A Set of Exceptionally Beautiful & Fine Edo Period Complete Suite of Samurai Tanto Mounts { Koshirae }. A So Called, Samurai Doctor's Sword, With a Wooden Blade Only

Although for many years samurai swords {all edged tanto are called swords by tradition} with such wooden blades, have often titled as a samurai Doctor's swords, as it has a wooden blade, it is actually incorrect, a suite of sword koshirae have always been revered as much as the blade, and when a blade is stored in its shirasaya storage mount, the sword is disassembled, and a wooden blade is hand carved to identically replicate its real blade, in order to correctly re-fit the mounts together, as if the real blade was present.
However, for centuries now, and especially in Europe, sword koshirae have be highly prized collector's pieces, being works of sublime art in their own right. Thus a set of fabulous antique sword mounts and fittings such this have long been collector's items, separate from the once fitted blade.

For example a very rare and fine tsuba alone could today fetch up to £40,000 by a master maker. and sword mounts, the fuchi kashira and menuki can now be worth many thousands of pounds. Superb quality Edo period tanto koshirae {sword fittings} with a blade formed wooden blade and habaki tsunagi. The full suite of matching, patinated, honey coloured copper, fushi, kashira, and tsuba bear a stunning kashira that depicts a carved figure of Fukurokuju, one of the Japanese seven deities, the tall headed god of happiness, wealth and long life one of the Shichi-fuku-jin (Seven Gods of Luck), particularly associated with longevity. He is supposed to have once lived on earth as a Chinese Taoist sage. He has a white beard, wears a scholar's headdress and he reads from a scroll containing the world's wisdom. The seven are drawn from various sources but have been grouped together from at least the 16th century. They are Bishamon, Daikoku, Ebisu, Fukurokuju, Jurojin, Hotei, and the only female in the group, Benten. He is sometimes confused with Jurojin, another of the Several Gods of Fortune, who by some accounts is Fukurokuju's grandson and by other accounts inhabits the same body as Fukurokuju. As such, the two are often confused.
The carving of the copper is beautifully executed and the figure has an most charming and jolly smile.

All the matching fittings are in beautiful condition. Only the lacquer of the saya has areas of wear and surface cracking. Overall 59 cm, saya 44cm, tsuka, 15cm  read more

Code: 20993

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

A Stunning Indian Mutiny Period Elite 2nd Dragoon Guards Officer's Silver Pouch

Hallmarked silver and dated to 1855. This was acquired from a museum grade collector of Waterloo artefacts and also 2nd Dragoon Guards artefacts, from the 19th century, see also the regimentally marked 2nd QDG 1796 Napoleonic Wars pistol code number 22648. Full dress officers silver pouch, in absolute pristine condition. Quite simply a wonderful artefact of British elite cavalry uniform regalia that is also an 'object d'art' from one of the most beautiful and finest quality military uniforms ever worn. Hallmarked London silver, dated 1855. Picture 10 in the gallery shows the pre 1885 2nd QDG full dress badge, when worn on their helmet the garter belt motto would change to the words Queen's Dragoon Guards, on the 1855 pouch it has "Honi Soit Qui Mal y Pense" as with the full dress badge but surmounted by a crown. Rectangular curved box with silver lid, with cast silver supports and rings and lined with silver wire bullion bands. Box covered in tooled black leather lining with morocco red leather trim. The silver cover bears an engraved acanthus leaf border, bearing at its centre the elite royal cavalry badge, of a gold, crowned garter star, emblazoned with royal motto "Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense", and the central relief VR cypher of Queen Victoria.
In 1857 the 2nd the Queen's Bays, were sent to India for the Indian Mutiny, and this pouch would have been worn in this conflict by its officer owner.
After the recapture of Delhi the focus of the conflict was on Lucknow, 150 miles northeast of Allahabad. Sir Colin Campbell had already rescued the beleaguered garrison there but had not prevented the rebels from capturing the city and holding it with 130,000 men. Campbell now had a force of 20,000 to march on Lucknow. The rebels made several sorties out of the town to engage with them. On 6 March two squadrons of the Bays made a charge under the command of Major Percy Smith. This got out of control over broken ground and three men were killed, including Major Smith. They were unable to retrieve his body. One corporal was unhorsed and unable to remount, so was cut to pieces. Six other men were wounded and many of the horses suffered terrible wounds from the mutineers' swords and bayonets. Lucknow was recaptured by 16 Mar 1858, but 20,000 rebels escaped. The cavalry units were already scattered around the countryside chasing small parties of rebels so were not in position to block the mass exodus on 16 Mar. "We came on bodies of Cavalry and Infantry of the enemy. Bays where ordered to the front to charge and pursue! Away we went as hard as possible, Major Smith and I leading. We did not stop for three miles, cutting down and pursuing the mutineers right up to Lucknow, and across the river. We are told the most gallant. Smartest, though somewhat rash thing that was done before Lucknow".

