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Women Watching Stars, Ōta Chōu, 1936

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A cavalry sword with a silver hilt and a colichemarde blade. Western Europe. Dating: XVIII century. Colichemarde  (very wide in the part close to the hilt to increase the strength of defensive actions) is a type of sword blade that was popular from the late 17th to the mid-18th century.

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Officers Kiver Shako of the Izmilovsky Life Guards Regiment from the Russian Empire dated around 1910 on display at the Danish War Museum in Copenhagen, Denmark

The Izmilovsky Life Guards Regiment was first formed in 1730 as a personal guard to Empress Anna and named after the Romanov ancestral estate of Izmaylovo. Before the start of the First World War their ceremonial chief was Emperor Nicholas II.

The Kiver, or Kiwa, shako was introduced into the Russian Imperial Army in 1812 as part of the military reforms of the Napoleonic wars.

Photographs taken by myself 2018

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Extending Rapier from Germany dated about 1590 on display at the Royal Armouries in Leeds

In March 1557 Mary I decreed that no sword or rapier longer that “a yarde and a halfe quarter” should be worn or sold. this arms control was to reduce fighting and quarrelling. This rapier could be made to conform to the rule but allowed it to be lengthened if the owner wished.

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Rapier from England dated to the 16th Century on display at the Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery in Carlisle, England

Photographs taken by myself 2018

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Longbows, arrows and an archers jerkin from the wreckage of the Mary Rose from the 16th Century on display at the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth

These weapons were used in Naval combat in the English Navy under Henry 8th. In 1545, 58 of Henry’s fleet carried a total of 4,835 longbows and 176,000 arrows.

From the site of the Mary Rose 138 longbows and 2,000 arrows were recovered demonstrating how archers were still an important part of naval warfare even with the onset of cannons.

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Demi-Culverin from the Mary Rose dated to 1545 on display at the Mary Rose Museum in Portsmouth

This gun was found at the front of the sterncastle, the widest part of the ship at the rear. The demi-culverin was long range and would be fired at an angle to clear the forecastle. Such weapons were often called a “Bastard” because the length and bore diameter are not standard to other cannons. Guns of this size could not be placed at the front of the ship, but it was important to have guns firing forwards as well as from each side to maximise the potential range of fire for the ship.

Earlier guns were cast for Henry VIII by gunfounders outside of England. The inscription on this cannon however proudly stresses that it was made by Englishmen. Specifically Robert and John Owen from London who advertised their skill by adding ornate decorations of the Tudor Rose on the gun. Engraved in Latin is inscribed:

“Henry the Eighth, by the Grace of God, King of England and France, Defender of the Faith, Lord of Ireland and on earth the Supreme Head of the English Church”

Henry inherited many of these titles and created others such as Head of the English Church during the Reformation.

Photographs taken by myself 2017

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Fidel sledding (on a rug) during his 1964 visit to the USSR

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Halberd of Prince Karl Eusebius of Liechtenstein (1611–1684). dated 1632. Credit line: Gift of Mrs. Bashford Dean, in memory of Alexander McMillan Welch, 1949 https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/24806

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Love it! 💚

Via Wrong Hands by John Atkinson

(h/t Steve Stewart-Williams - @SteveStuWill)

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Helmet of Coțofenești, 450 BCE,

Gold, Silver, Copper,

25,5 cm × 20 cm,

From the National History Museum of Romania

Photo by Marius Amarie via the Drents Museum

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Etched silver cup, China, Tang Dynasty, 618-907 AD

from The Xian Museum

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Bronze short sword with ornamental gilt hilt mounted with turquoise, China, 6th century BC

from Indra and Harry Banga Gallery, Citiy of Hong Kong University

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Sword, Southern Germany, 1st half of the 16th century

from The Museum of Art and History Geneva

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Surcouf was a large French gun-armed cruiser submarine of the mid 20th century. She carried two 203 mm guns as well as anti-aircraft guns and a floatplane. Surcouf served in the French Navy and, later, the Free French Naval Forces during the Second World War.