Beautiful, Inscribed, Elizabethan Tudor & Renaissance Nobleman’s Rapier 16th Century, Circa 1570

A stunning Renaissance rapier with tapered blade of flattened hexagonal section, fullers on both sides of the forte inscribed with Fio Nio, [abbreviated Latin] opposite armourer’s marks of crescents plus circle with cross on the blade, nicely defined long ricasso; with an elaborate, swept hilt with thumb ring, and three, hand guard bars, the quillon finials with shaped knobs very nicely embossed. It has a restored leather grip surface and a beautifully pronounced ovoid egg form pommel.

Often used in duels in conjunction with a maine gauche off-hand parrying dagger.

Exactly the same form of sword rapiers as worn by all of the great admirals and knights in Queen Elizabeth the 1st's court. See the three original portraits of such as Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Francis Drake, & Earl Dudley.

Sir Francis Drake while commanding the English fleet against the Spanish Armada, plus all his senior captains and command officers, carried and used the very same form of rapier, despite its length being somewhat impractical to hand to hand combat aboard ship. It wasn’t for some time that logic prevailed and swords for use aboard ships became much shorter, such as hunting swords, and thus far more practical when hampered by low slung rigging aboard the main deck of all ships.

It was also the very form of sword carried by the senior Spanish Conquistadors on their conquest of the South Americas in the 16th century.

From the early 16th century onward, the practice of wearing a sword or rapier with civilian dress, made duels between unarmoured opponents more common. Lacking the armour, shield or hand protections worn in battle, the fighters had to block or parry an attack by other means. Methods of defence included the use of a dagger or a buckler held in the left hand. Fundamental characteristics of the spada da lato, compared to the normal one-handed sword and the sword, are the long and pointed but still massive blade, sharpened on both sides, with a short ricasso protected above by a metal ring; and the hilt with one or two-handed sleeves, normally in relation to the length of the blade and therefore to the total weight of the weapon, cross-shaped guard with large, straight or folded arms, loaded with branches, bridges and rings, articulating on the ricasso, to ensure greater protection of the hand.

For further reference as to type;
C. Foulkes, Inventory and Survey of the Armouries of the Tower of London, published 1916; and A.R. Dufty, European Swords and Daggers in the Tower of London, published 1974, see letter D on plate 21
From the early 16th century onward, the practice of wearing a sword or rapier with civilian dress, made duels between unarmoured opponents more common. Lacking the armour, shield or hand protections worn in battle, the fighters had to block or parry an attack by other means. Methods of defence included the use of a dagger or a buckler held in the left hand. Fundamental characteristics of the spada da lato, compared to the normal one-handed sword and the sword, are the long and pointed but still massive blade, sharpened on both sides, with a short ricasso protected above by a metal ring; and the hilt with one or two-handed sleeves, normally in relation to the length of the blade and therefore to the total weight of the weapon, cross-shaped guard with large, straight or folded arms, loaded with branches, bridges and rings, articulating on the ricasso, to ensure greater protection of the hand. The maker's mark shows comparisons with a rapier in the Tower of London Armoury see Foulkes, no.107 p.274, 1916

41 1/3" overall length. Fine condition.  read more

Code: 24093

An Original English Civil War Period Portrait of General George Monk & General Monk's Early Leather Bound Biography

A fine portrait After Samuel Cooper of George Monk, 1st Duke of Albemarle. Oil on canvas laid on board, inscribed Gen: Monk, Duke of Albermale upper centre. And a fine volume of The Life of General Monk, Duke of Albemarle 2nd Edit. 1724. George Monk, 1st Duke of Albemarle, KG (6 December 1608 - 3 January 1670) was an English soldier and politician and a key figure in the Restoration of Charles II. During the operations on the Scottish border in the Bishops' Wars (1639-1640) he showed his skill and coolness in the dispositions by which he saved the English artillery at the Battle of Newburn (1640).

At the outbreak of the Irish rebellion (1641) Monck became colonel of Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester's regiment under the command of James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde. All the qualities for which he was noted through life his talent for making himself indispensable, his imperturbable temper and his impenetrable secrecy were fully displayed in this post. The governorship of Dublin stood vacant, and Leicester recommended Monck.

