An Original Ancient 13th Century, Knight's Iron Battle Mace Head
Pineapple shaped head with large mounting hole. The type as were also used as a Flail Mace, with the centre mount being filled with lead and a chain mounted hook, when it was not mounted on a haft, as this mace is. Flattened pyramidical protuberances, possibly English or East European. Made for a mounted Knight to use as an Armour and Helmet Crusher in mortal combat. It would have been used up to the 15th to 16th century. On a Flail it had the name 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 that his 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.

Code: 17235Price: 775.00 GBP

A Superb 18th Century Flintlock Long 'Pirate' Pistol. Fully Engraved.
With all brass mounts with long eared butt typically naively engraved with cannon, flags and drums. A sprauncy long steel barrel with chisseling of scrolls and a grotesque mask. Banana shaped steel lock with matching ancanthus scroll engraving to the lock plate and cock. Typical mid 18th century English style, that was immensely popular in and around the Mediteranean and Black Sea. A most attractive 18th century pistol, designed to fit in a wide belt sash, or, in a flintlock pistol bucket. A pistol with superb charm and most elegant lines. This is exactly the type of pistol one sees, and in fact expects to see, in all the old Hollywood 'Pirate' films. . This is an original, honest and impressive antique pistol piece that rekindles the little boy in all of us who once dreamt of being Errol Flynn, Swash-Buckling across the Spanish Maine under the Jolly Roger. This Pistol may very well have seen service with one of the old Corsairs of the Barbary Coast, in a tall masted Galleon, slipping it's way down the coast of the Americas, to find it's way home to Port Royal, or some other nefarious port of call in the Caribbean. It is exactly the form of weapon that was in use in the days of the Caribbean pirates and privateers, as their were no regular patterns of course. This pistol is essentially a Turko-Ottoman example of the highly attractive type that were efficient, effective, most sought after and much prized, and thus an essential part of the pirate's trade. They didn't conform to a regular pattern, varying in quality, but they all had the 'form follows function' ethos. A style of pistol that first surfaced around 1665, and saw the peak of it's popularity in Western Europe during the mid to third quarter of the 18th century. The design was overtaken, but only in much of Western Europe, by a simpler, plainer form of pistol design, but it continued to be very popular, no doubt due to it's extravagance and style, in middle and eastern Europe, especially around the Mediterranean, until the early 19th century. A good slender curvature, and a medium weight long pistol that suits a comfortable grip. It was written that after Queen Anne's War, which ended in 1713, it cast vast numbers of naval seamen into unemployment and caused a huge slump in wages. Around 40,000 men found themselves without work at the end of the war - roaming the streets of ports like Bristol, Portsmouth and New York. In wartime privateering provided the opportunity for a relative degree of freedom and a chance at wealth. The end of war meant the end of privateering too, and these unemployed ex-privateers only added to the huge labour surplus. Queen Anne's War had lasted 11 years and in 1713 many sailors must have known little else but warfare and the plundering of ships. It was commonly observed that on the cessation of war privateers turned pirate. The combination of thousands of men trained and experienced in the capture and plundering of ships suddenly finding themselves unemployed and having to compete harder and harder for less and less wages was explosive - for many piracy must have been one of the few alternatives to starvation. Euro-American pirate crews really formed one community, with a common set of customs shared across the various ships. Liberty, Equality and Fraternity thrived at sea over a hundred years before the French Revolution, and continued for many years after. The authorities were often shocked by their libertarian tendencies; the Dutch Governor of Mauritius met a pirate crew and commented: "Every man had as much say as the captain and each man carried his own weapons in his blanket". A 18th century pistol of eastern Mediterranean origin, and although it has signs of combat wear is still working highly effectively, and was likely used right into the mid 19th century. It looks most attractive, it is completely original, an antique flintlock of days long gone past yet not forgotten.

