Antique Arms & Militaria

A 19th Century Indian Percussion Howdah Pistol, Double Over and Under Barrelled

With steel barrels and engraved decorative brass frame, and of overall utility quality. Tight mainspring action. Large .6 inch bore

A Formidable and singularly impressive double barrel large bore pistol, for use when seated in the Howdah, when riding on an Elephant, for protection against Tiger attack. The name "Howdah pistol" comes from the sedan chair- known as a Howdah which is mounted on the back of an elephant. Hunters, and officers, especially during the period of the British Raj in India, used howdahs as a platform for hunting wild animals and needed large-calibre side-arms to protect themselves, the elephant, and their passengers from animal attacks at close range. Even though Howdah pistols were designed for use in the “gravest extreme” against dangerous game (such as tigers), they were used in combat by some officers, for both offence and defence, as their effectiveness was simply unrivalled in close quarter action. Demand for these potent weapons outstripped supply, and many seen still surviving today are in fact converted shotguns, with shortened barrels and pistol grip restocking, and in later years gunmakers responded with revolvers, in calibres as large as .500, in order to fill the need. Firearms like these were one source of inspiration for the overtly powerful .44 magnum revolver. A 1996 movie, called 'The Ghost and the Darkness', starring Michael Douglas, featured the Douglas character, Charles Remington, using a near identical "howdah" pistol in several scenes.

Being of utility functional design this is not a fine quality English made equivalent from the same era, however, due to this, it is priced accordingly, and approximately less than a quarter of the price we sold our last two fine English made examples for. One nipple is only partially present

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

Code: 24753

An Original Medieval Caltrop 13th-15th Century, Recovered From the Battle Site of Agincourt. Known to The Ancient Romans As A Tribulus. One of The Oldest Forms of Incredibly Effective Combined Offensive & Defensive Strategies of War

Part of an incredible collection of Roman, Viking, and Medieval antiquities we have just acquired, including these amazingly interesting pieces, a few, original, battlefield recovered caltrops from the Anglo French wars of the 14th and early 15th centuries, all acquired from a ‘Grand Tour’ of 1820, either from the regions surrounding the battle site of Agincourt, . Some were listed specifically as from Agincourt, others as from either the Poitiers or Crecy battle sites. However they were all constructed the same by English blacksmith armourers, between 600 to 700 years ago. As well as historically incredibly interesting it is also an amazing, and especially a somewhat gruesome, conversation piece.

In many respects as equally important to the medieval former King’s armies at the time as the long bow and arrow. Yet they have almost disappeared from the history books as to their incredible significance and highly useful service in all of those battles. For example, by just 50 men casting thousands of these caltrops, across, say, a 25 acre field, it would effectively deny an entire French army the ability to out-flank the British across that particular terrain. Thus, with that ingenious ability, a king could manipulate to a great degree, and with relative ease, an entire defensive or offensive position for an oncoming battle, or even hopefully negate a surprise attack from a particular direction. And to caste them behind the ranks of a retreating army would create a huge advantage potentially for survival against an attack from behind. There is no greater advantage to the discouragement of an enemy French foot soldier to know that he, and up to fifty percent of his pursuing force comrades, might well be crippled for life before even engaging with the enemy English in hand to hand combat. Upon being caste on hard and barren flat ground, in daylight, they would be easy to spot and thus, with relative caution, avoid, but upon grassy ground, or woodland, especially when the ground was wet, they would be near impossible to see.

The caltrop is an ancient anti-personnel weapon made up of forged and very heavy grade sharp nails or spines arranged in a pyramidical manner so that one of them always points upward from a triple spine stable base. In the wars with France they could be issued to English foot soldiers to caste behind if they made a rapid withdrawal and were likely to be pursued. Used thus they would incapacitate, often permanently, an infantryman or foot knight, if trodden upon, and create the same result if trodden upon by a harsh man’s mount. They would also be forged in significant numbers in order to remove or deny an area of a battlefield or defences from the enemy’s access. The prominent spike being of such a height and strength, they would easy penetrate the thickest leather shoe sole, and especially a bare foot or hoof, as many medieval soldiers marched and fought barefooted.
Iron caltrops were used as early as 331 BC at Gaugamela according to Quintus Curtius (IV.13.36). They were known to the Romans as tribulus or sometimes as Murex ferreus, the latter meaning 'jagged iron'.

