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00:00In this episode...
00:02Have you ever wielded something like this?
00:03I mean, it's unbelievable.
00:05So this is over a thousand years old?
00:07Yeah.
00:07It's never been seen in public before.
00:10No way.
00:11Yeah.
00:12So this is an exclusive?
00:13This is actually an exclusive.
00:15I'm loving it already, Ed.
00:16Bruce, do you know anything about this?
00:19Whoever had that was proper Johnny Big Guns, trust me.
00:27Hello and welcome to Battle Treasures.
00:29I am Jason Fox, a former Special Forces soldier with a thirst for military history.
00:35And next to me is the Colonel of Collecting, the General of Gear, Mr. Bruce Crompton.
00:42Thanks, Jason.
00:43As you know, we're both massively into and passionate about military history
00:48and those artefacts that bring the battlefield to life
00:52and the brave men and women that fought on them.
00:54And to help us along the way, we have our illustrious producer, Ed,
00:59who has scoured the country looking for these unbelievable objects
01:03to help us tell those stories.
01:06Yeah, I'm super excited.
01:07We've got some amazing artefacts.
01:09I've hassled museums.
01:11I've visited private collectors.
01:13So we've got some truly awesome artefacts in this show.
01:17We're going to hold you to this.
01:19So this show is all about the world's rarest swords.
01:25Mm-hmm.
01:26So, Freddie, would you mind getting out the first artefact?
01:31Now.
01:33Whoa.
01:34Whoa.
01:34You're doing well so far, Ed.
01:36Right.
01:37Very, very nice.
01:38Very, very nice.
01:40OK, so what we have in front of us here is what looks to be an extremely old sword.
01:46I'm not a sword expert.
01:48And to be quite frank, I don't know who used it or where it came from.
01:52So over to you.
01:53OK, if I can just take that off you, Jason, that's great.
01:56Well, I can tell you straight away, this is a Viking sword.
02:01This is Frankish made.
02:02So these were made over in Europe.
02:05They were made in Norway, Sweden, Germany.
02:07Again, they were used by the Anglo-Saxons here.
02:10But we hadn't perfected the art of making swords to this quality when this was made.
02:16This is around 10th century.
02:20Again, I hesitate to say there's a bit of history behind this.
02:23I mean, have you ever wielded something like this?
02:26No.
02:26I mean, it's unbelievable.
02:28So this is over a thousand years old.
02:30Yeah.
02:31And actually, just on that pommel, Bruce, that type of pommel, apparently,
02:36denotes that the sword was used by elite Viking warriors
02:40called Huskal bodyguards or raiding captains.
02:45So this is a prestige weapon, essentially.
02:48Yeah.
02:48So it's not dissimilar.
02:49I liken this to the DeMarco C8,
02:54which was the weapon that you got issued as a special forces soldier.
02:57There's a little bit of kudos that comes with it.
02:59So, you know, normally in the British forces,
03:01you get issued the standard SA-80.
03:03But when you pass selection, you get given a different weapon system.
03:07It looks different, feels different.
03:08And actually, you feel a little bit special.
03:10So the people that are running around wielding this probably felt important
03:16and a little bit, you know, special.
03:19Whoever had that was proper Johnny Big guns.
03:21Trust me, because the actual length of it,
03:24there are different sizes, but the length of it,
03:26and obviously the pommel will be explained as well.
03:28It was for somebody of a higher rank.
03:31It's in beautiful condition, I've got to tell you.
03:34But just out of interest, the handle.
03:37Yeah, the handle.
03:38Is that what it would have been like?
03:39No, no.
03:40So over here would be wood and it would be covered in leather.
03:43Right, okay.
03:44So it would have a wooden shafter over here
03:46and then that would be covered in leather.
03:48But obviously this has been dug up and the wood and the leather hasn't survived.
03:53Right, okay.
03:53But the pommel has a sword.
03:55I was worried there for a minute because I thought,
03:57crikey, you're going to get some serious hand blisters wielding this band.
04:00Yeah, yeah, yeah.
04:00That's worse than the blade.
04:02And would you be able to like decorate?
04:04Yes.
04:05Did warriors decorate their swords?
04:07They decorated them.
04:07And actually what they did, they could decorate the blade,
04:10they could decorate the handle, they could decorate the pommel.
04:14A lot of the Anglo-Saxon swords that have been found from places like Sutton Hooke,
04:20these are in gold with beautiful garnets in, absolutely beautifully decorated.
04:26But this is your old ragtag vikings.
04:28They didn't give a much.
04:29They liked a bit of silver.
04:31They weren't into gold so much.
04:32A little bit less bling, more bang less buck.
04:35Yeah.
04:36You know?
