Antique Arms & Militaria

A Most Exotic & Impressive Indian Double Bladed Short Sword. This Actual Rare Short Sword or Long Dagger Was Featured Within The Lyle Arms and Armour Review Exactly 40 Years Ago in 1983

A previous specialist collector acquired this uniquely intriguing piece exactly 40 years ago from a world famous specialist auction, and allowed its inclusion in the annual Lyle Antiques Review book for inclusion.
This amazing piece is most reminiscent of the Indian double bladed bichwa, an assassins dagger from the old Mughal era.
Its twin serpent blades have twin fullers, a cast silvered-brass hilt, decorated with ornate designs.

To use such an extravagant weapon one would have had to have been very skilled and highly trained in its use, for the potential for the holder to do harm to his self must have been quite great.

It is so unusual that many today have never seen a surviving example like it before, and thus assumed that no example, or even a record of them, any longer existed. Incredibly, however, just recently we have found how that assumption was entirely mistaken. When we had acquired the dagger, the last previous owner mentioned to us this actual piece was photographed, and described, forty years ago, when it was published in 1983, within a highly respected reference book of fine arms, The Lyle Official Arms and Armour Review for 1983, {on page 34.}. But he had lost his original copy.
We then decided to trace a copy, and we were fortunately quickly successful. Within the book It is indeed listed, and photographed, and was described, complete with its auction sale price, {310 Dollars} at that time, as follows;

"Rare Indian U shaped double thrusting dagger, slightly waved bi-fullered double edged blades with squared ricassos, chisseled silvered brass grip with flowers and foliage".

We show a photograph in the gallery of its entry, photograph and listing with price, within the book. It also clearly shows what a sound financial investment this particular piece had become over the passing four decades.

It is a very attractive collectors item, likely 19th century, and without doubt a remarkable conversation piece. One Indian weaponry specialist once remarked he has seen a similar example once before in a museum in Delhi. It was within a one piece twin blade scabbard mounted upon an armoured horse’s parade saddle, with a display of a seated warrior upon the horse, adorned in a full suite of gold inlaid Mughal parade armour. It was, in his opinion, a short sword, to be used by a warrior while held in his left hand, when in combat if dismounted on foot, with a tulwar sword held in his right hand. A weapon effective as much as for intimidation as for function.

17.5 inches long overall.  read more

Code: 22521

Looking Forward To A Happy Christmas For All Our Regulars, Old and New, From Around The World

Some of The Best Ideas For Christmas Have Come From The Lanes Armoury. Our 103rd Christmas, and Still Counting. The world famous New York Times included our gallery in their list as one of the very best places to visit in the UK when travelling to Europe from America.

Unique, ancient, antique and vintage beautiful items are our speciality, and be sure and certain that anything from us will be the best choice you can make this Christmas time. Unique conversation pieces, such as, for example, how about a 10 inch mortar explosive cannon ball that was aboard the Royal Naval bomb ships of Admiral Cochrane, for the bombardment of Fort McHenry in the War of 1812 in America, and the actual event that created “The Star Spangled Banner”. Or, maybe an original French Howitzer cannon ball, actually fired at Waterloo.
We have had arrive here recently some wonderful, original pieces of history, many from the Waterloo battle site. Act fast though, some have been sold within minutes of them being added to our site for sale. Like the six artefacts we added from the collection last week, all six of them sold within a couple of hours.

Every item will be accompanied with our unique, presentation quality, 'Certificate of Authenticity' that will not only fully certify it's genuineness, but it will detail the circumstance of it's origin, and where and when it may have been used in it's specific or generic history. Where else in Britain could you walk out of the store with an original souvenir from Alexander the Greats battle with the Persians in 334 B.C, for only £60, to a fabulous unique handmade piece once owned by movie legend, Elizabeth Taylor

And please be further assured, all gift purchases may be changed after Christmas for any form of suitable alternatives.

"Doesn't someone you know deserve something unique from The Lanes Armoury"

The Lanes Armoury described by the 'New York Times' as one of the very best stores and destinations to visit when in Europe.
A living, breathing gallery that is a huge walk around ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’, containing thousands of original historical and magical pieces from the ancient long past, to the near recent. In fact, from 300,000 years of human history, and 100 million years of world history.

