Antique Arms & Militaria

A Superb Later 19th Century French Chassepot M1866 Sword Bayonet, Post Franco Prussian War Issue, Manufactured at the Armoury of St Etienne. Japanese Purchase Import Used In The Japanese Russian War 8 February 1904 – 5 September 1905

Stunning example, with very good steel and brass, manufactured at the French arsenal at St Etienne to mount upon the service issue Chassepot rifle. Acquired by us from an exclusive high quality and rare service use bayonet collection, and this bayonet was bought by the collector in Japan as one of the rare survivors after service in the Russian- Japanese War, {as well as his Enfield Yataghan bayonets bought by Japan from America after the Civil War}. Although by the time of the war the Japanese generally used the type 22 Murata, some naval land troops were still in service with the 1880's French Chassepot-Murata conversions with Chassepot bayonets.

The Russo-Japanese War (8 February 1904 – 5 September 1905) was fought between the Russian Empire and the Empire of Japan over rival imperial ambitions in Manchuria and the Korean Empire. The major land battles of the war were fought on the Liaodong Peninsula and near Mukden in Southern Manchuria, with naval battles taking place in the Yellow Sea and the Sea of Japan.

Its inventor was, Antoine Alphonse Chassepot, and it became the French service weapon in 1866. It was first used at the battlefield at Mentana, November 1867, where it inflicted severe losses on Garibaldi's troops. The event was reported at the French Parliament: "Les Chassepots ont fait merveille!", {The Chassepots did marvelous execution !} In the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) it proved greatly superior to the German Dreyse needle gun, outranging it by 2 to 1. Although it was a smaller caliber but the chassepot ammunition had more gunpowder and thus faster muzzle velocity. The Chassepots were responsible for most of the Prussian and other German casualties during the conflict. This is the most widely copied of all the sword bayonets. Many countries - including the United States, Egypt, Belgium, and Argentina - have manufactured or used very similar bayonets. The French model was designed to fit on the French Model 1866 Chassepot Rifled Infantry Musket (the musket was revolutionary in itself). It was manufactured from 1866 to about 1874 and was replaced by the French Model 1874 "Gras" Bayonet.
The bayonets are brass-hilted The crossguard is iron (steel) and has a screw-type tightening arrangement on the muzzle-ring. The lower quillon is a hooked "blade-breaker" type.
The blade is steel, single-edged, fullered (both sides), with a re-curved or "yataghan-shape." The blades marked on the back-edge (opposite the cutting edge) with the arsenal, month, and year of manufacture; this is done in engraved cursive fashion
Arsenals encountered may be such as Chatellerault, Mutzig, St. Etienne, Paris-Oudry, Tulle, and perhaps Steyr (not confirmed on the 1866). The French wars during the life-span of this bayonet were: French Intervention in Mexico (1861-1867);
Franco-Prussian War (July 19, 1870 - May 10, 1871)
French Indo-China (1873-1874, 1882-1883);
Sino-French War (1883-1885);
Madagascar Wars (1883-1885, 1895);
1st Mandingo-French War (1883-1886);
1st Dahomeyan-French War (1889-1990);
2nd Dahomeyan-French War (1892-1894);
Franco-Siamese War of (1893)
2nd Mandingo-French War (1894-1895);
Conquest of Chad (1897-1914);
3rd Mandingo-French War (1898);
Japanese Russian War ( 8 February 1904 – 5 September 1905)
Moroccan War (1907-1912);
The Wadai War (1909-1911);
World War I (early).

These bayonets were widely copied and used by many countries - including the United States, Belgium, and Germany. Many of the actual French-marked bayonets can be found with German manufactured blades. It is believed some of these were used during the American Civil War when many European arsenals were emptied of their surplus arms.
These bayonets are the French Model 1866 "Chassepot" Bayonet.
The crossguard are iron (steel) and with a "cock's comb" muzzle-ring finial. The lower quillon is a hooked "blade-breaker" type.
The blade is steel, single-edged, fullered (both sides), with a re-curved or "yataghan-shape." One blade is marked on the back-edge (opposite the cutting edge) with the arsenal, month, and year of manufacture; this is done in engraved cursive fashion.

France sold large quantities of Chassepot rifles to Japan during the late 19th century, which Japan used alongside other imported arms, eventually leading to their conversion and adaptation into the indigenous Murata rifle, Japan's first domestically produced standard infantry rifle. Japan acquired Chassepots as part of broader efforts to modernize its military after opening from isolation, initially using them with their needle-fire system before converting them for metallic cartridges

Picture in the gallery {photo 7} of an anti-Russian satirical map that was produced by a Japanese student at Keio University during the Russo–Japanese War. It follows the design used for a similar map first published in 1877.  read more

Code: 26092

Napoleonic Wars Era, Flintlock 'Brown Bess' Musket. A Mighty & Strong Musket Of Substantial Heft, Presence and Beauty. The ‘Brown Bess’ Musket Is Likely The Most Famous Service Musket of All Time In The Napoleonic Wars, Stalwart of The British ‘Square’

A King George IIIrd period 'Brown Bess', Dublin Castle flintlock. Extra strength example which is typical of muskets from Dublin Castle, as their assembled muskets frequently had stronger grade stocks than the equivalent Tower of London examples, made in London.

