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Nation : East India Company
Local Price : £38995.00

Fabulous Museum Grade Sword 18th Century Damascus Wootz Steel, Mohammed's Ladder Pattern, & Stunning Solid Silver & Enamel Makara Hilt, The 'Palace of the Nawab of Lucknow’. Probably One of The Most Beautiful & Finest Indian Princely Royal Swords. This fabulous royal grade solid silver and enamel sword, with Lucknow distinctive enamel work of flowering plants interspersed with architectural vignettes, has just returned from a museum grade blade polish to reveal its obscured {through natural age} finest, crucible steel wootz Damascus blade, in the pattern of Mohammed's Ladder. Unsurprisingly, it now looks as fine and beautiful as it was when last used in the 18th & 19th century by such as the King of Oudh {Lucknow} Ghasi-ud-din, Haidar Shah The ‘Mohammed’s Ladder’ Kirk Narduban Crucible ‘Wootz Damascus’ steel blade is truly breathtaking. The Ladder of Mohammed is said to have enabled Mohammed to travel through the heavens, meeting various prophets and gaining access to the different levels of paradise. Muhammad's ladder thus symbolizes the connection between the terrestrial and spiritual worlds, representing spiritual elevation and proximity to God. Which ultimately means, to many, this is the most desirable and likely rarest of all the early Indo-Persian crucible wootz Damascus steel blade designs, being of such a spiritual significance, as well as stunningly beautiful. Intriguingly it is still contentious, to specialist academics, as to how it was even made, as there is no clear agreed evidence or knowledge as to its extraordinary construction. There are two trains of thought but no undeniable agreement.. The museum grade conservation polish goes up to the gold cartouche, at the base of the hilt, and around the hilt langets. The small area of the gold cartouche has been left ‘as is’ intentionally. The potential very high risk of damage being created to the gold calligraphy by attempting to polish within the gold seal would be extremely dangerous to its integrity. It is only responsible to not take any even remote chance of damage to this fabulous and historical rare treasure. A near identical pair to our sword, is another magnificent and rare example, Makara enamel hilted crucible steel bladed sword, is an exhibit in the world renown Getty Museum Collection in America {see a photo of the pair together side by side by comparison in the gallery}. Occasionally, surviving Lucknow swords of the silver and enamel Goat Head pattern can be found, used by lesser nobles of the Shah's court, but the mythical Makara silver and enamel hilted swords, apparently, were reserved for the Shah's sole and personal use, especially with the Mohommed's ladder blade. A magnificent work of art, and the sword of a prince or king. It has a fabulous vibrant hues of brilliant blue and green through a painstaking champlevé and basse-taille enameling process. This process involves fusing coloured glass to metal at extraordinarily high temperatures to create a striking and durable outer layer that can withstand the test of time. This distinctive usage of blues and greens on the piece reinforces its origins in Lucknow, a renowned centre for the production of such sophisticated enamel artifacts. The fabulous wootz Mahommed's Ladder Kirk Narduban pattern Damascus blade, with a gold inscription and gold cartouches. In very good condition for age, the polychrome enamels are inlaid into the solid silver hilt, that is further decorated with three heads of the mythical beast, the Makara, including the pommel and both quillon ends, with just very minor enamel surface losses. One of the finest Lucknow Damascus swords you could find today, from the one time rulers of Lucknow, and most likely originated from the palace of the Nawab of Lucknow. A Nawab was a Sovereign Prince and Governor of the Moghul Empire. An almost identical princely form of Lucknow Makara enamel silver hilted sword is in the Getty Research Institute, in LA, California. Centuries ago Lucknow emerged as one of the most important centres in the world for courtly crafts such as fine enamelling on silver. It was the capital of the state of Oudh which was established in 1750. The flourishing arts scene was largely on account of the patronage of the local, supremely wealthy Nawabs of Oudh. By the mid-19th century, Lucknow was India's largest and wealthiest city. Lucknow Moghul daggers and swords, especially with Damascus blades, are considered to be some of the most valuable and desirable in the world of antique weaponry art. Representations of such are in the finest collections, such as the British Royal Collection, The British Museum and the Getty Museum. The mythical Makara; Dwelling in the Indian Ocean, the Makara is traditionally looked upon as a powerful deity, which was capable of harming or guarding seafarers, depending upon its whims. Many scholars naturally