We are certainly not the biggest premier store in Europe recommended by the New York Times, in fact we are probably the smallest, but what we lack in size, apparently, we more than make up for in amazement, and wonder, and, we have been doing so for over 103 years

For example, we added recently items that range from an A Samurai Ancestral Sword Around 700 years old or more, a WW2 Japanese Officer's Sword With An Ancestral Blade 450 Years Old, an incredibly rare original Knight Templar sword around 1000 years old , a Longbow man’s arrowhead from The Battle of Agincourt battle site, a beautiful 25 million year old Megalodon Tooth, an Ancient Roman Gladiators ring 1700 years old, to relics from the Battlesite of Waterloo, and a Knights Dagger around 900 years old

Merry Christmas
Feliz Navidad
聖誕快樂
Joyeux Noël
عيد ميلاد مجيد
Frohe Weihnachten
Buon Natale
Prettige Kerstdagen
Feliz Natal
メリー クリスマス  read more

Code: 24542

A Most Fine US Civil War Period 9mm Revolver, Deluxe Engraved Throughout & Hand Carved Grips

The pinfire revolver was around the fourth most popular revolver used the Civil War, this deluxe officer's example is a very good example. With much original engraving, bag shaped carved bone grips and exceptionally crisp action, this is a great rarity and an absolutely beautiful example. In large bore 9mm pinfire calibre. A very nice example of a deluxe quality revolver of the Civil War.

A picture shown in the gallery of a Illinois US Cavalry Trooper with his regular military example of the large calibre pinfire revolver used in the Civil War, plain and with no frills. He is Private Silas York of Co. F, 5th Illinois Cavalry Regiment, with regulation US Cavalry issue single shot percussion pistol, his Lefaucheux large bore pinfire repeating revolver, and his US Cavalry issue sword Photo from the Library of Congress.

Pinfire pistols were very popular indeed during the Civil War and the Wild West period but very expensive as they took the all new pinfire cartridge, which revolutionised the way revolvers operated, as compared to the old fashioned percussion action. In fact, while the percussion cap & ball guns were still in production such as made by Remington, Colt and Starr and being used in the American Civil War, the much more efficient and faster pinfire guns that were only made from around 1860 were the fourth most popular gun chosen in the US, by those that could afford them, during the war.

General Stonewall Jackson was presented with two deluxe pinfire pistols with carved grips, and many other famous personalities of the war similarly used them. The American makers could not possibly fulfil all the arms contracts that were needed to supply the war machine, especially by the non industrialised Confederate Southern States. So, London made guns were purchased, by contract, by the London Arms Company in great quantities, as the procurement for the war in America was very profitable indeed. They were dispatched out in the holds of hundreds of British merchant ships. First of all, the gun and sword laden vessels would attempt to break the blockades, surrounding the Confederate ports, as the South were paying four times or more the going rate for arms, but, if the blockade proved to be too efficient, the ships would then proceed on to the Union ports, such as in New York where the price paid was still excellent, but only around double the going rate. This pistol was the type that was so popular, as a fast and efficient revolvers by many of the officers of both the US and the CSA armies, and later, in the 1870's onwards by gamblers and n'ear do wells in the Wild West.

The grips so natural age cracking, but very sound

As with all our antique guns, no license is required as they are all unrestricted antique collectors items  read more

Code: 24258

A Fabulous & Impressive Large 10th Century Original Viking Spear, Classified as 'Petersen type G'... Vápnum sínum skal-a maðr velli á feti ganga framar, því at óvíst er at vita, nær verðr á vegum úti geirs of þörf guma

From the 13th century Codex Regius, a collection of Old Norse poems from the Viking Age. Verse 38 quoted above is translated here;

Let a man never stir on his road a step
without his weapons of war;
for unsure is the knowing when need shall arise
of a spear on the way without.

Circa 10th century. A fabulous example of an original Viking war spear.
Using the Petersen scale of dating swords axes and spears of the medieval era, it is around 1100 years old, and in super condition for its age. With a slightly impacted tip, possibly bent from penetration of mail armour or shield. With edge shoulders placed low on the blade and a short conical socket with marked narrowing below the blade. Although not as glamorous as the sword, the spear was in every sense the definitive weapon of the Viking Age and used as the primary weapon of combat by almost every warrior. Decorated spearheads inlaid with precious metals prove that in the Viking Age spears were not seen as the poor man's choice and one has only to look at the representations of warriors from the illuminated manuscripts of the era to quickly come to the conclusion that the use of the spear was ubiquitous. Many of the Anglo-Saxon phrases used to describe both battle and warrior help to underline the importance of the spear.

