This hanger, almost certainly of military or naval origin, is an exceptionally clean example with a 24" sawback blade and a staghorn grip. Typically they would have been used in the Seven Years War, as well as in the US War of Independence. It would have been carried in a brass-mounted leather scabbard, now sadly lacking.

This exotic unit was raised under Lord Curzon's famous 'forward' frontier policy starting in 1900 when, in the North West Frontier Province, the army was withdrawn from tribal territory and replaced with disciplined tribal irregulars under British officers. Four battalions of militia were formed in Waziristan totalling 3,200 men.

This regiment was raised by Sir Charles Napier for local service in Scinde province
in 1844 and was the only Bombay unit at the siege of Delhi. It then went on to serve in Abyssinia (1866) and Afghanistan (1878-80).

This die-struck badge is almost certainly of the York Militia (Rose of York and a blank plinth for a potential battle honour). The other possibility is Hampshire Militia, who also used the rose as a unit emblem. The badge may well be unhallmarked silver or heavy duty EPNS. As yet untested for either.

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!

The hilt could be Dutch or French, the use of tortoiseshell having been introduced to Europe in the late 17th century, probably through Dutch colonial connections. The mid 18th-century German blade (26" long) would have replaced an earlier, shorter, straight, double-edged blade (broken?), probably to enable the weapon's use as a naval hanger.

Maker marked PGW for Peter G Wilson (1866-1916) and INS for Inverness, this badge dates to approximately 1880, the construction detail of the hinge being the give-away here. Earlier in the century, Luckenbooth badges (sweetheart brooches) were normally one-third of the size of this (just over 7.5 cm from top to bottom).

This die-struck badge was awarded by the Weimar Republic to WW1 tank crews who had served in three assaults or been wounded in the course of one. The soldier had to apply for the badge and, once he had received the award document, would privately purchase the badge. Sepp Dietrich, commander of the LAH, wore this in 1940 photos.

This is an example of the daggers commonly found in Bhutan and Tibet, the latter being, on the whole, rather more elaborate. The blades are normally made of meteoric iron, as opposed to wootz steel from India. These were brought back typically from British frontier expeditions in the 19th century.

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.