Medieval Child's Bronze Archer's Ring

Double-action with .44 calibre six-shot cylinder, hinged frame and loading arm with 15cm (6") barrel; marked 'STARR ARMS CO NEW YORK' to left frame, 'STARR'S PATENT JAN 15 1858' to right, numbered 705 to cylinder and 8795/W to front frame; plain wood grip with illegible stamped inspector mark each side; action slightly weak. 1.12 kg, 29 cm



Acquired from Bottomley Antiques & Armour, 2014. The Kusmirek Collection, UK. Accompanied by a copy of the Bottomley invoice.

Sold as an exempt item under Section 58 (2) of the Firearms Act, 1968, to be held as a curiosity or ornament. No license required but buyer must be over 18 years of age. Overseas bidders should note that, due to UK regulations governing export of all firearms, overseas buyers will need to make arrangements for shipping this lot out of the UK directly, by air freight, with a specialist company or agent.

Comprising three tanged Luristan arrowheads, having elongated triangular blades and raised midrib, sharp central groove, cylindrical stem with handle for the shaft and barbed shoulders; eleven Greek paddle-shaped arrowheads with a flat and wide mid-rib, the blade shaped to a point; a small Persian or Greek foliate arrowhead with a long tang; a flat and foliate bronze arrowhead. 141 grams total, 49-85 mm



Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.

In Greek warfare, archers were mainly employed by Scythians and Cretans. Both used composite bows made of wood, horn, bone and sinew. The Luristan examples seem to belong to the type V, subcategory C of triangular arrowheads according to the classification of Khorasani and Negahban.

Comprising a Mesolithic flint arrowhead of triangular form; a paddle shaped arrowhead with a flat, comparatively wide mid-rib (Elamite or Old Babylonian); a fully developed bronze arrowhead with a large lozenge-section midrib and triangular barbed blade; an arrowhead with a long slender blade with rounded shoulders and wide flat mid-rib (both Luristan); two bronze arrowheads with slender lozenge-shaped blade and socket extending near the tip, with a side lug (Scythian); a lozenge form blade with a wide socket and high mid-rib (Greek); a large arrowhead with leaf-shaped blade and thin stop ridge collar; a sub-triangular arrowhead with the blade running diagonally to the stop ridge collar at its base; a lozenge-shaped arrowhead with a flat blade, circular stop ridge and long spiked tang (all three Roman); a bronze votive arrow. 75 grams total, 32-96 mm



Acquired on the UK art market. Property of a Ruislip, UK, gentleman, by inheritance.

In the Greek warfare, archers were mainly employed by Scythians and Cretans. Both used composite bows made of wood, horn, bone and sinew. This explains the great range of Scythian arrowheads also found on the Greek sites.