A Shinto Samurai Yari Pole Arm Signed Yamashiro Kami Fujiwara Norishige, Probably Yamashiro-no-Kami Fujiwara Kunishige, Early Edo Period

A beautiful Edo Period Samurai Horseman Ryo-Shinogi Yari Polearm on original haft, signed.
With original pole and iron foot mount ishizuki. Four sided double edged head. The mochi-yari, or "held spear", is a rather generic term for the shorter Japanese spear. It was especially useful to mounted Samurai. In mounted use, the spear was generally held with the right hand and the spear was pointed across the saddle to the soldiers left front corner. The warrior's saddle was often specially designed with a hinged spear rest (yari-hasami) to help steady and control the spear's motion. The mochi-yari could also easily be used on foot and is known to have been used in castle defense. The martial art of wielding the yari is called sojutsu. A yari on it's pole can range in length from one metre to upwards of six metres (3.3 to 20 feet).
The longer hafted versions were called omi no yari while shorter ones were known as mochi yari or tae yari. The longest hafted versions were carried by foot troops (ashigaru), while samurai usually carried a shorter hafted yari. Yari are believed to have been derived from Chinese spears, and while they were present in early Japan's history they did not become popular until the thirteenth century.

The original warfare of the bushi was not a thing for "commoners"; it was a ritualized combat usually between two warriors who may challenge each other via horseback archery and sword duels. However, the attempted Mongol invasions of Japan in 1274 and 1281 changed Japanese weaponry and warfare. The Mongol-employed Chinese and Korean footmen wielded long pikes, fought in tight formation, and moved in large units to stave off cavalry. Polearms (including naginata and yari) were of much greater military use than swords, due to their much greater range, their lesser weight per unit length (though overall a polearm would be fairly hefty), and their great piercing ability. Swords in a full battle situation were therefore relegated to emergency sidearm status from the Heian through the Muromachi periods.  read more

Code: 25187

Imperial Roman 400 ad. Aur.Theodosii Macrobii, v. cl. & Inlustris, Opera Published London 1694. Macrobius Is Historically Important Because He Rescued Opinions And Passages From Works That Have Been Long Lost

by Ambrosius Aurelius Theodosius Macrobius, Johannes Isacius Pontanus, Johannes van Meurs, Jacobus Gronovius. First printing in England. Published by Dring and Harper of Fleet St. Imprimateur Rob. Ridgely, Feb 25, 169 1/2. 1694 Editio Novissima, Cum Indice Rerum & Vocum Locupletissimo. Calf leather, overall worn, with a spine with four raised bands.
Macrobius, ca. 400, is considered to be one of the last pagan Roman authors. His most important work is the Saturnalia, an account of a long dicussion held during a symposium on the occasion of the Saturnalia. The subjects discussed are grammar, philology, mythology, history. Macrobius also produced a commentary on the Somnium Scipionis of Cicero. The work of this late antique writer is important because he rescued opinions and passages from works that have been lost.

The Dutch classical scholar Johannes Isaac Pontanus, 1571-1639, was born at sea (hence his name), when his parents were on their way to Denmark. There he was for some time a helper of Tycho Brahe (NNBW I,1417). In 1606 he became professor of Mathematics at the University of Harderwijk. His edition of Macrobius, which included also notes of the Dutch scholar Johannes Meursius, dates from 1597, a second edition from 1628. § This edition of 1670 was produced by the young Dutch scholar Jacobus Gronovius, 1645-1716, after having finished his studies at the University of Leiden under his father Johannes Fredericus Gronovius, 1611-1671, who was professor of Greek and History from 1658, and from 1665 librarian of the University Library of Leiden. It was Jacobus' first important scholarly feat. In the preface Gronovius tells us that his father allowed him to inspect and cleanse ancient manuscripts, and how he conceived the plan to collate two rather old Macrobius manuscripts that were in a bad shape. ('duorum (.) MStorum situ & squalore horrentium, satis tamen antiquam manum ostendentium')
Later, in 1679, Jacobus succeeded his father as professor of History and Greek)

The leather binding is worn and aged, but very nice and original and it reflects the age and status of this work so much so that we recommend it is left as is, and not rebound. Of course this is a subjective opinion and can be ignored.  read more

Code: 23302

A Beautifully Bound Leather Book, Abraham Lincoln and The Downfall of American Slavery {Heroes of the Nations} by Noah Brooks 1894