In the gallery a depiction of a Napoleonic-era British infantry square at the Battle of Quatre Bras, Belgium, 1815.
An infantry square, also known as a hollow square or square formation, was a musket-era historic close order formation used in combat by British infantry units, usually when threatened with cavalry attack. To deploy its weapons effectively, a traditional infantry unit would generally form a line; but the line was vulnerable to more nimble cavalry, which could sweep around the end of the line, or burst through it, and then attack the undefended rear or simply sweep along the line attacking the individual footsoldiers successively. By arranging the unit so that there was no undefended rear or flank, an infantry commander could organise an effective defense against cavalry attack. With both the development of modern repeating firearms and the demise of cavalry in warfare, the square formation is considered obsolete and is effectively never used in modern day warfare.

It has a good and fine patinated walnut stock, good action, and good traditional third pattern brass furniture, trigger guard. 32" barrel. Often the shorter barrel length of 32-33" were supplied for sergeants of the line within the regiments. Dublin Castle mounted flintlocks are scarce and are now and are very highly prized and esteemed, especially by the collectors of early Irish weaponry.

This is a very handsome piece, and it is often described as a joy to own a fine looking 'Brown Bess' musket. Such muskets were frequently issued to regiments formed in Ireland, the famed birthplace of the renown ‘Iron Duke’, the victor over Napoleon at Waterloo, the Duke of Wellington.

The story of the Irish regiments under Wellington's command, such as in in the famous and renown 27th Regiment of Foot, the Enniskillen Inniskilling,. It was a descendent entity from one of the Enniskillen militia raised during the War of the Two Kings, which had become an established unit during the many wars of the 18th century. Against France in this round of fighting, the “Inniskilling” regiment fought in Flanders before helping to take islands in the Caribbean, as many Irish regiments did, suffering terribly from the heat and tropical diseases they were soon unsuited to deal with. Later came greater glory, with the regiment taking part in the Battle of Alexandria in 1801 and then the Battle of Maida in Italy, both crucial victories in the respective campaigns. The regiment entered into the Peninsular Wars in dribs and drabs, with its 1st Battalion joining Wellesley nearly everywhere, and the 3rd only arriving in 1813, but the regiment still had the opportunity to inflict heavy casualties on the French enemy at the Battle of Castalla, before suffering the same a few months later at Ordal, one of the last significant French victories of that campaign. In 1815, the regiment took its place at Waterloo. The 27th Foot bore the brunt of Napoleon’s frontal assault and suffered 481 men killed or injured. The course of the French Revolutionary Wars and the subsequent Napoleonic Wars bears little going into. Between 1792 and 1815, France fought numerous conflicts against a series of opposing coalitions. What began as a conflict of mere survival for the Revolution soon morphed into a more imperialistic venture when France fell under the control of Napoleon Bonaparte in 1799: he would eventually lead France to control a huge chunk of Europe, stretching all the way to Moscow in the east and to the Portuguese coastline in the west. But it couldn’t last, with the French state practically dependent on constant expansion to sustain itself, and Napoleon suffered two major falls, the first in 1813 when British, Austrian, Russian and Prussian overran France, and the second in 1815, after the titanic clash at Waterloo. Throughout the entire conflict, Irish troops were heavily involved, in numerous armies, but none more so than the British.The 1st Battalion went on to fight at the Battle of Waterloo as part of John Lambert's 10th Brigade in the 6th Division. At about 6:30 PM, the French captured the key strongpoint of La Haye Sainte farm. After this success, they brought up several cannon and took the Anglo-Allied lines under fire at extremely close range. At this period, the 698-strong battalion was deployed in square at the point where the Ohain road crossed the Charleroi to Brussels highway. At a range of 300 yards (270 m), the French artillery caused the unit enormous casualties within a short time. At day's end, the 1st Battalion had lost 105 killed and 373 wounded, a total of 478 casualties, without breaking. The unit was described as "lying dead in a square". At the time of Waterloo, the soldiers of the 27th were dressed in red, short-tailed jackets, overall trousers, and a high-fronted shako. The facing colour was buff and it was displayed on the collar, cuffs, and shoulder-straps. The lace on the cuffs and jackets had square-ended loops.

The muskets barrel shows clearly where, during its later working lifetime, it has travelled with the East India Company Army and served in India, and thus been struck with their armoury’s stamps.
Due to the vagaries of intense war and the inevitable short supply of arms, often muskets and pistols had to be supplied by the board of ordnance from gun parts in stores, and thus assembled as and when urgency demanded, or guns returned to the ordnance to replace parts damaged in combat, guns of some mixed part types were inevitable. Therefore, typically this musket has a 'Brown Bess' new land style butt plate, and a transitional period {central screw} sideplate.
A photo in the gallery shows a photograph of one section of the collection in the museum of Waterloo, taken in around 1900, showing all the weapons used at Waterloo en situ, including all the protagonists {British Brown Bess, French, Prussian and Belgian muskets, swords, pistols, armour uniforms, etc}. The museum was founded and owned by a veteran of the 7th Hussars that fought at Waterloo. Overall the musket is in very a nice condition, and an impressive looking and nicely composed musket, and with, as to be expected, signs of usual combat use. A service musket that likely would have seen many decades of faithful service use in combat. Nice condition for age, barrel rear site dovetail fitted later, fires from single cocking.  read more

Code: 23209

A Wonderful, Original, Antique Victorian Helmet of the 2nd Dragoon Guards {The Queen's Bays}

Superb condition with gilt finish skull and decor, all original lining present and chin chain. One of the best surviving examples one can see in our out of a museum

Following a long period of policing and garrison duties at home, the unit next deployed to India after the outbreak of mutiny there in 1857. It went on to help capture Lucknow in 1858.

It then spent most of the remainder of the 19th century garrisoning India or on home service. It also deployed to the Boer War (1899-1902) in 1901, taking part in the anti-guerrilla operations there, and sustaining heavy losses at Leeuwkop in 1902.

The outbreak of the First World War (1914-18) saw it deploy to the Western Front with the 1st Cavalry Division. It fought in both a mounted and infantry role in many engagements, including the Retreat from Mons, (1914), Le Cateau (1914), the Marne (1914), Ypres (1914), the Somme (1916), Arras (1917), Cambrai (1917) and the Scarpe (1918).

How Major George Harold Absell Ing, Of The 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays), Won The D.S.O. At The Second Battle Of Ypres

On the evening of Wednesday, May 12th 1915, the 28th Division which held that part of our line from a point northeast of Verlorenhoek to the Bellewaarde Lake, and which had been fighting continuously since April 22nd, went into reserve, its place being taken by the 1st and 3rd Cavalry Divisions, under general de Lisle. It was a difficult line to defend, since there were no natural advantages and our trenches were to a large extent recently improvised. This cavalry were very speedily to discover to their cost, for early on the following morning a terrific bombardment began against their front, shells of every description raining down in a continuous stream. The brunt of the bombardment fell on the 3rd Division, and the 3rd Dragoon Guards, I the 6th brigade, were almost buried alive beneath the debris of their parapet. But farther north, where the 2nd Dragoon Guards were posted, close to the Ypres-Zonnebeke road, the shelling was also very heavy, and about 8 a.m. part of the regiment on their right began to retire, their trenches having been rendered untenable. The retirement might easily have become a general one, had not a brave officer of the Queen?s Bays, Major Ing, at great personal risk, saved the situation. Leaving his own trench, he ran out into the open road, standing there, with shells every moment bursting around him, stopped the retirement of some forty men and directed them to take shelter, some in shell holes and others in ditch beside the road on their flank. By this prompt and gallant action, for which he was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Service Order, Major Ing rendered a most invaluable service. Major Ing entered the 2nd Dragoon Guards in September 1900, and served in the South African War, in which he was slightly wounded, and for which he received the Queen?s Medal with five clasps. He was promoted captain in February 1914, and attained his present rank in August 1911. He is thirty-five years of age, and his home is at Crockham Hill, Kent. Extracted from 'Deeds That Thrill The Empire'

The regiment was renamed the Queen's Bays (2nd Dragoon Guards) in 1921 and spent the inter-war period in Egypt, India and England, where it mechanised with light tanks in 1937. Two years later, it joined the Royal Armoured Corps.

It fought in northern France in May and June 1940, before evacuating from Brest. By November 1941, it had recovered and re-equipped, deploying to North Africa and fighting at Gazala and the First and Second Battles of Alamein in 1942. At one point in the campaign, it remained in action continuously for a record 19 days - longer than any other armoured regiment in that theatre.

After taking part in the Tunisian campaign in 1943, it moved to Italy in May 1944, fighting in several engagements including the Battle of Argenta Gap (1945).  read more

Code: 25327

Archaic Zhou Dynasty Bronze Halberd or ‘Ge’ Circa 5th Century BC the Period of the Great Military Doctrine 'The Art of War' by General Sun-Tzu

Another from our collection of stunning ancient Chinese swords and weaponry that we recently acquired, including halbeard axe called a 'Ge'.

This is the very type of original ancient ceremonial halberd, defined by the ancient Chinese as a dagger axe 'Ge' and exactly the type as used by the warriors serving under the world renowned General Sun Tzu, in the Kingdom of Wu, who is thought by many to be the finest general, philosopher and military tactician who ever lived. His 2500 year old book on the methods of warfare, tactics and psychology are still taught and highly revered in practically every officer training college throughout the world.

In excavated condition, cast in one piece, slightly curved terminal blade of flattened-diamond section, pierced along a basal flange with three slots, and a hole with fabulous areas of crystallized malachite, blue/green patina.

We also show in the gallery a painting of how this 'Ge' halbard would have been used once mounted 2500 odd years ago on its long haft, and used by a Zhou warrior, there is also one depicted being carried in a painting that we show in the gallery being used in an infantry charge in the Zhou dynasty.

This is a superb original ancient piece from one of the great eras of Chinese history, it is unsigned but near identical to another that was signed and inscribed with details that have now been fully translated, deciphered and a few years ago shown at Sothebys New York estimated to a sale value of $300,000. Its research details are fully listed below, and it is photographed within our gallery for the viewers comparison. Naturally, our un-inscribed, but still, very rare original version, from the same era and place, is a much more affordable fraction of this price

The signed and named Sotheby's of New York example that we show in the gallery, was formerly made for its original warrior owner, Qu Shutuo of Chu, it is from the same period and in similar condition as ours. We reference it's description below, and it is photographed within the gallery, it is finely cast with the elongated yuan divided by a raised ridge in the middle of each side and extending downward to form the hu, inscribed to one side with eight characters reading Chu Qu Shutuo, Qu X zhisun, all bordered by sharply finished edges, the end pierced with three vertically arranged chuan (apertures), the nei with a further rectangular chuan and decorated with hook motifs, inscribed to one side with seven characters reading Chuwang zhi yuanyou, wang zhong, and the other side with five characters reading yu fou zhi X sheng, the surface patinated to a dark silver tone with light malachite encrustation
An Exhibition of Ancient Chinese Ritual Bronzes. Loaned by C.T. Loo & Co., The Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit, 1940, pl. XXXIII.
New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans, March - June 1948.

