector of the very best surviving officer's swords of WW2.1937 pattern Kai Gunto, by Yoshitsugu. With all it's original and gilded mounts and fittings, with near mint black lacquer saya under brown leather protective cover. With it's original naval knot in mint order, and original cord loop with sliding mount. Original naval style flattened knot ito wrap over darkened black same. Every part of this sword's fittings are original and matching, with it's original number 757 stamped onto every separate part. The blade is absolutely near perfect and near flawless, with only one very small stain, with all it's original finish, and fully signed tang. This sword would, effectively, be impossible to upgrade if you wanted the best possible available, regulation, deluxe grade tachi sword, as commissioned by a Japanese naval officer in WW2, in absolutely untouched original condition. Effectively, it is just like the day it was surrendered in 1945. The illustrative photo shows three Imperial Japanese Naval flying officers the central figure carrying the same sword. Crewmen of Ginga bomber that hit aircraft carrier Randolph (from left to right): Chief Flight Petty Officer Takeshi Igai (navigator), Lieutenant Koetsu Fukuda (pilot), and Chief Flight Petty Officer Kenji Ota (radioman)
Kaigunto swords are now getting to be quite difficult to find, and of course were in far less profusion at the surrender in 1945, due to the relatively small amount of Japanese warships that survived the war.
Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II.

The IJN launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, killing 2,403 Americans and crippling the US Pacific Fleet. During the first six months of the Pacific War, the IJN enjoyed spectacular success inflicting heavy defeats on Allied forces. Allied navies were devastated during the Japanese conquest of Southeast Asia. Japanese naval aircraft were also responsible for the sinkings of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse which was the first time that capital ships were sunk by aerial attack while underway. In April 1942, the Indian Ocean raid drove the Royal Navy from South East Asia.

In 1943, the Japanese also turned their attention to the defensive perimeters of their previous conquests. Forces on Japanese held islands in Micronesia were to absorb and wear down an expected American counteroffensive. However, American industrial power become apparent and the military forces that faced the Japanese in 1943 were overwhelming in firepower and equipment. From the end of 1943 to 1944 Japan's defensive perimeter failed to hold.

The defeat at the Philippine Sea was a disaster for Japanese naval air power with American pilots terming the slanted air/sea battle the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot, mostly going in the favour of the US,126 while the battle of Leyte Gulf led to the destruction of a large part of the surface fleet. During the last phase of the war, the Imperial Japanese Navy resorted to a series of desperate measures, including a variety of Special Attack Units which were popularly called kamikaze. By May 1945, most of the Imperial Japanese Navy had been sunk and the remnants had taken refuge in Japan's harbours. By July 1945, Nagato was the only remaining ship of the Imperial Japanese Navy's capital ships that had not been sunk in raids by the United States Navy

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

Code: 25422

745.00 GBP

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In excellent all original condition for age. Blue cloth with all gilt ornamentation, and service issue stamps to the interior.
The British Army’s Home Service Helmet was introduced in 1878. It was of a German influence and would replace a long line of shakos going back to the days of the Peninsular War and Waterloo. In blue cloth, sometimes green, sometime grey, sometimes with a spike, sometimes with a ball, the stiff cork headdress would become a common site on parade grounds throughout Britain for more than thirty years. Most Regular Army regiments and corps took to the helmet, as did their Militia, Volunteer and Territorial counterparts.
With the new headdress came the helmet plate, those highly desirable items of militaria much sought after today by collectors. Large, star-shaped mostly and displaying both ancient and new regimental devices, brightly they shone in their silvers, gilts, gilding and white metals, covering almost the entire front of the headdress as they did so.

The British Army during the Victorian era served through a period of great technological and social change. Queen Victoria ascended the throne in 1837, and died in 1901. Her long reign was marked by the steady expansion and consolidation of the British Empire, rapid industrialisation and the enactment of liberal reforms by both Liberal and Conservative governments within Britain.

The British Army began the period with few differences from the British Army of the Napoleonic Wars that won at Waterloo. There were three main periods of the Army's development during the era. From the end of the Napoleonic Wars to the mid-1850s, the Duke of Wellington and his successors attempted to maintain its organisation and tactics as they had been in 1815, with only minor changes. In 1854, the Crimean War, and the Indian Rebellion of 1857 highlighted the shortcomings of the Army, but entrenched interests prevented major reforms from taking place. From 1868 to 1881, sweeping changes were made by Liberal governments, giving it the broad structure it retained until 1914.