Code: 17234Price: 1100.00 GBP

A Fabulous Late Edo Period Samurai Battle Katana, by Master Smith Masashige
Of Choshu, dated, Bunsei 1824. One of our great restoration projects of a very good katana, that required a polish, that has now been duly completed, and what a result!!. The blade is signed Choshu Ryusaishi Masashige and dated 1824 [in Hawleys, MAS 909]. He was of the famous Masahide school, and a pupil of the great master smith Suishinshi Masahide. It has a wonderful elegance and balance to it, typical of the ancient times from where it gains it's influence, and it feels simply as light as a feather and a joy to handle. The hilt bears old iron Higo mounts and a charming plain russeted iron mokko tsuba, that is also signed. The wrap is a typical rebellion pattern rebind. This sword has been be utterly transformed into the item of significant beauty it once was. This sword was last used in the Satsuma rebellion. The Rebellion was the last gasp of the ancient samurai to keep Japan as a feudal state with the samurai as it's backbone, but the Emperor knew that change must come and the day of the samurai was over. So twenty thousand samurai joined forces to fight the new conscript peasant army. It finished after the defeat at the Siege of Kumamoto Castle and in other battles in central Kyushu. The surviving remnants of the samurai forces loyal to Saigo Takamori fled back to Satsuma, seizing the hill of Shiroyama overlooking Kagoshima on 1 September 1877.

Imperial army troops under the command of General Yamagata Aritomo and marines under the command of Admiral Kawamura Sumiyoshi began arriving soon after, and the rebels were surrounded. After combat losses and defections, Saigo had only 300 to 400 samurai remaining of a force of over 20,000 which had besieged the government garrison in the city of Kumamoto only six weeks earlier. Following an intensive artillery bombardment the night of 24 September, imperial forces stormed the mountain in the early morning hours. The samurai, under heavy fire, charged the lines of the imperial army, which had not been trained for close-quarter sword fighting. In just a few minutes the once organized line turned into discord. Highly skilled samurai swordsmanship prevailed against an army with very little traditional training. For a short time Saigo's lines held, but was forced back due to weight of numbers. By 6 a.m., only 40 rebels were still alive. Saigo was wounded in the femoral artery and stomach. Losing blood rapidly, he asked to find a suitable spot to die. One of his most loyal followers, Beppu Shinsuke, carried him further down the hill on his shoulders. Legend says that Beppu acted as kaishakunin and aided Saigo in committing seppuku before he could be captured. However, other evidence contradicts this, stating that Saigo in fact died of the bullet wound and then had his head removed by Beppu in order to preserve his dignity. This swords saya is very nice original Edo lacquer with crushed abilone shell decorated. The tsuka could be rebound in the more traditional pre-Satsuma way, in which case it would look as it once did before it had the Satsuma Rebellion rebind.

Code: 17233Price: 3995.00 GBP

Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland Prize Medal 1892
A seated female figure upon a dais, places laurel wreaths upon the heads of two standing agricultural workers. Rev. Inscription around a wreath with attribution text within. Andrew Hart for Chemistry, Veterinary College Glasgow . Size 45mm. Nice tone/colour

Code: 17232Price: 55.00 GBP

A Beautiful Early Showa Han Dachi Samurai Katana, Signed By Kaneyoshi
This is a most attractive katana mounted semi tachi style and worn possibly as a military governor's sword. Maybe a commanding dignatory, military, but not necessarily of one specific branch, such as army, airforce or navy, but connected there to. The saya is not photographed yet. From the time of the occupation of China by the Japanese in the Manchukwo period just before WW2. The blade is in original full polish, and the koshirae [mounts] are typical Court Tachi style, but the saya is katana mounted. This is a most beautiful sword from the last era when swords were worn in the traditional style and form, made in the traditional way when the Emperor was still a divine living god. Hirohito, son of Yoshihito, was born in 1901. At the age of seven, he was enrolled in the Peers' School, headed by general Maresuke Nogi, a hero from the Russo-Japanese war. There he studied constitutional kingship, Confucius and the ancient Japanese chronicles.