The spearheads were made of iron, and, like sword blades, were made using pattern welding techniques (described in the article on swords) during the early part of the Viking era . They could be decorated with inlays of precious metals or with scribed geometric patterns
After forming the head, the smith created the tang in the early period, such as for a javelin type spear, or in the later Viking mostly a socket fitting for a regular spear. Sometimes with holes for rivets to grip onto the haft.

However, there is little evidence that tells us the length of the shaft. The archaeological evidence is negligible, and the sagas are, for the most part, silent. Chapter 6 of Gísla saga tells of a spear so long-shafted that a man's outstretched arm could touch the rivet. The language used suggests that such a long shaft was uncommon.

Perhaps the best guess we can make is that the combined length of shaft and head of Viking age spears was 2 to 3m (7-10ft) long, although one can make arguments for the use of spears having both longer and shorter shafts. A strong, straight-grained wood such as ash was used. Many people think of the spear as a throwing weapon. One of the Norse myths tells the story of the first battle in the world, in which Odin, the highest of the gods, threw a spear over the heads of the opposing combatants as a prelude to the fight. The sagas say that spears were also thrown in this manner when men, rather than gods, fought. At the battle at Geirvör described in chapter 44 of Eyrbyggja saga, the saga author says that Steinþórr threw a spear over the heads of Snorri goði and his men for good luck, according to the old custom. More commonly, the spear was used as a thrusting weapon. The sagas tell us thrusting was the most common attack in melees and one-on-one fighting, and this capability was used to advantage in mass battles. In a mass battle, men lined up, shoulder to shoulder, with shields overlapping. After all the preliminaries, which included rock throwing, name calling, the trading of insults, and shouting a war cry (æpa heróp), the two lines advanced towards each other. When the lines met, the battle was begun. Behind the wall of shields, each line was well protected. Once a line was broken, and one side could pass through the line of the other side, the battle broke down into armed melees between small groups of men.

Before either line broke, while the two lines were going at each other hammer and tongs, the spear offered some real advantages. A fighter in the second rank could use his spear to reach over the heads of his comrades in the first rank and attack the opposing line. Konungs skuggsjá (King’s Mirror), a 13th century Norwegian manual for men of the king, says that in the battle line, a spear is more effective than two swords

Part of an original medieval collection we have acquired, of Viking and early British relics of warfare from ancient battle sites recovered up to 220 years ago. 14 inches long.

Almost every iron weapon that has survived today from this era is now in a fully russetted condition, as is this one, because only a very few of the swords of kings, that have been preserved in national or Royal collections can today be still in a relatively good state and surface condition. However, Bronze Age swords, daggers etc. that are usually much earlier, survive far better as they only suffer from surface ageing and patination, unlike iron and steel weaponry, which makes early iron weapons so incredibly rare, especially the Viking examples, as so many were abandoned, lost in battle or sacrificed due to precious few Viking burials discovered.

As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity, and an attractive complimentary display stand.  read more

Code: 22758

An Amazing and Very Fine Original Moghul Empire Katar, As With Most Of The Finest Surviving Katar It Has a 17th Century European Blade. Made and Used From the Time Of Moghul Emperor Shah Jahan

Indian katar from the era of Shah Jahan, builder of The Taj Mahal, the most famous monument to a beloved wife in the world. This wonderful Katar push dagger is mounted with a likely German sword blade from the early 1600s. It was very popular in the Moghul era to import German blades and mount them with Indian hilts. The blade is attached to the hilt with traditional multi rivetting, and the chisseled hilt is overlaid in areas of sheet silver or gold, as would be suitable for a prince. It appears gold in colour but it may be aged silver. Painting circa 1650 of Moghul Shah Shuja who was the second son of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and Empress Mumtaz Mahal, wearing his similar Katar. He was the governor of Bengal and Odissa and had his capital at Dhaka, presently Bangladesh.

Shah Jahan is best remembered for his architectural achievements. His reign ushered in the golden age of Mughal architecture. Shah Jahan commissioned many monuments, the best known of which is the Taj Mahal in Agra, in which is entombed his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. His relationship with Mumtaz Mahal has been heavily adapted into Indian art, literature and cinema. He owned the royal treasury, and several precious stones such as the Kohinoor and has thus often been regarded as the wealthiest person in history.