Richard Lassels, an expatriate Roman Catholic priest, first used the phrase “Grand Tour” in his 1670 book Voyage to Italy, published posthumously in Paris in 1670. In its introduction, Lassels listed four areas in which travel furnished "an accomplished, consummate traveler" with opportunities to experience first hand the intellectual, the social, the ethical, and the political life of the Continent.

The English gentry of the 17th century believed that what a person knew came from the physical stimuli to which he or she has been exposed. Thus, being on-site and seeing famous works of art and history was an all important part of the Grand Tour. So most Grand Tourists spent the majority of their time visiting museums and historic sites.

Once young men began embarking on these journeys, additional guidebooks and tour guides began to appear to meet the needs of the 20-something male and female travelers and their tutors traveling a standard European itinerary. They carried letters of reference and introduction with them as they departed from southern England, enabling them to access money and invitations along the way.

With nearly unlimited funds, aristocratic connections and months or years to roam, these wealthy young tourists commissioned paintings, perfected their language skills and mingled with the upper crust of the Continent.

The wealthy believed the primary value of the Grand Tour lay in the exposure both to classical antiquity and the Renaissance, and to the aristocratic and fashionably polite society of the European continent. In addition, it provided the only opportunity to view specific works of art, and possibly the only chance to hear certain music. A Grand Tour could last from several months to several years. The youthful Grand Tourists usually traveled in the company of a Cicerone, a knowledgeable guide or tutor.

The ‘Grand Tour’ era of classical acquisitions from history existed up to around the 1850’s, and extended around the whole of Europe, Egypt, the Ottoman Empire, and the Holy Land.

Caltrops, known as tribulus to Romans, were recorded as used as such in the Battle of Carrhae in 51 BC.
The late Roman writer Vegetius, referring in his work De Re Militari to scythed chariots, wrote:

The armed chariots used in war by Antiochus and Mithridates at first terrified the Romans, but they afterwards made a jest of them. As a chariot of this sort does not always meet with plain and level ground, the least obstruction stops it. And if one of the horses be either killed or wounded, it falls into the enemy's hands. The Roman soldiers rendered them useless chiefly by the following contrivance: at the instant the engagement began, they strewed the field of battle with caltrops, and the horses that drew the chariots, running full speed on them, were infallibly destroyed. A caltrop is a device composed of four spikes or points arranged so that in whatever manner it is thrown on the ground, it rests on three and presents the fourth upright. Undoubtedly the most unusual weapon or military device surviving from seventeenth-century Virginia in America was a caltrop, a single example of which has been found at Jamestown. In fact their importance of use in close combat warfare was so important they were still in use by the British and US special services of the SOE & the OSS, as anti tyred vehicle sabotage devices, caste upon roads and lanes to incapacitate German trucks and staff cars.
Although by then, hand forging was fortunately redundant, as modern manufacturing methods could easily create pointed hollow steel tubed versions to ensure an immediate deflation of tyres.

The Battle of Agincourt;
After several decades of relative peace, the English had renewed their war effort in 1415 amid the failure of negotiations with the French. In the ensuing campaign, many soldiers perished due to disease and the English numbers dwindled, but as they tried to withdraw to English-held Calais they found their path blocked by a considerably larger French army. Despite the disadvantage, the following battle ended in an overwhelming tactical victory for the English.

King Henry V of England led his troops into battle and participated in hand-to-hand fighting. The French king of the time, Charles VI, did not command the French army himself, as he suffered from severe psychotic illnesses with moderate mental incapacitation. Instead, the French were commanded by Constable Charles d'Albret and various prominent French noblemen of the Armagnac party.

This battle is notable for the use of the English longbow in very large numbers, with the English and Welsh archers forming up to 80 percent of Henry's army. The decimation of the French cavalry at their hands is regarded as an indicator of the decline of cavalry and the beginning of the dominance of ranged weapons on the battlefield.

Agincourt is one of England's most celebrated victories. The battle is the centrepiece of the play Henry V by Shakespeare. Juliet Barker in her book Agincourt: The King, the Campaign, the Battle ( published in 2005) argues the English and Welsh were outnumbered "at least four to one and possibly as much as six to one". She suggests figures of about 6,000 for the English and 36,000 for the French, based on the Gesta Henrici's figures of 5,000 archers and 900 men-at-arms for the English, and Jean de Wavrin's statement "that the French were six times more numerous than the English". The 2009 Encyclopædia Britannica uses the figures of about 6,000 for the English and 20,000 to 30,000 for the French.

