Antique Arms & Militaria

A Fabulous, Original, Royal Naval 32 Pounder Cannon Ball Fired From One Of The 32 Pounder Cannon, The Largest Cannon of the Royal Naval 100 Gunner, Man o'War, Ist Rate Warships In Nelson's Fleet Such As HMS Victory, Into The 'Formidable'

Within “Naval Gunnery”, by Captain H. Garbett R.N., published in 1895, the greater part of the volume deals with the breech-loaders of the 1890s, but, the first chapter discusses the smooth-bore cannon era in considerable detail. A full account is provided of how a 32-pounder – the largest type of gun carried by Victory and her contemporaries – was served. Due to their size and weight these weapons were carried on the “gundeck”, the lowest tier, 30 of them in total on Victory. The next level up, the middle-gundeck, carried 24-pounders, and above that again the upper-gundeck with 12-pounders. Guns of the latter size were also carried in the open on the quarterdeck and forecastle, where the close-range, large calibre Carronades were also mounted.

The ship carried only enough men to crew the guns on one side of the ship only and should it be necessary to fight on both sides simultaneously – as when breaking the French line at Trafalgar – the guns could only be served with half-crews. The weapons were heavy – a 32-pounder’s barrel alone weighed almost three tons – and considerable strength was demanded to run them out and to train them on target.

The cannon balls in our collection were recovered from the Formidable while it was in dock in Plymouth and taken to a local hostelry, and kept as a garden ornaments, near the port as a battle souvenir from the last battle in the Trafalgar campaign in the Battle of Cape Ortegal, where it was captured and taken as a prize from north-west Spain that saw Captain Sir Richard Strachan defeat and capture a French squadron under Counter-admiral Pierre Dumanoir le Pelley. It is sometimes referred to as Strachan's Action. The French ship Formidable was captured by the Royal Navy at the Battle of Cape Ortegal on November 4, 1805. Following her capture, she was sailed to a British port and arrived at Plymouth, England, where she was "laid up in ordinary" and later commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Brave.
The Formidable, an 80-gun ship of the line, was one of four French ships of the line that escaped the Battle of Trafalgar only to be captured shortly after by a British squadron under the command of Admiral Sir Richard Strachan. She arrived in Plymouth later that year, where the process of condemning the ship as a prize and taking her into the Royal Navy began.

To have been recovered from the French third rate ship of the line we presume it must have hit the ship in combat once fired at her by a 32 pounder, either at Cape Trafalgar or Cape Ortegal.

4 November 1805 marks the Battle of Cape Ortegal in the 3rd Coalition War when Captain Sir Richard Strachan’s 4 British ships-of-the-line & 4 frigates defeated Rear Admiral Pierre Dumanoir le Pelley’s 4 French ships-of-the-line. The battle completed the shattering victory at Trafalgar. It ensured British naval dominance for the rest of the Napoleonic Wars.
Dumanoir led the French van at Trafalgar. He escaped & sailed south. On 2 November, he saw 36-gun HMS Phoenix patrolling the area. He chased it. It led him to Strachan, firing its cannons to alert him. Dumanoir fled. Strachan chased him. At 05:45, 4 November, 36-gun HMS Santa Margarita closed on Dumanoir’s rearmost ship, 74-gun Scipion. At 09:30, 36-gun HMS Phoenix joined in. Strachan was 6 miles behind. Scipion fired her stern guns at the frigates. They kept on her, slowing her down. At 11:45, Dumanoir formed line-of-battle. Strachan also formed line, bringing his ships-of-the-line to Dumanoir’s starboard side.
Dumanoir brought his ships around to attack. But Strachan had formed his frigates into a second line on Dumanoir’s port, catching him in a crossfire. By 15:00, Scipion & Dumanoir’s 80-gun Formidable surrendered. 74-guns Duguay Trouin & Montblanc fled. 74-gun HMS Hero & Strachan’s 80-gun HMS Caesar captured them by 15:30. Strachan lost 24 dead, 111 wounded. Dumanoir lost 730 dead/wounded. His ships were commissioned into Britain’s navy. The crews were imprisoned. Ortegal completed Britain’s naval victory. France’s remaining 5 ships were bottled up in Cadiz. Britain now ruled the waves.

