EARLY 17TH CENTURY, THE BLADE CIRCA 1560

Details

A VERY FINE GERMAN CRUCIFORM SWORD
EARLY 17TH CENTURY, THE BLADE CIRCA 1560
With broad straight slightly shortened double-edged blade of flattened oval section cut on each face at the forte with a wide central fuller, rectangular ricasso struck on each face with a series of three maker's marks, and etched on each for it entire length with foliage and tendrils, the iron hilt comprising quillon-block bearing swelling flat quillons each with a disc-shaped finial, swelling waisted grip, and flattened fig-shaped pommel, the whole of the hilt encrusted in silver flowering foliage inhabited by hunstmen, mythical birds, beasts of the chase and hunting hounds, the flattened faces of the pommel respectively depicting a differing scene of the chase, the decoration probably inspired by prints of Virgil Solis of Nuremberg (1514-62), the blackened ground retaining traces of original gilt finish throughout
33¾in. (85.7cm.) blade

Provenance

Sold in these Rooms, 19 September 1990, Lot 263

Literature

Christie's Review of the Season 1991, p. 311

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price and at 20% on the buyer's premium.

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Lot Essay

This belongs to a group of early 17th century cruciform swords, best known from English sources, but also used in Germany. Comparable decoration is noted on cruciform swords from the old Saxon electoral armoury in the Historisches Museum, Dresden, the State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, and the Danish National Museum, Copenhagen. The hilt of the sword in Copenhagen is signed 'Simon Schwartz in Brunen Brock 1619'

See J. Schöbel, Jagdwaffen, 1976, fig. 18; E. Von Lenz, Catalogue of the Collection of arms in the Imperial Hermitage (in Russian), pl. XXII; C. Blair, The James A. de Rothschild Collection at Waddesdon Manor: Arms, Armour and Base-Metalwork, 1974, pp. 87-8; C. Blair, 'An English sword with an Ottoman Blade', in K. Stüber & H. Wetter, Blankwaffen, 1982, pp. 57-68; M. Rade, Ornamental Metalwork from the Historical Museum at Dresden, n.d., pl. 11

Similar etching occurs on the blade of a sword dated 1562 in the Museum für Deutsche Geschichte, Berlin. See H. Müller & H. Kölling, Europäische Hieb- und Stichwaffen, 1981, pl. 98

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