For Sale

The following items are listed by for sale by users of the site and dealers. They are in no way endorsed or guaranteed by www.antiquearmsresearch.com

Add a Classified Item

Type:

Nation:

Keyword(s):

Budget: to

Clicking on the sword will take you through to the relevant classified item or dealer site.

Don't miss out! - Do you want to be kept informed weekly of new aditions? Just join our weekly update list.

You can also receive regular email notifcations when items match your keywords. To recieve them just register or logon at the top right of this page.

Nation : British
Local Price : £4000

Late 17th century Silver Mounted Hanger by Thomas Vicaridge of London with slave trade associations. An important hanger by the accomplished cutler and silversmith Thomas Vicaridge of London. The hanger is distinctive because of its blackamoor head pommel which means the hanger probably has slave trade associations. The hanger is featured in Howard L Blackmore, “The blackamoor swords”, Royal Armouries Yearbook, Volume 3, 1998, pages 74 and 75, Figs 14a and b. In the late 17th and early 18th centuries when swords were a popular weapon for gentlemen, hangers were a robust secondary side arm used for self-defence when hunting and travelling. They were also used in parts of the British Army and Navy. Hangers appear in some military portraits of the time. The high quality hanger described here was a gentleman's weapon. The knuckle bow is stamped with Thomas Vicaridge's first pre-Britannia maker's mark of “T V” in raised relief inside a shield, with a three point crown above and a pellet below, which dates the hanger to 1682 to 1697. Vicaridge lived in exciting times as London was remodelled in the decades after the turbulence of the Civil War period, the Great Plague of 1665 and the Great Fire of 1666. The city was more outward looking, international trade was growing, military success was being achieved abroad and more interest and investment was being expressed in art and culture. Vicaridge was one of the leading craftsmen of his day and the quality of his work represents the styles and fashions of late 17th and early 18th century Baroque London. The hilt is comprised of a bold faceted quillon block with a downward facing flattened circular rear quillon pierced and chased with a cherub's head on top of a double scroll. The knuckle bow is of flattened oval section and swollen in the middle where it is pierced with a foliate panel inside a cartouche on each side. The pommel cap is scalloped around its folded edge which envelopes the natural stag antler grip with its pronounced “V” shaped groove on top. The pronounced blackamoor head sits prominently in this groove protected by its sides. The terminal of the knuckle bow is fixed into the pommel rim with the tip placed into the mouth of the blackamoor to emulate the playing of a musical instrument. The grip has a silver ferrule at its base with a scalloped edge. Thomas Vicaridge completed his apprenticeship with Joseph Jones, a London Cutler, on 25th April 1682 when he was sworn “Free” upon completion of his term of servitude at a well-attended meeting at Cutler's Hall. Until 1697, along with other silversmiths, Vicaridge used his own mark as described above and stamped it onto this sword. Two examples of this mark are struck onto a copper plate still preserved at Goldsmith's Hall in London. In 1697, with the advent of the Higher, or “Britannia”, Standard for silver, smiths were required to record a new punch mark bearing the first two initials of their surnames. As a result, Vicaridge recorded the mark “VI” with a crown above and pellet below inside a shield. This mark was used from 1697 onwards until his death in 1715. Only a few surviving edged weapons by this maker are known and all are of high quality. The slightly curved single edged blade is 20 inches long (51 cm) and is forged with a short ricasso and a wide shallow central fuller which extends from the hilt almost to the pointed tip on both sides. A narrower, deeper fuller runs from the hilt underneath the blunt back edge for four fifths of the blade length after which it is double edged for the remainder of its length to the tip. The sword is in good condition and has survived the centuries well. The hilt has retained its attractive shape and contours. There is some wear to the blade which has a consistent layer of light pitting. There are two stamps both on one side of the knuckle bow. One is located underneath the central cartouche and is discernible whilst the remains of the other located above the cartouche is just realisable but only in light of examination of the first. Swords and other valuable ornaments were produced featuring blackamoor heads as exotic adornments for European nobility for centuries before our hanger was made by Vicaridge. In his paper published in 1998 Howard L Blackmore explored the subject of “The blackamoor swords”. In the last part of this study he describes four English silver