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.

This classic Italian (almost certainly made in the Veneto, Venice's hinterland) infantry polearm saw continuous use from the late 15th to the early 17th century. The Metropolitan Museum shows five of these in Stone's Glossary. The Palazzo Ducale armoury in Venice has four examples. This is the earlier variant, the later ones having shorter blades.

The 2nd, or Scots, troop of HGG was originally raised in 1678, disbanded in 1680, revived in 1684, and finally absorbed into the 2nd Life Guards in 1788. The sword is illustrated in one of the Morier paintings at Buckingham Palace on a soldier of this regiment. The swords may well have been carried by the regiment at Dettingen and Fontenoy.

This sword (almost identical to one I sold to a Moscow dealer in about 2006) has an unsigned Tula hilt - undercut and pierced steel work of this type is a virtual 'signature', only found on European cast silver hilts and never on the knuckle bow. The influence for this work is probably Brescian or possibly Toledo, with London for the lattice work.