Antique Arms & Militaria

A Grenadier Guards Officer's Sword From The Lanes Armoury Sold, and Raised £2,465 For The Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham Charity, Photographed With H.M. King Charles formerly HRH P.O.W

Swords, over the eons, have been part of the journey of civilised mankind since the days of pre-history, before 1200 bc. And over 3200 years later, even ‘retired’ historic swords can be put to a fine use that they were certainly not entirely designed to perform.
We were absolutely delighted that a sword, from us, once sold at their special charity ball auction. The auction raised in total, £56,000, a most handsome sum.
Mike Hammond, the Chief Executive, wrote to us to say;
"We’ve already had hundreds more of people staying at the house since we opened our doors to military patients and their families, and the sword has helped in funding another 99 days of accommodation for the families".

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham is home to the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, which treats UK military patients injured or wounded anywhere around the world.
The hospital charity built Fisher House, a home away from home for military patients and their families to stay whilst they are having medical treatment. You can see more about Fisher House at their website www.fisherhouseuk.org All donations will be most gratefully received.

A photo in the gallery is of HM King Charles when as HRH Prince Charles, opening Fisher House.  read more

Code: 17336

19th Century, Circa 1880, Victorian Period Classical Figures of Renaissance Knights or the Founders of the Landsknechte Knight Mercenaries

A most attractive pair of original antique bronzed classical military figurines of historical armoured nobles. Possibly a rendition of Kaiser Maximilian I. und Georg von Frundsberg,

See photo in the gallery of Kaiser Maximilian I. und Georg von Frundsberg, depicting Maximilian I and Georg von Frundsberg, founders of the Landsknechte, by Karl von Blaas

A pair that would enhance any suitable interior decor, especially a gentleman’s study or library. In the past we have seen such figures suitably converted into pairs of lamps with finely formed lampshades, and that can be incredibly effective, especially for interior decorators.

Over the past decades we have sold many such similar pairs of classical bronzed figures to such as, Robert Kime, the so called king of English decorators, the appointed interior decorator to the late Queen Mother, and King Charles. Plus to the great David Hicks, another from the pantheon of the greatest world decorators, who like Robert adored the eclectic mixing of decorative, especially classical, antiques with modern textiles and furnishings.

The Landsknechte were Germanic mercenaries used in pike and shot formations during the early modern period. Consisting predominantly of pikemen and supporting foot soldiers, their front line was formed by Doppelsöldner ("double-pay men") renowned for their use of Zweihänder and arquebus. They formed the bulk of the Holy Roman Empire's Imperial Army from the late 1400s to the early 1600s, fighting in the Habsburg-Valois wars, the Habsburg-Ottoman wars, and the European wars of religion.

Although prone to mutiny if unpaid and divided within their ranks between Catholics and Lutherans, the Landsknechte were well-armed and experienced warriors, recruitable in large numbers throughout Germany and Austria by the Holy Roman Emperor; therefore, they guaranteed both quantity and quality to the Imperial military for a century and a half. At their peak during the reign of Charles V of Habsburg, and under the leadership of notable captains such as Georg von Frundsberg and Nicholas of Salm, the Imperial Landsknechts obtained important successes such as the capture of the French King Francis I at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 and the resistance against the Ottoman Turks led by Suleiman the Magnificent at the Siege of Vienna in 1529, while also being responsible for the infamous Sack of Rome in 1527

Bronze and light gilt finished spelter, figurines.
This alloy was first introduced by Sheffield manufacturers in the second half of the 18th century and is a product of the industrial revolution.
It was also known in its early days as white metal. it was hugely popular for sculptures of figures for decorative display, usually of historical figures.

Condition for age very good, One figure lacks a thumb.

13 inches high
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, as Britain’s oldest established, and favourite, armoury and gallery  read more

Code: 25010

A Scarce Infanterie Seitengewehr Model 1871 Mauser Rifle Bayonet With Full Regimental Markings to Sword and Scabbard

The Mauser Model 1871 adopted as the Gewehr 71 or Infanterie-Gewehr 71, or "Infantry Rifle 71" ("I.G.Mod.71" was stamped on the rifles themselves) was the first rifle model in a distinguished line designed and manufactured by Paul Mauser and Wilhelm Mauser of the Mauser company and later mass-produced at Spandau arsenal.