The death of his father Jahangir in late 1627 spurred a war of succession between his sons Shahryar and Khurram from which Shah Jahan emerged victoriously. He executed all of his rivals for the throne and crowned himself emperor on January 1628 in Agra, under the regnal title "Shah Jahan" (which was originally given to him as a princely title). His rule saw many grand building projects, including the Red Fort and the Shah Jahan Mosque. Foreign affairs saw war with the Safavids, aggressive campaigns against the Shia Deccan Sultanates,10 conflict with the Portuguese, and positive relations with the Ottoman Empire. Domestic concerns included putting down numerous rebellions, and the devastating famine from 1630-32.

In September 1657, Shah Jahan fell seriously ill. This set off a war of succession among his four sons in which his third son, Aurangzeb, emerged victorious and usurped his father's throne. Shah Jahan recovered from his illness, but Emperor Aurangzeb put his father under house arrest in Agra Fort from July 1658 until his death in January 1666. He was laid to rest next to his wife in the Taj Mahal. His reign is known for doing away with the liberal policies initiated by Akbar. Shah Jahan was an Orthodox Muslim, and it was during his time that Islamic revivalist movements like the Naqsbandi began to shape Mughal policies  read more

Code: 21565

A Very Rare & Simply Stunning, Original Ancient Classical Early Iron & Bronze Age Dagger, Circa Three Thousand Two Hundred Years Old, From The Time of The Trojan Wars & The Siege of Troy. As Detailed In Homer's Iliad

This is one of the earliest ancient classical iron and bronze daggers we have ever seen, and only Tutankhamun's iron and gold dagger is known to exist that is that much older than this finest example. A near identical dagger is decorated upon an archaic attic ware amphora, circa 550 bc, a scene of ancient, warring mythical figures, that resides in a famed Paris museum.

We show in the gallery a piece of decorated ancient Greek attic ware, with a scene of Hercules and Geryon, and the warrior, on the right of three winged warriors in the photo, bears a so similar dagger, as could be deemed identical, swinging from his waist. It is on display at the Cabinet des Médailles, in Paris, catalogued as an Attic Black Figure Shape Amphora. ca. 550 - 540 B.C. from the Archaic period

This dagger is in very good excavated condition, found around 250 years ago, so its blade's condition is very aged, yet it is in fantastic condition bearing it mind it is around 3200 years old.

One cannot over emphasise the rarity of such as this wonderful piece, and to find a Bronze Age and earliest Iron Age combination metals dagger, it a rare treasure indeed. From the ancient pre-history era, made in the time of the Siege of Troy, the ancient Phoenicians, and the earliest period of ancient Greek and Minoan pre-history.

It is incredible to comprehend that this fine piece would have been a revered weapon when it was likely used around the time of the Siege of Troy, and during the earliest Greek-Persian Wars. It would have already been 700 years old and a piece of great antiquity, at the time when Alexander The Great was embarking on his extraordinary campaign to conquer the Persian Empire in 335 BC.
He eventually conquered half the known world and was to become the greatest ruler in history. This exceptionally beautiful and rare artefact, around 3000 years old, and it superbly demonstrates the skill of the artisans from the bronze age and iron age combined.
With a flanged eared pommel in iron, a bronze hilt and grip, and a double ribbed double edged blade in iron/steel. In 3000 BC plus, iron was a tremendously scarce and precious metal, scarcely know around most of the world.
The earliest known iron artefacts, apart from Tutankhamun's Dagger, are nine small beads, dated to 3200 BC, from burials in Gerzeh, northern Egypt, and they were also made from meteoric iron, and shaped by careful hammering. King Tut continues to astound the archaeological community, as new research shows that the ancient Egyptian child pharaoh was buried with a dagger that part originated from the heavens.

The iron bladed dagger placed in his sarcophagus, next to the right thigh of his mummified body, was manufactured from a meteorite, according to researchers from Milan Polytechnic, Pisa University and the Egyptian Museum in Cairo.

The team carried out an analysis using non-invasive, portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and published their results in the journal Meteoritics and Planetary Science.

