Original. Most Rare, A1929 Zeppelin Orientfahrt Over Egypt. The Zeppelin's Oriental Flight Over The Pyramids & Sphinx'. An Awarded Table Medal In Solid, Fine Silver. Len Deighton, World Renown Thriller & Spy Novelist Wrote a Book on The Very Flight

Only the second we have had or seen in 25 years. the only other we have seen is in the Landesmuseum in Wurttemberg.

Of all the medals issued in Europe for the very significant aeronautical occasions involving balloons and airships, this is one of the most artistically beautiful, capturing the flight over the great pyramids spectacularly in the typical Art Deco style. Just regard the amazing font, simple elegant but unique to that brief period. It was just a few short years since Carter had discovered the finest and fabulous golden treasures ever excavated in the history of the world, from the tomb of the boy king, the Pharoah Tutankhamen, and just three years before the great Boris Karloff starred in the iconic Hollywood movie, The Mummy.
Egypt and the art it inspired was all the rage around the world, in the news, art, film and decor, and this is just a fabulous representation of that amazing period.

This is a very rare and valuable medal, in super condition, made in fine silver, awarded and issued in 1929, for Dr. Hugo Eckener, depicting the Orientfahrt Orient flight of the airship Graf Zeppelin in 1929 Another rare surviving example of this fine medal is in the Landesmuseum in Wurttemberg.

In Britain it is regarded that a medal is only a wearable decoration, worn using either a chest ribbon, neck ribbon, or sash, or with a rear mounted uniform dress mounting pin, but in Europe, a medal is more often than not a display piece, issued for the same reasons as a wearable medal, for individuals as a reward, for commemoration or celebration, but not for personal adornment. Either displayed in a table mounted glass case or free standing cabinet.

On 24/03/1929 - the LZ127 Graf Zeppelin Orient Flight was launched for the reintroduction of air flight post-office mail.
Len Deighton, world renown thriller and spy novelist, under his psuedonym Cyril Deighton, wrote a rare and desirable book on this very flight, due to his love of airships and philately.

The Orientfahrt is distinguished for being one of the most controversial - in purely philatelic terms - of the Graf Zeppelin's history, mostly because there are no detailed sources of the flight that are completely reliable. The book records in great detail the flight from Germany which was like a theatrical event, where dinner was served over the Dead Sea and breakfast would be over the Acropolis; the ship subsequently flew over Rome, Naples and Cyprus.
Dropping mail at Jaffa, Athens, Budapest, Vienna
And flew over Palestine and Egypt.

Dr Eckner Born in Flensburg in 1868. Hugo Eckener came into contact with Count Zeppelin as a correspondent for the Frankfurter Zeitung through one of his reports on the Zeppelin airship. This resulted in a long-term cooperation. At the end of the 1890s, Eckener moved from Flensburg to Friedrichhafen and became tour leader and authorized representative of the German Airship Company (DELAG), founded in 1909. After the death of Count Zeppelin, Eckener awoke the interest in airships through the Atlantic crossing of the Zeppelin 126 and the world tour of LZ 127 in the 1920s. Between 1931 and 1937 a regular transatlantic regular service between Frankfurt, the USA and Brazil with the two Zeppelinen 127 and 129 was furnished.

The front of the medal from 1929 shows the bust of Eckener to the left. The back shows an airship over the sphinx and pyramids, behind the rising sun. See in reference to this medal; Hans Kaiser, 1998: medals, plaques, badges of German aviation. The coined chronicle of the German aviation, Gutersloh, S. 137 No. 494.1 &
Kienast, Gunter W., 1967: The medals of Karl Goetz, Cleveland, Ohio, S. II, 284 S.: No. op.428  read more

Code: 22151

A Simply Stunning And Historical Persian Kulah Khud Helmet, Qajar Era, Surmounted with an Ancestor's War Trophy, A 12th Cent. Crusaders Arrow, To Represent the Traditional Kulah Khud Helmet Spike

A fabulously beautiful 18th to 19th century helmet, crowned at the peak with an surmounted battle souvenir of an original Crusader's arrow head from the victory of Saladin's army at the Battle Hattin in the 12th century.

The helmet of hemispherical form, the brim hammer welded to the bowl, fitted at its apex, with a moulded base, with the arrow head, and at the front a sliding nasal bar secured by a thumb-screw and with a plume-holder on each side, decorated throughout with a framework of gold cartouches filled with mounted warriors and calligraphy, the brim encircled by a calligraphic panel of text from the Koran, framed by gold lines, and lamellar mail neck defence of butted links, with a small resin repair. The apex of the helmet bears a 12th century Crusader's iron arrow head, said by legend to have come from the booty of the Battle of Hattin, Saladin's great victory against the Crusaders. The Battle of Hattin took place on 4 July 1187, between the Crusader states of the Levant and the forces of the Ayyubid sultan Salah ad-Din, known in the West as Saladin. It is also known as the Battle of the Horns of Hattin, from a nearby extinct volcano.

The Muslim armies under Saladin captured or killed the vast majority of the Crusader forces, removing their capability to wage war. As a direct result of the battle, Muslims once again became the eminent military power in the Holy Land, re-conquering Jerusalem and most of the other Crusader-held cities. These Christian defeats prompted the Third Crusade, which began two years after the Battle of Hattin. The Crusader army was composed of knights from the: Kingdom of Jerusalem
Knights Templar
Knights Hospitaller
Order of Saint Lazarus
Order of Mountjoy.

The fitting of ancient relics within the warriors armour, from the greatest battles of Saladin, is a profound statement of connection the the historic past, we have seen once before on another very fine kulah khud helmet that we had about 15 years ago. Antique Arabian jambiya of the highest quality often have ancient Europen coins inset within their hilts for a similar purpose. The field restored chainmail has been repaired aroundthe equivalent area of medium sized coin, this could likely be fairly easily tidied much better.  read more

Code: 21500

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

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

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

Code: 25187

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

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

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

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

Code: 23302

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

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

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

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

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

Code: 24406

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

Around 500 years old.

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

Code: 23142

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

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

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

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

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

Code: 22268

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

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

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

Code: 24195

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

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

Code: 23974

A Stunning Moghul Indo Persian Jade Handled Tiger Tooth Blade Khanjar

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

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

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

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

Code: 22507