Irish Republicans imported some 1,500 single-shot 1871 Mausers in the Howth gun-running for the nationalist militia called the Irish Volunteers in 1914. They were used in action by the Volunteers in the Easter Rising of 1916, the rebellion aimed at ending British rule in Ireland which began the Irish War of Independence. The 1871 Mauser became known in Ireland as the "Howth Mauser"  read more

Code: 24977

A Most Intriguing, Early, Wide Bladed Mayan or Aztec Form Sacrificial Knife, Beautifully Carved Head of Possibly Vucub Caquix or Quetzalcoatl The Wind Spouting God, Upon the Stag-Horn Hilt

Acquired from an early, rare edged weapon collector, who sold us his other very similar example of this rare piece, around two months ago. now sold

An early antique wide hammer forged blade in an an almost Bowie style, with its clipped back tip form, and a single cutting edge. It is of a most unusual form of hilt with a large bladed knife, and may for tribal sacrificial purposes, or, a tribal ceremonial knife.

The carving is very reminiscent of the Mayan, Incan and Aztec culture, but some knives of this form can be little like those from Bali. The Aztec looking wind spouting snake head demon, is rather intriguing, and superbly executed, but as this is the first we have seen quite like this we can only suggest the comparisons we have seen in the past 50 years.

Vucub-Caquix is the name of a bird demon defeated by the Hero Twins of a Kʼicheʼ-Mayan myth preserved in an 18th-century document, entitled ʼPopol Vuhʼ. The episode of the demon's defeat was already known in the Late Preclassic Period, before the year 200 AD. He was also the father of Zipacna, an underworld demon deity, and Cabrakan, the Earthquake God.

To the Aztecs, Quetzalcoatl was, as his name indicates, a feathered serpent. He was a creator deity having contributed essentially to the creation of mankind. He also had anthropomorphic forms, for example in his aspects as Ehecatl the wind god. Among the Aztecs, the name Quetzalcoatl was also a priestly title, as the two most important priests of the Aztec Templo Mayor were called "Quetzalcoatl Tlamacazqui". In the Aztec ritual calendar, different deities were associated with the cycle-of-year names: Quetzalcoatl was tied to the year Ce Acatl (One Reed), which correlates to the year 1519.

One hand coloured page in the gallery is Quetzalcoatl as depicted in the Codex Telleriano-Remensis, there are also photos of original Mayan and Aztec stone carvings, depicting the god Quetzalcoatl. One can easily see the similarity to the carving depicted on the knife's hilt to these stone carvings

16 inches long overall.  read more

Code: 24978

Original & Rare 19th Century Saxon M.1880 Faschinenmesser Pioneer Artillery Short Sword - Regimentally Marked

Royal Saxon Field Artillery Regiment No.71

Very scarce Saxon sidearm that was only made for one year 1880/1881, in very good condition. Ideal for the collector of rare German swords. No scabbard.

Brass pommel, ribbed grips affixed with three brass rivet insets, steel collar and cross guard, steel single fuller blade, Elmo style blade marked on the ricasso stamped on spine of blade Imperial stamp and Crown A regimentaly stamped


Coloured photograph of the Royal Saxon Field Artillery Regiment 78 in the gallery  read more

Code: 24972

A Magnificent 18th Century Silver Hilted Small Sword, Dated 1758, with Colichmarde Blade. This Is One Of The Most Beautiful To Be Seen

A combination of the finest 18th century artisan's skill of both a silversmith and bespoke swordsmith. Circa 1758 and IC , probably John Carman of London.

General George Washington, later the first President of the United States, had a very similar sword that he used during his service as commander of the new American Army in the American War of Independance from 1776 onwards

Ideal in its day for duelling or close quarter combat, as well as being a simply fabulous, finest quality sword of immense beauty. Fine cast and chased silver hilt in the elegant rococo style with double shell guard single knucklebow and pas dans. The grip is bound in its original twisted silver wire. The guard has enchanting and highest quality workmanship with a scrolling, pierced, rococo shell pattern with florid embellishments thoughout. Colishmarde blade with bright steel finish. The highly distinctive colishmarde blades appeared in 1680 and were popular during the next 40 years at the royal European courts. The colichemarde bladed swords had a special popularity with the officers of the French and Indian War period. Even George Washington had a very fine one just as this example.

The colichemarde descended from the so-called "transition rapier", which appeared because of a need for a lighter sword, better suited to parrying. It was not so heavy at its point; it was shorter and allowed a limited range of double time moves.The colichemarde in turn appeared as a thrusting blade too and also with a good parrying level, hence the strange, yet successful shape of the blade.

This sword appeared at about the same time as the foil. However the foil was created for practising fencing at court, while the colichemarde was created for dueling. With the appearance of pocket pistols as a self-defense weapon, the colichemardes found an even more extensive use in dueling.
This was achieved thanks to a wide forte (often with several fullers), which then stepped down in width after the fullers ended.The result of this strange shape was a higher maneuverability of the sword: with the weight of the blade concentrated in one's hand it became possible to maneuver the blade at a greater speed and with a higher degree of control, allowing the fencer to place a precise thrust at his/her adversary. This sword is a true work of art, in it's beauty form, quality and balance.