This inscribed bronze halberd blade, although typical in form, is uniquely important as its inscription serves as a critical primary source that reveals the name of its original owner: Qu Shutuo of Chu. The only known close counterpart to this blade is a damaged bronze halberd blade, missing the yuan, and inscribed on the hu with seven characters, which can be generally translated to ‘for the auspicious use of Qu Shutuo of Chu’. That halberd is now in the collection of the Hunan Provincial Museum, Hunan, and published in Wu Zhenfeng, Shangzhou qingtongqi mingwen ji tuxiang jicheng Compendium of inscriptions and images of bronzes from Shang and Zhou dynasties, vol. 32, Shanghai, 2012, no. 17048

The remaining thirteen inscriptions can be translated as: 'Qu Shutuo of Chu, Qu X's grandson, yuanyou of the King of Chu'. Based on the inscription, the owner of this blade can be identified as such.

See for reference; The Junkunc Collection: Arts of Ancient China / Sotheby's New York
Lot 111

We also show in the gallery a photo of another similar halberd from a museum exhibition, of a Chinese ancient king bodyguard’s halberd gilt pole mounts for his personal charioteer

This is one of a stunning collection of original archaic bronze age weaponry we have just acquired. Many are near identical to other similar examples held in the Metropolitan in New York, the British royal collection, and such as the Hunan Provincial Museum, Hunan, China. As with all our items, every piece is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. Approx 9.75 inches across.  read more

Code: 24390

A Wonderful Original 16th Century Map of America By Giovanni Antonio Magini

A fabulous original historical artifact ideal for the collector with an interest in early maps and the earliest period of modern America. Magini (Giovanni Antonio), Plate XXXIIII, Descrittione Dell'America, O Dell'India Occidentale, no date [ printed in 1598], engraved map of America [North and South] with Italian text below, map plate 140mm x 180mm, uncoloured, mounted, framed and glazed. Giovanni Antonio Magini (in Latin, Maginus) (13 June 1555 11 February 1617) was an Italian astronomer, astrologer, cartographer, and mathematician. He was born in Padua, and completed studies in philosophy in Bologna in 1579. His father was Pasquale Magini, a citizen of Padua. Dedicating himself to astronomy, in 1582 he wrote Ephemerides coelestium motuum, translated into Italian the following year.

In 1588 he was chosen over Galileo Galilei to occupy the chair of mathematics at the University of Bologna after the death of Egnatio Danti. He died in Bologna. Magini supported a geocentric system of the world, in preference to Copernicus's heliocentric system. Magini devised his own planetary theory, in preference to other existing ones. The Maginian System consisted of eleven rotating spheres, which he described in his Novo colestium orbium theoric congruentes cum observationibus N. Copernici (Venice, 1589).

In his De Planis Triangulis (1592), he described the use of quadrants in surveying and astronomy. In 1592 Magini published Tabula tetragonica, and in 1606 devised extremely accurate trigonometric tables. He also worked on the geometry of the sphere and applications of trigonometry, for which he invented calculating devices. He also worked on the problem of mirrors and published on the theory of concave spherical mirrors. Framed 38cm x 30.5cm  read more

Code: 19811

A Simply Captivating & Outstanding Solid Silver Mounted ‘Mermaid’ Shell Guard Hilted Sword, Likely of of an Admiral or Vice Admiral, Such as Admiral Lord Nelson’s Walpole-Suckling Silver Hunting Hanger Sword

A wonderfully pulchritudinous sword of extraordinary quality, of chiselled and engraved silver, that bears numerous embellishments in full relief of mermaids, on the shell guard and the pommel. The pommel appears to have silver hallmarks that sometime in its life have been struck out, {see photo 7 in the gallery}. there also appears to be a mermaid in the knuckle bow midsection.

The sword of choice for senior officer's {Admirals, Vice Admirals & Rear Admirals } serving in the Royal Navy during the 17th and early 18th century. We show three portraits in the gallery of admirals of the age each bearing their same swords, especially the silver hilted shell guard hilted sword of Admiral Sir Cloudesly Shovel
It is also very similar to the the Walpole-Suckling Hunting Hanger Sword believed Carried by Capt. Horatio Nelson, sold by Sotheby's special treasures sale in 2003, see photo 10 in the gallery.

Double fullered blade, cast and chiselled silver hilt with a solid antler grip made of antler of a male deer, called “hartshorn,” silver single knuckle bow bar hilt with shell guard decorated with two mermaids ether side of the anthus leaf bordered edge, and a 17th century bewigged mounted nobleman mounted on a horse possibly in combat with an armoured figure on another creature, possibly a horse but it has horns coming from its head. At the base of the shell guard is a clam shell form. Silver mounted leather scabbard with mermaid head silver frog belt mount, and long, top and bottom mounts, very finely and profusely engraved with scrolling acanthus leaves, possibly during the Georgian era. Likely made during the reigns of King William and Queen Mary or Queen Anne.

William and Mary were the co-regnants over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, namely the Dutch Prince of Orange King William III (& II) and his spouse (and first cousin) Queen Mary II. Their joint reign began in February 1689 after they were offered the throne by the Convention Parliament irregularly summoned by William after his victorious invasion of England in November 1688, the so-called Glorious Revolution. They replaced James II (& VII), Mary's father, who fled the country. Parliament offered William and Mary a co-regency, at the couple's behest. After Mary died in 1694, William ruled alone until his death in 1702. William and Mary were childless and were ultimately succeeded by Mary's younger sister, Anne.
This was the most popular form of sword used by the early British Naval Commanders when at sea. There are numerous great portraits in the National Gallery, and at the National Maritime Museum, of 17th and 18th century Admirals adorned with identical swords. Such as Admirals Benbow, Shovel et al. we show three such portraits in our gallery, of Hopsonn, Shovel and Benbow. Shovel in particular had a near identical silver shell guard hilted sword just as this one.