In a battle at Nawabganj, east of Lucknow, 2 squadrons under Major Seymour were part of the cavalry element of Hope Grant's 3,500-strong column that attacked a force of 15,000 mutineers entrenched at a river crossing. They made a 12 mile night march to surprise the rebels. There was a three hour battle during which the British were surrounded but they turned the tables and drove the enemy off, having killed 600 and captured 9 guns. The British lost 67 killed or wounded in action, but 33 died of sunstroke and 250 ended up in hospital. All members of the regiment had suffered from fever or sunstroke, both proving fatal in many cases. The CO, William Campbell died on 6 July 1858, after being promoted to brigadier. The second lieutenant-colonel, Hylton Brisco had suffered with fever and retired in September. Because of the fatalities and sickness, officers were gaining promotion without purchase. Captain William Henry Seymour, whose letters home provide valuable information on the Bays in India, attained his majority and lieutenant-colonelcy so that within 8 months he had gone from captain to CO of the regiment.
7.5 inches x 3.5 inches x 1.75 inches deep at the curve. 8.75 ounces weight total.  read more

Code: 22333

A Superb Napoleonic French 'Prisoner-of-War' Travelling Dressing Case

In wood covered in straw-work parquetry. A near identical 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. The interior bears many small drawers and compartments and a fold away mirror in vauxhall plate, and a fine hand painted watercolour of Beaufort Castle in Invernesshire. 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.

The last 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 of Waterloo en situ, including all the protagonists {British, 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

12.75 inches wide, x 9.25 inches x 3 inches.  read more

Code: 20852

A Superb Napoleonic French 'Prisoner-of-War' Portable Travelling Dressing Case, Shaped in the Form of a Book

In wood covered in straw-work parquetry. crafted by a prisoner of war during the1793 - 1815 War between Napoleon's French Navy and the Naval forces of King George III of England. This piece was hand crafted by a captive, French, master artisan who created this unbelievably detailed box with nothing but coloured pieces of straw, paper and scraps of wood, {often taken from their bunks} for a frame, and boiled glue. This piece would have taken weeks to hand create, and the tiny pieces of straw are somehow cut into thousands of minuscule pieces and assembled in tiny multicoloured geometric patterns. A 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. The interior bears two small sections, lidded compartments with interior mirror in Georgian Vauxhall plate, and a geometric parquetry 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.

For example,iIn 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..

Two photos in the gallery are of New Cross market for the French POWs to sell their wears and hand made pieces to the locals and nobility who used to travel to such markets to buy these pieces that were incredibly popular with members of the aristocracy and high society. a a painting of a prison hulk in Sheerness, often made from the hulks of a scrapped old British man o'war, or a captured, damaged French or Spanish frigate,  read more

Code: 24739

A Third Reich, Kriegsmarine, 6. Schiffsstammabteilung Der Ostsee Training Crew Recruits Baltic Command

A very impressive German, Kriegsmarine cap tally from the 1930's and WW2. Photo in the gallery of the Schiffsstammabteilung Der Ostsee officers and men.

The tally on a sailor's cap is a ribbon usually bearing the name of a ship or some other establishment to which they belong.

Practice varies with each navy, though a conventional tally is black, with a gold or yellow inscription. The inscription may be simply a ship's name (e.g. "H.M.A.S. ARRERNTE"), the name of the navy ("MARINE NATIONALE") or a longer name such as "Red Banner Baltic Fleet" ("КРАСНОЗНАМЕН. БАЛТ. ФЛОТ"). During World War II, the ship's name would often be omitted from the tall—leaving just "H.M.A.S", for example—as a precautionary measure against espionage.

Likewise, the manner a tally is fastened onto the cap varies with each navy. For example, the British tie it into a bow on the left side; the Germans and Russians tie it at the back, leaving behind a pair of streamers; while the French stitch it onto the cap like an ordinary cap band.

Occasionally, the tally's colour may vary from the usual black, such as the Ribbon of Saint George tallies used in the Soviet and Russian navies to denote Guards units.  read more

Code: 19855

A Rare Collection of Three Original Early Edo Woodblock Hand Printed Books of Samurai Sword Oshigata, of Blade Forms Hamon and Kanji

Genealogy, history, plus hundreds of Samurai blades, engravings, blade patterns plus more
swords and sword making. An early printing and of amazing interest. For the not only academic study of the signatures on blade tangs, plus hamon patterns and horimono {blade decorative carvings} by old samurai sword master swordsmiths, but to wonder of the unique aspects of each sword blade and how the reverential study of all aspects of sword making that is unique to Japan for over 1000 years. These superb and beautiful hand made volumes are thus also fascinating and unique works or art, in themselves, hundreds of years old, and created for the study and enjoyment of the art of the true samurai sword.