04:37Yeah.
04:37Now again, Ed, please correct me if I'm wrong.
04:41I believe, I know where this sword's come from.
04:45This is the sword that was found at Malden in Essex.
04:48Yeah, you're right.
04:49It is.
04:49The Combined Military Services Museum are very generous in giving us this sword for the show.
04:54So this is a unique sword.
04:55And there was a raid in 991, in August 991,
05:00where the Vikings under Olef from Norway.
05:03And it was a raiding party.
05:05It wasn't a settling party.
05:06They were up against Northam.
05:08It was under Ethelred the Unready.
05:13And the battle took place on the causeway.
05:16Unfortunately for the Anglo-Saxons, the Vikings won.
05:20And this particular sword, I believe, was found sometime in the 70s,
05:25at the site of the battle, which has become a big quarry pit.
05:29And it's the only bit of weaponry ever found at that battle.
05:35So, just out of interest, what was it found in, as in what kind of earth?
05:40Yeah, well, it was a gravel pit.
05:43And it's actually, because it was found in gravel, it's actually survived quite well.
05:47That's what I wondered.
05:48Yeah.
05:48And it's been preserved because other types of earth and clay,
05:52with a lot of water and all that, it would just rot it to pieces.
05:55So, we're very lucky that it was found in.
05:58Reputedly, there is more things there, but that was a long time ago.
06:03Well, apparently it was a guy called Frank Shackleton who found it.
06:06He was an amateur detectorist.
06:08Right, okay.
06:09So, he's there with his metal detector.
06:12Yeah, yeah.
06:13And he was brilliant.
06:15He noted down the coordinates and did the whole process in the right way.
06:19I mean, for a metal detectorist, that is the find of a lifetime.
06:23I've got to be honest here, the absolute find of a lifetime.
06:26And to have something in that condition, from that,
06:29you can place it to that particular battle, is just incredible.
06:33I mean, this is awesome.
06:34But we've got to come to the question of how much is it worth?
06:40Okay.
06:42Viking swords, you can buy them.
06:44They come up at pristine auctions occasionally.
06:47They come up on the continent.
06:49And you give, I would think, for a reasonable Viking sword in that condition, anywhere between $8,000 to $10
06:58,000.
06:59With the provenance of this, I can't put a value on it.
07:05Because it's the only artifact from the Battle of Morton.
07:09I mean, all I would assume is it's insured for a lot of money.
07:13Wow.
07:13And because it's the only one, and that's why you can travel the value on it.
07:18Incredible.
07:19Well done, Ed, for getting that.
07:21I'm in awe of this thing.
07:22But, if you haven't got a spare $20,000, $30,000, $40,000, where can you go and see one
07:30of these?
07:30You could probably see one locally down at Sutton Hoo, the famous burial ground of the Anglo-Saxon King, where
07:37the whole boat was buried and all the artifacts, all these swords were laid in there as well.
07:42But, again, there's a few places that have got them, but this actual one you could see at the Combined
07:49Military Service Museum.
07:50Nice.
07:51Ed, this is the first of, I'm sure, some amazing artifacts. What's next?
07:58We've got an artifact that is so extraordinary, it's worth millions and millions.
08:05He's having us on, isn't he?
08:07Coming up, a sword that's never been seen in public before.
08:11Bling.
08:12I mean, this is bling. I'm worried about holding it because it looks expensive.
08:31Welcome back, everyone, and over to you, Ed.
08:34Oh, so this one's a cracker.
08:36Better than the last?
08:38Oh, different.
08:39Right, okay.
08:40Why?
08:40This one has never been seen in public before.
08:43No way.
08:45So this is an exclusive?
08:46This is actually an exclusive.
08:50Again, we have a sword. This one is very different, I'd say, to the last. It has a small handle
09:00for someone with small hands. It's got a very, what I'd say, ornate handle, hilt and pommel.
09:08Slightly curved, almost, as far as I'm concerned, Middle Eastern in its appearance. And I'm loving it already, Ed.
09:19Let's have a look.
09:19Bruce, do you know anything about this?
09:21Well, first of all, I can tell you it's an Indian sword.
09:24Indian?
09:24Yep.
09:24So, it's an Indian Tolwar sword.
09:28The significance and who it belonged to, I'm not sure. Maybe it tells you here.
09:34Ah, right.
09:35It all is revealed here, Jason.
09:37Tanja Topi.
09:39Tanja Topi.
09:40This was Tanja Topi's sword that he surrendered to the British during the Indian Mutiny.
09:46Now, Tanja Topi was one of the leaders of the terrible, terrible Indian Mutiny, which basically was a terrible experience.
09:56It had been brewing for a long, long time.