assume that the tales of the Makara are nothing more than myths based upon ancient eyewitness accounts of Indian elephants swimming off the coast of India, as they are sometimes known to do. Until 1719, the subah of Awadh was a province of the Mughal Empire administered by a Governor appointed by the Emperor. Persian adventurer Saadat Khan, also known as Burhan-ul-Mulk, was appointed Nizam of Awadh in 1722 and established his court in Faizabad, near Lucknow. Many independent kingdoms, such as Awadh, were established as the Mughal Empire disintegrated. The third Nawab, Shuja-ud-Daula (r. 1753-1775), fell out with the British after aiding the fugitive Nawab of Bengal, Mir Qasim. Roundly defeated at the Battle of Buxar by the East India Company, he was forced to pay heavy penalties and surrender parts of his territory. Awadh's capital, Lucknow rose to prominence when Asaf-ud-Daula, the fourth Nawab, shifted his court to the city from Faizabad in 1775. The British East India Company appointed a resident (ambassador) in 1773 and by early 19th century gained control of more territory and authority in the state. They were, however, disinclined to capture Awadh outright and come face to face with the Maratha Empire and the remnants of the Mughal Empire. In 1798, the fifth Nawab Wazir Ali Khan alienated both his people and the British and was forced to abdicate. The British then helped Saadat Ali Khan take the throne. He became a puppet king, and in a treaty of 1801, yielded large part of Awadh to the East India Company while also agreeing to disband his own troops in favour of a hugely expensive, British-controlled army. This treaty effectively made the state of Awadh a vassal of the East India Company, although it continued to be part of the Mughal Empire in name until 1819. The treaty of 1801 proved a beneficial arrangement for the East India Company as they gained access to Awadh's vast treasuries, repeatedly digging into them for loans at reduced rates. In addition, the revenues from running Awadh's armed forces brought them useful returns while the territory acted as a buffer state. The Nawabs were ceremonial kings, busy with pomp and show. By the mid-nineteenth century, however, the British had grown impatient with the arrangement and demanded direct control over Awadh. In 1856 the East India Company first moved its troops to the border, then annexed the state for alleged maladministration. Awadh was placed under a chief commissioner Sir Henry Lawrence. Wajid Ali Shah, the then Nawab, was imprisoned, then exiled by the East India Company to Calcutta. In the subsequent Indian Rebellion of 1857, his 14-year-old son Birjis Qadra, whose mother was Begum Hazrat Mahal, was crowned ruler. Following the rebellion's defeat, Begum Hazrat Mahal and other rebel leaders sought asylum in Nepal. Ghazi-ud-Din Haidar Shah became Nawab Wazir of Oudh on 11 July 1814 after the death of his father. In 1818, under the influence of Warren Hastings, the British Governor of the Presidency of Fort William (Bengal), he declared himself as the independent Padshah-i-Awadh (King of Oudh). This sword would likely have been part of his treasure. The story of the the wonders of the creating of these blade goes back at least 2400 years. The possibly first indirect reference to crucible steel appears in the writing of Ctesias of Cnidu, a Greek physician at the court of the Persian King Artaxerxes II (404 BC - 398/397 BC) he wrote several (lost) books about Persia and India. St. Photios the Great (Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 858 to 867 and from 877 to 886) quoted from Ctesias books in the 9th century AD or about 1300 years later. From this we know of two wonderful if not magical swords of (maybe) Indian iron that Artaxerxes gave to Ctesias. Going back 1700 years. Such as was written by Zosimos (a. 350 AD - ca. 420 AD) who was born in Panoplis (present-day Akhmim in the south of Egypt). He worked as an early alchemist in Alexandria and has written in fine detail. Some of his writings have survived. As far as crucible steel is concerned, he states: "The tempering of Indian Iron: Take 4 pounds of soft iron, and the skins of myrobalans, called elileg, 15 parts; belileg, 4 parts; and two parts of glassmakers magnesia. Then place it into a crucible amd make it level. .... Put on the charcoal and blow the fire until the iron becomes molten and the ingredients become united with it. ... Such is the premier and royal operation, which is practiced today and by means of which they make marvellous swords. It was discovered by the Indians and exploited by the Persians". Two paintings in the gallery {for historical information only}; 1} Ghasi-ud-din, Haidar Shah Nawab of Oudh (in power from 1814 to 1818), and was subsequently made the first King of Oudh (1818-27). Its possible he may be holding this sword when he sat for this portrait in 1818 2} The Procession of Ghazi ud-Din Haider Shah through Lucknow No scabbard.

