An antique German basket-hilt sword c. 1600
Jul 27, 2018 20:59:39 GMT
Post by viece on Jul 27, 2018 20:59:39 GMT
Hello all,
Here is another recently acquired antique sword. The first one I posted is here: sbg-sword-forum.forums.net/thread/54967/antique-scottish-basket-hilt-broadsword
.
This next one is a continental European single-edged straight-bladed sword, probably German based on the basket design, likely from the late 16th century to early 17th century. This is my number one favorite right now. I just love it and can’t stop messing with it.
Here are its stats:
Weight/mass: 2 lb 10.8 oz; 1.21 kg
Total length: 43.3”; 110 cm
Blade length: 38.0”; 96.5 cm
Guard max length (quillons): 10.5”; 26.7 cm
Basket max width: 4.38”; 11.1 cm
Grip length: 3.6”; 9.4 cm
Blade max width at guard: 1.14”; 2.90 cm
Point of balance: 4.92”; 12.5 cm
Distal taper of the blade: 0.35” or 9 mm thick just below the guard, tapering to 0.12” or 3 mm thick at 4” or 10 cm from the tip
It has a fuller along most of the blade on both sides, but the fuller is very shallow and hard to make out. Overall, it’s more of a wedge section throughout, with a very thick spine narrowing quickly to a blended but still visible secondary bevel. There is a maker’s mark a few inches below the hilt: a heart above a cross, reputed to be indicative of an Italian smith. There are a couple other possible marks nearby, including a C or S shape, but it’s hard to say if these are real marks or just pits.
This weapon is in excavated condition, well-cleaned and now nicely sealed but with deep pitting and other evidence of long-term corrosion in the past. It has clearly had a hard life and has been heavily used. The edge has been re-filed and honed numerous times; it displays a waviness that seems to indicate focused smoothing to take out nicks or other damage. There is one dramatic nick near the middle of the blade that is approximately 2 mm deep. At the approximate center of percussion, about two-thirds of the way down the blade, there is a pronounced bend forward (i.e., toward the edge) and a rounded and flattened spot on the edge. This damage probably derives from a full-force strike on a helmet, armored limb, or less evocatively, perhaps some genius mis-using it against a post or tree trunk. Whatever the exact situation, it is clear that the blade struck an unyielding, slightly rounded object. Despite these flaws and its rough condition, most of the edge is still dangerously sharp.
The hilt consists of a guard with long quillons and two shells supporting an almost-symmetrical basket that does not quite attach to the pommel, which is a large, globular mushroom cap shape with longitudinal incised lines. All components appear to be steel. There is a thumbring for a right-handed fighter using a hammer grip. I estimate approximately 80% of the hilt is original; parts of some bars and one of the shells have been patched, most recently by E.B. Erickson. He also made a simple leather grip for it. Despite the patching and rough forging marks on the original components, the basket has extraordinarily graceful lines. My favorite parts are the extra-long straight quillons, which are unusual; more often you see these with shorter quillons or, if long, with the forward one curved up and the rear one down.
The basket is slightly larger than the Scottish basket I presented earlier. Unfortunately, it’s still a tight fit for my hands! But I still get a lot of enjoyment out of handling it. With its length and weight, more than 2.5 lbs, it’s a beefy sword for one-handed use. However, like so many antique weapons, it feels much lighter than that; the pronounced distal taper (note the 9-mm thickness at the hilt!) gives it a lively feel that most accessible reproductions (i.e., below the Albion/A&A/custom level) can’t match.
Please let me know if you have any questions or comments. Thanks for reading.
Here is another recently acquired antique sword. The first one I posted is here: sbg-sword-forum.forums.net/thread/54967/antique-scottish-basket-hilt-broadsword
.
This next one is a continental European single-edged straight-bladed sword, probably German based on the basket design, likely from the late 16th century to early 17th century. This is my number one favorite right now. I just love it and can’t stop messing with it.
Here are its stats:
Weight/mass: 2 lb 10.8 oz; 1.21 kg
Total length: 43.3”; 110 cm
Blade length: 38.0”; 96.5 cm
Guard max length (quillons): 10.5”; 26.7 cm
Basket max width: 4.38”; 11.1 cm
Grip length: 3.6”; 9.4 cm
Blade max width at guard: 1.14”; 2.90 cm
Point of balance: 4.92”; 12.5 cm
Distal taper of the blade: 0.35” or 9 mm thick just below the guard, tapering to 0.12” or 3 mm thick at 4” or 10 cm from the tip
It has a fuller along most of the blade on both sides, but the fuller is very shallow and hard to make out. Overall, it’s more of a wedge section throughout, with a very thick spine narrowing quickly to a blended but still visible secondary bevel. There is a maker’s mark a few inches below the hilt: a heart above a cross, reputed to be indicative of an Italian smith. There are a couple other possible marks nearby, including a C or S shape, but it’s hard to say if these are real marks or just pits.
This weapon is in excavated condition, well-cleaned and now nicely sealed but with deep pitting and other evidence of long-term corrosion in the past. It has clearly had a hard life and has been heavily used. The edge has been re-filed and honed numerous times; it displays a waviness that seems to indicate focused smoothing to take out nicks or other damage. There is one dramatic nick near the middle of the blade that is approximately 2 mm deep. At the approximate center of percussion, about two-thirds of the way down the blade, there is a pronounced bend forward (i.e., toward the edge) and a rounded and flattened spot on the edge. This damage probably derives from a full-force strike on a helmet, armored limb, or less evocatively, perhaps some genius mis-using it against a post or tree trunk. Whatever the exact situation, it is clear that the blade struck an unyielding, slightly rounded object. Despite these flaws and its rough condition, most of the edge is still dangerously sharp.
The hilt consists of a guard with long quillons and two shells supporting an almost-symmetrical basket that does not quite attach to the pommel, which is a large, globular mushroom cap shape with longitudinal incised lines. All components appear to be steel. There is a thumbring for a right-handed fighter using a hammer grip. I estimate approximately 80% of the hilt is original; parts of some bars and one of the shells have been patched, most recently by E.B. Erickson. He also made a simple leather grip for it. Despite the patching and rough forging marks on the original components, the basket has extraordinarily graceful lines. My favorite parts are the extra-long straight quillons, which are unusual; more often you see these with shorter quillons or, if long, with the forward one curved up and the rear one down.
The basket is slightly larger than the Scottish basket I presented earlier. Unfortunately, it’s still a tight fit for my hands! But I still get a lot of enjoyment out of handling it. With its length and weight, more than 2.5 lbs, it’s a beefy sword for one-handed use. However, like so many antique weapons, it feels much lighter than that; the pronounced distal taper (note the 9-mm thickness at the hilt!) gives it a lively feel that most accessible reproductions (i.e., below the Albion/A&A/custom level) can’t match.
Please let me know if you have any questions or comments. Thanks for reading.