Victorian Police Truncheon

Napoleonic era musket with 93cm (36½") smooth-bore barrel of .75" bore with London proof marks, the lockplate with 'TOWER', 'crown-over-G R' and inspection marks; fitted with full wood stock stamped 'S' and 'IR' to left side and butt with brass butt plate, trigger guard, ferrules, fore-end and sideplate; fitted with sling swivel loops and steel ramrod with cleaning rag eye; action working well in half and full cock, with correct steel socket bayonet. 4.60 kg, 173 cm with bayonet



Acquired from Andrew Bottomley, UK, 2014. The Kusmirek Collection, UK. Accompanied by copy of the invoice and listing. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.204080.

The 'Brown Bess' musket, in several versions, was the standard British infantry longarm from about 1736 to 1838; some were later converted to the percussion system. 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.

Each scale B-shaped, slightly convex sides, two equally spaced circular holes along the straight edge. 55 grams total, 19-38 mm



The Kusmirek Collection, UK.

This object is not typical of 'squama' which usually has scales that are rectangular with one rounded end, and numerous attachment holes at the square end in pairs. However, it can be a type widespread in the post Roman age, with various specimens found in Britain (PAS SWYOR-CA6BBB, BM-95F434 and NCL-34BE90.

Triangular with thick rectangular-section midrib, rounded shoulders, narrow tip, short tang with inserted fixing pin for the organic grip. 472 grams, 42.2 cm



Ex German collection, Cologne, 1980-1990s.

This tanged bronze blade from Luristan belongs to a category of Luristan swords still in use in Achaemenid Period, as proved from a blade with a perished handle (probably bone or wood) of the same type, in the National Museum of Iran (2694/15633). Examples without inscriptions like our model have been classified by Grotkamp-Schepers in the Solingen Museum as pieces from Luristan.