Generic photos are used here in the photo gallery as they are all taken from of our small collection are extremely similar looking examples of rare, finely handcrafted, original, medieval hammer forged workmanship, recovered from ancient battle sites. Their three dimensional proportions shows they all, approximately, occupy same size {though not shape of course} as an English cricket ball. And they are all now superbly conserved for another millennium, for the enjoyment of future generations for fascinating historic interest.  read more

Code: 23981

Early Crusades Reliquary, Pectoral, Encolpion Cross. Containing A Shard of The True Cross. Hinged, Neck Cross Of the Ancient Holy Land. Likely Presented to a Warrior Knight Before His Departure for the Crusade, by an Archbishop or The Pope. 1000 Years Old

An absolute beauty, of great size and presence, and the detailing is superb, reflecting in the quality of the entire piece. This was clearly made to the standard for gifting to a knight of highest rank, status and great standing, such as a warrior Bishop of the Knights Templars.
Obviously with light signs of natural old surface wear, but it has survived superbly complete, especially considering after all the extraordinary turmoil, privations, and indeed likely combat the knight owner would have experienced during the earliest crusades to the Holy Land.
Even some of the best examples, comparable to a beauty such as this, on exhibition in the Metropolitan Museum Collection in New York, are damaged or even only half complete. See photo 10 in the gallery.

With a deep relief cast bronze Jesus Christ in a crucifix pose on the obverse side with four evangelists, and Mary on the reverse side, in an orans prayer pose, also with four busts of evangelists surrounding.
This is a two part, hinged bronze reliquary cross, which is complete, and may once have contained part of the true cross.
The cross is composed of two bronze boxes with were formed and joined by hinges. A thick suspension ring enabled the encolpion to be worn as a pectoral pendant. This unusual cross portrays, on one side, Christ with arms extended, wearing a robe (colobium). On the other side the robed Mary has arms and hands raised (“orans”) in prayer. The reliquary was probably thought to contain a splinter of the True Cross. For other reliquary crosses, see the exhibition catalogue “Kreuz und Kruzifix” (Diocese Museum of Friesing, Germany, 2005) – pgs 174-175. A virtually identical example in bronze is pictured in Pitirakis, "Les Croix-Reliquares Pectorales Byzantine", Paris, 2006, 162. Byzantine representations of the Crucifixion which show Christ wearing a robe are normally earlier than those in which he wears a loincloth.
The hinging is now connected by two hoops of iron.

The hollow portion formed inside the box was intended for the sacred relic that the faithful would have worn around the neck. Part four of the amazing small collection of antiquites including Crusades period Crucifixes and reliquary crosses for the early Anglo Norman Crusader knights and Jerusalem pilgrims.
As used in the early Crusades Period by Knights, such as the Knights of Malta Knights Hospitaller, the Knights of Jerusalem the Knights Templar, the Knights of St John.
The new Norman rulers were culturally and ethnically distinct from the old French aristocracy, most of whom traced their lineage to the Franks of the Carolingian dynasty from the days of Charlemagne in the 9th century. Most Norman knights remained poor and land-hungry, and by the time of the expedition and invasion of England in 1066, Normandy had been exporting fighting horsemen for more than a generation. Many Normans of Italy, France and England eventually served as avid Crusaders soldiers under the Italo-Norman prince Bohemund I of Antioch and the Anglo-Norman king Richard the Lion-Heart, one of the more famous and illustrious Kings of England. An encolpion "on the chest" is a medallion with an icon in the centre worn around the neck upon the chest. This stunning and large neck worn example is bronze three part with its hinged top. 10th to 12th century. The hollow portion formed inside the cross was intended for the sacred relic that the faithful would have worn around the neck. The custom of carrying a relic was largely widespread, and many early bronze examples were later worn by the Crusader knights on their crusades to liberate the Holy Land. Relics of the True Cross became very popular from the 9th century, and were carried in cross-shaped reliquaries like this, often decorated with enamels, niellos, and precious stones. The True Cross is the name for physical remnants from the cross upon which Jesus Christ was crucified. Many Catholic and Orthodox churches possess fragmentary remains that are by tradition believed to those of the True Cross. Saint John Chrysostom relates that fragments of the True Cross were kept in reliquaries "which men reverently wear upon their persons". A fragment of the True Cross was received by King Alfred from Pope Marinus I (Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, year 883). An inscription of 359, found at Tixter, in the neighbourhood of Sétif in Mauretania, was said to mention, in an enumeration of relics, a fragment of the True Cross, according to an entry in Roman Miscellanies, X, 441.

