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Lot 5070

A German hand-and-a-half or bastard sword by Melchior Diefstetter
Munich, circa 1540-80

8 June 2015, 10:00 PDT
San Francisco

Sold for US$16,380 inc. premium

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A German hand-and-a-half or bastard sword by Melchior Diefstetter
Munich, circa 1540-80

Straight 42 inch blade of hexagonal section; 8 inch central fuller at the forte enclosed by a line and dot border surmounted by an anchored cross, the fuller inscribed sequentially IN MONACI and ME FECIT; strong ricasso bearing the crossed flails maker's mark of Melchior Diefstetter, the reverse with the shield lozengy of Bavaria. Steel hilt comprising long, spatulate quillons with ball finials and two ring outer defense, the bars of triangular section; inner defense of rounded bars comprising a saltire connected to the guard and side rings; pommel in the form of a truncated cone; quillons, outer rings and front of pommel decorated with panels of delicate scrollwork. Grip of oval section swelling at the center and wrapped in black leather.
Condition: Grey metal showing some scattered light pitting, the blade showing scattered nicks.
See Illustration

Footnotes

Note: For a very similar sword from the collection of the Comte de Nieuwerkerke, see item A481 in the Wallace Collection. The blade markings on that sword, as well as A480, are the same as those found on the present example. Another Diefstetter bastard sword, found in the Armeria Real in Madrid, has a pommel of the same truncated form. As Melchior Diefstetter worked in the Au district, southeast of Munich, the Latin phrase 'In Monaci (Manaci) Me Fecit' on the blade, which translates 'The Monks Made Me.' is perhaps a reference to the coat-of-arms of Au, which refers to the Lilienberg Monastery, situated there.

Additional information

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