Categories
-
- Arms, Armour & Militaria
- Bank notes
- Books & Periodicals
- Cameras & Camera Equipment
- Classic Cars, Motorcycles & Automobilia
- Coins
- Collectables
- Entertainment Memorabilia
- Kitchenalia
- Maps
- Models, Toys, Dolls & Games
- Musical Instruments & Memorabilia
- Scientific Instruments
- Sporting Memorabilia & Equipment
- Stamps
- Taxidermy & Natural History
- Tools
- Wines & Spirits
- Writing Instruments
News
-
- Art finance
- Auctions
- Brexit
- Buyer's and seller's premiums
- Coronavirus
- Delivery and Shipping
- Education and Training
- Endangered Species
- Events and conferences
- Industry data
- Insurance
- Internet
- Law, crime and regulation
- Museum acquisitions
- Museum deaccessioning
- Obituaries
- Premises and Property
- Private Sales
- Recruitment
- Restoration
- TV shows
-
- 1818 Auctioneers
- Adam Partridge
- Adam's
- Addisons
- Ader
- Aguttes
- Alastair Gibson Auctions
- Alcala Subastas
- Aldridges
- Amersham Auction Rooms
- Anderson & Garland
- Andrew Smith & Son
- Anthemion
- AntikBar
- Antony Cribb
- Artcurial
- Arthur Johnson & Sons
- Aston's
- Auction Team Breker
- Auctionata
- Auctioneum
- Babuino
- Bainbridge Adam Partridge
- Baldwin's
- Bamfords
- Barbara Kirk
- Barbers
- Batemans
- BBR Auctions
- Bearnes Hampton & Littlewood
- Beaussant Lefèvre
- Bellmans
- Bentley’s
- Biddle & Webb
- Bigwood
- Bishop & Miller
- Bleasdales
- Bloomsbury Auctions
- Boldon Auction Galleries
- Bonhams
- Bonhams Skinner
- Bosleys
- Bourne End Auction Rooms
- Brettells
- Brighton General Auctions
- Brightwells
- Bristol Auction Rooms
- Brown & Co
- Bruun Rasmussen
- Burstow & Hewett
- Byrnes
- C&T
- Cambi Casa d'Aste
- Canterbury Auction Galleries
- Capes Dunn
- Catherine Southon
- Cato Crane
- Chalkwell
- Charles Miller
- Charles Ross Auctioneers
- Charterhouse
- Cheffins
- Chilcotts
- Chippenham Auction Rooms
- Chiswick Auctions
- Chorley's
- Christie's
- Clark & Simpson
- Clars Auction Gallery
- Clevedon Salerooms
- Comic Book Auctions
- Cotswold Auction Company
- Cottees
- Cowans
- Criterion
- Crow’s Auctions Gallery
- Curated Auctions
- Cuttlestones
- Czerny
- David Duggleby
- Dawsons
- Denhams
- Dominic Winter
- Dore & Rees
- Dorotheum
- Doyle New York
- Dreweatts
- Duke's
- Durrants
- Eastbourne Auctions
- Eldreds
- Elmwood’s
- Elstob Auctioneers
- Ewbank's
- Featonby's
- Fellows
- Fieldings
- Fine Art Auction Group
- Fine Art Bourse
- Flints Auctioneers
- Fonsie Mealy
- Forum Auctions
- Frank Marshall
- Freeman's
- Freeman's Hindman
- Gardiner Houlgate
- Gary Don
- George Kidner
- Gerrards Auction Rooms
- Gildings
- Golding Young & Mawer
- Gorringes
- Graham Budd
- Grand Auctions
- Great Western Auctions
- Greenslade Taylor Hunt
- Gros & Delettrez
- H&H Classics
- Halls Fine Art
- Hampstead Auctions
- Hannam’s
- Hansons
- Harper Field
- Hartleys
- Henry Adams
- Henry Aldridge & Son
- Heritage Auctions
- Hermann Historica
- High Road Auctions
- Hindman
- Holloways
- Holt's
- Hôtel Drouot
- Hotlotz
- Humbert & Ellis
- Hutchinson Scott
- Jacobs & Hunt
- John Nicholson
- John Pye Auctions
- Jones & Jacob
- JS Fine Art
- Jubilee Auction Rooms
- Juliens
- Kerry Taylor
- KettererKunst
- Keys
- Kidson-Trigg
- Kinghams
- Kings Russell
- Knights Auctions
- Knowle Auction Rooms
- Koller
- Lacy Scott & Knight
- Laidlaw
- Lawrences of Bletchingley
- Lawrences of Crewkerne
- Lay’s Auctioneers
- Lempertz
- Leonard Joel
- Lindsay Burns
- Littleton
- Lockdales
- Locke & England
- London Auctions
- Lots Road Auctions
- Louis Taylor
- Lyon & Turnbull
- MacDougall's
- Mallams
- Mander
- Marlows of Stafford
- Martel Maides
- Maxwells
- McTear's
- Mellors & Kirk
- Michael Bowman
- Millon
- Minster Auctions
- Mitchells
- Moore Allen & Innocent
- Morphets
- Morton & Eden
- Mossgreen
- Mulberry Bank Auctions
- Mullock Jones
- Nagel
- Nesbits
- Netherhampton Salerooms
- Nicholas Mellors
- Nigel Ward
- Noble Investments
- Noonans
- Olympia Auctions
- Omega Auctions
- Onslows
- Osenat
- Paddle8
- Parker Fine Art Auctions
- Paul Beighton Saleroom
- PBA Galleries
- Peter Francis
- Philip Serrell
- Phillips
- Piasa
- Pierre Bergé & Associes
- Piers Motley
- Plymouth Auction Rooms
- Potter & Potter
- Potteries Auctions
- Rago Auctions
- Railtons
- Ramsay Cornish
- Reeman Dansie
- Rendells
- Richard Edmonds Auctions
- Richard Winterton
- Ritchies
- RM Sotheby’s
- Rogers Jones
- Roma Numismatics
- Roseberys
- Ross’s of Belfast
- Rowley's
- Rushbrooks
- Ryedale
- Semley
- Sheffield Auction Gallery
- Sheppard’s
- Silverwoods
- Sloane Street Auctions
- Sotheby's
- Sovereign Rarities
- Special Auction Services
- Spicers
- Spink
- St Jamess Auctions
- Staceys
- Stanley Gibbons Group
- Sterling Vault Auctioneers
- StockholmsAuktionsverk
- Stride & Son
- Summers Place Auctions
- Swan Fine Art Auctioneers
- Swann
- Sworders
- Tajan
- Tamlyns
- Tayler and Fletcher
- Taylor's Auctions
- Tennants
- The Pedestal
- Thimbleby & Shorland
- Thomas Del Mar
- Thomas N Miller
- Thomas R Callan
- Thomas Watson
- Thomaston Place
- Thomson Roddick & Medcalf
- Thomson Roddick Scottish Auctions
- Timeline
- Toovey's
- Trevanion
- Truro Auction Centre
- TW Gaze
- Unique Auctions
- Vectis
- Veritas
- W&H Peacock
- Wallis and Wallis
- Warren & Wignall
- Watches of Knightsbridge
- Wellers
- Wessex Auction Rooms
- Whitton & Laing
- Whittons
- Whytes
- Wilkes & Curtis
- Wilkinson's Auctioneers
- William George & Co
- Wilson55
- Woolley & Wallis
- Wotton Auction Rooms
- Wright Marshall
-
- 1stdibs
- Advertising Standards Authority
- Antiquarian Booksellers Association
- Antique Young Guns
- Antiquities Dealers’ Association
- Art Business Conference
- Art Fund
- Art Loss Register
- Art Recovery International
- Art UK
- Arts Council England
- Assay Office
- Auction Technology Group
- BADA
- BAMF
- CADA
- CINOA
- Company of Arts Scholars
- DACS
- DEFRA
- DMG
- EBay
- Hiscox
- LAPADA
- Lot-tissimo
- National Trust
- NAVA