A Very Special Offer Item! A Prize Presented to Meg Haynes, July 1907, for her gaining three certificates in the University Extension Lectures, at Hamilton House, Tunbridge Wells

Noah Brooks (1830-1903) was a journalist and editor who worked for newspapers in Sacramento, San Francisco, Newark, and New York. Michael Burlingame is the May Buckley Sadowski '19 Professor Emeritus of History at Connecticut College, author of The Inner World of Abraham Lincoln, and editor of An Oral History of Abraham Lincoln and Inside Lincoln's White House, among other books

When Lincoln became president, the departure of the Southern members of Congress at the beginning of the Civil War made it finally possible to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia. The District of Columbia Compensated Emancipation Act of 1862 provided partial compensation to slave owners, paid out of federal funds. Lincoln hoped to persuade the border states of Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky, and Missouri to do the same, because that would eliminate their incentive to secede from the Union to join the Confederacy. Their secession might result both in the North losing the Civil War and in the continued existence of slavery.

On September 22, 1862, having waited until the North won a significant victory in the battle at Antietam, Lincoln used the power granted to the president under Article II, section 2, of the U.S. Constitution as "Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy" to issue the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation. It provided that, on January 1, 1863, in the states still in rebellion, the enslaved people would be freed. On January 1, 1863, as promised, he issued the final Emancipation Proclamation, which declared "that all persons held as slaves" in "States and parts of States ... in rebellion against the United States" on that day "are, and henceforward shall be free." The proclamation immediately freed on paper millions of the enslaved, but it had little practical effect until the Union Army was present. Week by week, as the army advanced, more slaves were liberated. The last were freed in Texas on a day they called "Juneteenth" (June 19, 1865), which became a federal holiday on June 17, 2021  read more

Code: 24406

A Beautiful Koto Period Ancient Aikuchi Tanto Circa 1500, With An Equally Beautiful Blade

Around 500 years old.

With kodzuka utility knife decorated with deep relief takebori crabs. Unusually the saya is covered with black lacquered leather. All original Edo period mounts and fittings. Silver inlaid iron hilt mounts with patinated copper menuki of shishi liondogs. The saya has a small mount of a silver inlaid quail. The blade has now just returned from re-polishing and looks absolutely beautiful. The tanto was invented partway through the Heian period, when it was mainly used as a weapon. With the beginning of the Kamakura period, tanto were forged to be more aesthetically pleasing, and hira and uchi-sori tanto were the most popular styles for wars in the kamakura period. Near the middle of the Kamakura period, more tanto artisans were seen, increasing the abundance of the weapon, and the kanmuri-otoshi style became prevalent in the cities of Kyoto and Yamato. Because of the style introduced by the tachi in the late Kamakura period, tanto began to be forged longer and wider. The introduction of the Hachiman faith became visible in the carvings in the tanto hilts around this time. The hamon (line of temper) is similar to that of the tachi, except for the absence of choji-midare, which is nioi and utsuri. Gunomi-midare and suguha are found to have taken its place. In Nambokucho, the tanto were forged to be up to forty centimetres as opposed to the normal one shaku (about thirty centimetres) length. The tanto blades became thinner between the uri and the omote, and wider between the ha and mune. At this point in time, two styles of hamon were prevalent: the older style, which was subtle and artistic, and the newer, more popular style. Blades could be of exceptional quality. As the end of the period neared, the average blade narrowed and the sori became shallow. The aikuchi is a tanto koshirae where the fuchi is flush with the mouth of the saya. Overall 21 3/4 inches long, blade length 12 1/4 inches  read more

Code: 23142

A Most Scarce and Beautiful Antique Balinese Executioner's Keris. Bayou Hindu God of Wind Hilt, 17th to 18th Century Blade, Possibly Made From Meteorite Steel

Not only a rare and beautiful example of an antique Indonesian traditional weapon of high status, it is a stunning work of art, with a spectacular hilt that is a gilt metal representational figure likely of Bayu, the Hindu god of wind, seated on a rock, with his right hand holding the flask with life-elixir, the left a part of his shawl, and his face with ferocious expression and bulging eyes, and studded with extravagant coloured glass-beads.