Vice-Admiral John Benbow (10 March 1653 – 4 November 1702) was an English Royal Navy officer. He joined the Navy in 1678, seeing action against Barbary pirates before leaving to join the Merchant Navy in which Benbow served until the 1688 Glorious Revolution, whereupon he returned to the Royal Navy and was commissioned.

Benbow fought against the French Navy during the Nine Years' War, serving on and later commanding several English warships and taking part in the battles of Beachy Head and Barfleur and La Hogue in 1690 and 1692. He went on to achieve fame during his military accomplishments, which included fighting against Barbary pirates such as the Salé Rovers, besieging Saint-Malo and seeing action in the West Indies against the French during the War of the Spanish Succession.

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Cloudesley Shovell (c. November 1650 – 22 or 23 October 1707) was an English naval officer. As a junior officer he saw action at the Battle of Solebay and then at the Battle of Texel during the Third Anglo-Dutch War. As a captain he fought at the Battle of Bantry Bay during the Williamite War in Ireland.

As a flag officer Shovell commanded a division at the Battle of Barfleur during the Nine Years' War, and during the battle distinguished himself by being the first to break through the enemy's line. Along with Admiral Henry Killigrew and Admiral Ralph Delaval, Shovell was put in joint command of the fleet shortly afterwards.

During the War of the Spanish Succession, Shovell commanded a squadron which served under Admiral George Rooke at the capture of Gibraltar and the Battle of Málaga. Working in conjunction with a landing force under the Earl of Peterborough, his forces undertook the siege and capture of Barcelona. He was appointed commander-in-chief of the Navy while at Lisbon the following year. He also commanded the naval element of a combined attack on Toulon, base of the main French fleet, in coordination with the Austrian army under Prince Eugene of Savoy in the summer of 1707. Later that year, on the return voyage to England, Shovell and more than 1,400 others perished in a disastrous shipwreck off the Isles of Scilly.

Thomas Hopsonn enjoyed a naval command on 18 May 1688, when James II appointed him to the Bonaventure. This ship was part of the fleet sent to The Nore under Strickland to prevent the Dutch invasion. However, Hopsonn was one of the conspirators within the fleet who supported William of Orange in the Glorious Revolution.

Following the revolution, Hopsonn retained command of the Bonaventure and was part of the squadron that relieved the siege of Derry in June 1689. On 28 October 1689, he was posted to the York, and commanded that vessel during the battle of Beachy Head the following year. Hopsonn's immediate commander in the battle was Sir George Rooke, who formed a high opinion of his gallantry and was afterwards much associated with him. He commanded Royal Katherine for two months starting in August 1690, before moving to command the St Michael. It was aboard the latter that he followed Rooke in the battle of Barfleur on 19 May 1692. In the same year, he was promoted to become a captain in the foot guards on the recommendation of admiral Edward Russell.

Overall 25 inches long in the scabbard, the blade 19 inches long  read more

Code: 25373

A, Good, Rare, Heavy Plate, Original Italian Vatican Infantry Army Helmet of Pope Urban VIIIth’s Armoury, a Cabasset Helmet 1500’s. As Used By The Cannoneers of the Papal Artillery. Originally Sourced From The Papal Armoury, in The Vatican

It’s companion Cabasset helmets are now in the Vatican Historical Museum in the Lateran Palace, Rome
The defensive helmet as used by the cannoneers of Pope Urban’s Papal Army artillery, and just as would be used by the chief cannoneer in battle, in the army commanded by Mateo Barbarini, Pope Urban’s brother. A helmet worn, while also armed with the chief Cannoneers fusetto

Used in artillery combat in Papal armies, such as were once commanded by the infamous Cesare Borgia, who was an Italian cardinal and condottiero, an illegitimate son of Pope Alexander VI and member of the Spanish-Aragonese House of Borgia.
His fight for power was a major inspiration for ‘The Prince’ by Niccolò Machiavelli. The Prince, one of Machiavelli's greatest works, as Machiavelli admired Borgia's undimmed ruthlessness, but mainly, because Borgia, for Machiavelli, exhibited a unity and coherence of purpose and intents that was good for the polity. {see Casare’s portrait in the gallery}


This is a Papal Army helmet from the collection of armour in the armoury of the Papal Army in Rome.
Good Heavy Italian Infantry Helmet Cabasset , hammered steel raised from a single plate, medial ridge with pear stalk finial stepped flared brim with turned over edge and in very good condition.

Provenance: From the Papal Armoury; and later acquired by London dealers Fenton & Sons Ltd. Fenton and Sons, Antique Arms and Armour, around 100 years ago. They traded in London from 1894-1927. and supplied, amongst others, the British Museum. An interesting point aside, we used to supply Fentons back in the 1920's ourselves. This and a few others were acquired by Fentons in 1919 and were listed in their catalogue. They were all from the Papal Armoury in Rome made for the Barberini family.

