Basket hilt sword for comments
 

Once again a request for help on such lousy pictures of a sword on a rather poor condition.
I have tried to compare it with examples discussed in this forum and it seemed to me that there is a fair similarity with the sword discussed HERE, which had Jim's comments HERE...
Please tell me guys that i am not completely mistaken and kindly fire your comments at will !


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Hi Fernando, yes your basket-hilt is in the same style as Mark's and I would judge of a very similar date. His, however is a half basket while yours is a full basket with a ring for managing reins i.e. it is a cavalry trooper's sword. so most likely English-made for a trooper in the British (government) army around the period of the Jacobite rebellions.
Best regards, Neil

Thank you so much for your input, Neil.
I was so dumb i didn't even notice the difference between half and full basket.
... And so was the reins loop detail news to me :cool: .

My pleasure, Fernando. There are 2 main theories as to how the open ring, on the inside of the hilt for a right-handed swordsman, worked. 1: the reins could be pushed through the ring and gripped by the fingers of the right hand which is already holding the sword, to enable the soldier to fire a pistol with his left hand.
2: the thumb of the left hand could be inserted through the ring to hold the sword, while still holding the reins, to enable the soldier to fire a pistol with his right hand.
I have never tried either theory (or even ridden a horse) so cannot comment on the validity of either. Perhaps someone else can help out here.
Best regards, Neil

Well Neil, being myself one handed, that would be a problematic procedure ;).
But in any case, i have never ridden a horse either :shrug: .

I am green with envy for your new acquisition, Fernando! This is an amazing baskethilt from the time period I love most (Jacobite Rebellion). It is my sincere hope to own one like it some day ( or for you to send it to me for authentication! I'll give it back, I swear!! :D ;) ). Congrats, my friend!

No Captain; no congrats but regrets instead. I keep trying to acquire a basket hilt from this local guy and he either answers "this one i don't sell" or he asks for an implausible amount on the one he doesn't mind to spare ... like the current one :(. The € he wants would buy a top condition example ... which is not the case at all :shrug:.

Sorry to hear that, my friend! It was a nice example, but as you pointed out, a old soldier. These swords still fetch outrageous prices on the market. Still, thanks for posting the old beast!

I am glad i thought i was the old beast myself :eek: .

:D :rolleyes: