Luristan Bronze Dirk

Comprising an embossed fragment of a breast-plate from muscle-type armour (thorax statos) representing Herakles fighting against the Hydra of Lerna; three-quarters of the hero's body preserved showing him naked in a dynamic position, wearing a fluttering short cloak (chlamys), overlooking the body of the monster of which the long tail covered with scales and fins is visible; fragment of cloak preserved separately. 122 grams total, 3.4-17.5 cm

Good portion of armour, extremely rare

Acquired on the French art market before 2000. From an EU collection before 2020.

This kind of armour is very rare, especially for this period, when most of the attested armour is plain or only slightly decorated. The young Herakles appears in heroic nudity running to the right, but, as on the cheek-piece from Gurlo, his head was probably turned in the opposite direction. The plasticism of the scene finds a good match in the Thracian tradition of the representation of weapons and armour, and the embossed elements with the highly prized work of the Panagyurishte treasure. The warrior-theme and the representation of Herakles or other fighting scenes on the Thracian and Hellenistic armours was a reference to the spirit of the immortal fighter.

With tapering triangular blade, having straight shoulders, flat midrib and tapering square-sectioned tang ending with a rounded pommel. 99 grams, 33 cm



Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.

Moorey, Gordon and Khorasani created a classification of bladed weapons, according to which daggers are edged weapons not greater than 36cm in length, dirks (short swords) are between 36cm and 50cm in length, and swords are edged weapons greater than 50cm in length.

British infantry officer's sword - 1796 pattern with lion-head pommel and knuckle-guard, short curved quillon to the rear; leather scabbard with brass fittings and escutcheon below the frog with the legend 'R. Johnston / late / Bland & Foster / Sword Cutler / & Belt Maker to his / Majesty / -68- / St. James's St/ London'; guilloche detailing to the border and to the langets; hollow-ground blade with inlaid brass Arabic script to both faces, possibly a trophy from the Battle of the Nile in August, 1798. 1.23 kg, 95 cm total



From a Suffolk, UK, private collection.

Richard Johnston took over the sword- and belt-making business from John Bland, who died in 1791, and his surviving partner, Robert Foster, who died in 1798. After Bland's death, Foster and Johnston moved their premises from 70 St. James's Street to number 68 in the same street, and continued the business until Foster's death in 1798, after which Johnston took on another shop, then displaying the address as '38 & 68 St. James's Street'. The cartouche gives the address as '68 St. James's Street', which shows that the sword was produced, finished and sold in 1798.