On this Pickle Night, November 6th, we remember one of the smallest ships with one of the greatest legacies: HMS Pickle 🎉
Under Lieutenant John Richards Lapenotière, Pickle was “the swiftest ship in Nelson’s fleet,” and after the Battle of Trafalgar she was entrusted with carrying home the official dispatches announcing victory... and the loss of Lord Nelson, 220 years ago this month.
After battling through fierce storms, Lapenotière made landfall at Falmouth on 4 November 1805, then journeyed 271 miles to London by post-chaise, changing horses 21 times in 37 hours to deliver his message to the Admiralty:
“Sir, we have gained a great victory. But we have lost Lord Nelson.”

6 inch solid round shot ball. Weighing in at 28.8 pounds, {weight lost through 1/4 inch surface corruption}

Picture 5 in the gallery is a painting of the Redoubtable and the other ‘prize’ ships captured at Cape Ortegal being towed back to Plymouth.

Photos aboard HMS Victory of the 32 pounder gun deck, one of these cannon, or another like it from Nelson’s fleet, would have fired this cannonball into the Redoubtable. Photos by Francis Sartorius II - http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/12066.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28503147  read more

Code: 25988

A Superb Original Waterloo Recovered Souvenir '6 Pounder ' Royal Artillery Cannon Ball Fired at La Haye Sainte During The Battle, Recovered From The Farm

Napoleonic Wars cannon ball recovered from a Waterloo excavation well over 190 years ago. One of three we just acquired that were brought back from Waterloo to England over 190 years ago, the first was sold by us recently.

At the Battle of Waterloo, the British Royal Artillery deployed 6-pounder cannons, from which this ball was fired, a relatively light artillery piece that fired a 6-pound (approximately 2.7 kg) solid iron ball. These cannons, introduced in 1793, were crucial for supporting cavalry charges and were easier to manoeuvre than heavier guns.

The 6-pounder was designed to provide lighter, yet still effective, artillery support to the cavalry and infantry.
Ammunition:
They fired various types of ammunition, including round shot (solid iron balls), canister shot (a type of scatter shot), and spherical case shot (a type of shell).
The effective range of the 6-pounder with round shot was around 800-900 yards (732-823 metres), though it could reach up to 1700 yards (1554 metres).
The cannonballs were devastating, capable of inflicting serious injury and damage to both men and horses.

At Waterloo, the 6-pounders were primarily used by the Royal Horse Artillery and some field artillery units, with variations in the types of 6-pounders used.
Captured at Waterloo:
Some French 6-pounder cannons were also captured by the British as trophies of war.
La Haye Sainte:
The strategic farmhouse of La Haye Sainte was a focal point of fighting, where the 6-pounder was used extensively.

We show in the gallery a photo of a Waterloo cannon ball embedded in a cemetery wall, from Waterloo Relics by Bernard & Lechaux

Another identical cannon ball is now in the National Army Museum, see gallery.
NAM Accession Number
NAM. 1999-05-8-1

Every single item from The Lanes Armoury, Britain's famous, favourite, and oldest original Armoury Antique store, 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, and thus, it is a lifetime guarantee.  read more

Code: 25987

A Superb, Original, Napoleonic Wars, Peninsular Campaign, Siege of Badajoz, 1812, French 8" Explosive Type Howitzer Ball. Used In the Defence of Badajoz. In Fabulous Condition For Age

A large and most impressive hollow iron mortar ball weighing around 30lb. In superb excavated condition, but as it was barely in the usually dry ground {a missfire as it failed to explode} for 15 years or so, it has only basic surface wear. Brought back to England in the 1820's from Badajoz, found during a 'Grand Tour' of Spanish, Napoleonic Wars, Peninsular Campaign battle sites.

The gun crews were composed of 5 men. In 1808, one 6 inch mortar type, with a 3 men crew was added to the list. There was also an 8 inch mortar, outside the Gribeauval system. For these calibres, the bombs could be loaded by one single man and the hooks were not needed.