Upon Victoria's death, the Army was still engaged in the Second Boer War, but other than expedients adopted for that war, it was recognisably the army that would enter the First World War. The Industrial Revolution had changed its weapons, transport and equipment, and social changes such as better education had prompted changes to the terms of service and outlook of many soldiers. Nevertheless, it retained many features inherited from the Duke of Wellington's army, and since its prime function was to maintain an empire which covered almost a quarter of the globe, it differed in many ways from the conscripted armies of continental Europe.

It is very curious today that the term ‘privilege’ is a commonplace remark usually made in detrimental terms regarding many that are believed to have automatically benefitted from same by their birth in their National location. Please read below to see just how ‘privileged’ the British regular soldier was in the 19th century { Both of the Lanes Armoury’s partners came from working class families, and all but a very few males were combatants in the armed forces of Britain. One great, great, grandfather died and was buried in South Africa fighting in the Zulu War, and his son died and was buried in South Africa fighting in the Boer War}.

The disciplinary system was not notably more harsh than the contemporary civil Penal System, although soldiers stood less chance of severe penalties being commuted. The death sentence could apply for crimes such as mutiny or striking an officer, but was generally reserved for actions that were capital crimes in common law, such as murder. Minor infractions could be summarily punished with extra duties or stoppages of pay, but flogging remained a punishment for many offences, including minor offences, on the discretion of a court martial. A court martial could be held at regimental level (which might well be influenced by the attitude of the colonel or other senior officers), or district level where convenient, or a General Court Martial might be convened under the authority of the Commander-in-Chief for serious matters or offences involving officers.

The maximum number of strokes inflicted on a soldier sentenced to flogging (which had been a barbaric 2,000 in 1782, essentially a death sentence for nearly any man) was reduced to 300 in 1829, and then to 50 in 1847. Some regiments nevertheless rejoiced in the nicknames of the "bloodybacks" if they were notorious for the number of floggings ordered.

Only a small portion of soldiers were permitted to marry. Soldiers' wives and children shared their barracks, with only blankets slung over a line for privacy. Wives often performed services such as laundry for their husbands' companies or barracks. A particularly cruel feature of the Army's practices was that fewer soldiers' wives were allowed to accompany a unit overseas (one per eight cavalrymen or twelve infantrymen) than were permitted when serving at home. Those wives not chosen by lot to accompany the unit when it embarked were forcibly separated from their husbands, for years or for life.

Soldiers' pay was nominally one shilling per day, but this was decreased by "stoppages" of up to sixpence (half a shilling) for their daily rations, and other stoppages for the issue of replacement clothing, damages, medical services and so on. In 1847, it was laid down that a soldier must receive at least one penny per day, regardless of all stoppages. A privileged life indeed.  read more

Code: 25418

925.00 GBP

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The Dorsetshire Regiment was established in the Regular Army in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 39th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of Foot and the 54th (West Norfolk) Regiment of Foot. The 1st Battalion was stationed in Malta from 1888, in Egypt from 1889, and in British India from 1893, where it took part in operations in the Tirah Campaign on the North West Frontier in 1897–98.

The 2nd Battalion was stationed in Ireland from 1893 to 1897, then in Malta from 1899. Following the outbreak of the Second Boer War in late 1899, they were sent to South Africa, participating in the Relief of Ladysmith. The battalion stayed in South Africa throughout the war, which ended in June 1902 with the Peace of Vereeniging. Four months later 300 officers and men left Cape Town on the SS German in late September 1902, and arrived at Southampton in late October, when they were posted to Portland.

In 1908, the Volunteers and Militia were reorganised nationally, with the former becoming the Territorial Force and the latter the Special Reserve; the regiment now had one Reserve battalion and one Territorial battalion.

First World War

During the First World War, nine hostilities-only battalions were formed, six battalions serving overseas. The 1st Battalion and 6th (Service) battalion served on the Western Front throughout most of the war. Additional battalions (1/4th Battalion, 2/4th Battalion and 3/4th Battalion) were formed as part of the Territorial Force to meet the demand for troops on the Western Front.

Regular Army
The 1st Battalion was in Belfast when war broke out: it landed at Le Havre in August 1914 forming part of the 15th Brigade in the 5th Division. It transferred to 95th Brigade in the 32nd Division in December 1915 and to the 14th Brigade in the same Division in January 1916.