It has a very nice, very long blade, of the traditionally Balinese executioner's form. In many parts of Indonesia, the long straight bladed kris used to be the weapon of choice for ceremonial execution. The executioner's kris had a long, straight, slender blade exactly as this fine piece. The condemned knelt before the executioner, who placed a wad of cotton or similar material on the subject's shoulder or clavicle area. The blade was thrust through the padding, piercing the subclavian artery and the heart. Upon withdrawal, the cotton wiped the blade clean. Death came within seconds.

This is stunningly nice piece and a most unusually seen variation of these interesting weapons, called the Kris or Keris. Fine, Indonesian antique, gold coloured metal sword hilts of Bayu, studded with glass beads such as this, are rare and highly collectable, and they occasionally appear, on the collector's market, frequently mounted on a base, without their blades, and sold as Asian Object D'art.

In Sale No.2501, at Christie's, in their sale of Asian Ceramics and Works of Art, on the 8 May 2001, in Amsterdam, a gold coloured metal figure of this very kind, also studded with similar glass beads, sold for $9,390 US Dollars.  read more

Code: 22268

A Super Balinese Carved Wooden 'Demon Kris Stand Probably Representing One of the Vanaras, Forest Dweller Human-Ape Like Demi-God Warriors That Helped Rama Defeat Ravana

Possibly representing Hanuman, or Anoman, one of the Vanara human-apes of Ramayana epic. In Hindu mythology, Vanara forest-dwellers, either refers to the monkeys or a race of forest dwelling people. In the epic the Ramayana and its various versions, the Vanaras help Rama defeat Ravana. They are generally depicted as humanoid apes or monkeys. Vanaras are created by Brahma to help Rama in battle against Ravana. They are powerful and have many godly traits. Taking Brahma's orders, the gods began to parent sons in the zion of Kishkindha (identified with parts of present-day Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh & Maharashtra). Rama first met them in Dandaka Forest, during his search for Sita. An army of Vanaras helped Rama in his search for Sita, and also in battle against Ravana, Sita's abductor. Nala and Nila built a bridge over the ocean so that Rama and the army could cross to Lanka. As described in the epic, the characteristics of the Vanara include being amusing, childish, mildly irritating, badgering, hyperactive, adventurous, bluntly honest, loyal, courageous, and kind

Carved in one piece of wood vividly decorated in polychrome colours, approx 18 inches high, 9 inches deep.
The respect with which krises were always treated extended to the careful attention given to them even when they were not being worn. The weapons were stored in fitted bags, custom-made boxes and chests, and on wall-mounted display boards, as well as in kris stands. The use of three-dimensional sculptures as kris stands, however, was limited to the islands of Bali and Lombok. Not including the kris as shown. The kris or kêrìs "to slice"; is an asymmetrical dagger with distinctive blade-patterning achieved through alternating laminations of iron and nickelous iron (pamor). While most strongly associated with the culture of Indonesia the kris is also indigenous to Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei, Singapore and the Philippines where it is known as kalis with variants existing as a sword rather than a dagger. The kris is famous for its distinctive wavy blade, although many have straight blades as well. Kris have been produced in many regions of Indonesia for centuries, but nowhere—although the island of Bali comes close—is the kris so embedded in a mutually-connected whole of ritual prescriptions and acts, ceremonies, mythical backgrounds and epic poetry as in Central Java. As a result, in Indonesia the kris is commonly associated with Javanese culture, although other ethnicities are familiar with the weapon as part of their culture, such as the Balinese, Malays, Sundanese, Madurese, Banjar, Thais, Bugis, Makassar, and Filipinos. Kris history is generally traced through the study of carvings and bas-relief panels found in Southeast Asia. It is believed that the earliest kris prototype can be traced to Dongson bronze culture in Vietnam circa 300 BC that spread to other parts of Southeast Asia. Another theory is that the kris was based on daggers from India.[7] Some of the most famous renderings of a kris appear on the bas-reliefs of Borobudur (825) and Prambanan temple (850).
However, Raffles' (1817) study of the Candi Sukuh states that the kris recognized today came into existence around 1361 AD in the kingdom of Majapahit, East Java. The scene in bas relief of Sukuh Temple in Central Java, dated from 15th century Majapahit era, shows the workshop of a Javanese keris blacksmith. The scene depicted Bhima as the blacksmith on the left forging the metal, Ganesha in the center, and Arjuna on the right operating the piston bellows to blow air into the furnace. The wall behind the blacksmith displays various items manufactured in the forge, including kris. These representations of the kris in the Candi Sukuh established the fact that by the year 1437 the kris had already gained an important place within Javanese culture. The best material for creating kris pamor, was acquired in a quite unusual way, as it is made from rare meteorite iron. Traditionally the pamor material for the kris smiths connected with the courts of Yogyakarta and Surakarta originates from an iron meteorite that fell to earth at the end of 18th century in the neighborhood of the Prambanan temple complex. The meteorite was excavated and transported to the keraton of Surakarta; from that time on the smiths of Vorstenlanden (the Royal territories) used small pieces of meteoric iron to produce pamor patterns in their kris, pikes, and other status weapons. After etching the blade with acidic substances, it is the small percentage of nickel present in meteoric iron that creates the distinctive silvery patterns that faintly light up against the dark background of iron or steel that become darkened by the effect of the acids  read more