In 1921, Hirohito became the first ever top member of the Japanese royal family to travel overseas. During his trip to Europe, he among other things visited the British royal family, played golf, and went shopping in Paris. He reportedly told his brother Chichibu: "I discovered freedom for the first time in England."

When he returned to Tokyo, he was made regent in place of his father, the Taisho Emperor, who had by this time became sick. Shortly after the great Kanto earthquake in 1923, an attempt was made on Hirohito's life, and the assasins bullet only narrowly missed. After this incident, he was kept under very close guard.

In 1924 he married Princess Nagako Kuni, who gave birth to their son Akihito in 1933. Yoshihito passed away in 1926, and Hirohito then became Emperor of Japan. He chose the name Showa, "enlightened peace", to symbolize his reign, which would be the longest of all the Emperors' to this date.

However, his reign was not characterized by peace. In his first 20 years as emperor, Japan waged war against China and later the allies, only to endure a humiliating defeat in 1945. Hirohito himself in a radio broadcast announced the Japanese surrender to the world. The occupying American forces wanted Hirohito to remain emperor, and on Jan 1, 1946, Hirohito publicly denounced "the false conceptions that the Emperor is divine."

Code: 17231Price: 2750.00 GBP

A Superb Early 20th Century Airship Enamel and Silver Gilt Demitasse Spoon
Decorated with an airship in the bowl, and Graf Von Zeppelin on the handle. In polychrome enamel excellent condition. Hallmarked 800.

Code: 17230Price: 275.00 GBP

An Edwardian Antique Royal Artillery Officer's Helmet Plate In Gilt. 1902-8
With Kings Crown, but the rare type, without the Ubique battle honour scroll showing, but the a laurel scroll pinned and overlaid on top of standard Ubique motto scroll. Gilt in near mint condition , 3 rear fixing loops. Quo Fas Et Gloria Ducunt motto (Where Right And Glory Lead) .and Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense within garter. With artillery cannon, pierced wheel. A super officers helmet plate in great order. A beauty!

Code: 17229Price: 145.00 GBP

A Superb, Solingen Made Vintage Royal Swedish Air Force Officer's Dagger
A most interesting dagger, [pattern name, M30-52] in that it was initially designed for the Royal Swedish Air force, but the design pattern was almost identically copied to create the very rare Hitler Youth Leader's dagger of WW2, that was issued from 1937. Why the Third Reich copied the Swedish dagger is a mystery but was most deliberate. The Swedish dagger was designed and made from 1930 and adapted in '52 to add an extra hanging loop. This dagger was made in Solingen by WKC, and the original hilt and scabbard gilt, and the blade polish, are simply superb. This is a stunning dagger for collectors of, rarely seen in England, European daggers, that were originally designed during the pre-war period. Sweden was Neutral at the beginning of the war but, unlike Norway, Belgium, Luxembourg and The Netherlands, their neutrality was observed by Hitler and they were not subsequently invaded. During the German invasion of the Soviet Union, Sweden allowed the Wehrmacht to use Swedish railways to transport (June–July 1941) the German 163rd Infantry Division along with howitzers, tanks and anti-aircraft weapons and associated ammunition, from Norway to Finland. German soldiers traveling on leave between Norway and Germany were allowed passage through Sweden — the so-called permittenttrafik. Iron ore was sold to Germany throughout the war. And for the Allies, Sweden shared military intelligence and helped to train soldiers made up of refugees from Denmark and Norway, to be used in the liberation of their home countries. It also allowed the Allies to use Swedish airbases between 1944 and 1945.

