Side sword with Victorian chiseled hilt?

[10thRoyal]

Good morning everyone. After a surprisingly good morning at an estate sale, I've got a few meaty swords to dig into researching. For the price I paid for them, they could all be reproductions and I'd still be very pleased with the morning.

First up I've got what appears to be a early 1600's side sword with a chiseled hilt. I'm pretty dubious about these chiseled hilts as they all strike me as sort of Gothic-revival Victorian types of thing. On top of that the grip is pierced brass. Once again, not unheard of on legitimate period blades but also vaguely Victorian. I'm also a bit weary of the fit between the blade and hilt.

As for the blade, it seems legitimate to me. Cross marks at the ricasso match several Italian marks with a running(standing?) wolf inscribed in the fuller. Blade is roughly 38 inches give or take. I can't find an exact match for the mark just yet.

The last picture is a bit messy as it is sitting on a stack of other swords but you can still get an idea of the detail. The pommel is quite interesting, it almost has a Schiavona outline.

I'm very curious to hear y'all's thoughts!

Best,
Michael, 10thRoyal

[Interested Party]

Somewhere in Norman recently I read about a style of 17th century English hilts with joints like bamboo. If memory serves p. 373, the section on chiseled hilts. I will double check later after work if no one else posts.

[10thRoyal]

Originally Posted by Interested Party

Somewhere in Norman recently I read about a style of 17th century English hilts with joints like bamboo. If memory serves p. 373, the section on chiseled hilts. I will double check later after work if no one else posts.

Interesting. My mind immediately went to finger bones but I see the bamboo now.

[midelburgo]

Some Victorian copies weight much more than what they should. Also bad balance. That is a start.

[ulfberth]

The blade is 17th century , The pommel is composite and does not belong to this type of rapier neither does it fit the grip its a shiavona type of pommel.
For the guard i lean towords 19th c based on these few pics ,more detailed pictures are needed to be sure , the back of the guard is missing it was probably the same guard ring is the front, altough this type of guard existed in the 17th c this one is pretty rougly made the original ones were usualy more refined .
kind regards
Ulfberth

[10thRoyal]

Originally Posted by ulfberth

The blade is 17th century , The pommel is composite and does not belong to this type of rapier neither does it fit the grip its a shiavona type of pommel.
For the guard i lean towords 19th c based on these few pics ,more detailed pictures are needed to be sure , the back of the guard is missing it was probably the same guard ring is the front, altough this type of guard existed in the 17th c this one is pretty rougly made the original ones were usualy more refined .
kind regards
Ulfberth

I think that's a good catch Ulfberth, it does look like the other half of the guard may have snapped off and someone may have sanded down the fracture surface. After looking at it more the pommel does look straight off a schiavona. Luckily the blade itself looks fantastic and I'm super happy with it. I'll have more details coming when I have the swords in hand.

Here is the rest of what is coming to me from that estate: