Antique Arms & Militaria

A Victorian Kaffrarian Rifles Badge, of South Africa, Motto "Nunc animus"

Nunc animus (meaning "Now with courage" or "Now without fear") This unit was formed in East London in 1876, as the Buffalo Corps of Rifle Volunteers, for service in the 9th Frontier War. It disbanded in 1879. (East London is situated on the Buffalo River, hence the name).

The unit was re-formed in July 1883 and was named after the region of Kaffraria, the 19th-century name for the region around East London. There had previously been many other units from this region, from which the Regiment can also claim descent: Kaffrarian Volunteer Corps, Kaffrarian Mounted Rifles (Kaffrarian Rangers), Buffalo Volunteer Rifles Corps, Buffalo Volunteer Engineers, Kaffrarian Volunteer Artillery Corps, Berlin Mounted Volunteers, Cape Mounted Yeomanry (1st Regiment), Frontier Mounted Riflemen (Brabant's Horse), East London Volunteers (Von Linsignen's Buffalo Corps and later Walkers Horse).

On 1 December 1900 George Herbert Farrar was appointed as a Major in the Kaffrarian Rifles.

In 1913 it was embodied in the Citizen Force as the 5th Infantry (Kaffrarian Rifles), but regained its old name in 1932. The unit was temporarily amalgamated with the First City Regiment, as the First City/The Kaffrarian Rifles from 1954 to 1956. In order to keep pace with the changing political climate in South Africa, the regiment was renamed the Buffalo Volunteer Rifles in 1999.

This Regiment and its predecessors took part in all of South Africa's armed conflicts, including the Bechuanaland Campaign (1897), the Second Boer War, World War I (when it fought in the then German South-West Africa and most of its members went on to serve in East Africa and Europe), World War II (when it fought in the Western Desert during 1941 - 1943 . 62 mm high  read more

Code: 18566

A Good 19th Century Powder Flask

Fluted copper body and brass adjustable spout.  read more

Code: 18238

A Good 19th Century Sykes Pistol Powder Flask

Absolutely ideal for pistol casing. A nice example with a few small dents. Small pistol flasks are certainly the most desireable type as they can beautifully set off a cased pistol set [and thus increase it's value dramatically], for either a flintlock or percussion gun, that is lacking it's original flask. 4.5 inches long  read more

Code: 18199

A Very Nice 19th Century Dixon & Son Pistol Powder Flask

In nice order with working spring spout with three adjustable gram measures. 4.75 inches long overall. A delightful piece with pressed shell pattern in copper with gilt spout. Super patina.  read more

Code: 18189

A Pair of Late 18th Early 19th Century Napoleonic Crossbow Pistol Bolts

Very finely made steel quarrel heads, beautifully facetted, with brass lined collars. On wooden hafts. Superbly made pieces and very scarce indeed. Illustrated with the kind of pistol used from the Napoleonic era. A weapon as silent as the grave, yet more deadly than a pistol as it's range was greater and penetrating power more effective. The heads could easily be beautifully polished to brighter steel. A picture in the gallery of a Napoleonic pistol that used such bolts.  read more

Code: 17642

A Very Fine. 19th Century Shaped Copper Powder Flask

With good adjustable spout measure and tight spring.  read more

Code: 17600

A Good French Boche Powder Flask, 19th Century, Shell Pattern

By Boche of Paris, a fine quality flask with good working spring action. Boche apparently signed only his best examples and flasks by Boche belong to the highest in society.  read more

Code: 17525

A Fine Victorian G & J W Hawksley Powder Flask

A very good copper and brass powder flask for a gun with the oak leaf design incorporating a fox and stag head, the nozzle stamped Drams and graduation values of 2?, 2?, 2? , the nozzle signed G & J. W. Hawksley, slight dent one side at the top of the body, and in working order. Overall 8 by 3? inches.

See THE POWDER FLASK BOOK, Ray Riling page 315 fig 580.

Riling says in the book that the flask illustrated as fig 580 was made by Hawksley for Barton of New York and implies that this was an exclusive design to them and does not mention having seen one marked Hawksley which might suggest that this is rare.  read more

Code: 17506

A Most Interesting French Post Chaise Horn. Brass Trumpet, Horn Mouthpiece.

19th century. In France and Switzerland in the Alp regions, as the post chaise drives around the numerous deadly bends, on the mountain passes, in the fog, the post chaise horn is blown to warn on-coming vehicles. Of course the British poste chaise used them as well but this one is French made. A post chaise, is a four-wheeled, closed carriage, containing one seat for two or three passengers, that was popular in 18th-century England and France. The body was of the coup? type, appearing as if the front had been cut away. Because the driver rode one of the horses, it was possible to have windows in front as well as at the sides. At the post chaise?s front end, in place of the coach box, was a luggage platform. The carriage was built for long-distance travel, and so horses were changed at intervals at posts (stations).In England, public post chaises were painted yellow and could be hired, along with the driver and two horses, for about a shilling a mile. The post chaise is descended from the 17th-century two-wheeled French chaise.  read more

Code: 17487

A Most Attractive 19th Century Powder Flask Decorated With Game

Embossed on both sides with roccoco moulding and panels of hanging game including, stags and large game birds. Brass spout with god spring action. All original lacquer present.  read more

Code: 17486