Archaeologist Howard Carter’s discovery of King Tut’s tomb in 1922 sparked worldwide fascination with the 14th Century BC pharaoh. Three years later, two blades one iron and one gold were found in the wrapping of the 18th Dynasty mummy. Iron's qualities, in contrast to those of bronze, were not understood. Between 1200 BC and 1000 BC, diffusion in the understanding of iron metallurgy and use of iron objects was fast and far-flung. In the history of ferrous metallurgy, iron smelting, the extraction of usable metal from oxidized iron ores, is more difficult than tin and copper smelting. These other metals and their alloys can be cold-worked, or melted in simple pottery kilns and cast in moulds; but smelted iron requires hot-working and can be melted only in specially designed furnaces. It is therefore not surprising that humans only mastered iron smelting after several millennia of bronze metallurgy. We show in the gallery Tutankhamun's iron bladed dagger and Carter's photograph of its discovery in his tomb. 11.5 inches overall, approx. 16 ozs  read more

Code: 22582

A Fabulous Historical Revolutionary War & Napoleonic Wars Chasseurs Cheval Sabre, From the King's Cousin's Castle, Where the Late Queen Spent Her German State Visit in 1965 with Prince Philip

With incredible historical provenence, part of the French war souvenirs from Schloss Langenburg, which is the ancestral seat of the Princes Hohenlohe-Langenburg in Southern Germany, and is today the family home of Princess Saskia and Prince Philipp zu Hohenlohe- Langenburg. The historical arms and armour from the Schloss Langenburg armoury were sold some years ago, and included this fabulous French sword, that was formerly with other weapons cap-tured from the military campaigns of Field Marshal Friedrich Karl Wilhelm, Furst zu Hohenlohe, who served the Habsburg Monarchy, and fought in many campaigns against France. This fabulous and rare French sword was used from the revolution, in the Nile campaign and the Napoleonic wars by the Chasseurs a Cheval. It is mounted absolutely correctly with a blade modelled on the 1781 regulation, with characteristic residual ricasso, gilt-brass hilt of the successive issue type, retaining its original leather-covered grip bound with brass single-strand wire, the blade and the knuckle-guard struck with War Administration acceptance marks, a fasces and a cockerel respectively, and the inner face of the guard with the maker's stamped signature 'Liorard' 92 cm; 36" in blade The fasces and cockerel State acceptance marks were introduced by the Comite de Salut Public in 1793, in place of the marks of military inspectors absent within the revolutionary period. Liorard is recorded as a fourbisseur working at 163, rue de la Verrerie, Paris, in the 18th and 19th century. See M. Petard 1999, pp.122-3, figs. 112a & 112b, pp.180-1, figs. 11 & 17. also Armes Blanches Symbolisme Inscriptions Marquages Fourbousseurs Manufactures by Jean Lhoste and Jean-Jacques Buigne. In 1828, there was the marriage at Kensington Palace of Prince Ernst zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg to Princess Anna Feodora zu Leiningen, the half-sister of the future Queen Victoria. In 1896 Princess Feodora's grandson, Ernst II zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg, married Queen Victoria's granddaughter Princess Alexandra of Edinburgh and Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Princess Alexandra was the third daughter of H.R.H. Prince Alfred, son of Queen Victoria and H.R.H. The Prince Albert, she was also the grand-daughter of Tsar Alexander II of Russia. The family link between the Windsors and the Hohenlohe-Langenburgs remains a strong one. H.M. The Queen visited Schloss Langenburg during her German State Visit in 1965, together with H.R.H. The Duke of Edinburgh and his sister, H.R.H. Princess Margarita. The original Mercedes 600 in which they toured is today preserved in the Car Museum at the castle. In 1792, Field Marshal Friedrich Karl Wilhelm, Furst zu Hohenlohe was initially placed in command of the 50,000 Austrian forces in the Upper Rhine Valley. In August, his forces crossed the Rhine by Mannheim, and participated in the bombardment of Thionville, on the Moselle, in early September. Although the invading forces of the allies readily captured Longwy on 23 August and slowly marched on to Verdun, which was even less defensible than Longwy. The Duke of Brunswick now began his march on Paris and approached the defiles of the Argonne. In combination with the Army of Conde and Hessian troops, a portion of his force, 15,000, covered the left (southern) flank of the Prussian advance on Valmy.

As a seasoned and experienced officer, he had been chosen as a mentor for the young Archduke Charles, and the archduke was assigned to his force; they were not at Valmy, but could hear the cannonade. The Duke of Brunswick's force was to engage the northern flank of the French army, called the Army of the Sedan, while Hohenlohe-Kirchberg's force engaged the southern flank (Army of the Metz).