Code: 24195

A Wonderful Antique Meteorite Steel Indonesian Kris with Engraved Royal Crown With a 'Diamond' Hilt Collar

The whole sword is beautiful, the hardwood scabbard has a fabulous age patina as has the carved hardwood hilt which also has a 'diamond' collar. They are all somewhat crude 'old cuts' that are poor at refracting light, therefore they might be Indian Moghul diamonds, or even 'old cut' rock crystal stones, it is near impossible to tell, they have not a great deal of intrinsic value either way, due to their cut, but most intriguing none the less.
the traditional steel of the best indonesian kris often contain meteorite steel that fell from the heavens, and the Different types of whetstones, acidic juice of citrus fruits and poisonous arsenic bring out the contrast between the dark black iron and the light coloured silvery nickel layers which together form pamor, damascene patterns on the blade. The distinctive pamor patterns have specific meanings and names which indicate the special magical properties they are believed to impart. The Kris Panjang is worn generally by the Malayan aristocracy. I have seen some beautiful specimens of this weapon in Rumbowe, worn by the chiefs of that state.
Thomas John Newbold, in 1839 wrote lamination patterns that are created in their forging can be simply stunning, as this this beautiful piece. The yellow-white metal scabbard cover is beautifully engraved, on the outer side, and mostly plain on the inner side, but both sides bear an elaborate engraved royal crown.
Different types of whetstones, acidic juice of citrus fruits and poisonous arsenic bring out the contrast between the dark black iron and the light coloured silvery nickel layers which together form pamor, damascene patterns on the blade. The distinctive pamor patterns have specific meanings and names which indicate the special magical properties they are believed to impart. Kris blades are forged by a technique known as pattern welding, one in which layers of different metals are pounded and fused together while red hot, folded or twisted, adding more different metals, pounded more and folded more until the desired number of layers are obtained. The rough blade is then shaped, filed and sometimes polished smooth before finally acid etched to bring out the contrasting colours of the low and high carbon metals. The traditional Indonesian weapon allegedly endowed with religious and mystical powers. With probably a traditional Meteorite laminated iron blade with hammered nickel for the contrasting pattern. 15 inch blade  read more

Code: 23974

A Stunning Moghul Indo Persian Jade Handled Tiger Tooth Blade Khanjar

With wootz blade. A 19th century dagger khanjar, curved double edged watered wootz blade 24cms long, cut with a pair of deep fullers with medial ridge, mounted with a fine one piece jade hilt engraved and incised overall with foliage and inlaid with cabochon turquoise at the corners and on the pommel. he Mughal (or Moghul) Empire was an early-modern empire in South Asia. For some two centuries, the empire stretched from the outer fringes of the Indus basin in the west, northern Afghanistan in the northwest, and Kashmir in the north, to the highlands of present-day Assam and Bangladesh in the east, and the uplands of the Deccan plateau in South India.

The Mughal empire is conventionally said to have been founded in 1526 by Babur, a warrior chieftain from what today is Uzbekistan, who employed aid from the neighboring Safavid and Ottoman empires to defeat the Sultan of Delhi, Ibrahim Lodhi, in the First Battle of Panipat, and to sweep down the plains of Upper India. The Mughal imperial structure, however, is sometimes dated to 1600, to the rule of Babur's grandson, Akbar. This imperial structure lasted until 1720, until shortly after the death of the last major emperor, Aurengzeb, during whose reign the empire also achieved its maximum geographical extent. Reduced subsequently, especially during the East India Company rule in India, to the region in and around Old Delhi, the empire was formally dissolved by the British Raj after the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

Although the Mughal empire was created and sustained by military warfare,it did not vigorously suppress the cultures and peoples it came to rule, but rather equalized and placated them through new administrative practices, and diverse ruling elites, leading to more efficient, centralised, and standarized rule.The base of the empire's collective wealth was agricultural taxes, instituted by the third Mughal emperor, Akbar. These taxes, which amounted to well over half the output of a peasant cultivator, were paid in the well-regulated silver currency, and caused peasants and artisans to enter larger markets.

