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Nation : German
Local Price : £7,950.00

German Cup Hilt Rapier c 1620. Cup Hilt Rapier c 1620 possibly German or Swiss, highly decorative chiselled pommel. The D guard leading down to form the cross guard which has inset stones, sweeping langets finish with large flower buds and curved sections to support the excellent cup guard with pieced and chiselled designs. The blade double edged with central fuller engraved with imperial orb and maker mark IOHANES WVNDES “ Johannes Wundes 1560 “ 1620 please note the engraving is worn but letters can be made out. Overall length 102cm the blade 92cm

Nation : Japanese
Local Price : £7950

Click and use the code >25268 to search for this item on the dealer website Stunning Antique Edo Samurai Katana With Signed Blade, Kashu ju Darani Tachibana Katsukuni Saku, Katsukuni of the Tachibana clan, the Darani school of smiths, made this {sword} in Kashu Province, With Full Length Hi and Incredible Hamon of Sanbon-sugi

Nation : North European
Local Price : £7850

Fine North European Rapier with Gilt Swept Hilt dating to the early 17th Century mounted with a fine quality blade by MEVES BERNS of Solingen. A splendid swept hilt rapier which has survived in fine condition and retains much of its original gilt finish to the hilt. The type is illustrated in many portraits of early 17th century date located across Europe including England, Scandinavia and the German States. This indicates that the rapier form was very popular amongst the social elites in these regions in the early 17th century. In contrast, few have lasted the rigours of time and over four hundred years later surviving examples are scarce. This scarcity makes this example particularly attractive given its fine condition. The weapon is an elegant example of the early 17th century armourer's craft formed with attractive flowing curves to the complex hilt which complement the strength of its construction. The hilt is made from oval section bars which give a stylish contoured appearance. The rapier is 45.25 inches (114.5 cm) long overall and it is well balanced and comfortable in-hand. The hilt platform is the strong quillon block with short downwardly pointing langets from which extends the rear quillon, which curves downwards, and the front quillon, which is slightly longer and curves upwards into a knuckle bow. Both quillons swell slightly into smoothed squared off terminals. Beneath the block outwardly curved symmetrical finger rings extend downwards either side of the langets. On the outer side of the hilt an imposing guard ring is linked by a diagonally downcurved bar to a small side-ring underneath. This is mounted onto the finger ring terminals. Three slender bars of circular section form the inner counter guards which are “swept-up” into one bar and merge into the forward quillon. The tall faceted ovoid pommel is of bold form with an integral button on top and ribbed flared neck beneath. The baluster shaped grip is bound with alternately spaced twisted and straight lengths of wire. The fine quality blade is of stiff, gently tapering, flattened, hexagonal section and is just over 38 inches (97 cm) long. It has a ricasso 1.5 inches (3.5 cm) long cut with two bold fullers which fill the width of the space side by side on each face. The right side fuller, seen when the rapier is held point down on each side, is stamped with a roundel containing a stag which is the mark of Meves Berns. A deep central fuller extends for 8.5 inches (21.5 cm) from the end of the ricasso and is cut with lines on the ridges either side and stamped with a stylised cross just beyond its terminal on each side. The fuller is incised each side with “M E V E S B E R N S” in spaced capital letters with a cross potent mark between the words and at each end. Berns was an accomplished blade maker based in Solingen. For more information regarding other examples and locations of rapiers of this type see A.V.B. Norman, The Rapier and Small-Sword 1460-1820, Arms & Armour Press, 1980, pp. 94-95. The guard is of Type 31 in Norman's typology. Plate 49 shows a rapier of the type in the Wallace Collection (Collection Number A627) dated to circa 1610-1620 with a russet steel hilt counterfeit damascened with gold and of North European origin. Plate 51 shows another with fire-gilt steel hilt of the same date and locality, originally from the Electoral Armoury in Dresden. Provenance: Christie's South Kensington, Antique Arms, Armour & Collectors Firearms, 22 June 2011, lot 109. Price Realised: £15,000 Including Buyers Premium. Sotheby's Olympia, Antique Arms, Armour & Militaria, 29 June 2005, lot 35. Price Realised: £12,350 Including Buyers Premium.