Nation : British
Local Price : £36950.00

Most Incredible & Finest Quality King George IIIrd Napoleonic Wars Scottish Presentation Sword, Presented In The Months Following the Battle of Trafalgar The Regiment of Midlothian Infantry, East Midlothian, By the Officer's & Men of The New Battle Co.. This is a magnificent ‘royal grade’ museum piece, a sublime quality presentation sword, made with the finest copper-gilt mounts, silver panels, and a stunning blue and gilt blade with deluxe engraving and etched presentation panel. A sword of the highest rank, commissioned to be hand made by Mr Phillip Rundell & Mr George Bridge, partners of their company of personal goldsmiths to King George IIIrd, and one of the worlds finest makers of objects of magnificence, including the British Crown Jewels, universally recognised as the finest, and most valuable by far, suite of royal regalia in the world. Formerly in the world famous Smithsonian Collection in Washington, America, sold by them over 25 years ago to raise an urgent need of funds. In the days it was commissioned it would have been made for the equivalent and likely same cost of the £100 Lloyds Patriotic Fund Presentation Swords, that were presented to the heroes of the Royal Navy, such as that fought at Trafalger etc. Bearing in mind the value of £100 in 1806 was a simply remarkable sum, for example only 6% of the families in Britain had a total income of £100 in an entire year in 1806, an equivalent today of around £80,000. Presentation inscription motto etched onto the blade reads; ‘Into whose hand this sword is put, It’s hop’t will not fear Buonaparte, So draw me out I shine so clear and if I strike my foes may fear” This fabulous sword, was made by Philip Rundell and George Bridge whose company later made The British Imperial State Crown, the most famous and important royal crown of state ever made, and last used by her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for her coronation in 1953. This wondrous sword was formerly from the Smithsonian Collection in Washington, and is remarkably similar to the most valuable and highest quality presentation British swords of the Napoleonic Wars, the Lloyds Patriotic Fund sabres, that today can fetch up to £220,000, considerably more than they were achieving 40 years ago when we sold a fine £100 pound Lloyds sword, and even 20 years ago when we sold our last Lloyds £100 pound sword. This sword's makers were King George IIIrds personal goldsmiths, and made the Irish Crown Jewels in 1830, and Queen Victoria's Imperial State Crown " expressly made for the solemnity of the Coronation" That was last used by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth IInd for her coronation. This spectacular sword is inscribed that its bearer should fight Napoleon Bonaparte without fear, but his foes The French will fear its startling brightness and beauty. It has a sharply curved blade, decorated with stands of arms, a crowned GR cypher, the king's Royal arms, a figure of Britannia, and the motto see photo in the gallery and another further Scottish regimental presentation panel on the opposing side of the blade see photo. The dedication reads; Presented by the New battle company of The Eastern Regt. of Midlothian Volunteer Infantry, to David Wight Esq, their Captain as a Mark of their Regard and Esteem, 1806 It has a superbly detailed classically styled stirrup hilt decorated with acanthus scrolls, oak leaves and acorns, with the langets decorated with stands of arms, it has a copper gilt simulated wire and ribbon bound grip, contained in its ornately mounted silver and copper gilt leather scabbard, each mount finely engraved and decorated with acanthus leaf bouquets and featuring a central oval silver plaque decorated with stands of arms, the upper mount with maker's panel. This amazing sword was formerly in the collection of the Smithsonian in Washington, USA, bequeathed to them by a famed American collector of Napoleonic arms, which they sold for the benefit of the Smithsonian's funds over 25 years ago. Blade 75 cm approx. Maker marked by Philip Rundell and George Bridge of London. The firm was appointed as one of the goldsmiths and jewellers to the king in 1797 and Principal Royal Goldsmiths & Jewellers in 1804, and the firm held the Royal Warrant until 1843. They served four monarchs: George III, George IV, William IV and Victoria. After the Congress of Vienna (1814–1815), the firm prepared 22 snuff-boxes to a value of 1000 guineas each to be given as diplomatic gifts. In 1830–1831, the firm created the Irish Crown Jewels from 394 precious stones taken from the English Crown Jewels of Queen Charlotte and the Order of the Bath star of her husband George III, and Queen Victoria's Imperial State Crown for her coronation. Despite the incredible success of the Battle of Trafalgar, and the routing of Napoleon’s French and Spanish fleet by Admiral Nelson, concern was still great amongst the people of Britain, in fact it was never greater, of the fear that Bonaparte would continue his efforts to confound and attempt to conquer Britain and its empire, and thus to create his own empire controlling all of Europe And Russia. Rundells quality of workmanship was so fine and renowned throughout the world that there are over 100 items by Rundells in the Royal collection alone. This wonderful sword was obviously worn with pride by its recipient officer, thus the blade shows commensurate signs of light surface wear as to be expected. We can, if required, commission a contemporary, bespoke glazed & framed display cabinet made by our local specialist artisan. Perfectly suitable for table or wall mounting. With several options of wood framing types, such as gilt, black or silver, also with coloured velvet backing options, and a suitably engraved brass plaque if required. The scabbard has a blank silver panel on the inner throat mount that could have been presentation engraved but hasn't been

Nation : German
Local Price : 35000.00 USD

Very Important C 1600 Saxon Rapier From The Army Of Peter Iii Of Russia!. PLEASE READ FRAMED DESCRIPTION OF THIS AMAZING RAPIER! This great, great rarity is said to have descended in German family since the 19th century. It was professionally cleaned and the grip re-wrapped in the late 20th century. Printed description along with several 8.5” x 11” color prints of Peter III accompany the rapier. Very serious inquiries only. Please state full name and location if you would like a response.

Nation : British
Local Price : £27,500.00

**SUPERB**EXTREMELY RARE**C1780 Brace Of Matching 1 To 8 Numbered Barrels English Waters (Birmingham) 32 Bore Ship’s Sea Captain’s Duck's Foot Flintlock Volley Pistols With Screw Off Cannon Barrels & Intricate Silver Wire Inlaid Decoration. Sn 22583:4 -. 22583:4 Duck's foot pistols, also known as volley pistols, are a type of firearm with multiple barrels arranged to resemble a duck's foot. They were primarily used in situations where a single person needed to quickly and forcefully engage a larger group of opponents. These pistols gained popularity among sea captains in the flintlock era to subdue or repel mutinous crews or pirates. Captains would usually carry a brace of these weapons. Duck’s foot pistols owed much of their effectiveness to psychology. Mobs were rarely armed with firearms, and their offensive capability was based on size, backed up with knives, cudgels, and cobblestones. Consequently, a man wielding an impressive multi-barrelled handgun had an intimidatory effect. There was always a chance that the same man armed with a single-shot pistol might miss; the duck’s foot was a different matter, and there were likely to be multiple casualties, nobody wanted to be one of them. John Waters was an English Birmingham gunmaker recorded as working 1766 to 1788, he later went into partnership with Thomas Gill who started in Birmingham and worked in London, c.1780-1800 see Howard L. Blackmore (1986) Gunmakers Of London, 1350-1850 (internet sources). This fine pair of extremely rare to find and desirable Duck’s foot pistol’s as used by Sea Ship’s Captains by Waters (most likely John). The matching pistols are each 9” overall with Four 2 ¾” turn off cannon barrels. One pistols barrels and breeches are numbered 1,2,3 & 4, the other pistol’s barrels and breeches are consecutively numbered ‘5,6,7& 8. The underside of each pistols actions at the breech have English proofs. The smoothbores of each barrel on both pistols have just light staining consistent with age. The actions and trigger guards of both pistols have foliate engraved decoration. One side of each action are signed by the maker with marching signatures ‘Waters’. The pistols cocks are each fitted with flints. The metal work of both pistols is clean and their cocking and firing actions are crisp. The undamaged walnut stocks of each pistol have beautiful inlaid scrolling wire decoration, all wire is present and intact. The butts of both pistols have Grotesque head silver caps. The price for these superb rare matching 4 barrel Duck’s foot flintlocks includes UK delivery. NB No licence is required to own these antique flintlock pistols in the UK if retained as part of a collection or display. Sn 22583:4 (in public cabinet)

