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I have been an antique militaria dealer (based at Grays Antique Market in London's West End until Christmas 2008) for over 40 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 customers around the world!
featured antique military items
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Chechen 'Cossack' kindjal, silver-mounted - Russian
This is amongst the rarest types, with the face of the scabbard and hilt formed of complex silver-gilt filigree work, highlighted with sparsely applied niello inlay. It is from the era of Shamil, the legendary Khan of Daghestan (modern Chechnya), in the northern Caucasus.
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U-boat photo album - German
This album belonged to a lucky U-boat survivor who appears to have served under KL Fritz-Julius Lemp on U30 (a type 7 U-boat) and possibly on U110 (a type 9). The first page shows him as a recruit and then as a petty officer proudly sporting his EK2 ribbon, U-boat badge and close combat submariner clasp (introduced May 1944).
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Oil painting of a Napoleonic encampment - French
This is a dance scene from the early years of the 1st Empire. The figure on the left in red trousers is a trooper in the 7th Hussars; the central figure perhaps represents a corporal of Chasseurs of the Imperial Guard in undress uniform; the figure on the right in a grey overcoat possibly represents a member of the Garde Nationale.
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Royal Navy Martini-Henry cutlass bayonet, 1871 pattern - British
This bayonet was originally designed for the RN Enfield service rifle of 1859. 50,000 of these were subsequently modified in 1871 (out of a total of 80,000 original production) for the new Martini-Henry. These bayonets (with the rifles) saw substantial service in the Sudan campaigns of the early 1880s, eg the relief column for Gordon of Khartoum.
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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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1896 pattern interim sabre - German
This is the off-duty sabre of the Prussian cavalry officers, carried on parade occasions and quite possibly in the field in the early days of WW1. The official fighting sword was the model 1852 with a half-basket guard, with an EPNS finish. The magnificent bronze hilt would originally have had a gilt finish.
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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.