The 8-inch howitzer was classified as a heavier piece used for siege and fortress artillery.
Consequently, the 8-inch howitzer was primarily deployed during the sieges of strongholds and fortified towns during the Napoleonic Wars, both for defensive, and, offensive barrages.
Specific examples of battles or campaigns where French siege artillery, including 8-inch howitzers, would have been used include:
The Siege of Zaragoza (1809)
The Siege of Badajoz (1812), where grenades (also fired from howitzers) were used as a defensive weapon alongside the large 8" Howitzer balls
The Siege of Tarragona (1811)
The Siege of Cadiz (1810-1812), where 9-inch and 11-inch howitzers (a later innovation) were also used
In the field, Napoleon favored mobility and speed, which led to the extensive use of the lighter 4-, 8-, and 12-pounder cannons and the 6-inch howitzer, often employed in "grand batteries" to concentrate devastating fire on specific points of the enemy line. The 8-inch howitzer, being heavier and less mobile, was not suited for regular mobile field warfare and was usually reserved for more static siege operations.

The French garrison at the Siege of Badajoz in 1812 did not make significant use of howitzers in an offensive capacity, but, records indicate they possessed and used howitzers considerably in a defensive role, particularly for firing shells and grapeshot from the ramparts and in sorties against the British and Portuguese infantry assaults. The british assaults were performed by the volunteer men known as the 'Folorn Hope'
A forlorn hope is a band of soldiers or other combatants chosen to take the vanguard in a military operation, such as a suicidal assault through the breach of a defended position, or the first men to climb a scaling ladder against a defended fortification, or a rearguard, to be expended to save a retreating army, where the risk of casualties is high. Such men were volunteers motivated by the promise of reward or promotion, or men under punishment offered pardon for their offenses, if they survived.
:
Defensive Use: The French, under the command of General Philippon, were well-equipped with various types of artillery for the city's defense. They used their guns and these howitzers to inflict heavy casualties on the British and Portuguese besiegers during the construction of siege trenches and during the final assault on the breaches.
Eyewitness accounts from earlier sieges (e.g., May 1811) specifically mention the French bringing a "Royal Howitzer" out to the area of the Picurina hill during a sortie to fire shells into the allied camps, demonstrating their use of this type of ordnance.

By the time of the final British assault in April 1812, the French garrison was running short of ammunition for their heavy guns and howitzers, which forced them to be economical with their fire to save what they had for the final resistance. This would have limited the overall use of howitzers during the latter stages of the siege.
Defenses at Breaches: During the final assault, the French used a variety of measures to defend the breaches, including explosives, harrows, and chevaux de frise, alongside heavy musket and artillery fire from the ramparts and retrenchments.
In essence, French howitzers were a component of the city's overall defensive artillery, used for firing explosive shells and other close-range ammunition against the besiegers' lines and attacking columns.

Colin Campbell leading the 'Forlorn Hope' in the assault, a painting by William Barnes Wollen

I9th century painting of the Siege of Badajoz in the gallery showing very clearly the trajectory and explosive power of the Howitzers used by both the British and French forces at the same time during the assault.

French Bronze Howitzer photos By PHGCOM - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5283907

The cast iron ball is empty thus perfectly inert and safe.  read more

Code: 25984

A Scarce Infanterie Seitengewehr Model 1871 Mauser Rifle Bayonet With Full Regimental Markings to Sword and Scabbard

The Mauser Model 1871 adopted as the Gewehr 71 or Infanterie-Gewehr 71, or "Infantry Rifle 71" ("I.G.Mod.71" was stamped on the rifles themselves) was the first rifle model in a distinguished line designed and manufactured by Paul Mauser and Wilhelm Mauser of the Mauser company and later mass-produced at Spandau arsenal.