Nation : American
Local Price : 25000.00 USD

Ex Rare American Revolution Signed Horseman’s Saber, Ex Flayderman Coll.. Here is the rarest of the rare when it comes to American Revolutionary War horseman’s sabers! It is the only recorded example of a horseman’s sword attributed to Pennsylvania cutler Josiah Wood and struck deeply with his mark on the blade’s ricasso. Ex Norman Flayderman collection and pictured in the most important reference for American Rev War swords; “Swords and Blades of the American Revolution”, by George Neumann, plate 314s. Josiah Wood contracted with the Committee of Safety for production of pikes during the Revolution. He is recorded in “Arms Makers of Colonial America” by Whisker, page 205. The Wood saber is constructed in the usual Rev War era 4 slot guard pattern, but the side bars are not straight, they are diamond shaped and the entire hilt is profusely decorated all over with 100’s of tiny differing punches. It is highlighted by the beautiful, tall decorated pommel. The original, twist carved, walnut grip is completely intact (no damage or cracking) as is the original brass grip wire (now slightly loose from natural wood grip shrinkage). The plain, flat, curved blade measures 33” and is deeply struck at the ricasso with Josiah Wood’s mark. It is in untouched, uncleaned condition with a deep aged patina. Only some mild pitting near tip. Sword is in overall excellent original condition! Signed American Rev War sabers are extreme rarities. A James Potter, NY horseman’s saber now brings about $25,000. Our Josiah Wood saber is considerably rarer (and absolutely gorgeous) compared to the plain black, non decorated Potter sabers. When you take into consideration that there are an estimated 30 + surviving examples of the James Potter sabers and only one known example of the Josiah Wood saber there is no comparison! This is truly the rarest of the rare! For the most advanced American Revolutionary collection or museum. If you want the best of the best and the rarest of the rare, here it is! Serious inquires only. Please state full name and location if you would like a response. We are only asking 25K on this great, museum quality, signed American Revolutionary War horseman's saber. About the same as the going price of a common James Potter horseman's saber. Don't let this pass you by. He who hesitates is lost! Be sure to check out our other listings for more great swords, arms and armor! Our direct email address is: [email protected]

Nation : British
Local Price : £25,000

Fine and Rare English Basket Hilted Sword dating to circa 1550. A fine and rare example of the earliest form of Anglo-Scottish basket hilted sword dating to the middle of the 16th century. The sword is part of a rare group first to be formed with fully developed structurally symmetrical basket hilts. Few have survived to the present day and this example is unusual because of its wonderful original condition, even retaining its original grip, and a smooth aged dark undisturbed patination all over. The knucklebow vertically bisects the hilt into two mirrored halves. As such this sword represents the end of asymmetrical basket hilt evolution in the late medieval period from earlier simple cruciform hilted swords and the beginning of the early modern era of the basket hilted sword. From this hilt structure the more typical English and Scottish basket hilts evolved in the later 16th century and thereafter. For a full description of the evolution of this type of sword and for further examples see: The Baron of Earlshall “The Scottish Basket Hilted Sword Volume I c. 1450 to 1600”, Earlshall Publications, 2016. This sword is described in pages 136 and 137 and extensively illustrated in plates 74 to 77. The sword is clearly one of the better examples of this rare type discussed in the book and is one of the best examples still in private ownership. The blackened iron hilt consists of substantial rounded structural bars infilled with saltires between the knucklebow and each side guard bar centred with thickly forged cusped rectangular guard plates each chiselled with a raised foliate leaf. These small panels are clearly the evolutionary forerunner of the later more developed Scottish basket hilted swords forged with larger fretted guard plates on either side of the knucklebow. The guard plates increased in size throughout the 17th century. The quillons are still fully formed and horizontally counter curved with faceted knopped terminals. These disappeared from basket hilt design by the end of the 16th century. The looped forward guards are fully developed and a feature which remained a salient facet of Scottish basket hilt design structure to the present day. The large hollow spherical pommel is formed from two halves brazed together around the middle and has a pair of parallel lines extending around the equator. From the uppermost of these lines five panels formed as leaves extend point up towards the pommel in similar form to those present on the exterior of the guard plates. The tang is delicately peened over over the top of the pommel without the support of a button which is the usual method of securing the hilt parts for this early form of sword (for a further identical example of this technique see a sword of similar date once in the collection of Claude Blair in a paper by the same: “The Early Basket-Hilt in Britain” in “Scottish Weapons & Fortifications 1100-1800”, edited by David H Caldwell, John Donald Publishers, 1981, page 215. The original diagonally fluted baluster shaped oval section wooden grip retains its wire woven Turks Heads and the remains of its wire binding. Typical of this group of swords the long blade measures 37.7 inches (95.7 cm). It is of usual single edged form with a pronounced ricasso and a triple fuller running from the hilt underneath the spine for most of its length after which the blade becomes double edged to the tip. There is some minor lamination on one side in two of the fullers around two thirds of the way along. The overall length is 43.5 inches (110.5 cm). Provenance: The Collection of Mr David A Oliver. --> --> Gallery

Nation : German
Local Price : $16400.00

A SOUTH GERMAN TWO HAND SWORD MUNICH C.1580. At 69” total length, this massive sword descends from those carried by Landschnechts earlier in the century. These swords were carried by specially trained swordsmen of exceptional stature who received triple pay to clear the path ahead of infantry. This example was produced by the esteemed Stantler family of Munich and bears their mark on the blade. The mark was used by both Christoph Stantler I (d.1601) and his son of the same name (d.1 634). Another two handed sword with the same mark, by the Stantlers, is in the Wallace Collection, #A470. Other examples are included in numerous museum collections including the Bavarian National Museum, Munich, The Historical Museum, Vienna, one dated 1575, The Army Museum in Paris (5 examples), the Solothurn Zeughaus, and the Bern Historical Museum as well as others. Among the most revered of two handed swords are the famous two handers of Zurich, preserved in the Swiss National Museum. A two handed sword by the Stantlers, is nothing short off the Holy Grail of edged weapons collection!

Nation : Viking
Local Price : $16200.00

A RARE VIKING SWORD 10th CENTURY AD. Peterson type X. 32 5/8” broad fullered blade. Straight cross guard with slightly lobed terminals. One end with a small lug projection each side. That feature is unique in our experience but may well have been on other examples now lost to corrosion. Its function is speculative and worthy of further research. The pommel is of flat bottomed Brazil nut form. Excavated and professionally conserved condition. This sword is a classic example of the Viking sword in its mature form. See Oakeshott pl.X.13 for a near identical example bearing the INGELRII inscription, which he describes as “an absolutely classic example of the Type X sword”.