09:58But the spark that set it off was the case that they were having to use a hand-wrapped cartridge
10:05that had been dipped in tallow.
10:07And when they dipped them in tallow, they were made in this country and they would use pig's fat or
10:12they would use cow fat.
10:14Now, Muslims have anything to do with pigs, they can't touch.
10:20And obviously, Hindus cannot, their cows are sacred.
10:24And to actually load these cartridges, you had to bite the end off and then put it down, it was
10:30an Enfield 1853 weapon.
10:33And that was the spark. But it had been brewing for a very, very long time.
10:36But ultimately, the thing that tipped the balance was this disregard for their culture.
10:41Yeah, absolutely.
10:42You're right to call it the Indian Mutiny. That's how it is always referred to in the history books.
10:47It was a massive multi-regional uprising.
10:51And so it's now considered to be India's first major independence struggle.
10:58So that's how we now refer to it, is the first battle of independence.
11:04Yeah.
11:04So this sword was owned by Tanchitope. But what do we know about the guy himself?
11:09He's revered throughout India as a national hero.
11:13He's one of the leaders of the people that first took up arms against the English.
11:18Ed, I'm sure you probably know a little bit more about this. Could you have a check for me?
11:22Yeah, yeah. So look, we've got, here's a picture of him.
11:25Oh, man.
11:26Holding a sword, which looks like the one you've got on your hands there.
11:30He was portrayed by a guy called Man Singh. And he was handed over to Major Richard Meade on the
11:408th of April 1859.
11:42He calmly pleaded guilty at his trial and was executed by hanging on the 18th of April 1859.
11:52I mean, that's like a, that's a big deal to a soldier. That's, that's an emasculating thing to go through.
11:58Like you hand over your tools of your trade, you're done.
12:01Like I can remember being, being a young recruit and the training teams that used to teach us how to
12:06soldier,
12:07of a night when you're out in the field, they'd always try and sneak around and see who had left
12:10their weapon unattended
12:13and they'd take it away and that young recruit would wake up in the morning and be like, oh my
12:16God, where the hell is my weapon?
12:18I've actually slept on top of it. Not a comfortable night, but at least I knew where that weapon was.
12:23It is literally there all the time. It is, it never leaves your side.
12:27So to actually be in a position where you've got to give it up.
12:31I mean, that is soul destroying, soul destroying.
12:34And in comparison with this, I mean, he is revered to such extent on a par with us, maybe with
12:42Wellington, Montgomery.
12:44He is a national hero.
12:46An unbelievable item, an unbelievable story, an amazing story. Well done, Ed.
12:53But how much is this worth?
12:56That is a national artefact.
12:59And in India, with obviously the amount of people in India that could afford such a thing, I probably, I
13:07couldn't price it.
13:08I mean, it's just, it could go for millions.
13:11It's of such significance to the Indian people as the, because of the leader that he was.
13:18If that came up in auction in India, with the right people around it, I, you know, you could ask
13:26your price.
13:27It would go for millions. No question about that.
13:29And the sky would be the limit.
13:31But what I would say to see similar types of swords from that part of the world and that era,
13:37the Wallace Collection in London.
13:41Unbelievable collection of swords, armour, paintings. It's incredible.
13:46A lot of people don't know about it. It's free to get in. And it's one of the best museums
13:50in London.
13:51That is an unbelievable piece, Ed. Well done. But what's next?
13:58Well, I've got another sword of national importance. Freddie, get out the next item, please.
14:06Oof. Bling. Bling.
14:10I mean, I'm worried about holding it because it looks expensive.
14:14It is expensive. That's absolutely beautiful. That's gold. I can tell you that for nothing.
14:20I would assume that's probably rhino horn. This is a Turkish Shamshir. It's a presentation sword.
14:27And this would have been given to very, very high dignitaries. Very high dignitaries.
14:33This particular sword, if I'm correct, is a sword that came into the possession of Sir John Moore. Am I
14:42correct, Ed?
14:42You are. That's correct. Yeah. So that sword has been called the Rosetta sword.
14:48But it's also known as the Sir John Moore's Sword of Honour. And again, this artefact has never been seen
14:57in public before.
14:58So Sir John Moore's sword. But can we actually have a look at the sword?
15:01Yeah. Look at the actual sword itself.
15:06Look at that. Absolute beauty.
15:09Wow. That is incredible. That is incredible.
15:12Looks pretty impressive.
15:13The writing on it, the gold inlay, is just incredible.
15:18So Sir John Moore was one of our greatest generals. Unfortunately, he was overlooked a little bit when Wellington come
15:26along.
15:27But he'd been instrumental in the Napoleonic Wars and particular in the Peninsula Campaign.