In December 1792, Hohenlohe-Kirchberg's forces defended Trier from the Army of the Moselle so well that its commander, General of Division Pierre de Ruel, marquis de Beurnonville, was removed from his command by his superiors in Paris. On 31 December, Hohenlohe-Kirchberg was awarded the Grand Cross of Military Order of Maria Theresa for his success at Trier.
In May 1793, his forces played a decisive role in the victory at the Battle of Famars. He was appointed as General Quarter Master and Chief of Staff to the Coalition's main army in Flanders, succeeding General Karl Mack. As part of the Belgian Corps under Field Marshal Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld he played a decisive role in the action at Avesnes-le-Sec and later at the Battle of Fleurus (1794). Subsequently, Hohenlohe-Kirchberg commanded a corps on the upper Rhine and was responsible for the recapture of Speyer from the French on 17 September 1794. His second in command was Friedrich Karl Wilhelm, F?rst (prince) zu Hohenlohe-IngelfingenIn later Field Marshal. Ijn 1801, Prince Friedrich Karl Wilhelm was appointed Colonel (Inhaber) of 7th Dragoon Regiment. Prior to the Capitulation of Ulm, he, Karl Philipp, Prince of Schwarzenberg, and Archduke Ferdinand d'Este broke out of the French cordon surrounding the city and escaped to Bohemia, hotly pursued by the French cavalry. On the 5th of November, he commanded an Austrian cavalry column at the Battle of D?renstein and a few weeks later, he commanded the Austrian cavalry at the Allied defeat at the Battle of Austerlitz. This wonderful sword has its original wire binding over the original leather grip, it is in very good condition indeed and has an excellent blade. No scabbard.  read more

Code: 22862

A Fabulous & Most Rare Large Irish Brass Barrelled Flintlock Blunderbuss Pistol, Circa 1700's

A stunning and beautiful flintlock, with a lock bearing the maker's name, within a lozenge shaped poincon stamp, of its Irish gunsmith. Through diligent research we can find no other example of his fine workmanship surviving in the world today. Therefore, this may well be a uniquely surviving example of his finest quality pistols remaining and still in existence. This is not to say definitively there are no other examples of his work remaining somewhere, maybe within a darkened corner of a distant museum, but we can certainly find no trace of one. The fine brass barrel is not proved which is exactly as we would expect to find, for prior to 1712, there was no requirement or legislation in place, to cover barrel proofing in Ireland, and although officially 1712 was the official date, some were finished with unproved barrels for a decade or so later. Indeed following the Act of Union in 1801 it could be surmised that all barrels would be subject to British proof, either by the Birmingham or London Proof Houses. However, this obviously did not occur, but when barrels were imported from Irish cities, they were later marked with the relevant British proofs. But arms that remained in Ireland may have spent their entire working lives unproved. The barrel is brass and its wonderful walnut stock has a magnificent patina. The butt cap bears the Queen Anne type grotesque butt mask, but most unusually this has a double face, both grimacing one way, and sad, when viewed from the opposite side.


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

Approx 15 inches long overall  read more

Code: 23554

An Extra Fine Condition Classic, Cased Pair of Late 18th to Early 19th Century Damascus Barrelled Duelling Pistols by Finest London Maker. Original Mahoghany Case with Tools and Accessories

A superb cased pair, in original case, very similar and from the same design, and form as another very fine cased pair, commissioned from the same finest maker in London, in circa 1800, and formerly in the Billionaire J.P.Morgan's Family Collection.

J. P. Morgan was a 19th century and early 20th century world renown American banker and philanthropist, he was subsequently categorised as America's greatest banker, whose reorganising skills and actions, in the great panic of 1907, saved America's monetary system

The famed gunsmith (1790-1841), produced finest flintlock guns in High Holborn London, from 1793-1839. her was Gun maker to the Duke of Kent, Prince Edward and King William IV.

