Medieval Euopean Sword
 

I have an antique sword, which I am trying to identify and
classify. I have looked though "Records of the Medieval Sword'
Oakeshott E.(1991) without a great deal of success except to
conclude it seems to be possibly a Type XV in his scheme of classification.
The pommel however does not look like any of his types.
The sword is 79.5 cm. in total length, wiith a blade of 62 cm. The
crosspiece is curved and 19 cm. in length. The pommel is of
elongated octagonal section and 4 cm. wide.
It weighs 740 G. and is well balanced with the centre of gravity 1 cm down the blade from the crosspiece at the end of the ricasso. The hilt is octagonal also in section. The blade is chipped mostly at the end as if during use.
I enclose some photographs of the weapon. Can you or any of your colleagues help in identifying this artefact?
PS. I cannot upload a full picture of the sword - "Sword.jpg: File Too Large. Limits are 800 x 1280. Your file is 1021 x 254."

Welcome
 

Welcome!

You should show us whole sword. If you have problems with resize the picture send it to one of the moderators (Andrew always lend a hand) , they will help you.

Regards!

I will help if I can, but I'd need bigger pictures. I love european blades. :)

Please do post additional pictures of the entire sword. As Wolviex indicated, feel free to forward them to me, and I'll post them for you if necessary.

I will be happy to check my references for you too.

A point to bear in mind is that hundreds of thousands of these objects were made in a broad geographical area over many years. Sotheby's Oakeschott, the Met, the RA the Wallace and so on have only touched a tiny fraction of the overall production. That said, objects that are different from established "types" do not signify worthiness. What I am driving at is that not having a match to your pommel in Oakeschott reflects little on your sword (on it's own).

I'll second that- just because it isn't a defined pommel type doesn't mean that it is necessarily not authentic. Also amny swords were rehilted- sometimes hundreds of years after their original creation. Seeing the entire sword would be very helpfull.

I do not know much about medieval swords but I too find it annoying when people scoff at a piece because a it does not fit the typical picture published from an eminent persons, even fairly ordinary, or institutions collection, it is pontification from people who have no real idea of how many varied types and centers with rich or poor clients in a given time period were making swords and other artifacts, they surely cannot have every type. Aping ones betters comes to mind. Saying that, I do acknowledge that the frequent handling experience and observations of such collections must impart a great deal of knowledge and I would agree your swords pommel does raise questions as to whether it is medieval or a copy from the time of all that Sir Walter Scott romanticism, a picture of the blade would be helpful. Tim

Darach,

Hopefully, you'll come back and share some pix with us, as there are some folks here who can help you. You might also try checking with the people over on www.myarmoury.com .

Andrew

Hi Tinker! Welcome. :)

What little of the sword the image shows doesn't appear Medieval at all-- more likely Victorian. It would be interesting to see an overall shot at some point.


Ham

What strikes me is that the grip is apparently metal, and of one piece with the pommel, which is not something I have seen in a medieval sword in my somewhat limited experience.

This part disturbes me as well... A full picture would help much, as 740 g seems correct for a single-hand sword.

[QUOTE=Tim Simmons]I do not know much about medieval swords but I too find it annoying when people scoff at a piece because a it does not fit the typical picture published from an eminent persons, even fairly ordinary, or institutions collection, it is pontification from people who have no real idea of how many varied types and centers...... Tim[/QUOTE

But Tim, it can't be real if it's not in the book! :D :p :D ;)

thanks Andrew! I pretty much have to agree without 'the full picture' it's difficult to say much more than has been said- If the picture is too big feel free to email it to me- I can resize it easily enough and get it posted.