Italian or Spanish Arming Sword

Editor's Note: Text below provided as translated by Google Translate from the original German text.

Lot Nr. 88

Circa 1530-50. With heavy double-edged blade of flattened hexagonal section coming to a short point (associated), formed with a ricasso and cut with a group of small marks capping a pair of narrow fullers on both sides at the forte, iron proto-rapier hilt formed of a pair of quillons with horizontally recurved fishtail terminals cut with a prominent ridge over their respective outer sides, a pair of faceted arms carrying at their head an inverted U-shaped bar ridged en suite with the quillon terminals (broken at one joint), globular pommel with medial ridge and flattened centres, the outer face deeply incised with a stylised shell, later moulded wire-bound grip, and in wooden scabbard, with shaped throat, covered in modern green velvet, fitted with iron chape, and with modern leather belt. Blade 94.7 cm. Overall length 107 cm. The hilt is a variation of the Type 16 discussed in A.V.B. Norman, The Rapier and Small-Sword 1460-1820, London 1980, pp. 80-82. A sword with a very closely comparable hilt is alternatively given a Spanish late 15th century attribution by Oakeshott. See OAKESHOTT, R. Ewart, The Sword in the Age of Chivalry, New York 1965, pl. 38, Type XVIIIc. The same sword is re-appraised by the author in Records of the Medieval Sword, Woodbridge 1998, p.243

Condition: II Limit: 6000 EURO

Source: www.hermann-historica.de/