The small sword or smallsword is a light one-handed rapier type sword designed for thrusting which evolved out of the longer and heavier rapier (espada ropera) of the late Renaissance. The height of the small sword's popularity was during the 18th century, when any civilian or military, with pretensions to gentlemanly status would have worn a small sword on a daily basis.

The blade of a small sword is comparatively short at around 0.6 to 0.85 metres (24 to 33 in), though some reach over 1 metre (39 in). It usually tapers to a sharp point but may lack a cutting edge. It is typically triangular in cross-section, although some of the early examples still have the rhombic and spindle-shaped cross-sections inherited from older weapons, like the rapier. This triangular cross-section may be hollow ground for additional lightness. Many small swords of the period between the 17th and 18th centuries were found with colichemarde blades.

It is thought to have appeared in France and spread quickly across the rest of Europe. The small sword was the immediate predecessor of the French duelling sword (from which the épée developed) and its method of use—as typified in the works of such authors as Sieur de Liancour, Domenico Angelo, Monsieur J. Olivier and Monsieur L'Abbat—developed into the techniques of the French classical school of fencing. The small sword was mainly used as a duelling weapon.

Militarily, small swords continued to be used as a standard sidearm for infantry officers.Small swords were used both by the military (where they served more as a sign of a certain rank rather than a real weapon for close combat) and as a dueling weapon. The very height of the small sword's widespread popularity was in the 18th century, when it was considered fashionable by aristocrats ("no gentleman was dressed without his sword" – contemporary idiom of the middle of the 18th century), but it was still used as a duelling weapon

John Carman (II) was indentured to his father on 19 June 1736 at the age of fourteen. He was elected Master of the Cutlers' Company in 1761 and died in 1764 at the age of 41.  read more

Code: 24952

A Superb, Original, Late Queen Elizabeth Ist to King James Ist Period Miniature Pistol. Late 1500's, To The Turn of The 17th Century, Functioning Miniature Pistol

A pistol made in bronze, many hundreds of years ago, to fire off for the entertainment of the nobility and their children. Dark blue-black bronze age patination

An extraordinary little piece of rarely known history, from the earliest age of the black powder pistol. These intriguing miniature functioning pistols were called petronel, named after the original early name of matchlock and wheellock pistols, and very much of the period, from the Elizabethan to the Carolean age.

A petronel is a 16th and 17th century black powder muzzle-loading firearm, defined by Robert Barret (Theorike and Practike of Modern Warres, 1598) as a horsemans peece. It was the muzzle-loading firearm which developed on the one hand into the pistol and on the other into the carbine. The name (French petrinel or poitrinal) was given to the weapon either because it was fired with the butt resting against the chest (French poitrine, Latin pectus) or it was carried slung from a belt across the chest. Petronels are found with either matchlock or wheellock mechanisms.

The sclopus was the prototype of the petronel. The petronel is a compromise between the harquebus and the pistol. Early petronels date back to the end of the 14th century, with a crude buttstock. Generally the touch hole is on the right side, and fired by a separate slow match. Sometimes they had small hinged plate covers to protect the priming from moisture. By extension, the term petronel was also used to describe the type of light cavalry who employed the firearm. The petronel (cavalryman) was used to support the heavy cavalry such as demi-lancers and cuirassiers. The petronel was succeeded by a similarly armed cavalryman called the harquebusier.


We acquired a stunning little collection of miniature petronel, effectively toys, and they are the Zenith of original, and historical conversation pieces, especially when one considers they are around 450 year old working pistols. Naturally they were not made with the action mechanism of a full sized petronel, one just ignited them with a smouldering match cord, to create an instantaneous small bang and puff of smoke.
Please note, under no circumstances should one try to use them today. Each pistol is to be sold seperately.  read more

Code: 24929

A Superb Case Hardened Steel Gun Lock Of a Greene Carbine 1856 For the Crimean War Then the American Civil War

Scarce British-Type Greene Carbine by Massachusetts Arms Company
Case-hardened swivel breech action with Maynard tape primer system. Lock marked: Queen's crown /VR/Mass.Arms Co./U.S.A./1856.

James Durell Greene was a prolific firearms inventor and determined to make his mark This carbine lock was manufactured by the Massachusetts Arms Company and exported to Great Britain after being inspected and stamped with the Queen's Crown by British inspectors in the USA. These were used by the British Cavalry in the Crimean War but re-exported to the USA after the Crimea War. These fine guns were deemed to be very accurate but the paper and linen cartridges of the time were criticised as being prone to swell in the damp and consequently the carbine did not find favour with the British Government. The carbine features an unusual "floating thimble" to obdurate the breech and an internal "pricker" that punctured the cartridge. It also featured Maynard Tape priming which was in the forefront of priming technology at the time and the mechanism for this is in perfect condition. The quality of workmanship is exceptional and it actions as crisply today as it did when it was made 158 years ago.
An exceptional item in outstanding condition. Only 2000 were manufactured and a complete carbine sold at Rock Island auction for $6,900 in 2021  read more

Code: 24920

A Beautiful Original Roman 1st to 2nd Century A.D. Modius or Fire Alter Status Seal Ring.

