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Lot 91

An English Backsword
Early 17th Century

25 July 2007, 10:30 BST
London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £3,240 inc. premium

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An English Backsword
Early 17th Century

With slightly tapering blade (some pitting) double-edged towards the point and fullered along the back-edge over most of its length on each side, the forte on each side incised 'Fransz Keisser Me Fecit Solingen' within orb and cross marks, iron hilt with guard of flattened bars, comprising two curved diagonal bars on the outside each with central swelling and springing from the quillon-block, the lower one joining the outer downcurved arm at the bottom, the upper one swept-up to join the knuckle-guard, the latter (broken) joined by a trifurcated guard on the inside, recurved quillons, downcurved arms (one broken), the outer one with up-bent projection en suite with the quillons, large compressed globular pommel with separate button, and wooden grip, the surfaces overall nearly all encrusted with silver flower-bearing tendrils within beaded borders and centred on winged cherubs' heads (rust patinated, the silver rubbed and incomplete)
91.4 cm. blade

Footnotes

For English swords of this and related types see A.V.B. Norman, The Rapier and Small-Sword, 1460-1820, 1980, pp. 97-8, 244 and 361

Additional information

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