However, Charles I overruled the appointment in favour of Charles Lambart, 1st Earl of Cavan, and Monck surrendered the appointment without protest. James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormonde viewed him with suspicion as one of two officers who refused to take the oath to support the Royal cause in England and sent him under guard to Bristol.

Monck justified himself to Charles I in person, and his astute criticisms of the conduct of the Irish war impressed the king, who gave him a command in the army brought over from Ireland during the English Civil War. Taken prisoner by Parliament's Northern Association Army under Sir Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron at the Battle of Nantwich in January 1644, he spent the next two years in the Tower of London. He spent his imprisonment writing his Observations on Military and Political Affairs Monck's experience in Ireland led to his release. He was made major general in the army sent by Parliament against Irish rebels. Making a distinction (like other soldiers of the time) between fighting the Irish and taking arms against the king, he accepted the offer and swore loyalty to the Parliamentary cause. He made little headway against the Irish led by Owen Roe O'Neill and concluded an armistice (called then a "convention") with the rebel leaders upon terms which he knew the Parliament would not ratify. The convention was a military expedient to deal with a military necessity. When in February 1649 Scotland proclaimed Charles, Prince of Wales, as Charles II, King of Scotland, the Protestant Ulster Scots settlers did the same and following Charles's lead took the Solemn League and Covenant. Most of Monck's army went over to the Royalist cause, placing themselves under the command of Hugh Montgomery, 1st Earl of Mount Alexander. Monck himself remained faithful to Parliament and returned to England.

Although Parliament disavowed the terms of the truce, no blame was attached to Monck's recognition of military necessity. He next fought at Oliver Cromwell's side in Scotland at the 1650 Battle of Dunbar, a resounding Roundhead victory. Made commander-in-chief in Scotland by Cromwell, Monck completed the subjugation of the country.

In February 1652 Monck left Scotland to recover his broken health at Bath, and in November of the same year he became a General at Sea in the First Anglo-Dutch War, which ended in a decisive victory for the Commonwealth's fleet and marked the beginning of England's climb to supremacy over the Dutch at sea.

On his return to shore Monck married Anne Radford (n?e Clarges).In 1653 he was nominated one of the representatives for Devon in Barebone's Parliament. He returned to Scotland, methodically beating down a Royalist insurrection in the Highlands. At Cromwell's request, Monck remained in Scotland as governor During the confusion which followed Cromwell's death on 3 September 1658, Monck remained silent and watchful at Edinburgh, careful only to secure his hold on his troops. At first he contemplated armed support of Richard Cromwell, but on realising the young man's incapacity for government, he gave up this idea and renewed his waiting policy. In July 1659 direct and tempting proposals were again made to him by the future Charles II. Monck was elected Member of Parliament for both Devon and Cambridge University in the Convention Parliament of 1660. Though he protested his adherence to republican principles, it was a matter of common knowledge that the parliament would have a strong Royalist colour. Monck himself, in communication with Charles II, accepted the latter's Declaration of Breda of 4 April 1660, which was largely based on Monck's recommendations. On 1 May the newly convened Convention Parliament formally invited Charles, as King Charles II, to be the English monarch in what has become known as the Restoration. The painting size is 27cm x 23.5 cm., and in its frame it is 16.75 inches x 15.5 inches  read more

Code: 22723

A Beautiful, Original, Large Size Roman Empire Bronze Seal Ring With The Engraved Fulminata of Julius Caeser's XIIth Legion & Ancient Greek Script

Circa 1st Century. A good still wearable large size, in bronze copper ally, engraved with a traditional seal in Greco-Roman, and the symbol onf the 12th legion 'Fulminata' The Lighting Twelfth. It was another Roman legion established by Julius Caesar. Named after the unit’s symbol, the thunderbolt, the Twelfth could trace its origins to 58 BCE. The legion served in some of Caesar’s most famous battles in Gaul, including the Siege of Alesia. It also saw a fair share of fighting in the civil war against Pompey, participating in the decisive showdown at Pharsalus. Following victory in the war, Caesar changed the legion’s name to Victrix (“winner”). Another cognomen was later added by Mark Antony—Antiqua—meaning the “old one” (as in “reliable one”).