Nation : Chinese
Local Price : £7775

Click and use the code >24842 to search for this item on the dealer website Rare, Archaic Chinese Warrior Prince´s Bronze Jian Sword, Overlaid With Gold, Auspicious Metal, Around 2,400 to 2,600 Years Old, From the Zhou Dynasty to the Chin Dynasty, Including the Period of Sun-Tzu´. Likely of The Kingdom of Yue

Nation : Spanish
Local Price : £7750

Click and use the code >21774 to search for this item on the dealer website Singularly Beautiful Napoleonic Wars, The Peninsular Campaign, & The War of 100 Days Culminating at Quatre Bras & Waterloo, A Presentation Quality 1796-1803 Sword 15th Hussars

Nation : British
Local Price : $9995.00

Rare British Flintlock Congreve Rocket Launcher, Early 19th C. Deacquisitioned from the Tower of London Museum, where it once hung above the entryway, these launchers were used primarily by the Royal Marine Artillery on land. The Congreve rocket was a form of rocket artillery designed by British inventor William Congreve and inspired by the rockets of the Tipu Sultan of Mysore, who used them against the British East India Company in the Anglo-Mysore Wars. Congreve rockets were first used in 1806 aboard ship in the bombardment of Boulogne. They initially had a rocket body made of stiff paper, which was later changed to sheet iron. The propulsion used the same ingredients as gunpowder, but the mixture varied according to the size of the rocket. The warheads had side-mounted brackets which were used to attach wooden sticks for stabilization in flight (same principal as modern bottle rockets), the size of which varied according to the size of rocket. Their accuracy was generally poor, with physical effects on the battlefield usually very limited, however, they had a significant psychological effect on civilians and troops on the receiving end. They were used during the Napoleonic Wars and in America during the War of 1812, where its use at Fort McHenry in 1814 inspired the fifth line of the first verse of the US National Anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner”: “and the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air”. The launcher offered here is reported to be one of 100 produced and features a 15 1/4” long rocket tube of 2” – 2 1/4” diameter (oval rather than round to accommodate the rocket’s attached stick), with hand-painted broad arrow, “G.R.” and the date “1809”; and attached 8 3/4” bayonet of triangular section. The rocket tube is attached to a smaller diameter hollow, tapering iron tube, with attached conical end cap, to allow for the stick of the rocket. This also serves as a shaft to be held by the user. On the side of the rocket tube is a flintlock mechanism, the lockplate with double line border; stamped with broad arrow and crowned “GR” forward of the cock, and “TOWER” behind. The vent hole is especially large and has an attached tube on the inside of the rocket tube to direct the charge to the base of the rocket and also serves to hold the rocket in place. The flintlock mechanism is activated by a long rod enclosed in a protective housing riveted to the body of the launcher and attached to a trigger of traditional form. A sleeve riveted to the tube enclosing the activation rod contains an original vent pick, which may also have been used to pierce the base of the rocket to expose the powder before firing. A large oval sheet iron flash guard is attached forward of the trigger to protect the user. Mechanism functions normally and the launcher is totally complete, retaining its original black paint. Untouched since its period of use, showing age and light scattered rust and pitting. Weighing only 8 pounds (3.6 kg), these launchers could be carried on foot or horseback and access locations inaccessible by traditional artillery. Overall length 99 1/4” (252 cm). A similar launcher, with fewer features and markings, was offered at auction in 2018 with an estimate of $15,000- $20,000. Extremely rare, with exceptional provenance!

