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For 40 years I have been an antique militaria dealer (based at Grays Antique Market in London's West End until Christmas 2008): 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 customers all around the world!
featured antique military items
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James II lobster tail helmet - British
This is the last model of the 17th century. The skull is of two-piece construction, but without the conventional iron crest found on Civil War models. This is the type that would have been worn at the Battle of the Boyne by both sides. In Europe, these helmets continued to be worn in combat against the Turks until 1720 or so.
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KuK horse artilllery gun team by Alexander Pock (1871-1950) - Austrian
This painting (oil on board, 28 x 48.5 cm inside frame) shows an Austrian horse artillery gun team of the KuK army in the old pre-1914 uniform. Pock was perhaps one of the most celebrated of the Austrian artists where this genre was concerned and there are several examples of his work in the Military History Museum in Vienna.
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Cavalry trooper's sword - British
This is the classic 'Christmas tree' hilt carried principally by British dragoon units in the middle years of the 18th century. Cumberland's Dragoons would have carried these when harrying Highlanders fleeing from the Battle of Culloden. The Highlanders were cut down mercilessly.
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Matchlock musket or Toradar, approx 20 gauge - Indian
This is the classic Indian matchlock musket, seeing use from the early 17th to the mid 19th century during the Mutiny of 1857/58 and somewhat later on the North West Frontier. This would have been carried by native troops (both by foot and horse) in the service of the local princes and nobility.
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Great axe head (Peasants' Revolt) - German
This is a typical fighting axe of the type used in the Peasants' Revolt of 1525 by both sides, the Imperial troops and the Bundschuh peasants' movement. Even Martin Luther had to lend his support to suppress the revolt, which threatened the entire tranquility of the Rhineland, in particular, but also spread to Bavaria and Austria.
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Iron mace head - British
Excavated from a drain in York (UK) some 50 years ago, this fine piece is three inches high and appears to be of cast, or possibly wrought, iron construction. It may well be a captured Islamic piece brought back from the Crusades or purchased through trade with the East - rather than British. The design is clearly of Persian origin.
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a little history on my antiques interest
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.