During Caesar's war against his fellow-triumvir and rival Pompey the Great, which broke out in January 49, the Twelfth participated in the invasion of Italy, and a year later, it was with Caesar during the battle of Pharsalus (9 August 48). After Caesar's victory, the men were pensioned off and received land in the neighborhood of Parma .

We know that it was called Victrix ("winner") after the civil war, which is a bit confusing because later, there was another legion called XII Victrix.

Mark Antony brought the Lighting Twelfth to the East to join his war against Parthia. While the campaign ended in defeat, the legion remained in the East during the imperial period, continuing the fight against the Parthian and the Sassanid Empires. The unit still guarded the Euphrates crossing next to its base—Melitene—at the beginning of the fifth century. This longevity makes Legio XII Fulminata another one of the longest-standing Roman legions on record.

Likely the ring of a serving centurion of the 12th, with a traditional motto somewhat similar to 'good soul'. It bears KAAH {in reverse, as it was the centurion's seal} which, depending on context can be mean to represent good, faithful or beautiful.  read more

Code: 24761

Very Early Production, Factory Engraved & Cased, Sharps 4 Shot Derringer Pistol with Tools in Its Superb Walnut Case, Serial Number 52

Early second model, superb presentation quality engraving to the copper-bronze frame, re-freshed blued barrels, ebony grips, forward sliding barrel action for loading. Sharps company maker marks to the frame, good tight action. .30 rimfire caiibre.

In the 1850s, the extreme popularity of antique derringer pistols swept the nation like wildfire. Henry Deringer, the man who made the first Philadelphia Deringer, created a small and concealable pistol for people to carry for protection. When searching for an antique derringer pistol for sale, one will notice that derringers are made by a number of different brands and manufacturers. Many people wanted to make their design number one and stick out among the rigorous competition. One man that took the idea into his own hands and became a favorite in the Old West for pocket sized guns was Christian Sharps

Sharp had been in the business of rifle making before he endeavored into pocket pistol designs. He started his career in Harpers Ferry, Virginia with John Halls Rifle Works. He patented his own Sharps rifle in 1848 and, interestingly enough, a year later in December 1849, he patented his first design for the antique derringer pistol he desired to create. Unfortunately, it was a poorly constructed and fragile design in need of some work before it could be sold commercially.

Sharps antique derringers became known as the

‘hideout pistol’ westerners. the prominence of these small multi shot pocket pistols as a gambler’s gun arose in the the Old Wild West . The gun was very commonly used by gamblers and tavern frequenters since they could slide it up their sleeve or in their pocket without the people around the being any the wiser. Western outlaws loved the conceal ability and carried the gun as an extra side arm. The gun is sometimes referred to as the perfect concealable pistol since it was about the same size as a pocket watch.

The first two Sharps Derringer models were made before 1862. In that year, William Hankins joined the firm and the company changed its name Sharps & Hankins. Sharps, forever with his money struggles, brought on Hankins for funding, and his new capital funded an additional factory to make both rifles and antique derringer pistols. The other remaining models also began manufacturing under this partnership.

No licence is required to own and collect this antique pistol  read more

Code: 24946

Simply Fabulous 'Battle of Austerlitz' & Napoleonic Wars Period, Early 19th Century Austrian Field Marshal Grade Officer's Sword, Remarkably Similar To The Lloyds Patriotic Fund Swords Awarded to Napoleonic Wars Heroes

This sword must be ranked in quality to equal the swords made for the Lloyds Patriotic Fund Sword heroic recipients, and the Napoleons Marshal's of France. One could even see it might have once been the sword of Lieutenant Field Marshal Franz von Weyrother. Of course this can be nothing more than conjecture. Formerly this magnificent sword was part of the world renown collection of WW2 French hero Dr Raymond Wagnier. It has a curved slender blade finely etched with scrolling foliage and the imperial crowned F cypher of the last Holy Roman Emperor, Francis of Austria. The sword's impressive and magnificent chiselled gilt hilt is incredibly finely decorated with scrolling serpents, forming the cross and knuckle guard emanating from the mouth of the Nemean lion's pommel, and and binding the lion's skin to the snakeskin pattern chiselled grip, contained in its finest gilt mounted leather wrapped wooden scabbard, the mounts decorated with acanthus, strapwork and flowerheads. The Nemean lion's head and skin and intertwined serpents were also the dominant design of the fabulous hilt's of all the Lloyds Patriotic Fund swords, that were awarded to heroes of the Napoleonic Wars, that today can fetch up to £220,000, This sword must be ranked of similar quality to those Lloyds swords. This sword was formerly in the private, world renown collection, of Dr Raymond Wagnier. He was a French hero of the occupation of France during WW2, and during raids by the RAF in 1943-44, on the Lille Railway, at extreme risk of reprisal, he rescued a wounded British airman, who would have been undoubtedly executed. After the Liberation of France he was offered an honour by the King and British government, but to his extraordinary credit, he refused, stating he was doing nothing more than his duty. His first collection was looted by the German's and Vichy, but after the war he was able to reassemble his eminent collection once more. After his death in 1989 his collection, including this incredible sword, was sold by his estate in 1990 in Monaco. It was one of the foremost collections of Belles Armes Anciennes and Objet Napoleonique in the world. The Battle of Austerlitz (2 December 1805/11 Frimaire An XIV FRC), also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, was one of the most important and decisive engagements of the Napoleonic Wars. In what is widely regarded as the greatest victory achieved by Napoleon, the Grande Armée of France defeated a larger Russian and Austrian army led by Emperor Alexander I and Holy Roman Emperor Francis II. The battle occurred near the town of Austerlitz in the Austrian Empire (modern-day Slavkov u Brna in the Czech Republic). Austerlitz brought the War of the Third Coalition to a rapid end, with the Treaty of Pressburg signed by the Austrians later in the month. The battle is often cited as a tactical masterpiece, in the same league as other historic engagements like Cannae or Gaugamela. Lloyd's Patriotic Fund was founded on 28 July 1803 at Lloyd's Coffee House, and continues to the present day. Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund now works closely with armed forces charities to identify the individuals and their families who are in urgent need of support.

The contributors created the fund to give grants to those wounded in service to the Crown and to set up annuities to the dependents of those killed in action. The Fund also awarded prizes to those British combatants who went beyond the call of duty. The rewards could be a sum of money, a sword or a piece of plate. The awards were highly publicized to help raise morale during wartime. In 1807 the fund also donated £61,000 to the Royal Naval Asylum, giving Lloyd's Patriotic Fund the enduring right to nominate children to the school.

On 24 August 1809 the Fund held a general meeting of its subscribers. The subscribers decided at that time to discontinue awards for merit. The Peninsular War was putting such demands on the Fund that it was felt that priority would have to go to support for the wounded and the dependents of those killed. Still, when the Fund awarded officers money for wounds received, some officers asked that the Fund give them an inscribed sword instead.The Fund issued 15 swords worth £30 each, to midshipmen, masters' mates and Royal Marine lieutenants. Also, 91 swords worth 50 pounds each went to naval lieutenants and Royal Marine captains. It issued 35 swords worth £100 each to commanders and naval captains. In addition, it issued 23 swords, worth £100 each, to naval captains who fought at Trafalgar. Some 60 officers requested a piece of plate of equal value instead of a sword. Lastly, a number of officers opted for cash instead, either for themselves or to distribute to their crew.

One engagement might result in multiple awards. When a cutting-out party from HMS Franchise captured Raposa in 1806, naval lieutenants John Fleming and Peter Douglas, and Lieutenant of Marines Mend, each received a sword worth £50, while Midshipman Lamb received one worth £30.

Not all the officers who received swords or other merit awards were naval officers or Royal Marines. Some were captains of privateers or East Indiamen. The Fund awarded Mr. Thomas Musgrave, captain of the private man of war Kitty an honour-sabre worth £30 for the action in which Kitty captured the Spanish ship Felicity (or Felicidad). After the Battle of Pulo Aura, Lloyd's Patriotic Fund gave each captain a sword worth £50, and one to Lieutenant Robert Merrick Fowler (RN), who had distinguished himself in a variety of capacities during the engagement, and one worth £100 to Captain Nathaniel Dance, who had been the commodore of the fleet. We actually have Captain Dance’s regular high rank combat sword, fully named to him, that he used as commodore of the fleet, plus, his from life portrait.  read more

Code: 23374

A, Fabulous Samurai Sword, A Most Fine Shinto Wakizashi By Omni Daijo Fujiwara Tadahiro Circa 1660.

This stunning samurai short sword. The fittings are beautifully matching depicting comorants in pure gold on bronze or iron, and the kozuka a figure riding a giant carp in gold over copper. The great Tadahiro II of Hizen. 2nd generation Tadahiro was born in Keicho 19 (1614) as the first son by a mistress of 1st generation Hizen-koku Tadayoshi. His initial name was Hashimoto Heisakuro, later had succeeded to his father's name of Shinzaemon. He excelled in as a superior sword maker since teenage to play a ghost-maker on behalf of his father in his later years. He had succeeded major Tadahiro 2nd generation in Kanei 9, (1632) when he was as young as 19 years old. He intended not to succeed his father's smith name Tadayoshi for the sake of preserving appearances that he was not a legitimate child of Tadayoshi. Passed away in Genroku 6, (1693), was 80 years old.
His legitimate child 3rd generation succeeded to the initial name of Tadayoshiu when he enjoyed the Mutsu daijo title in Manji 3 (1660), was 24 years old.
The subject artisan Tadahiro 2nd generation established and developed the superior high standard quality of sword making for the major Hizen Tadayoshi school and had laid the foundations for the later generations until 9th by the end of Edo period.
This beautiful wakizashi we believe as his work in his early thirties of 1644-47. Most superior forging method using top quality fine steel known as "Tamahagane" generates precisely fine Ko-Itame with sparkling Ji-nie glittering that generates superior Chikei darkish Nie lines activity. The forging scene looks like "Nashi-ji". We would appraise it as "Above Superior Made" and "Above Supreme Sharp". 26.5 inches long overall in saya,, blade tsuba to tip 18.65 inches.  read more

Code: 22873

A Good Antique Edo Period 1700's Wakazashi Maru Gata Heianjo Tsuba

Antique Japanese Edo period Tsuba for Wakizashi sword, or large o-tanto, onlaid with copper and sinchu-gold alloy aoi leaves, with a chiselled cut away rock and water formation.
Fine engraved with gold and high quality brass inlay Heianjo-style was established in Yamashiro (Kyoto Pref. today), it was inspired by the Ounin-style. Heianjo Tsuba is elaborate and decorative. It is mainly iron Tsuba circle shape with brass inlay. Its design was simply family crest or arabesque patterns in the beginning. However, after that, they made different shapes of Tsuba and started using gold, silver, or copper for inlaying.

The tsuba, is a fundamental element in the mounting of the Japanese sword, it is the guard, the most important element of the fittings, and has two main functions: the first to protect the hand against the slashes and lunges of an opposing sword; the second is to prevent that the hand ends up directly on the cutting edge of the blade. Over the course of more than ten centuries of history, the tsuba has undergone a number of important changes, as regards the materials used for its manufacture and its appearance.

During the centuries of wars that characterised Japan until the advent of the Tokugawa Shogunate during the first half of the 17th century, the tsuba was essentially made of iron or steel. From the mid-17th century onwards the tsuba became a real work of art, with the use of soft metals used in various ways, with engravings, incrustations; well made tsuba were the pride of hundreds of craftsmen’s schools whose value sometimes exceeded that of the same blades of the mounting where tsuba was part of.
67mm across  read more

Code: 24167

A 13th Century Iron Head, Crusader Knight's Battle Mace, 800 Years Old, Mounted Upon A Later Museum's Display Haft

Pineapple shaped lobes on circular head with large mounting hole through which the haft slots. it was fitted to a plain wood haft for a museum display, as its original rotted away centuries ago as usual, in order to show how it looked and was used 800 years ago.
This type of mace head were also used as a Flail Mace, by filling out the hollow iron head with lead and a chain mounted hook placed within it, a chain would then be added to the end of a similar but shorter wooden haft. This subsequent mace head weapon could thus then became a flail, often called a scorpion at the time.

This very fine and rare iron mace head has flattened pyramidal protuberances, and is possibly English. Made for a mounted Knight to use as an armour and helmet crusher in hand to hand mortal combat upon his war horse, or then for use dismounted.

It would have been used for several hundred years, up to the 15th to 16th century.
Used as a flail it had the sobriquet of a Scorpion in England or France, or sometimes a Battle-Whip. It was also wryly known as a 'Holy Water Sprinkler'.

King John The Ist of Bohemia used exactly such a weapon, as he was blind, and the act of 'Flailing the Mace' meant lack of site was no huge disadvantage in close combat. Although blind he was a valiant and the bravest of the Warrior Kings, who perished at the Battle of Crecy against the English in 1346. On the day he was slain he instructed his Knights both friends and companions to lead him to the very centre of battle, so he may strike at least one blow against his enemies. His Knights tied their horses to his, so the King would not be separated from them in the press, and they rode together into the thick of battle, where King John managed to strike not one but at least four noble blows. The following day of the battle, the horses and the fallen knights were found all about the body of their most noble King, all still tied to his steed. In fact so noble were his actions regarded, it is said his banner of three erect and standing feathers became the symbol of the then Prince of Wales, Edward, the Black Prince, and as such, is still used by the current Prince of Wales today.

During the Middle Ages metal armour such as mail protected against the blows of edged weapons. Solid metal maces and war hammers proved able to inflict damage on well armoured knights, as the force of a blow from a mace is great enough to cause damage without penetrating the armour. Though iron became increasingly common, copper and bronze were also used, especially in iron-deficient areas.
It is popularly believed that maces were employed by the clergy in warfare to avoid shedding blood (sine effusione sanguinis). The evidence for this is sparse and appears to derive almost entirely from the depiction of Bishop Odo of Bayeux wielding a club-like mace at the Battle of Hastings in the Bayeux Tapestry, the idea being that he did so to avoid either shedding blood or bearing the arms of war. One of the Crusades this type of mace may have been used was the Crusade of 1239, which was in territorial terms the most successful crusade since the First. Called by Pope Gregory IX, the Barons' Crusade broadly spanned from 1234-1241 and embodied the highest point of papal endeavour "to make crusading a universal Christian undertaking." Gregory called for a crusade in France, England, and Hungary with different degrees of success. Although the crusaders did not achieve any glorious military victories, they used diplomacy to successfully play the two warring factions of the Muslim Ayyubid dynasty (As-Salih Ismail in Damascus and As-Salih Ayyub in Egypt) against one another for even more concessions than Frederick II gained during the more well-known Sixth Crusade. For a few years, the Barons' Crusade returned the Kingdom of Jerusalem to its largest size since 1187.
This crusade to the Holy Land is sometimes discussed as two separate crusades: that of King Theobald I of Navarre, which began in 1239; and, the separate host of crusaders under the leadership of Richard of Cornwall, which arrived after Theobald departed in 1240. Additionally, the Barons' Crusade is often described in tandem with Baldwin of Courtenay's concurrent trip to Constantinople and capture of Tzurulum with a separate, smaller force of crusaders. This is because Gregory IX briefly attempted to redirect the target his new crusade from liberating the Holy Land from Muslims to protecting the Latin Empire of Constantinople from heretical Christians.

Despite relatively plentiful primary sources, scholarship until recently has been limited, due at least in part to the lack of major military engagements. Although Gregory IX went further than any other pope to create an ideal of Christian unity in the process of organizing the crusade, in practice the crusade's divided leadership did not reveal a unified Christian action or identity in response to taking a cross. Approx. 2.5 inch wide lobed iron head.

Painting in the gallery by Julian Russel Story of the Black Prince at the battle of Crecy. At his feet lies the body of the dead King John of Bohemia painted in 1888.  read more

Code: 21534

Gold Metal Watch Fob, With a Zeppelin Model Top Mount Representing The Hindenburg Zeppelin, Gifted by Kapitan Max Pruss, Kapitan of the Ill Fated Zeppelin Airship LZ.129 Hindenburg. & the Hindenburg Kapitan's Saucer