15:34His claim to fame in the first part of the Napoleonic Wars was the significant part he played in the
15:41Battle of Alexandria.
15:42He was instrumental in winning the battle, but he never got the recognition.
15:46So his men got together and presented him with this unbelievable trophy.
15:52Now, to people like Freddie, yourself, Marines, whatever, this man is the father of the light infantry.
16:00Now, what's interesting, he was killed at the Battle of Corona.
16:04That battle was actually, although it was a victory for us, it was a Dunkirk.
16:08We retreated. Absolutely incredible.
16:11So I've just put up a picture behind you guys of Sir John. There he is.
16:15So, as you've already said, he was instrumental in beating the Napoleonic forces in Alexandria.
16:23He died, I've got another picture here, at the Battle of Corona.
16:29And he wrote his last will and testament on the boat on the way to Portugal.
16:36And he said, I'm going to leave this sword of honour to my best mate and second in command at
16:43the Battle of Alexandria, Hildebrand Oaks.
16:47This dude, okay?
16:49So, this portrait of Hildebrand Oaks hangs in the National Trust property, Killerton House.
16:56And yes, you've spotted it.
16:58That is that sword.
17:00Definitely, I think so.
17:01I'm telling you.
17:01I mean, can we compare?
17:03Like, if we pick this one up and then almost overlay it onto the picture and see how it compares.
17:12Yeah, this has never been done before.
17:14Right.
17:15There we go.
17:15Hang on.
17:17So, here we go.
17:19It's going to come from below.
17:23The same sword.
17:24Mate, look at that.
17:25I mean, just look at that.
17:27That is absolutely mad.
17:28I mean, we're missing the lanyard, the bit of string.
17:32The hole for the lanyard is there.
17:34That's the same sword.
17:35Look at the decoration, the triangle, the pommels here, both sides.
17:38It's the same.
17:40It's a revelation.
17:41It's great, isn't it?
17:42That's awesome.
17:43It's such, I love this story.
17:44It's such a detective story.
17:46But there's a problem.
17:49So, the painting at Killerton House says it was done circa 1802.
17:55So, we know that Sir John Moore died at Carona 1809.
17:59So, how come that sword on Hilda Brandoaks isn't a painting for 1802?
18:04Painted in.
18:05So, exactly, Jason.
18:07It could have been painted in or the National Trust team has been looking into it and believe,
18:14actually, there's a problem with the dating of that painting.
18:19And it could have actually been done in 1809 or 1810.
18:24The fact that the date says it was 1802 onwards.
18:27Yeah.
18:27So, if we assume that is the sword, we follow the provenance.
18:32And Sir Hilda Brandoaks left it to another person who left it to another person.
18:36And there's a really clear chain of this sword being handed down.
18:40And it went back to Sir John Moore's descendants.
18:43So, it went back into the Moore family.
18:45And that's where we then lose what happens.
18:49It's incredible.
18:50I mean, it's just an incredible sword.
18:52But you're absolutely right.
18:53If you imagine back to the Nelson Waterloo pictures,
18:55as they got more distinguished awards, they would have them added.
19:00So, it's quite a common thing for things that have been presented to them,
19:04being a sword like that, to have it added.
19:07And that's definitely the sword, isn't it?
19:08It's exactly the same sword.
19:10It's a great sword and a great story to a great man.
19:14Believe me.
19:14One of our national heroes.
19:16Honestly, he really was.
19:17It is.
19:18And he is.
19:19But the question I'm always interested in is how much is this bad boy worth?
19:26I've got to be honest here.
19:28I would ask them to say this sword, because of its provenance, who it belonged to,
19:34as a national traveler with the right money, would make a million pounds.
19:39A million quid.
19:40Yeah.
19:41So, if you were just to buy the sword alone, it didn't have that provenance,
19:45you're looking at a kind of starting price of a quarter of a million to 275,000.
19:51What?
19:51Yeah.
19:52Just for the sword.
19:53But when you layer in this is one of Britain's original heroes, his sword of honor,
20:00then suddenly you are a million pounds plus.
20:03I mean, we are very lucky to have this sword, but I mean, we could be talking about swords
20:09forever.
20:10So we're going to have to put a stop to that and say thanks for joining us here at Battle
20:15Treasures.
20:15It's been an absolute pleasure.
20:17And I've got to congratulate Ed on pulling it out of the scabbard.
20:22Yeah.
20:22Because it's been a great one.
20:24You're going to...
20:25I'll press to beat this now, mate.
20:27I don't know what you've got in sort of us next in future things, but you've done well
20:31here, I've got to tell you.
20:32Well, you wait.
20:33I've got some good stuff, but thanks a lot.
20:35Thank you, everybody.
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