Basket hilted swords

[E.B. Erickson]

Scottish brass basket from the first half of the 1700s.
36" se blade with triple fullers, stamped on the left side with sickle marks and 3 dots at the end of the sickle's arcs.
Very large pommel to balance the blade, otherwise typical construction for one of these.
Grip is leather covered, bound with brass wire and Turk's head knots. I think that the leather is probably a restoration, but it looks OK.

--ElJay

[E.B. Erickson]

Scottish, ca 1680
33" de blade with central fuller engraved "ELVIEGO SAHAGUN". There's an indistinct circular stamp at the end of the fuller.
Basket construction is normal, but the smith elected to cut small rectangular slots in the pommel to receive the ends of the hilt. This is a feature usually seen on earlier ribbonhilts.
Grip has some wormholes and is covered in old hard leather.

[E.B. Erickson]

English hilt based on a heart shaped guard pierced with scrollwork.
Blade 35" se, with the typical narrow and wide fullering.
Grip is shagreen bound with copper wire

[E.B. Erickson]

Typical English munition grade military basket, probably ca. 1650 or earlier. The hilt has a few traces of engraved decoration.
34" de blade, signed in the fullers "ANDRIA FERARA".
Grip is a modern replacement, but is well done.

[E.B. Erickson]

English, ca 1700. Hit of thin bars with fleur de lis (?), hearts, and "hooks" (I don't know what else to call them).
34" de blade, inscribed in the fuller "IESU MARIA".
Grip is sharkskin, bound with a broken copper wire, finished at each end with gilt ferrules.
Mazansky p. 175 has a hilt that's essentially a twin to this one.

[E.B. Erickson]

English, ca. 1750 (?)
34" se blade with narrow back fuller. The blade bears a few traces of etching.
The grip is of rayskin bound with copper wire, and is a restoration that I did myself.
Mazansky p.144-145 shows similar hilts.

[E.B. Erickson]

English, last half of the 1700s.
34" se blade with wide and narrow fullers, has been shortened as the fuller runs through the tip.
The basket is semi symmetrical, with 3 scroll ended bars to each side, but those on the right are larger and have connecting bars. The hilt is of very robust construction, and is finished and done so well that I think that this is an officer's sword.