Apparently given by Kapitan Max Pruss, the last Kapitan of the Hindenburg, accompanied with his boxed, original, WW2 Luftwaffe pilot's Leitz goggles, and his personal, named ‘Hindenburg’ porcelain saucer, not to be confused with the LZ standard livery porcelain, to a visiting British RAF officer in the 1950's, while he was attempting to resurrect with the post-war German government, his new Zeppelin project, with his former Hindenburg Chief Engineer, Rudolf Sauter. The fob is very heavy quality, and weighs as it should if it was solid gold, however, it bears no gold hallmark, so we cannot sell it as solid gold, and we cannot thus assume it is solid gold, therefore we offer it as ‘gold coloured metal’. The fitted Zeppelin miniature model top mount is certainly gold plate as the plate is fractionally worn in places. He Sauter worked with Captain Max Pruss, the Hindenburg's former commander, during the post-war years to try and revive the Zeppelin airships. In the early 1950s, in fact, Sauter and Pruss drew up plans for a new Zeppelin and made the case to the West German government and the press that (in Sauter's words,) "The use of Zeppelins in air traffic is absolutely economical. The West German government is planning to spend 150 million marks on a new airline flown by airplanes. We would need only 50 million marks to build new Zeppelins." Sauter showed the new Zeppelin plans to Dr. Hugo Eckener, by then in his late 80s and retired. As Eckener later told a news reporter, "I told him that he had my blessing, but that I do not want to have anything to do with it. Today, a Zeppelin would not have a chance against an airplane.". More photos of the fob and saucer to follow tomorrow. One photo in the gallery Is of Kapitan Pruss, with a fellow Kapitan Von Schiller colleague making a time check while aboard the Hindenburg.

Kapitan Pruss commanded the Zeppelin airship, Hindenburg, during its tragic explosion and destruction in Lakehurst, America. Amazingly he survived but with severe burns.

The Hindenburg disaster was an airship accident that occurred on May 6, 1937, in Manchester Township, New Jersey, United States. The German passenger airship LZ 129 Hindenburg caught fire and was destroyed during its attempt to dock with its mooring mast at Naval Air Station Lakehurst. The accident caused 35 fatalities (13 passengers and 22 crewmen) from the 97 people on board (36 passengers and 61 crewmen), and an additional fatality on the ground.

The disaster was the subject of newsreel coverage, photographs and Herbert Morrison's recorded radio eyewitness reports from the landing field, which were broadcast the next day.A variety of hypotheses have been put forward for both the cause of ignition and the initial fuel for the ensuing fire. The publicity shattered public confidence in the giant, passenger-carrying rigid airship and marked the abrupt end of the airship era.

We also have a souvenir German porcelain Hindenburg saucer from the captain’s personal porcelain set, said by Pruss to have been given to him by Hitler’s deputy, Herman Goring, however, if so, this must have been before the dramatic argument and falling out between Goring and Pruss at Frankfurt Airport in 1940.

Pruss was the commander of the airship during the Hindenburg disaster of 6 May 1937. This was his first time commanding a trip to Lakehurst. Pruss and several crew members rode the Hindenburg down to the ground as it burned, then ordered everybody out. He carried radio operator Willy Speck out of the wreckage, then looked for survivors until rescuers were forced to restrain him. Pruss, however, suffered extensive burns and had to be taken out by ambulance to Paul Kimball Hospital in Lakewood. The burns were so extensive that he was given last rites, but although his face was disfigured for the rest of his life, his condition improved over the next few months. Pruss was unable to testify at investigative committees, but officially he was not held responsible.

Pruss, along with other airship crewmen, maintained that the disaster was caused by sabotage, and dismissed the possibility that it was sparked by lightning or static electricity. Although Hugo Eckener did not rule out other causes, he criticized Pruss' decision to carry out the landing in poor weather conditions, expressing his belief that sharp turns ordered by Pruss during the landing approach may have caused gas to leak, which could have been ignited by static electricity. Pruss insisted that such turns were normal procedure, and that the stern heaviness experienced during the approach was normal due to rainwater being displaced at the tail.

Apparently Kapt. Pruss was exceptionally polite, and the exchange of gifts was most warmly given and received.  read more

Code: 24145

A Superb 19th Century French Chassepot M1866 Sword Bayonet, Franco Prussian War Issue, Manufactured at the Armoury of StEtienne 1870

Stunning example, with very good steel and brass,
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);
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.  read more

Code: 25133