These volumes of hand made, hand woodblock printed books, detail many aspects of very special swords and their makers. For example, one section of the volumes show hand drawn versions of smiths hamon temper lines the specialised hardening process of every sword’s edge.

Yaki-ire: Hardening the Edge
The hardening of the edge is in many ways the most important, and the most difficult, aspect of the sword-making process. It is the hardening of the edge that gives the blade its ability to take and retain amazing sharpness. To begin with, the blade is coated in yakibatsuchi, a mixture of water, clay, ash, and other ingredients. Every smith has his own special recipe, often a closely kept secret. The yakibatsuchi is applied over the surface, thicker along the spine and thinner at the edge. Working in a darkened forge room using only the light of the glowing coals, the smith carefully heats the blade. As the temperature rises, crystal structures within the metal begin to change. The smith carefully observes the color of the glowing blade, and when the critical temperature is reached the sword is quickly quenched in a trough of water.

At the critical temperature, around 750°C, the structure of steel changes to austenite, a phase where carbon thoroughly combines with iron. When the blade is quickly cooled by quenching, austenite changes to martensite, the hardest type of steel. However, where the thick yakibatsuchi was applied, the blade will cool more slowly, turning not into martensite but instead forming ferrite and pearlite, which are softer and more flexible. Like the kawagane and shingane, this combination of hard edge and softer body is what gives the blade its desirable qualities.

The hardening of the edge also creates a visible change in the surface of the metal. Depending on the way in which the clay mixture was applied, a variety of effects can be produced. This edge pattern is called the hamon, and is one of the most important aspects in the aesthetic appearance of a blade. Like the jihada, each of these patterns has a specific name. Suguha, for example, is a very straight hamon, while sanbonsugi describes a zigzag line in clusters of three.

After the hardening of the edge, if the smith is satisfied with the appearance and quality of the blade, it is then passed on to the polisher, who will give the blade its final partial mirrorlike polish, with a mixture of light and shade, displaying many different shades of grey steel, and then other craftsmen will make the scabbard {saya} and sword mountings {koshirae}. Complete mountings have many elements, including metalwork such as tsuba and menuki, lacquered wood, silk cords and wrapping, and ray-skin grips. Though these are all works of art in themselves, and some of these fittings can indeed be almost priceless in their beauty quality and indeed value, in their own right, but the blade remains the true centerpiece of the finished work, and in fact the age of the blade dictates the time period of the age of the whole sword, despite how ever old or young it’s additional fittings may be. It combines to be an example of the ingenuity of centuries of Japanese smiths and their desire to achieve the perfect blend of technology and art.  read more

Code: 24737

WW1 Ottway Naval Gunsight Telescope V.P 5 to 15,. Made by W Ottway & Co, Ealing

As used on the Dreadnought class battleships.
This amazing looking scientific instrument is a 1913 WW1 Ottway Military Gunsight Telescope V.P 5 to 15,. Made by W Ottway & Co, Ealing, 6 kilos, a noted high quality manufacturer of optical instruments.

On the gun deck of the battleship it would be securely mounted accordingly. Jolly good optics.

Composed of, predominantly, brass and its very heavy! This type of gunsight was often used on the gun turrets of British Royal Navy ships, including the capital ships the “Dreadnought.” The small additional viewing site {shown in position and separate in the photos} affixes on the top is lacking its small mounting screws.  read more

Code: 24675

A Pair Of Durs Egg Boxlock Pocket Percussion Pistols Circa 1835

In very good order, with what appears to be very nice original finish. All steel furniture with engraved side plates, barrel tangs and trigger guards, slab sided walnut butts, oval name cartouches to sides, one engraved D.Egg.

Durs Egg was one of England finest ever gunsmiths, but at this period his working life was coming to an end, and after his death, his relatives John and George Frederickson carried on working in his name. Good turn-off breech loading barrels with excellent proof markings. Both actions are very crisp indeed, but one pistol is reticent to engage past first cock. As with all our antique guns no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectables  read more

Code: 21533

An Original, Patriotic War Period Infantryman’s, Red Army Russian Service Belt From A WW2 Veteran

Just acquired from it's original owner who served in the USSR's Red army in WW2 and in the early Cold War Era. This was his Red Star service belt that he wore, and another belt we show in the gallery was from his comrade who served in the USSR navy [now sold]. With it's original leather belt. A most scarce original example straight from it's original owner. The Red Workers' and Peasants' Army was the name given to the army and the air force of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic and from 1922 the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. It was established in the immediate period after the 1917 October Revolution (Red October or Bolshevik Revolution), when the Bolsheviks constituted an army during the Russian Civil War opposite the military confederations (especially the combined groups summarized under the preamble White Army) of their adversaries. From February 1939, the Red Army, who together with the Soviet Navy, embodied the main component of the Soviet Armed Forces, took the official name "Soviet Army" until its dissolution in December 1991.  read more

Code: 18089