- Provincial Booksellers Fairs Association
- RICS
- Society of London Art Dealers
- SOFAA
- the saleroom
- Triple-A Auctioneers
-
- Adams Antiques Fairs
- Affordable Art Fair
- Alexandra Palace fair
- Antiques Centres
- Antiques Dealers Fair Limited
- Ardingly Fair
- Armchair Art Fair
- Art & Antiques for Everyone Fair
- Art Antiques London
- Art, Antiques & Interiors Expo
- Arthur Swallow Fairs
- Bath Decorative Antiques Fair
- Battersea Decorative Fair
- Bermondsey Market
- Book Fairs
- BRAFA
- British Art Fair
- Brussels Fairs
- CADA Fair
- Car Boot Fairs
- Clarion Events
- Continuity Fairs
- Cooper Events
- Ephemera fairs
- Fine Art Asia
- Fine Arts Paris
- Firsts
- Florida Fairs
- French Fairs
- Frieze
- Frieze Masters
- Galloway Antiques Fairs
- Harrogate Fairs
- Hatton Garden
- Haughton Fairs
- Hong Kong Fairs
- IACF
- Jaguar Fairs
- LAPADA Fair
- Lincolnshire Antiques and Home Show
- London Original Print Fair
- Masterpiece
- Miami Fairs
- Midcentury Modern
- Modern British Art Fair
- NEC Birmingham
- New York Fairs
- Newark Fair
- Newbury Antiques and Collectors Fair
- Olympia Fair
- PAD London
- Palm Beach Fairs
- Paris Biennale
- Paris Fairs
- Paris Parcours
- Paris Tableau
- Penman Fairs
- Philadelphia Fairs
- Photography fairs
- Regional Fairs
- Salon du Dessin
- Sandown Park Racecourse Fair
- Showground Fairs
- Swinderby Fair
- TEFAF
- The Open Art Fair
- The Treasure House Fair
- Winter Antiques Show
- Works on Paper Fair
-
- Alfred Taubman
- Bendor Grosvenor
- Bill Ruprecht
- Charles Hanson
- Charlie Ross
- Cornelius Gurlitt
- David Lester
- Ed Dolman
- Eric Knowles
- François Pinault
- Ingrid Nilson
- Lennox Cato
- Lord Ashcroft
- Marco Forgione
- Mark Law
- Sheikh Saud Bin Mohammed Al-Thani
- Simon de Pury
- Sue Ede
- Tad Smith
- Tim Goodman
- Victoria Borwick
-
- Abbott and Holder
- Agnews
- Alastair Dickenson
- Andrew Sim
- Blairman
- Carter Marsh
- Colnaghi
- Daniel Katz
- Dickinson
- Fabrizio Moretti
- Ian Towning
- Johnny Van Haeften
- London Silver Vaults
- Mallett
- Mark Weiss
- Partridge Fine Art
- Petworth Antiques Dealers
- Philip Mould
- Pimlico Road Dealers
- Richard Green
- Robert Young
- Roger Keverne
- Rupert Maas
- SJ Phillips
- Wartski
-
- A Lawyer Writes
- Around the Auction Houses
- Art Market
- Auction Reports
- Bid Barometer
- Books and Works on Paper
- Dealers' Diary
- Fairs, Markets, Shops and Centres
- Features
- Front Page and News
- International (print edition)
- Interviews
- Letters to the Editor
- News in Brief
- Obituaries (print edition)
- Opinion
- Pick of the Week
- Precious Metals Prices
- Previews
- Soapbox
- Special Reports
- Then & Now
Sword
Swords and edged weapons are a popular collecting category within the antique arms and armour market.
Dating back to ancient times, swords have a long history of production with fine decorative or ceremonial examples and items linked to notable historical figures and events often commanding the most attention.