Browned octagonal smooth 16 bore barrels are marked “London” on tops. Locks with original case hardening, waterproof pans, bridled roller frizzens, chamfered lockplates with rebated tails, and high breasted cocks with open centres, are fitted with sliding safeties, and are engraved with feather flourishes and name under pans on the lock face. Traditional English style walnut stocks that have wraparound micro checkering with mullered borders on bag grips. “Stand of Arms”engraved trigger guards have stylized pineapple finials, and fabulous original mirror blueing. Stocks attach to the barrels with two sliding barrel slides. Horn tipped rosewood ramrods are held by two nicely filed, beaded, steel pipes. Both ramrods have steel, ball extractor worms. Original mahogany case has dual pivoting hook closure, and inlet foldaway handle. The interior is lined in traditional and original green pill-napped cloth, with maker paper label on lid depicting pair of gentlemen gunners and their dogs. Case contains leather covered duelling pistol 'powder and ball' powder flask, loading rod with mushroom tip, Covered compartments with turned brass knobs on covers, for the containing of flints and balls and screw thread from the single top jaw screw.

Excellent condition overall. Stocks are excellent, retaining most of their original finish, edges and checkering sharp and very crisp, with a number of small use surface dents, handling marks. Locks and frizzens are crisp, one top jaw screw now lacking half thread of the screw. Case is very fine retaining most of its original finish with small slice out by interior by the front right retaining hook. Interior cloth is fine with light marks and soiling from contact with guns and accessories. Label is fine, slightly foxed and dented from contact with frizzen springs. Accessories are all fine.

He was born to Thomas and Elizabeth in 1772, at Croscombe in Somerset. Nothing is known of his early years, but in 1792 his name appears in a Holborn rate book for the address of two hundred and thirty three High Holborn. This address had, until the latter part of the eighteenth century been occupied by a John Field and his father–in–law John Clarke. Alongside his name in the rate book was that of ‘Widow Field’, a jeweller. At this time William was aged only 20 years and it is not fully understood under what pretext he started at this address. It is probable that he had been working at the location as an apprentice silversmith, as a business had operated there under the names of ‘Field & Clarke, silversmiths’ between the years 1784 and 1793.

The process of the name changing from Field and Clarke to his started when John Field died around 1790. Entries with his name are recorded in the Holborn rate books from 1783 until 1790. In 1791 his name is still listed, but underlined and the word ‘Widw’ inserted. Records suggest John Clarke survived until at least May 1793, but it is probable he died around this time.

John Field’s marriage to Sarah Clarke had resulted in one surviving child, also called John born circa 1779 in the County of Middlesex. Following the death of John the elder William Parker married his widow Sarah on the 1 July 1792. It is not unusual for a new business to trade under an established name and this probably accounts for the name Field surviving in various forms for a few more years. Entries in trade directories confirm that by 1796-1797 William was operating under his own name as a sole trader, a situation that would continue until his death in 1841.

John Field the younger is often referred to as William’s ‘son-in-law’, but was in fact his step-son. In the nineteenth century the term ‘in-law’ meant related by marriage, but also extended to children, which is not the case now, when we would use the term step-son. William and Sarah appear to have had no other children, but John did marry and went on to have seven children of his own, three boys and four girls. The two eldest boys, John William Parker Field and William Shakespeare Field were to follow their father and grandfather’s trade as gun makers.

As a gun maker he was a well known for producing a range of weapons from standard issue items to the finest duelling pistols. He later started to produce truncheons and other articles such as handcuffs, swords and rattles, and had the major contracts to supply arms and truncheons to the Metropolitan police of London.

In the gallery is a coloured engraving of a famous news event in 1789. A representation (not caricatured) of the duel between the Duke of York and Lennox on Wimbledon Common on 26 May 1789. Lennox (left) fires at the Duke, who fires in the air. Above the Duke's head is written (in ink) 'Fire again Sir'. The two seconds stand beside their principals: Lord Winchilsea (left) and Lord Rawdon (right). In the distance is a man on horseback. Trees and grass form a background.

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 trading  read more

Code: 24937

A Simply Stunning Ancient Roman Museum Grade Fine Gold Seal Ring with Intaglio Portrait Engraved Garnet Gem Stone 2nd to 3rd Century A.D. Likely a Depiction of an Emperor Such As Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, Lucius Verus, or Even A Parthian Vassal King.

A museum grade, around 1900 year old pure gold ancient Roman intaglio carved garnet gemstone seal ring, depicting a profile carving, possibly of an Emperor such as Verus, or vassal King of Parthia. Possibly as a celebration of Verus’s ‘Triumph’ from the Parthian War. Classified by the seminal classification of ancient ring forms, by Dr. Martin Henig, as Ancient Roman, Henig type II

The Roman triumph was one of ancient Rome’s most important civic and sacred institutions. These spectacular processions were celebrations of Rome’s military victories, the courage of its soldiers, and the favour of the gods. They were also one of the highest honors a Roman man could achieve: designated a triumphator, he was awarded a grand procession through the imperial capital. The lavish parade of prisoners and captured treasures was sure to guarantee the eternal fame of the conquering general. Over time, the triumph became an important tool in the manipulation of Roman politics.