Fragments of the Cross were broken up, and the pieces were widely distributed; in 348, in one of his Catecheses, Cyril of Jerusalem remarked that the "whole earth is full of the relics of the Cross of Christ," and in another, "The holy wood of the Cross bears witness, seen among us to this day, and from this place now almost filling the whole world, by means of those who in faith take portions from it." Egeria's account testifies to how highly these relics of the crucifixion were prized. Saint John Chrysostom relates that fragments of the True Cross were kept in golden reliquaries, "which men reverently wear upon their persons." Even two Latin inscriptions around 350 from today's Algeria testify to the keeping and admiration of small particles of the cross. Around the year 455, Juvenal Patriarch of Jerusalem sent to Pope Leo I a fragment of the "precious wood", according to the Letters of Pope Leo. A portion of the cross was taken to Rome in the seventh century by Pope Sergius I, who was of Byzantine origin. "In the small part is power of the whole cross", says an inscription in the Felix Basilica of Nola, built by bishop Paulinus at the beginning of 5th century. The cross particle was inserted in the altar.

The Old English poem Dream of the Rood mentions the finding of the cross and the beginning of the tradition of the veneration of its relics. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle also talks of King Alfred receiving a fragment of the cross from Pope Marinus (see: Annal Alfred the Great, year 883). Although it is possible, the poem need not be referring to this specific relic or have this incident as the reason for its composition. However, there is a later source that speaks of a bequest made to the 'Holy Cross' at Shaftesbury Abbey in Dorset; Shaftesbury abbey was founded by King Alfred, supported with a large portion of state funds and given to the charge of his own daughter when he was alive – it is conceivable that if Alfred really received this relic, that he may have given it to the care of the nuns at Shaftesbury

Most of the very small relics of the True Cross in Europe came from Constantinople. The city was captured and sacked by the Fourth Crusade in 1204: "After the conquest of the city Constantinople inestimable wealth was found: incomparably precious jewels and also a part of the cross of the Lord, which Helena transferred from Jerusalem and which was decorated with gold and precious jewels. There it attained the highest admiration. It was carved up by the present bishops and was divided with other very precious relics among the knights; later, after their return to the homeland, it was donated to churches and monasteries.To the category of engolpia belong also the ampullae, or vials or vessels of lead, clay or other materials in which were preserved such esteemed relics as oil from the lamps that burned before the Holy Sepulchre, and the golden keys with filings from St. Peter's chains, one of which was sent by St. Gregory the Great to the Frankish King Childebert.

The last time the Pope gave a piece of the true cross was for the coronation of King Charles IIIrd set within the cross for Wales. The relics of what is known as the True Cross were given to King Charles by Pope Francis, as a coronation gift. The cross uses Welsh materials such as slate, reclaimed wood, and silver from the Royal Mint in Llantrisant. King Charles hammered the hallmark onto the silver used in the cross.

Encolpion, a different anglicization of the same word, covers the early medieval tradition in both Eastern and Western Christianity. Superb condition overall, with both the top and bottom hinges secured with loops of iron wire

The natural, aged, surface bronze patination over the past 1000 years is in superb condition.

Picture 10 in the gallery is from a most similar example in the Metropolitan Museum, but only half the cross remaining {the Jesus posed side is missing} bearing Mary and four evangelists as does ours.
3 inches high.  read more

Code: 26066

A Stunning Mid 18th Century Ship's Captain Brass Cannon Barrel Pistol with a Silver Escutchon of the Goddess Minerva Adorned With Her Dolphin Helmet & Fishscale Armour

Blunderbuss pistol all brass cannon barrel, and action, beautifully engraved. Made by Hadley circa 1750, with large silver escutcheon engraved with the profile head of Minerva.

Minerva, whose dolphin helmeted face is depicted is the Roman goddess of wisdom, justice, law, victory, and the sponsor of arts, trade, and strategy. Minerva is not a patron of violence such as Mars, but of strategic warfare.


The ‘Queen Anne’ style pistol is distinctive in that it does not have a ramrod. The barrel of the pistol unscrews and allows it to be loaded from the rear and near the touch hole at the breech of the barrel. These pistols were originally made in flintlock.

The Queen Anne pistols were very popular and were made in a variety of calibres, usually about 38 to 50 bore. Boot pistols, Holster pistols, pocket pistols and Sea Service pistols were all made in the 'Queen Anne' style. This type is known as a Queen Anne pistol because it was during her reign that it became popular (although it was actually introduced in the reign of King William III).

