AUCTIONS IMPERIAL ARMS & ARMOR NOV 2024
Lot 166:
A rare and iconic sword, the steel pommel wrought with spiral wrenched design, the long guard with expanded ecusson and swollen quillon terminals wrenched en suite with the pommel. The wooden grip retains its double-stranded wire wrap, with replaced silver turksheads. The broad, lenticular blade terminating in a rounded tip and engraved with a makers mark in the form of a gibbet (a medieval structure of wood from which criminals were hanged, and corpses left as a public deterrent.) 16th century and later. Minor wear overall, isolated areas of slight pitting to blade. Turkshead knots replaced. Beheading by the sword in Central Europe was considered far less painful than the axe and quickly became the aristocratic option; it was automatically extended to the nobility. Commoners, however, paid extra for the privilege. Beheading continued in Germany in the 20th century. Overall length 91.8cm / 36 ??. Condition II
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