Made and worn by the highest ranking Roman, possibly a member of the Imperial household at the time from Marcus Aurelias, Lucius Verus, & Commodus, into the early next century.

Rings were one of the most popular pieces of jewellery in Roman culture. Under the Republic the wearing of gold rings was exclusively reserved to certain classes of persons or for specific occasions. In the late 3rd century BC only senators and knights equo publico had this privilege. Towards the end of the Republic, gold rings were also bestowed on civilians. Under the Roman Empire gold rings, although still regarded as a privilege and awarded as a military distinction

During the era of dual Emperors Marcus Aurelius, and Lucius Verus, 161 to 180 ad, the last part of his reign was dramatically represented in the blockbuster film 'Gladiator', starring Richard Harris as the Emperor Marcus Aurelias. He acceded to the throne of Emperor alongside his adoptive brother, who reigned under the name Lucius Verus. Under his rule the Roman Empire witnessed heavy military conflict. In the East, the Romans fought successfully with a revitalised Parthian Empire and the rebel Kingdom of Armenia. Marcus defeated the Marcomanni, Quadi, and Sarmatian Iazyges in the Marcomannic Wars; however, these and other Germanic peoples began to represent a troubling reality for the Empire. Ultimately, the Romans were victorious in the Parthian War of 161-167 CE. After the sacking of Ctesiphon and Seleucia, Lucius Verus took the title Parthicus Maximus. As a feature of his imperial titulature, the epithet conveyed his military might and power. But the question remains: to what extent can the Roman victory over the Parthian Empire be attributed to Verus?
Indeed, much of the successes the Romans enjoyed in this eastern war surely belong to the supremely able retinue of generals and administrators who were with Verus at the time. Regardless, upon his return from the campaign, Verus was awarded a triumph, the traditional celebration of Roman military conquest that had been used since the Republican era. This was to be the high point of Verus’ imperial story, however. In 169 CE, as he was journeying back from the Danubian frontier — where he had been fighting in the Marcomannic wars with Marcus Aurelius — Verus suddenly fell ill and died. It is highly probable, according to historians, that Verus was a victim of the pestilence that his soldiers had carried back to the empire with them from the Parthian War.

Commodus. the successor and son of Emperor Antoninus Pius,, was the Roman emperor who ruled from 177 to 192. He served jointly with his father Marcus Aurelius from 177 until the latter's death in 180, and thereafter he reigned alone until his assassination. His reign is commonly thought of as marking the end of a golden period of peace in the history of the Roman Empire, known as the Pax Romana.
Commodus became the youngest emperor and consul up to that point, at the age of 16. Throughout his reign, Commodus entrusted the management of affairs to his palace chamberlain and praetorian prefects, named Saoterus, Perennis and Cleander.

Commodus's assassination in 192, by a wrestler in the bath, marked the end of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty. He was succeeded by Pertinax, the first emperor in the tumultuous Year of the Five Emperors.

Jewellery in the Roman Republic
The core ideologies of the Roman Republic, centred around moderation and restraint, meant that elaborate jewellery was relatively unpopular until the transformation to imperial rule. The law of the Twelve Tables in the 5th century BC, limited the amount of gold which might have been buried with the dead. The Lex Oppia, 3rd century BC, fixed at half of an ounce the amount of gold which a Roman lady might have worn. During the Roman Empire, however, jewellery became a public display of wealth and power for the elite.
Rings of the higher ranks were often embellished with intaglios, cameos and precious gemstones. Mythology and Roman history were used as a repertoire of decorative themes. Roman rings featuring carved gemstones, such as carnelian, garnet or chalcedony, were often engraved with the depiction of deities, allegories and zoomorphic creatures.

1 inch across, UK size H1/2, {measured on the round inside the oval} 9.6 grams, approx 22 carat gold 91.16% Gold, 6.66% silver, 1.93% copper, which is a typical consistency of ancient Roman gold determined by x-ray flourescence analysis with Oxford Instruments in 2017
As with all our items it comes complete with our certificate of authenticity.  read more

Code: 24779