Here are some of the specific reasons why people enjoy collecting antique pistols:

Historical significance: Antique pistols are stunning relics of a bygone era, and they can provide insights into the history of warfare, technology, and culture. For example, a collector might be interested in owning a type of pistol that was used in a famous battle or that was carried by a famous historical figure.
Craftsmanship: Antique pistols are often works of art in their own right. Many early gunsmiths were highly skilled artisans, and their creations can be extraordinarily beautiful. Collectors might appreciate the intricate engraving, fine inlays, and other decorative elements that are found on many antique pistols.
Aesthetic beauty: Antique pistols can be simply stunning. Their elegant lines and graceful curves can be a thing of beauty. Collectors might enjoy admiring the form and function of these antique weapons.
Rarity and uniqueness: Some antique pistols are quite rare, and collectors might enjoy the challenge of finding and acquiring them. Others might be interested in owning a pistol that is unique in some way, such as a prototype or a custom-made piece.
Investment value: Antique pistols can also be valuable long term investments. The value of some antique pistols has appreciated significantly over the years. Collectors might enjoy the potential for profit, in addition to the other pleasures of collecting, but that should never be the ultimate goal, enjoyment must always be the leading factor of collecting.
No matter what their reasons, collectors of antique pistols find enjoyment in their hobby. They appreciate the history, craftsmanship, beauty, and rarity of these unique pieces.

In addition to the above, here is yet another reason why people enjoy collecting antique pistols:

Education: Learning about the history and technology of antique pistols can be a thoroughly rewarding experience. Collectors can learn about the different types of pistols that have been made over the centuries, how they worked, and how they were used.

Excellent condition overall, good tight and crisp action, old small split in stock, overall 12.5 inches long  read more

Code: 25219

Stunning Victorian, Silver Hound's Head Walking Stick Of William Page Wood, 1st Baron Hatherley, PC, British Statesman, Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, Presented by John Bright, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster & Sherlock Holmes Connection

With lacquered hawthorn wood cane.

Was this 'Hound's Head' appearance on the walking stick, the inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's, most famed Sherlock Holmes story, of the fiercesome and diabolical beast, 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' serialized in the Strand Magazine?. According to family legend, the notorious 17th century Squire Richard Cabell inspired the character of Squire Hugo Baskerville, but it was the childhood memory of this very hounds head that was the inspiration of the diabolical beast. The likeness to the illustrations of the hound in Doyle’s original novel is unmistakable.

A most beautiful piece with great political history, of the Victorian Liberal Party, of Prime Minister Lord William Gladstone.

The recipient of the stick, from John Bright, was William Page Wood, 1st Baron Hatherley, PC (29 November 1801 – 10 July 1881). He was a British lawyer and statesman who served as a Liberal Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain between 1868 and 1872 in William Ewart Gladstone's first ministry.

John Bright, the sticks original owner (16 November 1811 – 27 March 1889) was a British Radical and Liberal statesman, one of the greatest orators of his generation and a promoter of free trade policies. In 1849 he was appointed Vice-Chancellor of the County Palatine of Lancaster, and in 1851 was made Solicitor General for England and Wales and knighted. He was the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, a ministerial office in the Government of the United Kingdom. Excluding the prime minister, the chancellor is the highest ranking minister in the Cabinet Office, immediately after the Prime Minister, and senior to the Minister for the Cabinet Office. It was he who first used the phrase ‘England, mother of Parliaments, and another ‘flogging a dead horse’ ‘

A Quaker, Bright is most famous for battling the Corn Laws. In partnership with Richard Cobden, he founded the Anti-Corn Law League, aimed at abolishing the Corn Laws, which raised food prices and protected landowners' interests by levying taxes on imported wheat. The Corn Laws were repealed in 1846. Bright also worked with Cobden in another free trade initiative, the Cobden–Chevalier Treaty of 1860, promoting closer interdependence between Great Britain and the Second French Empire. This campaign was conducted in collaboration with French economist Michel Chevalier, and succeeded despite Parliament's endemic mistrust of the French.

Bright sat in the House of Commons from 1843 to 1889, promoting free trade, electoral reform and religious freedom. He was almost a lone voice in opposing the Crimean War; he also opposed William Ewart Gladstone's proposed Home Rule for Ireland. He saw himself as a spokesman for the middle class and strongly opposed the privileges of the landed aristocracy. In terms of Ireland, he sought to end the political privileges of Anglicans, disestablished the Church of Ireland, and began land reform that would turn land over to the Catholic peasants. He coined the phrase "The mother of parliaments."