Nation : German
Local Price : £7500

Fine German Swept Hilt Rapier dating to circa 1600. A fine, imposing and attractive German Swept Hilt Rapier dating to circa 1600. The rapier is a nicely balanced and well forged weapon in original condition with a consistent smooth grey mottled patination all over having never been invasively cleaned. The hilt type is illustrated in many portraits of late 16th / early 17th century date located across Europe including England, Scandinavia and the German States. This indicates that the swept hilt rapier was very popular amongst the social elites in countries across the region at the time. The rapier retains its full length 46.5 inch (118 cm) imposing blade. The overall length is 52.5 inches (133.5 cm). The complex hilt is an elegant example of the armourers' craft formed with attractive flowing curved bars of rounded octagonal section. The hilt is built around the strong quillon block which has short downwardly pointing langets which lie either side of the ricasso. Two straight quillons extend from the block, filed with decorative ribs at the join, and swell gently towards their terminals. To the front the knuckle bow curves upwards to the pommel and has a similarly swollen terminal. Beneath the block two outwardly curved symmetrical finger, or pas d' ane rings, extend downwards and terminate in square pads at the end of the ricasso. The outer guard consists of three ring guards and the inner guard of two circles joined by curved bars. These features on each side are supported by subsidiary bars which converge on the pas d’ane ring terminal pads which are engraved with cross-hatching on the outside. The hilt is further strengthened by two upper side guard bars, which are forged onto the outer edges of the outer and inner guard assemblies, and curve upwards to join the bow just above half way. The multifaceted ovoid pommel has an integral waisted button on top and a grooved flared neck beneath. The original spirally grooved wooden grip tapers slightly towards the pommel and is of oval cross section, laterally bound with thin twisted steel wire, which is further bound with contra-twisted wire ropes depressed into the grooves with the ends secured underneath “Turks Heads” mounted top and bottom woven from steel rope. The gently tapering blade is of fine quality. It is of stiff section intended primarily for thrusting and secondly for cutting. The thickened ricasso has a deep central groove extending from the hilt to the pas d'ane ring terminals on each side. Beyond these the blade broadens with a short external extension of the ricasso, after which a deep central fuller extends along each side for 17.5 inches (44.5 cm). The fullers are stamped with indistinct bladesmith’s identity letters and marks inside. Beyond the fuller terminals a mark resembling an anchor is stamped on each side after which the blade is of flattened diamond section to its tip. A small patch of minor old pitting is present on one of the secondary guard bars attached to the knucklebow as can be seen in the images. Otherwise the rapier is in fine condition. For more information regarding other examples and locations of rapiers, and depictions of rapiers, of this type, see A.V.B. Norman, “The Rapier and Small-Sword 1460-1820”, Arms & Armour Press, 1980, pp. 120 to 140.

