The Sword of John Hampden(?)

[Interested Party]

Good Lord, the mark is a unicorn! I don't know why I couldn't make that out. I ended up screenshotting it and rotating to all orientations. I am always humbled by Mr. McDougall’s research and have learned from him yet again by reverse engineering the process somewhat. Thanks Jim!

The Wallace Collection Vol II mentions that the globular pommel was popular in England but not proof of English manufacture. Later the discussion of example A597 says the style was popular "....1580-1680 when the fashion seems to have been brought to the country by foreign craftsman (cf. No. A511)." A511 being the prince of Wales’ sword. The first attached photo is of this sword’s forte and hilt. It shows the ostrich feathers and the PH monogram. I personally believe this hilt, a gift from Charles Emanuel of Savoy, to be in baroque style, while Hampton’s hilt with the elongated figures seems to be in the style of mannerism. The difference in styles, themes, and improbability of being sourced from the same geographic region would on the surface make the hilts seem unrelated other than of course the Clemens Horn blade.


In an experiment I tried to cut corners by using ChatGPT and Copilot. I fell into a multiple hour mobius strip of unsatisfactory answers. Though not directly related to these specific examples I found the names of Arnold Lulls (jeweler and usurer to Queen Ann of Denmark, partners with a John Spielman) and John Spillman also a jeweler of the period. Both of whom may have produces high end sword hilts. Spellman if he existed, is said to have produced basket hilts and hunting swords. These men do not exist in this forum's data base, and I have not found examples of their work. Any ideas concerning the veracity of these two gentlemen?

Finally, here are two portraits of the young Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales with swords though not the one in question. Bellow these portraits are two posthumous statues of John Hampden with side swords and a portrait with a sword hilt that could be loosely based on the OP sword.