British Army recruiting poster : "4th Batt. Dorset Regiment. Men Of Dorset ! Your King And Country Need You. Join Your County Battalion".
The 2nd Battalion was in Poona, India, when war broke out and was shipped, as part of the 16th Indian Brigade, to Mesopotamia, where it was trapped in the Siege of Kut and captured by the Turks. (Of the 350 men of the battalion captured, only 70 survived their captivity.) During the siege, returning sick and wounded, and the few replacements who had been sent out, were unable to re-join their battalion, so they, and similar drafts of the 2nd Norfolk Regiment, were amalgamated into a scratch battalion forming part of the force attempting to relieve Kut. This battalion was formally titled the Composite English Battalion, but was more commonly known as The Norsets; it was broken up in July 1916, when the 2nd Dorsets was re-constituted. The battalion then served in Egypt as part of 9th Indian Brigade in the 3rd Indian Division.

The British Army’s Home Service Helmet was introduced in 1878. It was of a German influence and would replace a long line of shakos going back to the days of the Peninsular War and Waterloo. In blue cloth, sometimes green, sometime grey, sometimes with a spike, sometimes with a ball, the stiff cork headdress would become a common site on parade grounds throughout Britain for more than thirty years. Most Regular Army regiments and corps took to the helmet, as did their Militia, Volunteer and Territorial counterparts.
With the new headdress came the helmet plate, those highly desirable items of militaria much sought after today by collectors. Large, star-shaped mostly and displaying both ancient and new regimental devices, brightly they shone in their silvers, gilts, gilding and white metals, covering almost the entire front of the headdress as they did so.

The British Army during the Victorian era served through a period of great technological and social change. Queen Victoria ascended the throne in 1837, and died in 1901. Her long reign was marked by the steady expansion and consolidation of the British Empire, rapid industrialisation and the enactment of liberal reforms by both Liberal and Conservative governments within Britain.

The British Army began the period with few differences from the British Army of the Napoleonic Wars that won at Waterloo. There were three main periods of the Army's development during the era. From the end of the Napoleonic Wars to the mid-1850s, the Duke of Wellington and his successors attempted to maintain its organisation and tactics as they had been in 1815, with only minor changes. In 1854, the Crimean War, and the Indian Rebellion of 1857 highlighted the shortcomings of the Army, but entrenched interests prevented major reforms from taking place. From 1868 to 1881, sweeping changes were made by Liberal governments, giving it the broad structure it retained until 1914.

Upon Victoria's death, the Army was still engaged in the Second Boer War, but other than expedients adopted for that war, it was recognisably the army that would enter the First World War. The Industrial Revolution had changed its weapons, transport and equipment, and social changes such as better education had prompted changes to the terms of service and outlook of many soldiers. Nevertheless, it retained many features inherited from the Duke of Wellington's army, and since its prime function was to maintain an empire which covered almost a quarter of the globe, it differed in many ways from the conscripted armies of continental Europe.

It is very curious today that the term ‘privilege’ is a commonplace remark usually made in detrimental terms regarding many that are believed to have automatically benefitted from same by their birth in their National location. Please read below to see just how ‘privileged’ the British regular soldier was in the 19th century { Both of the Lanes Armoury’s partners came from working class families, and all but a very few males were combatants in the armed forces of Britain. One great, great, grandfather died and was buried in South Africa fighting in the Zulu War, and his son died and was buried in South Africa fighting in the Boer War}.

The disciplinary system was not notably more harsh than the contemporary civil Penal System, although soldiers stood less chance of severe penalties being commuted. The death sentence could apply for crimes such as mutiny or striking an officer, but was generally reserved for actions that were capital crimes in common law, such as murder. Minor infractions could be summarily punished with extra duties or stoppages of pay, but flogging remained a punishment for many offences, including minor offences, on the discretion of a court martial. A court martial could be held at regimental level (which might well be influenced by the attitude of the colonel or other senior officers), or district level where convenient, or a General Court Martial might be convened under the authority of the Commander-in-Chief for serious matters or offences involving officers.

The maximum number of strokes inflicted on a soldier sentenced to flogging (which had been a barbaric 2,000 in 1782, essentially a death sentence for nearly any man) was reduced to 300 in 1829, and then to 50 in 1847. Some regiments nevertheless rejoiced in the nicknames of the "bloodybacks" if they were notorious for the number of floggings ordered.

Only a small portion of soldiers were permitted to marry. Soldiers' wives and children shared their barracks, with only blankets slung over a line for privacy. Wives often performed services such as laundry for their husbands' companies or barracks. A particularly cruel feature of the Army's practices was that fewer soldiers' wives were allowed to accompany a unit overseas (one per eight cavalrymen or twelve infantrymen) than were permitted when serving at home. Those wives not chosen by lot to accompany the unit when it embarked were forcibly separated from their husbands, for years or for life.

Soldiers' pay was nominally one shilling per day, but this was decreased by "stoppages" of up to sixpence (half a shilling) for their daily rations, and other stoppages for the issue of replacement clothing, damages, medical services and so on. In 1847, it was laid down that a soldier must receive at least one penny per day, regardless of all stoppages. A privileged life indeed.

In our opinion this is a "never possible to better" original, WW2 sword, used and carried by of an officer of the divine Emperor Hirohito's Imperial Navy in WW2. Ideal for the collector of the very best surviving officer's swords of WW2.1937 pattern Kai Gunto, by Yoshitsugu. With all it's original and gilded mounts and fittings, with near mint black lacquer saya under brown leather protective cover. With it's original naval knot in mint order, and original cord loop with sliding mount. Original naval style flattened knot ito wrap over darkened black same. Every part of this sword's fittings are original and matching, with it's original number 757 stamped onto every separate part. The blade is absolutely near perfect and near flawless, with only one very small stain, with all it's original finish, and fully signed tang. This sword would, effectively, be impossible to upgrade if you wanted the best possible available, regulation, deluxe grade tachi sword, as commissioned by a Japanese naval officer in WW2, in absolutely untouched original condition. Effectively, it is just like the day it was surrendered in 1945. The illustrative photo shows three Imperial Japanese Naval flying officers the central figure carrying the same sword. Crewmen of Ginga bomber that hit aircraft carrier Randolph (from left to right): Chief Flight Petty Officer Takeshi Igai (navigator), Lieutenant Koetsu Fukuda (pilot), and Chief Flight Petty Officer Kenji Ota (radioman)
Kaigunto swords are now getting to be quite difficult to find, and of course were in far less profusion at the surrender in 1945, due to the relatively small amount of Japanese warships that survived the war.
Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II.

The IJN launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, killing 2,403 Americans and crippling the US Pacific Fleet. During the first six months of the Pacific War, the IJN enjoyed spectacular success inflicting heavy defeats on Allied forces. Allied navies were devastated during the Japanese conquest of Southeast Asia. Japanese naval aircraft were also responsible for the sinkings of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse which was the first time that capital ships were sunk by aerial attack while underway. In April 1942, the Indian Ocean raid drove the Royal Navy from South East Asia.

In 1943, the Japanese also turned their attention to the defensive perimeters of their previous conquests. Forces on Japanese held islands in Micronesia were to absorb and wear down an expected American counteroffensive. However, American industrial power become apparent and the military forces that faced the Japanese in 1943 were overwhelming in firepower and equipment. From the end of 1943 to 1944 Japan's defensive perimeter failed to hold.

The defeat at the Philippine Sea was a disaster for Japanese naval air power with American pilots terming the slanted air/sea battle the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot, mostly going in the favour of the US,126 while the battle of Leyte Gulf led to the destruction of a large part of the surface fleet. During the last phase of the war, the Imperial Japanese Navy resorted to a series of desperate measures, including a variety of Special Attack Units which were popularly called kamikaze. By May 1945, most of the Imperial Japanese Navy had been sunk and the remnants had taken refuge in Japan's harbours. By July 1945, Nagato was the only remaining ship of the Imperial Japanese Navy's capital ships that had not been sunk in raids by the United States Navy

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

Code: 25419

925.00 GBP

Add to basket

The Volunteers came into being as a result of the war scare of 1859 when Anglo-French relations were very strained. They provided their own arms and equipment and served at their own cost, except if called out for actual service. They were under the lords lieutenant of counties who authorised the formation of corps and gave commissions to their officers. Their purpose was to act as auxiliaries to the regular army and militia.

In the early part of the South African War the War Office gave notice that active service companies from volunteer battalions would be sent out to their county regiments at the front. The Hampshire Volunteer Infantry Brigade was called upon to supply one company, each battalion contributing a section of 23 rank and file. The first company under Captain Seward served in South Africa some 15 or 16 months, losing the six young men whose names appear on a brass plate. Four of them died and two in the Barberton railway accident.

The British Army’s Home Service Helmet was introduced in 1878. It was of a German influence and would replace a long line of shakos going back to the days of the Peninsular War and Waterloo. In blue cloth, sometimes green, sometime grey, sometimes with a spike, sometimes with a ball, the stiff cork headdress would become a common site on parade grounds throughout Britain for more than thirty years. Most Regular Army regiments and corps took to the helmet, as did their Militia, Volunteer and Territorial counterparts.
With the new headdress came the helmet plate, those highly desirable items of militaria much sought after today by collectors. Large, star-shaped mostly and displaying both ancient and new regimental devices, brightly they shone in their silvers, gilts, gilding and white metals, covering almost the entire front of the headdress as they did so.

The British Army during the Victorian era served through a period of great technological and social change. Queen Victoria ascended the throne in 1837, and died in 1901. Her long reign was marked by the steady expansion and consolidation of the British Empire, rapid industrialisation and the enactment of liberal reforms by both Liberal and Conservative governments within Britain.

The British Army began the period with few differences from the British Army of the Napoleonic Wars that won at Waterloo. There were three main periods of the Army's development during the era. From the end of the Napoleonic Wars to the mid-1850s, the Duke of Wellington and his successors attempted to maintain its organisation and tactics as they had been in 1815, with only minor changes. In 1854, the Crimean War, and the Indian Rebellion of 1857 highlighted the shortcomings of the Army, but entrenched interests prevented major reforms from taking place. From 1868 to 1881, sweeping changes were made by Liberal governments, giving it the broad structure it retained until 1914.

Upon Victoria's death, the Army was still engaged in the Second Boer War, but other than expedients adopted for that war, it was recognisably the army that would enter the First World War. The Industrial Revolution had changed its weapons, transport and equipment, and social changes such as better education had prompted changes to the terms of service and outlook of many soldiers. Nevertheless, it retained many features inherited from the Duke of Wellington's army, and since its prime function was to maintain an empire which covered almost a quarter of the globe, it differed in many ways from the conscripted armies of continental Europe.

It is very curious today that the term ‘privilege’ is a commonplace remark usually made in detrimental terms regarding many that are believed to have automatically benefitted from same by their birth in their National location. Please read below to see just how ‘privileged’ the British regular soldier was in the 19th century { Both of the Lanes Armoury’s partners came from working class families, and all but a very few males were combatants in the armed forces of Britain. One great, great, grandfather died and was buried in South Africa fighting in the Zulu War, and his son died and was buried in South Africa fighting in the Boer War}.

The disciplinary system was not notably more harsh than the contemporary civil Penal System, although soldiers stood less chance of severe penalties being commuted. The death sentence could apply for crimes such as mutiny or striking an officer, but was generally reserved for actions that were capital crimes in common law, such as murder. Minor infractions could be summarily punished with extra duties or stoppages of pay, but flogging remained a punishment for many offences, including minor offences, on the discretion of a court martial. A court martial could be held at regimental level (which might well be influenced by the attitude of the colonel or other senior officers), or district level where convenient, or a General Court Martial might be convened under the authority of the Commander-in-Chief for serious matters or offences involving officers.

The maximum number of strokes inflicted on a soldier sentenced to flogging (which had been a barbaric 2,000 in 1782, essentially a death sentence for nearly any man) was reduced to 300 in 1829, and then to 50 in 1847. Some regiments nevertheless rejoiced in the nicknames of the "bloodybacks" if they were notorious for the number of floggings ordered.

Only a small portion of soldiers were permitted to marry. Soldiers' wives and children shared their barracks, with only blankets slung over a line for privacy. Wives often performed services such as laundry for their husbands' companies or barracks. A particularly cruel feature of the Army's practices was that fewer soldiers' wives were allowed to accompany a unit overseas (one per eight cavalrymen or twelve infantrymen) than were permitted when serving at home. Those wives not chosen by lot to accompany the unit when it embarked were forcibly separated from their husbands, for years or for life.

Soldiers' pay was nominally one shilling per day, but this was decreased by "stoppages" of up to sixpence (half a shilling) for their daily rations, and other stoppages for the issue of replacement clothing, damages, medical services and so on. In 1847, it was laid down that a soldier must receive at least one penny per day, regardless of all stoppages. A privileged life indeed.
Typical natural age and wear to the helmet, slight internal crack to rear neck tail cork underneath the blue cloth

In our opinion this is a "never possible to better" original, WW2 sword, used and carried by of an officer of the divine Emperor Hirohito's Imperial Navy in WW2. Ideal for the collector of the very best surviving officer's swords of WW2.1937 pattern Kai Gunto, by Yoshitsugu. With all it's original and gilded mounts and fittings, with near mint black lacquer saya under brown leather protective cover. With it's original naval knot in mint order, and original cord loop with sliding mount. Original naval style flattened knot ito wrap over darkened black same. Every part of this sword's fittings are original and matching, with it's original number 757 stamped onto every separate part. The blade is absolutely near perfect and near flawless, with only one very small stain, with all it's original finish, and fully signed tang. This sword would, effectively, be impossible to upgrade if you wanted the best possible available, regulation, deluxe grade tachi sword, as commissioned by a Japanese naval officer in WW2, in absolutely untouched original condition. Effectively, it is just like the day it was surrendered in 1945. The illustrative photo shows three Imperial Japanese Naval flying officers the central figure carrying the same sword. Crewmen of Ginga bomber that hit aircraft carrier Randolph (from left to right): Chief Flight Petty Officer Takeshi Igai (navigator), Lieutenant Koetsu Fukuda (pilot), and Chief Flight Petty Officer Kenji Ota (radioman)
Kaigunto swords are now getting to be quite difficult to find, and of course were in far less profusion at the surrender in 1945, due to the relatively small amount of Japanese warships that survived the war.
Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II.

The IJN launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, killing 2,403 Americans and crippling the US Pacific Fleet. During the first six months of the Pacific War, the IJN enjoyed spectacular success inflicting heavy defeats on Allied forces. Allied navies were devastated during the Japanese conquest of Southeast Asia. Japanese naval aircraft were also responsible for the sinkings of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse which was the first time that capital ships were sunk by aerial attack while underway. In April 1942, the Indian Ocean raid drove the Royal Navy from South East Asia.

In 1943, the Japanese also turned their attention to the defensive perimeters of their previous conquests. Forces on Japanese held islands in Micronesia were to absorb and wear down an expected American counteroffensive. However, American industrial power become apparent and the military forces that faced the Japanese in 1943 were overwhelming in firepower and equipment. From the end of 1943 to 1944 Japan's defensive perimeter failed to hold.

The defeat at the Philippine Sea was a disaster for Japanese naval air power with American pilots terming the slanted air/sea battle the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot, mostly going in the favour of the US,126 while the battle of Leyte Gulf led to the destruction of a large part of the surface fleet. During the last phase of the war, the Imperial Japanese Navy resorted to a series of desperate measures, including a variety of Special Attack Units which were popularly called kamikaze. By May 1945, most of the Imperial Japanese Navy had been sunk and the remnants had taken refuge in Japan's harbours. By July 1945, Nagato was the only remaining ship of the Imperial Japanese Navy's capital ships that had not been sunk in raids by the United States Navy

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

Code: 25417

925.00 GBP

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Another collection just arrived and going online, some already and most soon, including more stunning antique British regimental helmets, heavy cavalry officers, home service and Victorian Lancer's Czapka, superb Napoleonic British swords, 1805 Trafalger period Royal Naval officers,1796 heavy dragoon troopers, light Dragoon troopers and officers, 1796 infantry officers, Imperial German officer's swords used in both WW1 & WW2. Plus, a stunning Victorian full leopard skin, part of the uniform a British regimental bass drummer, called the apron, and a household division guards regiment musician’s tunic, with all the original red lining and picadills trim around the edge of the leapord skin, and, as usual, you can be confident everything is original, and they are all superb examples.

Interesting fact, one of the world’s most famous streets, Piccadilly in London, is called as such because it housed the piccadill merchants that made and supplied the nobility and gentry their dress piccadill. Piccadill or pickadill is a large broad collar of cut-work lace that became fashionable in the late Elizabethan 16th century and early 17th century. The term is also used for the stiffened supporter or supportasse used to hold such a collar in place. And the fancy red edging trim for knights suits of armour, and later the cuirasses armour of the heavy cavalry officers, plus the shabraques and leopard and lion skin aprons of the British army regimental base drummers..

If you are a first time visitor, or one of our 40,000 online viewing regular customers, welcome {or welcome back} to our online shop. We hope you enjoy it as much as the many millions of past visitors have already, since we first went online in 1996. It was designed to accompany, and operate hand-in-hand, with our gallery-shop, that has been located in the Brighton Lanes since the reign of King George Vth. According to our statisticians our website has been {conservatively} viewed over 54 million 750 thousand times, since it launched in the 90’s. And in the same period, our shop has likely been personally visited {also conservatively} by over 5 1/2 million people since 1996. Of course, in the case of our shop, another 77 years of visitors could be added to that figure..

Every single day, due to our most fortunate status as one of Europe’s, and certainly Britain’s, oldest and favourite original specialist collector’s galleries, amazing historical, pieces, from all the major {and minor} civilisations, from the past 4000 years, arrive at our doorstep.

Such as, in this month alone, new arrivals included, a collection of museum grade original swords and French Napoleonic arms, and a Royal Navy ship’s cannon, Brown Bess muskets, and a sword of an Indian Maharajah Prince, plus several samurai swords, antique and WW2 as usual. Always online is a unique selection of original ancient Greek, Chinese and Viking antiquities, including rings, helmets, swords, spears and battle axes, plus, various dozens of rare, superb and intriguing original Roman antiquities. Most of our antiquities were acquired around 200 years ago by members of the British nobility that were once buying pieces from locals while on their 'Grand Tour' of Europe.
This site also contains up to 17,000 photographs of our currently available offerings to view. Enjoy!

Our History;
The Lanes Armoury, are Brighton Family Traders since 1919. Thousand’s of worldwide visitors to the UK come to visit us practically every day, and their most consistent and much appreciated comment includes that they believe that we were the most amazing and interesting shop they had ever visited in Britain, or even the whole of Europe. We are like a museum, as they consistently say, but, everything is for sale! One must say that if we were a museum, we would likely be the smallest in the UK, but, we contain thousands upon thousands of collectables, militaria and books, prehistoric, ancient, antique and vintage pieces, from an incredibly rare Zulu War artefact, the Zulu King's, carved horn sceptre knopkerrie, to a 66 million year old shark's tooth, to a samurai sword made around 800 years ago, with many hundreds of other fabulous swords, also from ancient Japan, to a section of a Roman Legionary’s armour, a Roman Tribune’s ring of victory, to a sporting gun made for a prince, or a 14 million year old impactite fragment from a meteor strike in Germany, a signal cannon from Admiral Nelson's navy, to a copy {now sold} of 'The Great Gatsby', an incredibly rare Ist Edition novel.

We offer magical and wondrous artefacts, each with a history beyond compare. We were honoured to be described by Victor Harris, England’s foremost & respected Japanese Sword expert, based at the British Museum, as the most unique and remarkable shop he has ever visited.

In the previous 100 plus years our past and present clients include; Hollywood movie star legends such as Edward G.Robinson, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and Bette Davis, the British aristocracy from the late Queen Mary onwards, famous academics in all known fields, curators of many British museums, and politicians of all colours from numerous countries around the world, and last, yet most importantly, private collectors from all walks of life and nations.
Mark was once personally thanked, by one of our more universally recognisable clients, in the 1980’s, by President Ronald Reagan, for his pair of Roman glass vases bought from our gallery, and he then, most generously, gave Mark an autographed photo of himself in the Oval Office.

We have had the greatest of privileges to have had pass through our hands some quite remarkable pieces, such as one incredible 'Royal Family' piece that springs to mind. Around 35 years ago, we acquired a fabulous ‘royal’ gentleman’s desk set, in magnificent cloisonné enamel, gifted by one British 20th century King, to another, King George VIth and King Edward VIIIth. Each piece was signed, within the intricate enamels design, personally, for the king, in King George VIth’s ‘family name’, ‘Bertie’, with a personal engraved dedication.
‘There, but for the grace of God’. We presumed it was given away by a member of the family during the period of enmity between the former royal princes. King George VIth, and certainly his well beloved wife, Queen Elizabeth, {the parents of our adored, late Queen Elizabeth} well deservedly, never truly forgave his weak and manipulated brother, for the betrayal to his duty, to his family and his nation. One might say ‘plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.’. What a piece of history, and ironically, somewhat pertinent to today's unfolding events. We wish we had it now!