The hounds head top of the walking stick, is engraved on one reverse panel J.B {John Bright}, and W.B {William Bright, was John's son, also a Liberal politician} and on the other side of the hound's head is engraved, W. Wood { the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain} in a panel on the obverse beneath the hound's head.

The head was, 'supposedly', the inspiration for Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's 'Hound of the Baskervilles'

Doyle was educated at the Jesuit preparatory school Hodder Place, Stonyhurst in Lancashire, which may be the initial connection to John Bright. One might conjecture that Doyle, as a young impressionable boy, saw Bright's hound's head cane {before he gave it to William Wood} maybe, on his {Bright's} visit to Hodder Place School in Lancashire.

This story was imparted to us as part of the family legend of the hound’s head stick's past illustrious history. Of course, there is absolutely no written evidence of this being the case, but it does seem, a most intriguing possibility.

It was also meant to be an accurate likeness of a a beloved hound that belonged to John Bright. John Bright took his hound to Doyle’s prep school when he visited.  read more

Code: 25176

A Original & Very Rare, Spontoon Pole Arm of The Personal Guard Of The Holy Roman Emperor Charles VIth Circa 1700's

Engraved with the twin headed eagle and the crest of Emperor Charles VIth. On the reverse side engraved with a seated figures flags and cannon. Charles VI (1 October 1685 - 20 October 1740; German: Karl VI., Latin: Carolus VI) succeeded his elder brother, Joseph I, as Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia (as Charles II), King of Hungary and Croatia, Serbia and Archduke of Austria (as Charles III) in 1711. He unsuccessfully claimed the throne of Spain following the death of his relative, Charles II, in 1700. He married Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Wolfenb?ttel, by whom he had his two children: Maria Theresa, the last Habsburg sovereign, and Maria Anna, Governess of the Austrian Netherlands.

Four years before the birth of Maria Theresa, faced with his lack of male heirs, Charles provided for a male-line succession failure with the Pragmatic Sanction of 1713. The Emperor favoured his own daughters over those of his elder brother and predecessor, Joseph I, in the succession, ignoring the decree he had signed during the reign of his father, Leopold I. Charles sought the other European powers' approval. They exacted harsh terms: Britain demanded that Austria abolish its overseas trading company. In total, Great Britain, France, Saxony-Poland, the Dutch Republic, Spain, Venice, States of the Church, Prussia, Russia, Denmark, Savoy-Sardinia, Bavaria, and the Diet of the Holy Roman Empire recognised the sanction. France, Spain, Saxony-Poland, Bavaria and Prussia later reneged. Charles died in 1740, sparking the War of the Austrian Succession, which plagued his successor, Maria Theresa, for eight years. We show for information an engraving of the Guard of The Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II of Habsburg, With the very same spontoon. 7 ft overall , head 22 inches including sidestraps  read more

Code: 21520

A Good 19th Century 1830's King George IVth English Percussion Derringer Type Pistol. The Kind Of Boxlock Pistol Known In Dickensian England As A 'Barker'

Good slab-sided walnut grip, all steel frame and barrel with engraved percussion boxlock action lockplate, dolphin form hammer, sliding safety, and concealed trigger that drops down under tension when the pistol is fully cocked

The nickname was popularized in 19th-century literature. For example, in Charles Dickens' 1837 novel Oliver Twist, a character prepares for a robbery by arming himself with a pair of "barkers".

Circa 1830. Boxlock pistols were pocket pistols popular in the late 1700s and early 1800s. Effectively the first Derringers. The most unique feature of their design was the boxlock mechanism. Unlike most firearms which have the hammer located off to the side of the pistol, a boxlock pistol had the hammer located directly on top of the pistol. They were called a boxlocks because all of the working mechanisms for the hammer and the trigger was located in a box or receiver directly below the top mounted hammer. While the hammer obstructed the aim of the user, this system had the advantage of making the gun more compact and concealable than other pistols. The first boxlock pistols were flintlock and where later made in percussion lock. Unlike modern firearms, these pistols were not mass produced, but were hand made in gunsmith's workshops.

In 18th and 19th-century slang, a pistol was called a
barker because its loud explosion was thought to resemble the "bow-wow" or barking of a dog.