Irish Republicans imported some 1,500 single-shot 1871 Mausers in the Howth gun-running for the nationalist militia called the Irish Volunteers in 1914. They were used in action by the Volunteers in the Easter Rising of 1916, the rebellion aimed at ending British rule in Ireland which began the Irish War of Independence. The 1871 Mauser became known in Ireland as the "Howth Mauser"  read more

Code: 24977

A Fine 1802 Tower of London New Land Pattern ‘G.R.Crown’ Lock Napoleonic Wars Light Dragoon Trooper's Flintlock Pistol. Used From The Peninsular War To The Battle of Waterloo Period.

Excellent walnut stock with original patina, numerous Board of Ordnance inspection stamps and crown stamps, crown G inspection stamp to stock. Traces of large GR crown stamp to lock face plus inspection stamp. Stock stamp as well. All fine brass fittings and captive ramrod. In original flintlock with rolling frizzen, and made at the Tower of London and used by the front line British Cavalry regiments during the Peninsular War, War of 1812, and the Hundred Days War, culminating at Waterloo. One would have to go a long way and for a considerable time to find another example in as good condition and as good quality as this one. Introduced in the 1796 and in production by 1802, the New land Cavalry Pistol provided one model of pistol for all of Britain's light cavalry and horse artillery. Another new element was the swivel ramrod which greatly improved the process of loading the pistol on horseback.
The service of British Cavalry regiments, particularly the Light Dragoons, proved essential in the mastery of the Indian Subcontinent. The Duke of Wellington, then Arthur Wellesley, was primarily recognized for his military genius by his battles in India. Of particular note was the Battle of Assaye in 1803 where the 6000 British faced a Mahratta Army of at least 40,000. During the engagement the 19th Light Dragoons saved the 74th Regiment by charging the enemy guns 'like a torrent that had burst its banks'. Pistols firing and sabre slashing, the 19th broke the enemy's position and the day was won. 19th Light Dragoons gained "Assaye" as a battle honour, and the nickname "Terrors of the East". The 19th Light Dragoons eventually served in North America during the War of 1812 and so did this form of pistol. Cavalry was the 'shock' arm, with lance and saber the principal hand weapons. The division between 'heavy' and light was very marked during Wellington's time: 'heavy' cavalry were huge men on big horses, 'light' cavalry were more agile troopers on smaller mounts who could harass as well as shock.

During the Napoleonic Wars, French cavalry was unexcelled. Later as casualties and the passage of years took their toll, Napoleon found it difficult to maintain the same high standards of cavalry performance. At the same time, the British and their allies steadily improved on their cavalry, mainly by devoting more attention to its organization and training as well as by copying many of the French tactics, organization and methods. During the Peninsular War, Wellington paid little heed to the employment of cavalry in operations, using it mainly for covering retreats and chasing routed French forces. But by the time of Waterloo it was the English cavalry that smashed the final attack of Napoleon's Old Guard. As with all our antique guns no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables  read more

Code: 23349

A Stunning, Original 1840's ‘Prototype’ Bronze Cannon of a Dundas 32 Pounder Cannon On Original Bronze Carriage For Coastal Artillery. Around Quarter Size Original Presentation Cannon Made Circa 1840 To Demonstrate to The Ordnance To Gain The Contract

An absolute joyful piece, perfect for a former military officer, or maybe a gentleman's study or boardroom. A working bronze demonstrator cannon of a Col. Dundas 1840's pattern cannon, such as a 32 pounder. Likely, in that case , the first ever example of the later known 'Dundas 32 pounder' cannon ever made, but naturally a scaled down version.

The contract submission was successful, thanks in greater part due to this cannon, and thus used by the Royal Navy and Coastal Artillery from the 1840's.

Very possibly made by the cannon maker, at their Low Moor Iron Works in Yorkshire, as the prototype working piece to demonstrate to Colonel Dundas, for the benefit of a Royal Ordnance contract, and probably later became a presentation piece, possibly given to Col Dundas.

What an absolute corker! It is a very fine bronze cast barrel, with superb aged patination, on its original cast bronze and wooden carriage, with wooden wheels. Overall 18 inches long.