Our oldest regular collector was over 100 years old, and another client, our most regular customer, has been coming to us for over 77 years! Every month over 40,000 of our regular followers around the world request our weekly stock updates by email, and it is so easy to join them, on our home page, just enter your regular email address, and click go!

The photos we show in this gallery are of just a hint of the type of items we have bought and then sold online within the recent past, on just one day, and every item was accompanied with our unique, Certificate of Authenticity.  read more

Code: 23219

In 1874 all Fusilier Regiments took into wear for all ranks a fur cap of black racoon skin, around 9 inches high, with a gilt grenade in the front, bearing the regimental badge. The chin strap was a gilt curb chain lined with black leather or velvet.

At this date, the Northumberland Fusiliers was the only Fusilier Regiment wearing a plume, of red and white, though subsequently plumes were authorised for all other Fusilier Regiments ".

After the Napoleonic Wars, the regiment spent time in the West Indies, the Mediterranean, Ireland and Mauritius. In 1857, it raised a 2nd Battalion again. This unit remained at home, while 1st Battalion was sent to serve in the Indian Mutiny (1857-88).

1st Battalion returned to India in 1866, staying for 14 years and forming part of the Peshawar Field Force during the Second Afghan War (1878-80). It was replaced in India by 2nd Battalion in 1880. The latter took part in the Black Mountain Expedition on the North-West Frontier in 1888.

During the 1881 Army reforms, the regiment’s name changed again, now becoming The Northumberland Fusiliers.

1st Battalion sent a detachment to West Africa for the Fourth Ashanti War in 1895. The entire battalion then fought in the Sudan in 1898 and on the North-West Frontier of India in 1908.

Both regular battalions also saw action in the Boer War (1899-1902) from 1899. They fought in several battles, including Belmont, Graspan, Modder River, Magersfontein, Stormberg, Reddersberg and Sanna's Post.

Indeed, the regiment raised two additional regular battalions in 1900 to meet the demands of this conflict. 3rd Battalion served in South Africa, while 4th Battalion was stationed in Ireland. However, these were both disbanded in 1907.

The Northumberland Fusiliers raised 50 Reserve, Territorial, New Army, Garrison and Home Service battalions for the First World War (1914-18), a number only bettered by the all-territorial London Regiment. 29 of these battalions served overseas, earning 67 battle honours in France and Flanders, Salonika, Gallipoli, Egypt and Italy. The regiment sustained over 16,000 dead.

Of its regular units, 1st Battalion spent the whole of the conflict on the Western Front, arriving there in August 1914 and going on to fight in many of the main engagements. 2nd Battalion was in India on the outbreak of war, but deployed to France in January 1915. Later that year, it was transferred to Egypt and then to Salonika.

The 1st Battalion served in Ireland during that country's War of Independence (1919-21) and then deployed to Germany on occupation duties. Following a spell of home service, it then spent time in the West Indies and Egypt (1931-34), before moving to Palestine in 1937 where it helped suppress the Arab Revolt (1936-39).

Meanwhile, 2nd Battalion served in Iraq in 1920 and then undertook a long spell of garrison duties in India. It deployed to Shanghai in 1930 and after several years at home moved to Palestine in 1936.

During the 1930s, the regiment's two regular battalions were converted into heavy machine gun units. The regiment also gained a ‘Royal’ prefix in 1935 to recognise its wartime service.

Second World War
1st Battalion was in the Middle East on the outbreak of the Second World War (1939-45) and went on to fight in the North Africa campaign. This service included Tobruk (1941) and El Alamein (1942). It spent much of 1943 in Syria before deploying to Italy where it spent the rest of the war.

In 1939, 2nd Battalion deployed to France with the British Expeditionary Force, but was evacuated from Dunkirk in 1940. It spent the next two years on home defence duties. In 1943, it joined the Tunisian campaign before landing at Salerno in Italy.

The regiment also raised eight Territorial and hostilities-only battalions during the conflict. These served as infantry and machine gun battalions, but also in motorcycle, reconnaissance and searchlight roles. They served at home, in North Africa, Italy, North-West Europe and the Far East.  read more

Code: 25416

895.00 GBP

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