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DATED 1580
Details
AN EXTREMELY RARE GERMAN ETCHED STATE GLAIVE (KUSE) OF THE LEIBGARDE DER HARTSCHIERE OF WILHELM V, DUKE OF BAVARIA (R.1579-97,D.1626)
Dated 1580
With long flat knife-like blade double-edged towards the point, with cusped rectangular socket with a moulding at its base and extending to form four straps each studded with a series of nails with domed composition heads capped with brass foil, finely etched over two-thirds of its surface on both sides with an elaborate panel, one side centering on a cartouche filled with the quartered arms of the Ducal house of Wittelsbach supporting a lesser cartouche carrying the abbreviated inscription 'W.H.I.B' (Wilhelm Herzog in Bayern), an ermine-trimmed Archducal 'hat' above, and topped by a ribbon etched with the date '1580', augmented by scrolling foliage within the upper portion, and the principal devices retaining traces of original gilding, the opposite side centering on a contemporary warship storm-tossed beneath a ribbon inscribed with the motto 'Gino Suraduce Obduradum', and the latter suspended from clouds parting to reveal a sun-in-splendour, both panels decorated with an arrangement of fruit at the base, etched with the numerical inscription '7' and 'LR', and the entire designs within each panel contrasting against a blackened granular ground: on an early octagonal wooden haft (perhaps the original), painted in the Bavarian State colours and fitted with plain conical iron shoe.
26in (66cm) head
Dated 1580
With long flat knife-like blade double-edged towards the point, with cusped rectangular socket with a moulding at its base and extending to form four straps each studded with a series of nails with domed composition heads capped with brass foil, finely etched over two-thirds of its surface on both sides with an elaborate panel, one side centering on a cartouche filled with the quartered arms of the Ducal house of Wittelsbach supporting a lesser cartouche carrying the abbreviated inscription 'W.H.I.B' (Wilhelm Herzog in Bayern), an ermine-trimmed Archducal 'hat' above, and topped by a ribbon etched with the date '1580', augmented by scrolling foliage within the upper portion, and the principal devices retaining traces of original gilding, the opposite side centering on a contemporary warship storm-tossed beneath a ribbon inscribed with the motto 'Gino Suraduce Obduradum', and the latter suspended from clouds parting to reveal a sun-in-splendour, both panels decorated with an arrangement of fruit at the base, etched with the numerical inscription '7' and 'LR', and the entire designs within each panel contrasting against a blackened granular ground: on an early octagonal wooden haft (perhaps the original), painted in the Bavarian State colours and fitted with plain conical iron shoe.
26
Provenance
Almost certainly included in the inter-war private dispersal sales from the Bayerische Armeemuseum. For another example from that collection numbered 'LR 19' and on a similarly painted haft see Erwin Schalkhausser,Die "Alte Abteilung" des Bayerischen Armeemuseums p.20, pl. 18 a,b (Inv.no.A392), Waffen und Kostümkunde, 1981, Heft 1.
A further example is in the Musée de l'Armée, Paris. See Général Mariaux, Le Musée de l'Armée, Armes Armures Anciennes et Souvenirs Historiques le Plus Precieux, Vol.II, Paris 1927, K.129, pl.LXII, this example inscribed 'LR9'.
Duke Wilhelm V maintained a court establishment at Schloss Trausnitz, near Landshut, in addition to that at the Munich Residenz. In response to the serious need to reduce Court expenditure Duke Wilhelm had by 1586 greatly cut-back the bodyguard founded by Albrecht V some thirty years earlier.
This is possibly the only example of its type to have appeared on the market following the inter-war dispersals.
A further example is in the Musée de l'Armée, Paris. See Général Mariaux, Le Musée de l'Armée, Armes Armures Anciennes et Souvenirs Historiques le Plus Precieux, Vol.II, Paris 1927, K.129, pl.LXII, this example inscribed 'LR9'.
Duke Wilhelm V maintained a court establishment at Schloss Trausnitz, near Landshut, in addition to that at the Munich Residenz. In response to the serious need to reduce Court expenditure Duke Wilhelm had by 1586 greatly cut-back the bodyguard founded by Albrecht V some thirty years earlier.
This is possibly the only example of its type to have appeared on the market following the inter-war dispersals.
Special notice
No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.