![online Militaria dealer - Antique-Militaria [UK]](/images/antique-militaria.jpg)
Antique Militaria Home
Site map
Historic commentswelcome to antique militaria!
I have been a military antiques dealer (based at Grays Antique Market in London's West End until Christmas 2008) for over 45 years: antique swords, weapons, guns, uniforms, helmets, equipment, medals, belt buckles, bayonets and almost all other items of general militaria. British, German, European and worldwide items... I have provided all kinds of arms and armour and military collectibles to both private customers, trade and museum clientele all around the world!
featured antique military items
|
Light Cavalry officer's sword, 1788 pattern variant - British
This iron-mounted sabre, dating from the early years of the Napoleonic Wars, would have been carried by a British officer in a cavalry or yeomanry unit. Singularly, it has a backstrap/pommel in the form of a lion's head, something I have never seen on this pattern in over 50 years of arms dealing. All I need is a good portrait to pin it down!
|
|
Prussian forestry cutlass with by-knife, knot and ivory grip - German
This is the classic Forestry cutlass worn by senior Foresters (denoted by the ivory grip and the gold/green knot) across Europe from the early 18th century onwards. They continued in use through the Weimar era and Third Reich, only latterly losing the by-knife. Lower ranks wore cutlasses with a stag horn grip and a plain green knot.
|
|
NSKK dirk, RZM marked M7/68 - German
This is the SA dirk 1933 pattern, modified with a black finish to the scabbard by order of Korpsfuhrer Huhnlein in 1936. The RZM code stands for the firm Lauterjung & Co of Solingen. The top chape is engraved '15/24547' for Standarte 15, part of Nordmark Motorgruppe at Itzehoe, with the owner's personal NSKK number.
|
|
Foot Guards gorget, 1816 pattern - British
Regarding the regiment, the Grenadiers had a very specific gorget with multiple pierce work on both wings, the Scots Guards normally had '3rd Guards' engraved on both sides at the tips, therefore, by elimination, this is almost certainly a Coldstream Guards example. The Dighton watercolours of the period appear to confirm this.
|
|
Double-etched K98 dress bayonet, Ernst Pack & Sons - German
This is a classic Ernst Pack dress bayonet, with no maker's mark, but the 'signature' screw bolts which no other maker used. The original owner must have been in a heavy artillery unit, as suggested by the obverse blade etching. These weapons were normally only worn when off duty, but in uniform.
|
|
Royal Navy fighting dirk - British
This is likely to have been made towards the end of the American Revolutionary War (Peace of Paris, 1783) or during the early part of the Napoleonic Wars (starting 1793). This would have been carried by an RN officer or HEIC naval officer, and this example is interesting in having a particularly long (approx 26") blade.
|
a little history on my antiques interest
I am now retired and this site is kept up for posterity. I have been a collector of military antiques since the age of 12, starting with bayonets and moving gradually on to swords, finally entering the broader military antique dealing arena in about 1970. At that stage, I rapidly started to learn about antique English pistols and revolvers.
In about 1980, I broadened my dealing coverage from mainstream militaria to include English campaign medals. The arrival of powerful auction houses in this field drove me back to my original interest in general militaria (swords, bayonets, dirks, guns, pistols, etc).
However, I still maintain a lively interest in all military objects, especially the rare and exotic, eg Imperial Russian and Austrian.
Throughout my dealing career, I have built up my personal collection of antique military prints and drawings and a substantial selection of early military photographs up to 1945, principally German and English. To aid both my dealing and collecting, I have a huge library covering all military aspects of antiques going back to the Middle Ages, and many aspects of antiques in general, especially early English silver.
