CIRCA 1560-70

Details

A RARE ENGLISH BASKET-HILTED BACKSWORD
Circa 1560-70
With blade of characteristic slender type unsharpened to form a rudimentary ricasso, cut with three very narrow fullers along the full length of the back on both sides and with short double-edged point (now blunt), iron hilt comprising 'Irish' guard of robust faceted bars, the outer bars chiselled with three small leaf mouldings at the principal joints and carrying a rectangular panel cut with further simple leaf ornament in low relief, horizontally recurved quillons with pyramidal button terminals, and large near-spherical pommel cut with narrow flutes radiating from the tang to a fluted girdle (the guard loose, the inner-guard missing a pair of bars intended to seat the pommel above their point of conflux, the pommel scratched and bruised about the tang aperture, in uncleaned patinated condition throughout).
35¾in (95.8cm) blade

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.

Lot Essay

This is one of the earliest forms of Anglo/Highland Scottish basket guard, known in the 17th Century as an 'Irish' hilt. The apparently mismatched unfixed joint of the guard with the pommel is wholely typical of the type.

See C. Blair, 'The Early Basket-Hilt in Britain', in D.H. Caldwell (ed.), Scottish Weapons and Fortifications 1100-1800, 1981, pp.153-252.

A very similar hilt is in the York Castle museum (CA 750) and another (the guard only), in the Royal Armouries Collection, Leeds, was excavated from Pembridge Castle (IX.1404). Also see Cyril Mazansky, British Basket-Hilted Swords, 2005, pp.47-51

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