![img_10-1.jpg](/media/105802/img_10-1.jpg?rxy=0.7015590200445434,0.20994475138121546&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133673290000000000)
Arms and armour: A selection of swords in play at auction
05 August 2024Edged weapons have been a strong feature of the market recently and involve a wide range of ages, styles and countries
![Most Read.jpg](/media/34324/most-read.jpg?rxy=0.48987108655616945,0.5&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=131837333650000000)
Top stories this week including news of a rusty sword selling for over 500 times estimate
14 July 2024The most viewed stories on this website over the last week included news of a lengthy bidding contest coming for an Indian tulwar sword after bidders identified the importance of the hilt decoration.
![img_1-2.jpg](/media/104904/img_1-2.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133649124250000000)
Tulwar sword hilt with tiger stripes reveals Tipu tempter
08 July 2024With a rusty blade and seemingly anonymous scabbard, an ornate hilt was the key as to why an Indian tulwar sword estimated at £100-200 instead sold for a huge hammer price of £109,500 (plus 22% buyer’s premium).
![2650 NE 01 Apollo Armour](/media/104656/2650-ne-01-apollo-armour.jpg?rxy=0.47706422018348627,0.2652439024390244&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133644016370000000)
Elaborate Italian Renaissance armour emerges for public auction
28 June 2024Elaborate Italian Renaissance armour emerges for public auction
![img_20-1.jpg](/media/104478/img_20-1.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133636943510000000)
Sword ‘linked to the Lion of the Punjab’ takes a £44,000 slice of the action in huge four-day sale
24 June 2024A number of strong performers stood out in a variety of individual pieces offered in Bamfords’ (24.75% buyer’s premium) large four-day auction
![Matt Easton](/media/103202/matt-easton.jpg?rxy=0.50431034482758619,0.2696245733788396&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133600672780000000)
Antique arms and armour trade defends itself in wake of mail sword ban
13 May 2024Antique arms and armour dealers and auctioneers have come together to lobby against couriers restricting delivery of antique examples.
![Matt Easton](/media/102564/img_4-2.jpg?rxy=0.19950124688279303,0.14444444444444443&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133588539560000000)
Royal Mail now refuses to deliver antique swords
29 April 2024An antique arms and armour dealer is leading a campaign to stop couriers from restricting the delivery of antique examples.
![img_32-2.jpg](/media/97471/img_32-2.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133443492360000000)
Russian shaska in Somerset
13 November 2023This Russian 1881/1908 pattern dragoon officer’s shaska is estimated at £2600-3200 among a wide array of militaria on offer at Lawrences of Crewkerne on November 22.
![img_31-1.jpg](/media/97466/img_31-1.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133443488250000000)
Thanks for forming my Moroccan army
13 November 2023An intriguing inscription on a sword presented to a British army officer by the Sultan of Morocco helped to achieve a hammer price nearly 10 times the top estimate.
![img_16-3.jpg](/media/96340/img_16-3.jpg?rxy=0.29173989455184535,0.44931506849315067&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133419281750000000)
Previews: Unrecorded Tipu Sultan swords among highlights on offer this season
16 October 2023Two previously unrecorded swords from the Tiger of Mysore are among the stand-out lots on offer in upcoming auctions and from dealers
![img_12-3.jpg](/media/95586/img_12-3.jpg?rxy=0.21640488656195461,0.45098039215686275&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133401138650000000)
Presentation sword cuts through complaints of bad conduct
25 September 2023John Eamer was a wholesale grocer who dealt in sugar imported from the West Indies. His success led to him becoming Sheriff of London in 1794.
![img_12-5.jpg](/media/95588/img_12-5.jpg?rxy=0.27574171029668409,0.82225237449118049&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133401138930000000)
Weapon belonged to Light Brigade prisoner
25 September 2023A sword that saw action in the famed Charge of the Light Brigade sold for £1900 at Elstob Auctioneers’ (25% buyer’s premium) Antiques & Fine Art Sale.