This cannon was designed in response to the need for heavier weaponry as armour on ships of the line improved. Colonel William Dundas, the government's Inspector of Artillery between 1839 and 1852, designed the cannon in 1846. It was cast by the Low Moor Iron Works in Bradford in 1847 and entered service soon after. Like numerous cannon before it, the full size version was made in cast iron, and smoothbore, loaded from the muzzle. The cannon was ‘relatively’ inexpensive to produce – the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom estimated that each cannon cost approximately £167 around £32,000 today.
Over 2000 were cast before 1861 and its exceptional durability, range and accuracy earned it a reputation as the finest smoothbore cannon ever made.

The use of coastal artillery expanded during the Age of Discoveries, in the 16th century; when a colonial power took over an overseas territory, one of their first tasks was to build a coastal fortress, both to deter rival naval powers and to subjugate the natives. The Martello tower is an excellent example of a widely used coastal fort that mounted defensive artillery, in this case, muzzle-loading cannon. During the 19th century China also built hundreds of coastal fortresses in an attempt to counter Western naval threats.

Coastal artillery fortifications generally followed the development of land fortifications; sometimes separate land defence forts were built to protect coastal forts. Through the middle 19th century, coastal forts could be bastion forts, star forts, polygonal forts, or sea forts, the first three types often with detached gun batteries called "water batteries".Coastal defence weapons throughout history were heavy naval guns or weapons based on them, often supplemented by lighter weapons.

Between 1804 and 1812 the British authorities built a chain of towers based on the original Mortella tower to defend the south and east coast of England, Ireland, Jersey and Guernsey to guard against possible invasion from France, then under the rule of Napoleon I. A total of 103 Martello towers were built in England, set at regular intervals along the coast from Seaford, Sussex, to Aldeburgh, Suffolk. Most were constructed under the direction of General William Twiss (1745–1827) and a Captain Ford. The northernmost tower at Aldeburgh is of quatrefoil design, and there are two towers at Clacton-on-Sea, one near the town and the other to the west near the local Golf Course

Included in the scheme were three much larger circular forts or redoubts that were constructed at Harwich, Dymchurch and Eastbourne; they acted as supply depots for the smaller towers as well as being powerful fortifications in their own right.

The effectiveness of Britain's Martello towers was never actually tested in combat against a Napoleonic invasion fleet. They were, however, effective in hindering smuggling. After the threat had passed, the Martello towers in England met a variety of fates. The Coastguard took over many to aid in the fight against smuggling.


Weight of this presentation piece is 18.5 kilos  read more

Code: 23351

A 16th C. Moghul - Hindu 'Shaturnal' Swivel Cannon Barrel For Use on Moghul War-Elephant Or War-Camel. Up To 500 Years Old. An Amazing Early War-Piece of Early Mobile Artillery Used In The Moghul Empire Of Akbar The Great

This incredible and historical war piece would have been mounted upon the Howdah, the huge wooden travelling carriage type apparatus for which the war crew would be seated, one to drive, steer and command the elephant, the others to operate cannon and arquebusses. Or, mounted upon the front of a war camel’s saddle.

A superb late Medieval matchlock swivel cannon barrel, called a shaturnal, specifically designed for combat service mounted upon the back of a great beast of war.

Only the second example of such an intriguing war-piece that we have seen in the past ten years. They are truly very scarce to find, and a great and most impressive piece of historical weaponry from late medieval India.

Interestingly the best way to see just how they were used would be in Sir Peter Jackson’s magnificent trilogy and interpretation of Tolkien’s masterpiece, Lord of the Rings. In one of the awesome battle scenes there are huge giant ‘fantasy’ war elephants, and each one bears a massive howdah for the crew to rain arrows and spears down upon the unfortunate enemy below, just as the Moghul war elephants once did in reality in India, centuries ago, but with arquebuss and light-cannon fire, instead of simply arrows or spears.
In the gallery is an engraving of War elephants depicted in Hannibal crossing the Rhône
A war elephant was an elephant that was trained and guided by humans for combat. The war elephant's main use was to charge the enemy, break their ranks, and instill terror and fear. Elephantry is a term for specific military units using elephant-mounted troops.

War elephants played a critical role in several key battles in antiquity, especially in ancient India.While seeing limited and periodic use in Ancient China, they became a permanent fixture in armies of historical kingdoms in Southeast Asia. During classical antiquity they were also used in ancient Persia and in the Mediterranean world within armies of Macedon, Hellenistic Greek states, the Roman Republic and later Empire, and Ancient Carthage in North Africa. In some regions they maintained a firm presence on the battlefield throughout the Medieval era. War-elephants were significantly used in the Battle of the Hydaspes,
The Battle of Zama, the Second Battle of Panipat
And the Battle of Ambur. At the Battle of Panipat, in 1556, the Hindu ruler King Hemu had a force of 500 war elephants, but although defeated, and Hemu beheaded, Hemu’s war elephants so impressed his enemy, by their awesome power and the effectiveness of their arquebuss musketeers and crossbowmen mounted in their howdahs, they took 120 surviving elephants from the battle and adopted them into the Moghul army. It is even possible this may be one of those Hindu shaturnal, used by the war-elephant musketeers, that were captured in that battle.

With a bore of around 5/8th inch and a barrel around eight times thicker than the normal width of a musket, this superb piece of early forged ironwork, known as a shaturnal, would have been fitted upon a wooden support on the back of the beast and rotated with something resembling a row boat rowlock. Extraordinarily effective, easy to manipulate, and quite devastating in battle.

By the time of Akbar (October 15, 1542 - October 27, 1605) heavy mortars and cannons were rarely used in the Mughal military, the preference being for lighter more easily mobile artillery such as this shaturnal.

Light cannons that could be used on the battlefield were the mainstay of the Mughal artillery corps, including the shaturnal, similar to swivel guns, but carried on the backs of war-camels and in the howdahs of war-elephants.

Akbar, widely considered the greatest of the Mughal emperors was thirteen years old when he ascended the throne in Delhi, following the death of his father Humayun. During his reign, he eliminated military threats from the Pashtun descendants of Sher Shah Suri, and at the Second Battle of Panipat he defeated the Hindu king Hemu. It took him nearly two more decades to consolidate his power and bring parts of northern and central India into his realm. There are original paintings copied in the gallery showing Akbar's matchlocks and artillery being used in combat. Towards the end of 1568 Akbar concentrated his forces around the fort of Ranthambhor, held by a vassal of the Maharana of Chittor, Rao Surjan Hada of Bundi. This fort had been attacked earlier in 1560, but that Mughal army had been defeated by the Rajputs.

The fort of Gagraun, to the south of Bundi, had however been captured that year. Now after the capture of Chittor Akbar could turn once again to Ranthambhor.

Weight around 5.25 kilos. 28.75 inches long. With an old Maharajah of Jaipur’s arsenal armoury’s storage mark. Around 50 years ago a colleague of ours acquired the entire contents of the Maharajah of Jaipur’s palace armoury of original antique Moghul and pre Raj period arms. We were fortunate to acquire from his great purchase a few hundred of the great arquebusses, some, up to 10 feet long, for our armoury collection, some of which we still have stored in our gun rooms here at The Lanes Armoury

As with all our antique guns no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables. Photographed on a temporary stand, but this is not included.

Picture 5 shows a 19th century photograph of a much smaller shaturnal, from a museum, mounted upon a camel for an historical demonstration of early war camel warfare in India..  read more

Code: 20243

Original Ancient Imperial Roman ‘Cross-bow” Fibula Bronze Toga Pin Military Issue, Fine Piece For Higher Ranking Figures in the Legion, Such As a Centurion or Tribune