Henig type Xb. Wide oval bezel affixed to flattened shoulders engraved copper alloy. Almost identical to one found in the UK near Hadrian's Wall. Engraved to either to represent the Zaroastrian fire altar, or vessel of sprouting grains. The engraved intaglio seal ring was important for displaying the Roman's status. For example Tiberius, who was after all left-handed according to Suetonius, thus displays a ring in his bronze portrait as the Pontifex Maximus: The complete Roman Empire had around a 60 million population and a census more perfect than many parts of the world (to collect taxes, of course) but identification was still quite difficult and aggravated even more because there were a maximum of 17 men names and the women received the name of the family in feminine and a number (Prima for First, Secunda for Second…). A lot of people had the same exact name.
So the Roman proved the citizenship by inscribing themselves (or the slaves when they freed them) in the census, usually accompanied with two witnesses. Roman inscribed in the census were citizens and used an iron or bronze ring to prove it. With Augustus, those that could prove a wealth of more than 400,000 sesterces were part of a privileged class called Equites (knights) that came from the original nobles that could afford a horse. The Equites were middle-high class and wore a bronze or gold ring to prove it, with the famous Angusticlavia (a tunic with an expensive red-purple twin line). Senators (those with a wealth of more than 1,000,000 sesterces) also used the gold ring and the Laticlave, a broad band of purple in the tunic.

So the rings were very important to tell from a glimpse of eye if a traveller was a citizen, an equites or a senator, or legionary. People sealed and signed letters with the rings and its falsification could bring death.
The fugitive slaves didn’t have rings but iron collars with texts like “If found, return me to X” which also helped to recognise them. The domesticus slaves (the ones that lived in houses) didn’t wore the collar but sometimes were marked. A ring discovered 50 years ago is now believed to possibly be the ring of Pontius Pilate himself, and it was the same copper-bronze form ring as is this one. Comes in a complimentary box  read more

Code: 24910

A Small & Beautiful Neolithic 7000 to 10000 Year Old Small Polished Stone Age Symbolic Flint Hand Axe 5000 to 8000 bc

In the Neolithic period (later stone age) people started to settle down and start farming. At places such as Springfield Lyons, in Chelmsford, Essex, these early settlements have been identified. It was also at this time when stone tools, which up until this point had been purely functional, started to take on a more symbolic meaning.

A beautiful piece of ancient craftsmanship, with the hand polishing of flint being incredibly labour intensive, even for the smallest of examples.

Besides being tools, axes could also have important ritual and social functions. Polished stone axes and other tools that were never used have been found across the county, showing changes in social hierarchy and possibly even the development of religion.

In the Neolithic period people began to use flint axes that had been polished. The polishing of flint marks such a significant technological advance that archaeologists use this to draw the boundary between the Mesolithic and the Neolithic periods.

Although small polished axes are readily believed to be symbolic for ceremonies some speculate they could also be the first human concept of jewellery, the evolution of two dimensional art of cave paintings, into three dimensional art, being artefacts of rare and fine materials to be given or traded.

The population grew, and this led to competition for space, power and leadership. The farmer could mark his position in battle, as well as with peaceful exchanges of gifts with neighbours and friends. Gifts could be ornate axes of flint or amber beads. Many of these riches were sacrificed to the powers above in lakes. In the early Neolithic period people were also sometimes executed and thrown in lakes. Conflicts among the farmers may have triggered off violence and killings. Human sacrifices were also made. Both young and old people ended their days in this way.

The Neolithic also known as the "New Stone Age", the final division of the Stone Age, began about 12,000 years ago when the first development of farming appeared in the Epipalaeolithic Near East, and later in other parts of the world. The division lasted until the transitional period of the Chalcolithic from about 6,500 years ago (4500 BC), marked by the development of metallurgy, leading up to the Bronze Age and Iron Age. In Northern Europe, the Neolithic lasted until about 1700 BC, while in China it extended until 1200 BC. Other parts of the world (the New World) remained in the Neolithic stage of development until European contact.

The Neolithic comprises a progression of behavioral and cultural characteristics and changes, including the use of wild and domestic crops and of domesticated animals.

The term Neolithic derives from the Greek neos and lithos "New Stone Age". The term was coined by Sir John Lubbock in 1865 as a refinement of the three-age system.

Photo of Skara Brae, Orkney, Neolithic home, thought to be 5,000 years old

38 mm long  read more

Code: 24912