This cutlass was the classic Civil War piece used by the Union Navy up until as late as the early stages of WW2 and superceded only in the 20th century by a later pattern with a sheet steel guard. It was modelled on the French cutlass of the Napoleonic Wars, which latter, however, had a sheet steel guard.

This rare sword knot was carried by officers serving with General Vlasov's army, which the Germans raised in 1944 from Russian volunteers (former prisoners of war) to help them in their struggle against Communism. The colours are the old Imperial Russian colours. The acronym of this unit was POA.

This, perhaps the rarest of British socket bayonets, is distinguished by having a 4" socket and was made from converted material ('WHEELER' and inspection stamp on blade). It would have been carried by Royal Marines in the period prior to the Crimean War. Perhaps only a few thousand of these bayonets and muskets were made.

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.

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.