€530.000 for the missing Harriet Dean sword, Oakeshott Type XVIIIC

[fernando]

Stupendous.
The easy part is to fall in love with this magnificent sword; the hard part is to get the funds to bring it home with us.
Thank you so much for showing us, Jasper.

[estcrh]

Not very good images for the value of this sword.

[Lee]

This really does demonstrate what the premium for provenance can be at the top of the market. I had totally missed that this was coming on sale and greatly appreciate the links and photos.

[Iain]

Originally Posted by estcrh

Not very good images for the value of this sword.

I rather imagine the purchaser viewed it in person or at least had someone do it for them.

In any case a fabulous result for a sword with a wonderful history.

[cornelistromp]

for another one, please see post #14

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...oto=nextoldest

[Iain]

That's the one in the Met correct? The Bashford Dean sword.

[Lee]

Originally Posted by Iain

That's the one in the Met correct? The Bashford Dean sword.

Correct!

P.S. The one to the right in the picture (that has lost its tip, presumably to many re-honings, ex Maj. Prescott and presently lent to the Met courtesy of Ron Lauder) is a much nicer sword than pictures ever suggest.

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Lee

Correct!

P.S. The one to the right in the picture (that has lost its tip, presumably to many re-honings, ex Maj. Prescott and presently lent to the Met courtesy of Ron Lauder) is a much nicer sword than pictures ever suggest.

I saw them years back, but it has been a while. Karl Koppeschaar's always reliable image resource on Flickr has some nice views of the piece.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/980156...7634798190647/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/980156...7634798190647/

[estcrh]

Originally Posted by Iain

That's the one in the Met correct? The Bashford Dean sword.

Iain, here are the two swords compared, the Met does not labled its sword as "Italian", it is described as being "European".

Sword
Date: before 1419
Culture: European
Medium: Steel, wood
Dimensions: L. 43 11/16 in. (110.96 cm); L. of blade 34 1/8 in. (86.67 cm); W. of cross guard 12 3/8 in. (31.43 cm) Wt. 3 lb. 10 oz. (1644 g)
Classification: Swords
Credit Line: Bashford Dean Memorial Collection, Bequest of Bashford Dean, 1928
Accession Number: 29.150.143

The Arabic inscription engraved on the blade of this sword indicates that it was part of the large group of European arms and armor once stored in the Mamluk arsenal in Alexandria, Egypt. Many of those pieces were taken as booty in the battles between Muslim and Christian armies in the Near East and Aegean regions; others were sent to the sultan as tribute, possibly by the king of Cyprus.
The inscription reads in translation: "Donation of al-Mālik al Mu`ayyad Abū al-Nasr Shaykh to the armory in the frontier city of Alexandria [in the] year 822 [A.D. 1419]."

Marking: Stamped on one face: W; on the other face: a cross.

[Iain]

Originally Posted by estcrh

Iain, here are the two swords compared, the Met does not labled its sword as "Italian", it is described as being "European".

Sword
Date: before 1419
Culture: European
Medium: Steel, wood
Dimensions: L. 43 11/16 in. (110.96 cm); L. of blade 34 1/8 in. (86.67 cm); W. of cross guard 12 3/8 in. (31.43 cm) Wt. 3 lb. 10 oz. (1644 g)
Classification: Swords
Credit Line: Bashford Dean Memorial Collection, Bequest of Bashford Dean, 1928
Accession Number: 29.150.143

The Arabic inscription engraved on the blade of this sword indicates that it was part of the large group of European arms and armor once stored in the Mamluk arsenal in Alexandria, Egypt. Many of those pieces were taken as booty in the battles between Muslim and Christian armies in the Near East and Aegean regions; others were sent to the sultan as tribute, possibly by the king of Cyprus.
The inscription reads in translation: "Donation of al-Mālik al Mu`ayyad Abū al-Nasr Shaykh to the armory in the frontier city of Alexandria [in the] year 822 [A.D. 1419]."

Marking: Stamped on one face: W; on the other face: a cross.

Indeed, if you have not got a copy, I highly recommend the article by Clive Thomas in the 20th Anniversary edition of the London Park Lane Arms Fair publication.

My interest in the Alexandria grouping is more with the earlier ascensions, under Sayf al-din Aristay. Again I highly recommend Clive Thomas'article in the same publication from Spring 2011.

Clive Thomas and David Oliver have additional articles on certain Alexandria arsenal swords in the Spring 2009 and Spring 2013 editions respectively.