The relative peace maintained by the empire during much of the 17th century was a factor in India's economic expansion.Burgeoning European presence in the Indian ocean, and its increasing demand for Indian raw- and finished products, created still greater wealth in the Mughal courts. There was more conspicuous consumption among the Mughal elite, resulting in greater patronage of painting, literary forms, textiles, and architecture, especially during the reign of Shah Jahan. The Taj Mahal, which is described as, "The jewel of Muslim art in India, and one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world's heritage.  read more

Code: 22507

A Shinto Samurai Naganata Naoshi Wakizashi With Shakudo Edo Fittings & Full Edo Traditional Polish

Just returned from a year of expert artisan conservation polish of the original Edo polish blade and cleaning. Now looking superb, the unokubi zukuri bo-hi blade with a vivid toran great wave hamon, is mounted with all original Edo shakudo koshirae of fuchigashira, decorated with takebori drinking gourd and woodsman’s axe, flower basket menuki and kozuka, which is decorated shakudo with gold birds in flight over the sea. With an iron and copper and gold onlay mokko form tsuba decorated with a seated figure in a gold patterned robe, alongside the river below Mount Fuji.
Beautiful urushi spiral lacquer pattern saya, The original Edo period urushi lacquer on the saya is in simply excellent condition and shows most elegant simplicity, it reveals within that simplicity the finest craftsmanship and beauty worthy of a master of the art of urushi decor. Japanese lacquer, or urushi, is a transformative and highly prized material that has been refined for over 7000 years.

Cherished for its infinite versatility, urushi is a distinctive art form that has spread across all facets of Japanese culture from the tea ceremony to the saya scabbards of samurai swords

Japanese artists created their own style and perfected the art of decorated lacquerware during the 8th century. Japanese lacquer skills reached its peak as early as the twelfth century, at the end of the Heian period (794-1185). This skill was passed on from father to son and from master to apprentice.

Tōran-ba is a hamon which looks like as if surging waves are rolling back and forth. It was created by a swordsmith in Settsu (Osaka prefecture), Sukehiro, in the early Edo period. It is the very first pictorial hamon which showed “a hamon as an expression”. It had a great influence on many swordsmiths over time. It is an innovative hamon which is copied on some swords made from the Bakumatsu.
A very few minuscule blade age marks..  read more

Code: 24707

A Scarce Lancaster Oval Bore Rifle Sword Bayonet, Sappers and Miners 1855, Shortened Quill Back Blade

Brass mounted hilt, three rivet wooden grips and screw mounted spring would have originally permanently fixed with a rivet, but an improvement replacement of a screw meant an armourer of the regiments could repair it in the field, a fixed rivet meant the bayonet would have to return to the regiment for repair if required.

Two-Band Rifle-Musket by Charles Lancaster, manufactured in London, England circa 1850's. Charles William Lancaster (1820-1878) was devoted to his craft and was among the best England had to offer in the field of firearms making and invention. It was around the year 1850, when he conceived the idea of the oval bore. Indeed, it is very slightly oval, almost imperceptibly and the rifling is very subtle and this rifle could easily be mistaken for a smooth bore. The rifling is also “gain twist”, meaning that the twist gets faster as the projectile approaches the muzzle. He believed that the oval bore was the future form all rifles and cannons should take due to the design’s inherent ability to mitigate the fowling that came from using black powder, as well as their accuracy.

He would put his idea to the test when he entered the government trials for what would become the Pattern 1853. He would spend much of 1852 and 1853 in doing so. His oval bore proved more accurate and less prone to foul than the competition, though the very subtle rifling was prone to wear out sooner with much use than conventional rifling. His system was not ultimately adopted for the Pattern 1853 infantry rifle-musket, but it was adopted in smaller numbers for sapper muskets.


No scabbard overall 20.5 inches long, blade 15.5 inches hilt from ricasso base 5 inches.  read more

Code: 25179