I am going to add something not so valid here but, for what it is worth ...
In the eyes of historian/collector Rainer Daehnhardt (author of HOMENS ESPADAS E TOMATES), the finger protection appeared in fusion with late medieval cross guard swords, which he places in the transition from XIV to XV centuries. As seen in the sketch, he pretends that this was also the beginning of the ricasso solution.
Later he shows the same type of finger guard in a sword with a guard of curved quillons, now dating it from the 2nd quarter XV century.
In the description text he states that this sword typology was present in a painting by Master Nicolás Francés in the altarpiece of the Cathedral of Leon, called the Visit of (King) Alfonso III to Saint Froilan. It happens that Nicolás Francés was comissioned this work in 1434.
Such a pity i didn't manage to locate a picture of such work with reasonable dimensions.
Meanwhile i notice that, in the same altarpiece, there is a work by Master de Palanquinos, named the Apostles, where a sword with a visible finger guard is depicted. However this artist, whose actual name and identity are obscure, surely lived at a later stage, more towards the end of XV century.
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