The Barberinis supplied the armour and cabassets for the papal army in the 16th century, a period fraught with anarchy and bandits and direct attacks on papal territories by Parma. The close association led to Maffeo Barberini becoming Pope Urban VIII. His brother Taddeo was made Supreme Commander of the Papal Army. The helmets, including this one, were from the papal armoury and served through the papal wars. It is estimated that about 4500 men served the papal army and most would have worn cabassets, making the original number of the group well over 4000. Others from the group are now in the Musio Storico Vaticano the Old Papal armoury now in the Vatican Historical Museum in the Lateran Palace, Rome.
The Papal Army was the loosely-construed army of volunteers and mercenaries in the service of the Italian Papal States, active from the 8th century until the capture of Rome by Italy in 1870. The Papal States maintained a sizeable military during the Middle Ages, using it to fight against the Holy Roman Empire and its Ghibelline allies. During the 1300s, the Papal States began to employ the services of condottieri, mercenaries who sold their services to the extremely wealthy Catholic Church. These forces would be instrumental to the defence of the Pope during the Italian Wars of the 15th and 16th centuries, with Cesare Borgia leading the Papal Army on a campaign of conquest that added several new city-states and regions to the Papal States' territories. Painting in the gallery of the Massacre of San Bartolome in the Catholic-Protestant Religious Wars, where the French crown aided by Queen Catherine de Medici, mother of the French King, with the Pope's blessing, fought ten of thousands of Huguenots what is considered the second deadliest religious war in European history (surpassed only by the Thirty Years' War, which took eight million European lives) The pope was so delighted with the battle he ordered a Te Deum to be sung as a special thanksgiving (a practice continued for many years after) and had a medal struck with the motto Ugonottorum strages,  read more

Code: 23616

An Original, Rare, Anno Domini 4th Century. Original Roman Legionary's 'Spartha' Sword. An Amazing & Rare Historical Sword of The Roman Empire. Almost Identical To Those Discovered In The Nydam Treasure Horde of Nordam Mose in Denmark

We are always delighted to be able to offer original ancient and medieval swords for our clients, especially Roman swords, as they are so iconic of the Imperial Roman age. In fact, most likely, the legionaries sword is most famous historical artifact of the largest imperial civilisation of ancient history.

A superb original Roman spatha, circa anno domini 300, a most rare and a highly collectable original weapon of the ancient Roman Empire. A contemporary original sword to the the Nydam Treasure Horde of Nordam Mose in Denmark, a Roman sword cache, and the form of sword said to be connected to the legendary sword of Beowulf.

During the Second Punic War, 218 to 201 B.C {ante Christum natum} Celtic mercenaries introduced the spatha sword form to the Roman army. Originally the spatha was a weapon used by the Roman cavalrymen, while the auxiliaries and legionaries used the gladius form of sword instead. However eventually, the Roman infantry would adopt the spatha in the anno domini 2nd century . It was a very versatile sword, undergoing many changes from its origins in Gaul to its usage in the Roman military.

To look at what an Emperor's military attire looked like in the anno domini 5th century , we mostly have to look to the Diptych of Emperor Honorius, which does show an Eagle-hilted sword, but on another panel he wears a Germanic-derived Spatha just as this one.

This Romano Germanic style, to our best evidence, were the ones the Roman legions and their Emperors of the Empire were largely and mostly using in the anno domini 5th century , but certainly many were used in the three centuries before.

The spatha was a type of straight and long sword, measuring between 0.5 and 1 m (19.7 and 39.4 in), with a handle length of between 18 and 20 cm (7.1 and 7.9 in), in use in the territory of the Roman Empire during the AD 1st to 6th centuries . Later swords, from the 7th to 10th centuries, like the Viking swords, are recognisable derivatives and sometimes subsumed under the term spatha.

The Roman spatha was used in war and in gladiatorial fights. The spatha of literature appears in the Roman Empire in the AD 1st century as a weapon used by presumably Celtic auxiliaries and gradually became a standard heavy infantry weapon, relegating the gladius to use as a light infantry weapon. The spatha apparently replaced the gladius in the front ranks, giving the infantry more reach when thrusting. While the infantry version had a long point, versions carried by the cavalry had a rounded tip that prevented accidental stabbing of the cavalryman's own foot or horse.

Archaeologically many instances of the spatha have been found in Britain and Germany. It was used extensively by Germanic warriors. It is unclear whether it came from the Pompeii gladius or the longer Celtic swords, or whether it served as a model for the various arming swords and Viking swords of Europe. The spatha remained popular throughout the Migration Period. It evolved into the knightly sword of the High Middle Ages by the 12th century.
This Roman sword would date from the era of Emperor Valentinian I. He was Roman emperor from anno domini 364 to 375. Upon becoming emperor, he made his brother Valens his co-emperor, giving him rule of the eastern provinces. Valentinian retained the west.

During his reign, Valentinian fought successfully against the Alamanni, Quadi, and Sarmatians. Most notable was his victory over the Alamanni in anno domini 367 at the Battle of Solicinium. His general Count Theodosius defeated a revolt in Africa and the Great Conspiracy, a coordinated assault on Roman Britain by Picts, Scots, and Saxons. Valentinian was also the last emperor to conduct campaigns across both the Rhine and Danube rivers. Valentinian rebuilt and improved the fortifications along the frontiers, even building fortresses in enemy territory.

He founded the Valentinianic dynasty, with his sons Gratian and Valentinian II succeeding him in the western half of the empire.

In early anno domini 368, Rando, a barbarian chieftain, fell unexpectedly on the town of Moguntiacum (modern Mainz) on the Rhine, and put the defenceless inhabitants to the sword, before retiring over the river. Valentinian, furious, now determined to anticipate their future depredations by a campaign into their own territory beyond the Rhine. Count Sebastian was deputed to encircle the enemy from the south, by way of Rhaetia, while the emperor himself advanced with the entire forces of the west from Gaul. Finding their arms inadequate for the defence of their fields and villages, the Alemans retreated into the mountains, erecting their camp on an unidentified hill referred to as "Solicinium", in the area of Württemberg.