The term originated as "barking iron," an Irish expression recorded in the 1785 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue. Over time, it was shortened simply to "barker." It was initially "cant" (thieves' slang) used by footpads and highwaymen during robberies.
The term was also adopted by Royal Navy seamen to refer to both small Sea Service pistols and larger lower-deck artillery pieces.

While other colourful nicknames like "pops," "snappers," and "meat in the pot" were also used during this era, "barker" remained a common term until the end of the 19th century.

Overall light natural aged russet surface, good tight action.

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

Code: 26065

A Most Fine King George IIIrd Boxlock Flintlock By Bolton of London, Named for its Owner William Seal of Amington. Shown With A Typical Powder Flask As An Example of How It Was Loaded. {not included}

effectively with built-in provenance. Made by John H Bolton, London and inscribed to its owner on the barrel.

The pistol has excellent original finish and has just returned from a 'no expense spared' gunsmith service and the action is now as crisp as you could wish.
Concealed trigger and sliding safety, Tower of London proved barrel, turn off barrel, for breech loading, and a superb walnut grip.

Unlike most firearms, which have the cock located off to the side of the pistol, a boxlock pistol had its cock located directly on top of the pistol. This form of pistol action was called a 'box lock', because all of the working mechanisms for the hammer/cock and the trigger was located within a box or receiver, directly below the top mounted cock. While the cock could obstruct the aim of the user, this system had the advantage of making the gun more compact and concealable than other pistols.

The first boxlock pistols were flintlock and where later made in percussion lock. Unlike modern firearms, these pistols were not mass produced, but were bespoke, hand made in master gunsmith's workshops.

As with all our antique guns no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables. Shown for illustration purposes only with a typical powder flask, as it would once have used  read more

Code: 23548

A Hugely Impressive, Attractive and Historical, Sudan War 'Mahdi' Warrior's War Sword, a Siege of Khartoum' Period & Battle of Omdurman Kaskara. With Spectacular Blade Bearing Armourer's Stamps & Inscription "May God Bless You and Grant You Victory

The inscription is Arabic and approximately interprets to "May God Bless You and Grant You Victory" a 21st Lancer officer's souvenir.

Probably the best and most historical example we have ever seen in the past 50 years thanks to its expert conservation. And it had to spend over a week in our museum conservation workshop, having highly detailed preserving and polishing undertaken by hand. As it had been in storage for likely a hundred years or more, with the Arabic inscription etched in the design

It has a spectacular and huge broadsword blade with cruciform hilt, the blade has a central fuller with another fuller either side of the central one, and the blade has been struck many times with armourer's marks of crescent moons and the large Arabic inscription.

In the 1880’s the Sudan, the vast land just south of Egypt, was ruled by the Khedive from Cairo. Sudan was basically occupied by native Africans in the south and Arab traders in the north. The coming of the Muslim religious leader known as the "Mahdi" unified the population into an uprising against Egypt.

Britain assisted and allowed General Charles Gordon to become the Governor of Sudan on behalf of the Egyptian Khedive. The result was that after a long siege the entire Khartoum garrison, including General Charles Gordon, was butchered leading to much embarrassment for the British Government. It took 14 years, until 1898 for General Gordon to be avenged with the complete destruction of the Muslim Army at the Battle of Omdurman. In this battle In 1898 the 23 year-old Winston Churchill was serving with the 21st Lancers in the Sudan, while earning money on the side as a war correspondent for the Morning Post. While participating in the last British cavalry charge in history at the Battle of Omdurman, he witnessed the bravery of Dublin-born Victoria Cross winner, Private Thomas Byrne. He also became a skin graft donor to the officer that Byrne saved.
The Mahdi army, numbering over 100,000, was made up of many tribes of various origins and used long broad swords fashioned on those the European Crusaders had carried back in the 13th and 14th centuries. These were known as Kaskaras, and were carried along with a large shield.

This Broadsword, known as a Kaskara, is a lovely example of the principal weapon carried by the Mahdi's warriors. These were desert people and had modelled the broadsword on those carried by the European Crusaders in the 14th century.

This particular example is of very nice quality. A fine example taken in combat from one of Britain's native adversaries. Probably 80% of examples one sees in England today are often souk or bazaar bought examples, acquired in the early to mid 20th century by British travelers and soldiers, often with pseudo German markings. This is a completely different order of merit from those.

The Sudanese Wars are famously remembered in the movies too: Charlton Heston in "Khartoum" and in at least two productions of "The Four Feathers”. The close of the Victorian era was the height of the Great British Empire. A British soldier's bring back souvenir from his times on the front line.

The Kaskara was a type of sword characteristic of Sudan, Chad, and Eritrea. The blade of the kaskara was usually about a yard long, double edged and with a spatulate tip. While most surviving examples are from the 19th or 20th century the best type is believed to have originated around the early 14th century and later, and may represent a localized survival of the straight, double-edged medieval Arab sword with blades acquired from Europeans. The kaskara was worn horizontally across the back or between the upper arm and thorax. According to British Museum curator Christopher Spring, "in the central and eastern Sudan, from Chad through Darfur and across to the Red Sea province, the straight, double-edged swords known as kaskara were an essential possession of most men."

34 1/2 inch blade overall 41 3/4 inches long. The scabbard's very tip has developed an inverted bend  read more

Code: 26061

A Beautiful Ancient Viking War Hammer. An Iron Hammer-Axe From 900 to 1000 Years Old in Fabulously Preserved Condition

An iron war hammer-axehead with wide bearded blade, round socket and a rounded hammer section with expanded end extension to the rear.

In 793, terror descended on the coast of Northumbria as armed raiders attacked the defenceless monastery of St Cuthbert on Lindisfarne. The terrified monks watched helplessly as the invaders made off with a haul of treasure and a clutch of captives. It was the first recorded raid by the Vikings, seaborne pirates from Scandinavia who would prey on coastal communities in north-western Europe for more than two centuries and create for themselves a reputation as fierce and pitiless warriors. The Anglo-Saxon cleric Alcuin of York wrote dramatically of the Lindisfarne raid that the church was spattered with the blood of the priests of God, despoiled of all its ornaments given as a prey to pagan peoples and subsequent (mainly Christian) writers and chroniclers lost few opportunities to demonise the (mainly pagan) Vikings. Yet, though they undeniably carried out very destructive and violent attacks, from small-scale raids against churches to major campaigns involving thousands of warriors, the Vikings formed part of a complex and often sophisticated Scandinavian culture. As well as raiders they were traders, reaching as far east as the rivers of Russia and the Caspian Sea; explorers, sending ships far across the Atlantic to land on the coastline of North America five centuries before Columbus; poets, composing verse and prose sagas of great power, and artists, creating works of astonishing beauty.Their victims did not refer to them as Vikings. That name came later, becoming popularised by the 11th century and possibly deriving from the word vik, which in the Old Norse language the Vikings spoke means bay or inlet. Instead they were called Dani (Danes) there was no sense at the time that this should refer only to the inhabitants of what we now call Denmark pagani (pagans) or simply Normanni Northmen In medieval Scandinavian languages, a Vikingr is a pirate, a freebooter who seeks wealth either by ship-borne raids on foreign coasts or by waylaying more peaceful seafarers in home waters. There is also an abstract noun Viking, meaning ‘the act of going raiding overseas

In the world of collecting early weaponry an axe is defined as it’s head, it’s haft was separate often made of vulnerable woods that can not survive the ravages of time.

One of the most famous Viking axes is Helm (named after the Norse death goddess), which belonged to King Magnus of Norway and Denmark. He is said to have inherited the weapon from his father, Olav Haraldsson of Norway, whose ax features prominently in Norway’s national coat of arms. Some Viking axes if they were wielded by a particularly strong and skilled warrior could even cut through chainmail and helmets. When King Magnus’s poet credited the king with being able to split heads like firewood, he wasn’t necessarily being hyperbolic. Writing about the pre-Viking Franks and their use of throwing axes, the Francisca, Procopius makes it clear that the Franks threw their axes immediately before hand to hand combat with the purpose of breaking shields and disrupting the enemy line while possibly wounding or killing an enemy warrior. The weight of the head and length of the haft would allow the axe to be thrown with considerable momentum to an effective range of about 12 m (40 ft). Even if the edge of the blade were not to strike the target, the weight of the iron head could cause injury. The francisca also had a psychological effect, in that, on the throwing of the francisca, the enemy might turn and run in the fear that another volley was coming. It is most logical that the Vikings may well have adopted this system of axe throwing combat from the earlier Franks, as it seemed most effective in numerous combat arenas.

For reference of type see; Cf. Sedov, B.B. Finno-Ugri i Balti v Epokhi Srednevekovija, 1987, table CXXIV 7".  read more

Code: 25459