16th Century Style Broad Sword

Philip · 29th July 2020, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cathey

. The hilt is Iron not bronze, just look brown in the pictures but I think you are on to something with the possibility of a Kaskara blade etc.

I actully really dislike this sword, it feels horrible,

He did tell me the sword came from someone by the name of Skollard in the USA I think, has anyone heard of this chap. I know a number of very questionable swords and items of armour came to Australia via his business many years ago.

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Cheers Cathey

Hi, Cathey

To address your comments:

Thanks for the clarification on hilt materials and construction. A picture is worth a thousand words, as they say, but looking at pictures can't compare with looking at the object itself. So... iron all around.

If a sword has a lousy balance in your hands, and it's purported to be a fighting weapon as opposed to a bearing-sword or something ceremonial, that pretty much brands it as a dud. Another problem with buying things only via images in a catalog or online auction listing.

Regarding the late Wm Scollard (a near-neighbor of mine, living about 20 miles away), let's just say that the assessment in your closing sentence pretty much sums things up. A number of decades ago, he had a very fine collection and inventory of European and Oriental arms and armor; I used to buy from him on occasion, he had a world-class collection of gun locks, a major study resource, spanning the 16th through 19th cent. including some very rare types -- that eventually sold as a lot to a collector in Europe. He was much respected in those days, a few of his pieces were loaned to exhibitions and published in reference books. One of the highlights of any visit was his impressive library, occupying its own small pavilion; marvelous. I wish more collectors and dealers at least made the effort to be as erudite as he was.

Later on, his career as a dealer ended up on a different note, as alluded to in your post. Why, I don't really know. By 2007, the date of my last visit, virtually everything was Victorian or later, often much later. The sword which is the subject of this thread is representative of the material he used to trot out to arms fairs in those final years. I find it all rather sad.