It is reported that the emperor, while on a personal reconnaissance of the enemy position on the lower reaches of the mountain, was nearly captured by an advanced party of the enemy who had been placed in ambuscade, losing his helmet and standard-bearer while retreating.

The battle
There is little known about the actual battle. It appears that Valentinian carried their defences by a general assault, charging up the slope, and the barbarians, when they were ejected from the summit, were driven down the opposite side of the hill into the clutches of Sebastian, who had been placed in their rear to anticipate the retreat. The result was the total defeat of the Alemans.

The next mention of spathae is in the anno domini 5th century, by Vegetius, now as a weapon carried by infantry. The term "Roman Iron Age" refers approximately to the time of the Roman Empire in north Europe, which was outside the jurisdiction of the empire, but, judging from the imported Roman artifacts, was influenced by Roman civilization. One source of artifacts from this period are the bogs of Schleswig, Holstein and Denmark. Objects were deliberately broken and thrown into the bog in the belief that they could go with a deceased chief on his voyage to a better place.

A cache of 90 swords was found at Nydam Mose in Denmark in 1858. They were in the form of the spatha and therefore have been classified as "Roman swords". They are dated to the AD 3rd to 4th centuries. Many connect the Nydam cache with the sword of Beowulf, who was supposed to be a contemporary. See a photo of these Roman treasure horde swords in the gallery.

As with almost all original ancient Roman steel weaponry recovered in the past two hundred years or so, such as daggers and swords, their hilts do not survive and are effectively non existent today. this is due their crossguards, grips, pommels, and scabbards being almost entirely made of organic material, thus only the blades and their hilt’s tangs of the swords and daggers still exist, are the only parts of the whole weapon to survive the ravages of time till today.
The surface of this superb sword is heavily pitted, but that is absolutely usual with all recovered original Roman swords from the ancient times, see the photo in the gallery of the Nydam cache, but the blade is still remarkably sound.

The discoveries at Nydam Bog originate from so-called spoils-of-war sacrifices. The weapons comprise swords and shields, spears and lances, axes, bows and arrows. The warriors’ personal equipment and possessions were also sacrificed.
The swords, spearheads and bronze shield fittings were from the beginning of the 3rd century AD. They were found in a boundary zone between two of Engelhardt’s excavation sites. Nydam Bog is situated in Oester Sottrup, Sundeved, eight kilometres from Soenderborg. The bog, which in the Iron Age was a sacred lake, is renowned for its rich sacrificial finds from the period A.D 200-400 . "The Nydam Boat" is the most famous of the finds, and is on display at Gottorp Castle in Slesvig.

It come complete with a fine, carved wooden stand, see photo gallery but would also look stunning if bespoke framed.

Approximately 30.2 inches long overall.

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


Interest in the archaeology of Nydam Bog has always been particularly lively in the local area. The Nydam discoveries were and remain a significant theme in the relationship between Danish and German/Romano cultures in the border region.

On this basis, the “Society for Nydam Research” – commonly known as the Nydam Society - was formed in 1983. Through its work, this interest group has contributed to the resumption of National Museum of Denmark’s investigation of the bog.
His Royal Highness Prince Joachim of Denmark is patron of the Nydam Society.  read more

Code: 24421

Stunningly Beautiful, Museum Piece. Original Scythian Warrior's Helmet. Made & Used From the 6th Century BC, to The Battles Against Alexander the Great, Until the 3rd Century AD, The Scythian Women Warriors Are Believed To Be The Original Amazons

A bronze 'Illyrian' variant helmet, used by the so called 'barbarian' warriors, both men and women, that Herodotus classed as Amazons, that fought Darius The Great of Persia in 512bc, Alexander the Great of Macedon in 329bc, and both the Legions of the Roman Republic, and later, the Legions of the Roman Empire.

With a traditional domed skull and carination to the rear, a row of perforations to the rim around the face, and a flared neck-guard; Weight 396 grams, 26cm (10 1/4"). Fine condition, some overall aged restoration.

From the realm of the ancient Scythian warriors of ancient history that uniquely fought alongside their female warriors. The Scythian women were as famous as warriors, in fact as much as we’re the Scythian men, it is said the legend of the Amazonian warriors is entirely based on the Scythian women warriors. Herodotus provides the first detailed description of the Scythians. He classes the Cimmerians as a distinct autochthonous tribe, expelled by the Scythians from the northern Black Sea coast. Herodotus also states that the Scythians consisted of the Auchatae, Catiaroi, Traspians, and Paralatae or "Royal Scythians".

For Herodotus, the Scythians were outlandish barbarians living north of the Black Sea. In 512 BC, when King Darius the Great of Persia attacked the Scythians, he allegedly penetrated into their land after crossing the Danube. Herodotus relates that the nomadic Scythians frustrated the Persian army by letting it march through the entire country without an engagement In 329 BC Philip's son, Alexander the Great, came into conflict with the Scythians at the Battle of Jaxartes. A Scythian army sought to take revenge against the Macedonians for the death of Ateas, as they pushed the borders of their empire north and east, and to take advantage of a revolt by the local Sogdian satrap. However, the Scythian army was defeated by Alexander at the Battle of Jaxartes. Alexander did not intend to subdue the nomads: he wanted to go to the south, where a far more serious crisis demanded his attention. He could do so now without loss of face; and in order to make the outcome acceptable to the Saccae, he released the Scythian prisoners of war without ransom in order to broker a peace agreement. This policy was successful, and the Scythians no longer harassed Alexander's empire.

Although the classical Scythians may have largely disappeared by the 1st century BC, Eastern Romans continued to speak conventionally of "Scythians" to designate Germanic tribes and confederations or mounted Eurasian nomadic barbarians in general: in AD 448 two mounted "Scythians" led the emissary Priscus to Attila's encampment in Pannonia. The Byzantines in this case carefully distinguished the Scythians from the Goths and Huns who also followed Attila. Their women, after all, were trouser-wearing, horse-riding warriors, Amazons, according to Herodotus. In his Histories, the Amazons sleep with the Scythian men but refuse to cohabit with the existing Scythian women because they are not outdoorsy enough. The Amazons therefore set off with their Scythians to establish a new people.

The next known event from Scythian history is the campaign of Alexander the Great's general, Zopyrion, which took place in 331/30 BC and was directed against the Getae and the Scythians (Just., Epit., 12.1, 4). The Macedonian army of 30,000 men reached Olbia and laid siege to it, but was unable to take it and was completely routed by the Scythians. Zopyrion himself met his death.

One other Scythian king of the 4th century BC mentioned in the sources was Agaros, who had probably taken part in the internecine war between the sons of the Bosporan king Pairisades in 310/9 on the side of Satyros II; after his defeat, Satyros's son Pairisades sought refuge with Agaros. He was probably king of those Scythians who dwelt in the Crimean steppes immediately adjacent to the Bosporus.The helmet appears to have been made originally on the Corinthian model with close-fitting skull, lateral cheek-plates and projecting nasal. At some point in its combat history, it has been modified, while retaining the undulating brow profile. The perforated leading edge may have been for permanent attachment of an organic padded liner. Beyond the scope of inspired workmanship, by 5th century BC, many of the Scythian kings and nobles also opted for 'foreign' styled Greek helmets and greaves, possibly as a show of prosperity. Archaeological excavations that pertain to this period have unearthed over 60 fascinating specimens of Greek helmets (of Corinthian, Chalcidian, and Attic types) that were actually manufactured in mainland Greece and then shipped across the Black Sea into Scythian heartland via the wealthy Greek Bosporan colonies. The ancient scope in itself mirrored a wide-ranging trade network that not only entailed arms and military equipment but also slaves. Furthermore, the Scythians themselves exported profitable items like grain, wheat, flocks, and even cheese to Greece. From examination the front nasal section has been considerably restored. It has been sometime in the past extensively, though nicely, fully cleaned overall, during conservation a small supporting interior patch has been applied at the nasal area. Helmets from this era and region in unrestored condition are now so rare as to be almost unavailable, but if found, can be expected to be from 20,000 to 50,000 pounds today.
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


Literature on this helmet type see;
Cf. Egg, M. & Waurick, G. Antike Helme, Romisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum, Mainz, 1990, item 2 for original type.  read more

Code: 22060

A Simply Beautiful Original Napoleonic Wars French 'Prisoner of War' Straw Valuables Box. Around 220 Years Old Made By French Prisoners from The Battle of the Nile To Waterloo

A fabulous original souvenir of the Anglo French wars, that is not only beautiful, and historically important, it is perfectly functional as a desk top jewel case, or, anything of similar use, such as a gentleman's watch and cufflink case

Napoleonic prisoner of war straw work marquetry ladies jewelry box with hinged lid opening to reveal three compartments, and one is hinge lidded. Overall in super condition. Decorated throughout with numerous and varied scenes of the British built Prisoner of War wooden fort.

This box dates to the Napoleonic wars between the French and English. Prisoners-of-war were held in purpose-built prisoner-of-war depots and typically were soldiers and sailors of the rank and file. Straw was a popular craft material for prisoners of war. They turned their skill to the making of cases and boxes covered with intricate straw patterns created using the contrasts between the light and dark sides of the straw strips. Those who understood dyes were also able to add colour to their work and produced some very sophisticated objects. Fewer of these straw items have survived to the present day, but there are still some lovely straw-covered boxes and cases which are intact.

Very similar example to one that is on display in the Burghley House Collection. Made by the captured Napoleonic and French wars French Prisoners-of-War in the early 1800's in order to subsidise their meagre prison rations, and this fine piece is made to give the impression it is a sizeable book when closed. All of the interior straw-work is pristine in colour and unfaded showing wonderful contrasts.

Great Britain was at war with France continuously from 1793 to 1802. Hostilities ceased briefly in 1802, but conflict soon recommenced. The Napoleonic Wars continued until 1815, when Napoleon's forces were finally defeated at Waterloo.

In 1796 the first prison to house French prisoners was built at Norman Cross, some 5 miles north of Peterborough. Conditions must have been both harsh and crowded; disease killed more that 1,700 inmates between 1797 and 1814.
To supplement their rations and to provide small income, some prisoners made ornaments, models and toys, which they were allowed to sell. The materials used included straw, wood, bone and even human hair. Many of the items made were extraordinary in their complexity and design and were always very desirable to collectors. The proximity of Burghley House to the camp meant that members of the Cecil family acquired many fine examples.

Those displayed at Burghley include a number of containers made of wood with applied decoration of coloured straw, a stationery box, a set of bone spillikins in a pocket case, a framed straw-work picture of the house built for Napoleon Bonaparte on St Helena, to where he was exiled, a bone set of dominoes and playing cards and a detailed model of an 80-gun ship-of-the-line with hair rigging.

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

9 inches x 6 3/4 inches x 3 inches when closed
some very small straw inlay losses but overall in beautiful order.  read more

Code: 25072