![Tipu Sultan sword](/media/95550/2611ne-tipu-sultan-sword-detail.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133397041510000000)
Rediscovered Tipu Sultan swords from Cornwall’s Port Eliot to be auctioned at Christie’s
21 September 2023Two previously unrecorded Tipu Sultan swords have been consigned to Christie’s from descendants of Charles, 1st Marquess Cornwallis (1738-1805) who live at stately home Port Eliot in Cornwall.
![img_16-1.jpg](/media/88149/img_16-1.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133189420940000000)
The greatest hits of arms and armour collector Elvis
23 January 2023Birmingham-born Roy Elvis (1944- 2022) inherited his family interest in antiques and started collecting furniture and decorative arts from an early age.
![img_13-1.jpg](/media/88133/img_13-1.jpg?rxy=0.31051752921535891,0.40209790209790208&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133189477040000000)
Arms and armour: Personal touch gives 'warts and all' weapons the auction edge
23 January 2023Specialist buyers turn out in force to bid for rusty ‘warts and all’ weapons amassed by dealer-collector
![img_25-1.jpg](/media/86674/img_25-1.jpg?rxy=0.49192100538599642,0.35473340587595215&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133141102100000000)
Get your two hands on a mighty sword
28 November 2022Top result from the October 26 arms and armour auction at Munich saleroom Hermann Historica (25% buyer’s premium) was a 5ft 6in (1.67m) two-hand sword made by the acclaimed bladesmith Wolfgang Stantler II of Passau, c.1580.
![img_26-1.jpg](/media/86680/img_26-1.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133139334710000000)
Case for the defence
28 November 2022Estimated at just £60-90, this English Civil War-era mortuary sword sold for £2300 at Unique Auctions (22.5% buyer’s premium) in Lincoln on October 22.
![img_30-1.jpg](/media/85660/img_30-1.jpg?rxy=0.27594339622641512,0.317016317016317&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133116937130000000)
Family naval group includes £28,000 medal
31 October 2022A group of father-and-son lots related to the Royal Navy may have been small in size but revealed a combined service in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars that was lengthy.
![img_14-1.jpg](/media/82960/img_14-1.jpg?rxy=0.53048780487804881,0.1490125673249551&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=133050331790000000)
London armour sale helps New York museum
15 August 2022A composite German full armour, c.1500-10, from a European Collection was one of the highlights of Thomas Del Mar’s (25% buyer’s premium) sale of Fine Antique Arms, Armour & Militaria held at Olympia Auctions on June 29.
![img_9-2.jpg](/media/81260/img_9-2.jpg?anchor=center&mode=crop&width=125&height=125&rnd=132994253910000000)
Mr Derbyshire, a sword and an Armenian mystery
13 June 2022Whatever Mr Derbyshire, The Worthy Representative of Freedom Loving Great Britain was doing in the Caucasus in 1920, the Armenians of Karabach were obviously pretty pleased about it.
![the saleroom](/images/Top-Banner-300-x-93px_v2.jpg)
- Adam Partridge London
- Antiques & Fine Art With Asian Art
- 03 Sep 2024 - 10:00 AM
- McTear's
- Antiques & Interiors
- 05 Sep 2024 - 09:30 AM
- Adam Partridge Liverpool
- Photographic & Scientific Equipment With Antiques & Collector's Items
- 05 Sep 2024 - 10:00 AM
- W&H Peacock
- Antique Furniture, Collectables, Selected Toys, Jewellery & Watches
- 06 Sep 2024 - 09:30 AM
- Unique Auctions
- Antiques, Jewellery, Furniture & Collectables
- 07 Sep 2024 - 09:00 AM
- Anthemion Auctions
- Ceramics, Glass, Paintings, Furniture, Books & Sporting
- 11 Sep 2024 - 09:00 AM
![the saleroom](/images/Bottom-Banner-300-x-93px_v2.jpg)