Code: 17228Price: 525.00 GBP

A Pair Of WW2 RAF Pilot's Wings. Battle of France. AASF
Once worn by the a pilot of 142 Squadron. We are selling his medals seperately. The 12 and 142 Squadron Fairey Battle crews of the Advanced Air Striking Force (AASF) who along with their fellow RAF daylight bomber squadrons fought valiantly and heroically to try and stem the onslaught of the wehrmacht and luftwaffe invasion of France, Belgium and Holland 10 - 14 May 1940. In the early months of the Second World War it served with the Advanced Air Striking Force in France and on 10th May 1940, the day the Germans invaded the Low Countries, it gained the distinction of being the first AASF unit to bomb the advancing enemy. Later that month No. 142 was one of the Fairey Battle squadrons which attacked the Meuse bridges in a further attempt to stem the German advance. The squadron was withdrawn to England in June 1940, and by the end of the year was converting to Wellingtons prior to engaging in the strategic night-bombing offensive.

Code: 17227Price: 95.00 GBP

An Original FS Commando Knife By Nowill of Sheffield, 3rd Pat.
The cross keys are the makers mark of John Nowill & Sons, Sheffield. The 'D' marking is a mould number for the handle. Some original blueing to the blade, with signs of combat use at the tip section. The British Fairbairn Sykes dagger officially made, issued service dagger, was created for the newly formed 'Special Forces' commandos. The story about the Fairbairn Sykes Fighting knife starts in England 1940.
In 1940 the British formed special commandos to carry out raids. The initiative came from Winston Churchill in 1940. On the 8 June 1940, Section M09 of the War Office was brought into being. The name commando was taken from small effective mobile Boer units during the war in South Africa 1899-1902.

Two of the first instructors were Captain William Ewart Fairbairn (b. 28 February 1885, d. 20 June 1960) and Captain Eric Anthony Sykes (b. 5 February 1883, d. 12 May 1945). These middle aged gentlemen trained the young soldiers in a new and difficult mode of close-combat fighting at the Commando Basic Training Centre, Achnacarry, Scotland. Churchill described the commandos as 'a steel hand from the sea'

The need for a proper fighting knife, for these commandos, was apparent from the first few weeks of training specialized personnel. As Fairbairn later wrote, "...the authorities did not recognize a fighting knife as part of the equipment of the fighting services. In fact, such a thing as a fighting knife could not be purchased anywhere in Great Britain."

Until now, there had never been an official knife for the British armed services, although many types of knife had been authorised for use in the past. Bowie style knives were carried by some of the Imperial Yeomantry during the South African War of 1900-1901, and in World War I cut-down bayonets, privately purchased hunting knives, or captured German issue folding knives were extensively utilised.

In November 1940 there was a meeting between W. E. Fairbairn, E. A. Sykes and Robert Wilkinson Latham at Wilkinson Sword Company.

Fairbairn and Sykes described the type of knife they envisioned and the purpose for which it was intended. As discussion continued, preliminary sketches were drawn up and modified time and time again. As Robert Wilkinson Latham tells it: 'In order to explain exactly their point, the two men rose to their feet and one, it was Fairbairn my grandfather mentioned, grabbed the wood ruler from his desk and the two men danced around the office in mock combat'. W. E. Fairbairn had also brought with him an example of a suitable fighting knife.


The system they devised utilised techniques drawn from Jiu Jitsu, Gatka, Kung Fu and 'Gutter Fighting'. It proved extremely effective. They were natural choices for the job. Both had served in the Shanghai Municipal Police Force, facing death daily in the dark, narrow streets and alleys of the city against armed thugs and organised gangs. In Shanghai they had made some fighting knives out of bayonets. The meeting resulted in the Fairbairn Sykes Fighting knife that was manufactured by Wilkinson Sword Co. They eventually changed the design a number of times to evolve into the current 3rd pattern. The 1st pattern is by far the rarest, and the fewest types of FS ever made, as the second pattern, and the other variant's were produced fairly quickly after the first pattern's original order from the British Government, issued on the 14th November 1940, was fulfilled by January 1941. No scabbard

Code: 17226Price: 265.00 GBP