Nation : British
Local Price : £7500

Late 17th Century Scottish Basket Hilted Sword in the “Glasgow” Style. A late 17th century Scottish Basket Hilted sword. The hilt is of fine quality workmanship and mounted with a broad single edged blade. The structural bars of the guard are of thick flattened rectangular section. These are decorated on the outside with broad filed longitudinal grooves along the middle with narrower incised lines on either side in what has become known to historians as the distinctive “Glasgow Style” of hilt decoration. The sword has a consistent dark russet patination across its parts. This style was developed by sword makers in Glasgow in the second half of the 17th century and flourished until the third quarter of the 18th century. The style was adopted by the most skilled smiths in other sword making centres in Scotland and was also copied by the British military for some of its own basket hilted swords made in the Scottish style in the mid-18th century. Filing and incising the bars in this manner was a time consuming and skilled task demanding many hours of work and reserved only for the best and most expensive hilts. The primary guard panels at the front of this sword are decorated with a pierced seven pointed star at the centre, surrounded by pierced triangles enhanced with circle shapes at the sides and circles in the corners. The narrower side guard panels and the knucklebow are pierced with similar shapes. The main guard panels are filed in “Glasgow” style at the sides. The side guards are filed the same across the top and bottom and the knucklebow across the base. These three secondary panels are enhanced with vertical lines. All five of the primary and secondary guard plates are fretted at the edges with cusps and merlons. The side panels have structural solid merlons mounted at the base with the flattened ends filed with cusps and pierced with flanged hearts. The forward loop guards are decorated in the “Glasgow” manner, and underneath, the cross bar is enhanced with a cut loop which surrounds the groove made to accommodate the blade into the hilt. The sloping rear quillon is decorated with a cross. The upper surface of the rear quillon has a piece of metal attached to the bar by two rivets. The rear quillon of early basket hilts like this one was not mounted with a scrolled wrist guard which is a later feature in basket hilt development. It seems that in the later working life of the sword an attempt was made to attach a wrist guard to the hilt which was only partially successful having been broken off at some point leaving the riveted stump behind. The basket has been intentionally forged to appear slightly asymmetrical when viewed from the front and back, with the basket appearing swollen more to the right compared to the left, indicating that the hilt was made for a right hand user. The swollen side of the hilt accommodates the fingers of the right hand whereas the opposite side needs only to accommodate the thumb which takes up less space inside the hilt. The dome shaped pommel has a ribbed button on top from which three sets of triple grooves radiate to the edge in the same “Glasgow” manner. The spaces between are cut with similar grooves in crescent shapes. The guard arm terminals tuck securely into a groove cut around the lower part of the pommel in the Scottish style. The associated grip is formed with a spirally grooved wooden core, is covered with shagreen, bound with flattened silver wire and is mounted on a thick leather liner. The tapering single edged blade is 31.75 inches long (81 cm) and just under 1.75 inches (just over 4.25 cm) wide at the ricasso which is 1.25 inches long (just over 3 cm) and has fullers on each side just inside from the edges. It was most likely made in Solingen in Germany. From the end of the ricasso a shallow central fuller extends for 8 inches (20 cm) flanked by narrower well defined grooves. The middle fuller on both sides is stamped with the blade smith’s mark of “ANDRIA FERARA” spaced by quatrefoils of dots. Beyond the end of the fullers on each side is an incised orb and cross mark which retains some of the original copper inlay on one side. It shows evidence of a lot of use and sharpening on the cutting edge. The blade was originally double edged and broader than it is now at around 2 inches (5 cm) wide at the hilt. It dates to the mid to late 17th century. It was intentionally ground down all along one side during its working life to create a back edge by removing around half an inch of blade width at the ricasso and a proportionate amount down to the tip. The three fullers are now not running along the middle as would be usual with a broad sword blade of this type, but instead are nearer to the regressed back edge than the cutting edge as a result of the modification. The groove underneath the hilt designed to accommodate and secure the ricasso has vacant space at the back edge which previously would have been occupied by the blade width now shaved away. During the early 18th century “back sword”, or single edged, blades became increasingly common. They were less expensive to make than double edged blades and became fashionable for both clan, civilian and military markets in Scotland. The blade may have been slimmed to suit the new fashion. But it is more likely that the sword was damaged and refurbished at some time which involved smoothing deep nicks out of the front of the blade, which absorbs most contact when in use, to create a back edge, then reversing the blade in the hilt. The altered blade gives a slightly unbalanced profile in that the blade front edge now appears to be positioned more forward towards the loop guards than is usual for the profile of a basket hilted sword mounted with an unaltered broad sword blade. There is a repair to the top of one of the guard bars at the pommel which may have been carried out at the same time. Swords with amended blades of this type, with similar profiles, are not unusual judging by the number that have survived. The famous portrait of Lord George Murray, Prince’s Charles’s Lieutenant General in the Jacobite Army in the 1745 Rebellion, seems to show Murray armed with a sword mounted with a similarly altered blade, as can be seen by the position of the fullers relative to the cutting edge. See the photos below. The overall length of the sword is 37.5 inches (just over 95 cm). For swords with similar hilts see Cyril Mazansky, “British Basket-Hilted Swords”, Boydell Press, 2005, particularly some illustrated in pages 107 to 126.