Bow Fibula with a folded or rolled sleeve hinge, c. Early Imperial - Beginning of 2nd Century. We acquired a very small collection of roman toga pins, from super, small collection of original, historical, Imperial Roman and Crusader's artefacts
Shaped in the form of a roman military crossbow fibula, in bronze.
It became the most popular form of closure for Roman fibulae, and is characteristic of the bow brooches from the early imperial times to the beginning of the 2nd century. Outside the Roman Empire and after that time, this type of hinge was seldom used. The sleeve hinge consists of a small sleeve at the top of the head which is forged from a square sheet metal plate and then rolled up. In a center-cut slot, the spiked needle is inserted and held by a shaft (usually iron) passing through the whole sleeve. At the ends of each of the Aucissa fibulae and their early successors were buttons holding the hinge axis; later, the hinge axis was clamped in the sleeve and needed no buttons. The needle always carries a thorn-like projection on its perforated oval plate, which beats against the head of the fibula and, by virtue of this resistance, causes the suspension to spring forth. The sleeve hinge is used exclusively in bow fibulae. The needle is primarily rectilinear, but bends hand in hand with the flattening of the bow to the outside to continue to leave enough space between the bracket and needle. The sleeve hinge is considered a typical Roman construction. The paludamentum was usually worn over one shoulder and fastened with a fibula (ancient version of a safety pin). Arguments abound over what shoulder was exposed, but it seems fairly clear that the garment was fastened loosely enough to move around, The paludamentum was a cloak that was specifically associated with warfare. A general donned one for the ceremonial procession leading an army out of the sacred precinct of the city of Rome and was required to remove it before returning to the city…a sign that he was no longer a general, but a common citizen. The paludamentum or sagum purpura (purple cloak) was the iconic red cloak worn by a Roman general (Legatus) and his staff officers. Originally, it’s distinctive red/purple color clearly delineated between these officers and the rest of the army, which sported the sagum gregale (cloak of the flock). Although the sagum gregale, worn by the rank and file, started out the color of the flock (i.e. undyed wool), it seems likely to have transitioned to a coarser version of the sagum purpura by the imperial period (27BCE – 476CE). Outfitting the entire army in red garments would have been a mark of the great wealth of Rome – well, that and the fact that the Romans controlled the source of purple dye by then.The pin is now frozen through two millennia in a fixed position. Fibula 58mm x 28mm not including pin , pin is now rigid in position.

For example; With regards to some expert conservation methods of bronze objects {and some other materials} The dirt from the surface of the object could be removed manually using a scalpel under magnification. Care would be taken not to dislodge the powdery, corroding surface. Where the surface was in particualrly bad condition the dirt will be left in situ and small areas might be locally consolidated using 2.5% HMG Paraloid B72 (methyl ethyl methacrlylate) in 50:50 Acetone (propan-1-one/dimethyl ketone) and Industrial methylated spirits ethanol,methanol.
The above practice is just one form of conservation method also used by the British Museum.  read more

Code: 24610

Very Small Exclusive Collection of Amazing Crossbow Relics From the 1st Battle of Scottish Independence, The Battle of Bannockburn, in 1314, Crossbow Quarrel Heads. The Decisive Victory of Robert the Bruce In Combat Against King Edward II

For sale individually for 295 each. Recovered around 225 years ago, as a group of heads, covering about 2000 square yards, within in the battle site area, around one and a quarter miles south of Sterling. From the family of a renown 18th-19th century antiquity collector, a nobleman of Scotland. The crossbow was a weapon of both the Scots army and the British. Priced individually.

Overall the crossbowmen in the English army would have been equipped in quite a similar way to the longbowmen, apart from their choice of weapon.

The early fourteenth century was a time of great innovation in crossbow technology. Their stout bows were still being made out of wood, often the yew also used for longbows. However they were also increasingly made in a composite construction – strips of ibex or goat horn glued together formed the core, over which layers of frayed animal tendon were placed, and the whole wrapped in birch bark to seal out moisture. The most advanced bows, however, were made of tempered steel. This was a very new technology in 1314; the first documentary references to steel bows appear only around 1300.
The crossbow was a powerful weapon, with a much greater draw weight than the longbow. However the short bolts shot from the crossbow were also heavier, while the bolt’s acceleration time on the bowstring was much briefer; both of these factors meant that much more bow-strength was required to cast a crossbow bolt the same distance as a longbow arrow. The range and striking power of the crossbows at Bannockburn may not actually have been very different in real terms from those of the longbows deployed alongside them. The crossbow’s key advantage lay in the ease of its use. Only a short time was required to teach the operation of a crossbow, a stark contrast to the lifetime’s practice, beginning in childhood, which was essential for good longbow shooting.

The Battle of Bannockburn was fought on 23–24 June 1314, between the army of Robert the Bruce, King of Scots, and the army of King Edward II of England, during the First War of Scottish Independence. It was a decisive victory for Robert Bruce and formed a major turning point in the war, which ended 14 years later with the de jure restoration of Scottish independence under the Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton. For this reason, the Battle of Bannockburn is widely considered a landmark moment in Scottish history.

King Edward II invaded Scotland after Bruce demanded in 1313 that all supporters, still loyal to ousted Scottish king John Balliol, acknowledge Bruce as their king or lose their lands. Stirling Castle, a Scots royal fortress occupied by the English, was under siege by the Scottish army. King Edward assembled a formidable force of soldiers to relieve it—the largest army ever to invade Scotland. The English summoned 25,000 infantry soldiers and 2,000 horses from England, Ireland and Wales against 6,000 Scottish soldiers, that Bruce had divided into three different contingents. Edward's attempt to raise the siege failed when he found his path blocked by a smaller army commanded by Bruce

The Scottish army was divided into four divisions of schiltrons commanded by Bruce, his brother Edward Bruce, his nephew, Thomas Randolph, the Earl of Moray and one jointly commanded by Sir James Douglas and the young Walter the Steward. Bruce's friend, Angus Og Macdonald, Lord of the Isles, brought thousands of Islesmen to Bannockburn, including galloglass warriors, and King Robert assigned them the place of honour at his side in his own schiltron with the men of Carrick and Argyll.

After Robert Bruce killed Sir Henry de Bohun on the first day of the battle, the English withdrew for the day. That night, Sir Alexander Seton, a Scottish noble serving in Edward's army, defected to the Scottish side and informed King Robert of the English camp's low morale, telling him they could win. Robert Bruce decided to launch a full-scale attack on the English forces the next day and to use his schiltrons as offensive units, as he had trained them. This was a strategy his predecessor William Wallace had not employed. The English army was defeated in a pitched battle which resulted in the deaths of several prominent commanders, including the Earl of Gloucester and Sir Robert Clifford, and capture of many others, including the Earl of Hereford.

The Two Days of the Battle;
An English army attempting to relieve the siege of Stirling Castle was defeated by a Scottish army under Robert the Bruce over two days.

Robert Bruce had been elected guardian of Scotland in 1298, replacing William Wallace as the leader of the long campaign against the English attempt to conquer Scotland. After the devastating defeat of Wallace at Falkirk (Falkirk, 1298) and then Bruce’s own defeat at Methven (Perth & Kinross, 1306), much of Bruce’s campaign took the form of guerrilla warfare, avoiding as far as possible major set piece battles. In this way he completely changed the balance of power in Scotland, through the progressive reduction of English garrisons.

By 1314 just two major strategic fortresses remained in English hands: that on the border at Berwick and that controlling the crossing of the Forth at Stirling. But the Stirling garrison finally agreed to surrender if the English king did not arrive with a relieving force by 24th June 1314. In response Edward II mustered an army of about 12-13,000 at Berwick, marching north in May and reaching Falkirk on the 22nd June.

Bruce deployed his forces in woodland south west of Stirling, through which the major road approached the town. He carefully prepared his chosen ground, beside the Bannock burn and, as the English advanced against him, over two days of fighting achieved a dramatic victory.

The action was fought, immediately to the north of the area where the Roman road crosses the Bannockburn around 1.2 miles to the south of Stirling. Day 2: Historic Environment Scotland places the fighting around the Carse of Stirling and the Dryfield, though five main alternative sites have been identified separated by more than 2 miles.

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 .

Pictures in the gallery of crossbowmen from original Medeavil manuscripts, {not included} and a contemporary battle scene drawn from the battle

Please note, *priced individually. The bent tipped quarrel head {photos 3 and 4} is now sold!  read more

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Code: 25978