hilted hangers of the late 17th century with blackamoor heads which he thought at the time was the entire known population. He describes these as the “last of their kind” at a time when the blackamoor had lost much of its mystical appeal and after which it did not appear again in the same manner as it did in the past. By the end of the 17th century black Africans were reduced to being perceived more as slaves and trade cargo. In his conclusion he suggests in explanation for the swords that they may have been made for members of a secret society or bizarre club in London that used the blackamoor head as its emblem. This is unlikely. Figure 15 illustrated by Blackmore shows a sword by Thomas Vicaridge which he dates to around 1700. Significantly the middle of the knuckle guard has a royal bust with a crown above which undoubtedly represents an English monarch. This is not a one-off. A similar bust appears on another sword by Thomas Vicaridge with a blackamoor head pommel recently sold through our business. There were probably many more made which have not survived. The link between the royal bust and the blackamoor head should be explored further. The ruling monarchs of England held a monopoly on the British slave trade through the Royal African Company that lasted from 1660 to 1698. Vicaridge's mark on the sword we recently sold dates to 1682 to 1697. Blackmore dates his Figure 15 to “about 1700” indicating that the date is uncertain. The hanger is described as in a private collection and is not available for examination. It is probable that both hangers were worn as symbols by employees and others to affirm their association with the Company, engaged because of the Crown's involvement in the slave trade, either before or after the monopoly was opened up, and English merchants were allowed access to this business. The bust together with the blackamoor pommel seems sufficient to establish a connection between both these hangers and royal patronage of the slave trade. Subsequently is follows that hilts mounted with the blackamoor heads and not stamped with the royal busts have the same association. The sword featured here is illustrated in Figure 14a and b by Blackmore. However, there are errors in his description. Blackmore dates the sword by its hallmarks to 1702 yet none are present and he does not acknowledge the presence of Vicaridge's pre-Britannia stamp on the knucklebow. Of the four “blackamoor” hangers in Blackmore's paper three are complete and one is a detached grip. So five hilts of this type are now known. Blackmore assumed that the swords may not have all been made by Vicaridge. However, of the population of five, three are known to be by Vicaridge. The marks on the other two are probably too worn to identify a maker or have not been examined well enough. However, the workmanship involved in these two hilts is so similar to the other three blackamoor swords by Vicaridge, and other surviving swords by Vicaridge with more usual pommels, that we can reasonably assume he made all of the blackamoor pommel silver hilted hangers. Some of these other surviving hangers with more usual pommels are discussed in a paper by Leslie Southwick published in the Royal Armouries Yearbook (Volume 5 in 2000) alongside other swords by Vicaridge. The styles of grip, ferrules, guards and quillon terminals are notably similar to the blackamoor pommel group. Taking into account all of the above, production of these blackamoor pommel hangers can be tied to a short time period at the very end of the 17th century and it would seem that Vicaridge alone was specifically commissioned to make these hangers for reasons and by people now unknown who were associated with the slave trade.

Nation : Confederate
Local Price : $3,995.00

Confederate States Armory Cavalry Saber. German immigrant Louis Froelich settled in Wilmington, North Carolina on the eve of the Civil War. In September, 1861, he established the Wilmington Sword Factory in partnership with Hungarian-born Bela Estvan. Shortly afterwards they changed the name to the Confederate States Arms Factory to show their devotion to the fledgling nation and to indicate that they made more than just swords. In March, 1862, Froelich ended his partnership with Estvan. In February of 1863, fire destroyed the Wilmington facility and in March of that year he announced that the armory was being relocated to Kenansville, North Carolina. The new Kenansville factory was raided in July, 1863 by 650 horsemen of the 3 rd New York Cavalry, which reportedly destroyed “some 2500 sabers and large quantities of saber bayonets, bowie knives, and other small-arms”. But Froelich was undeterred and went back to work, continuing to make arms for both the State of North Carolina and the Confederacy. It is estimated that Froelich manufactured as many as 12,000 cavalry sabers of several different styles. The saber offered here features a 35 1/2” single-edged blade with single, broad, unstopped fuller of better quality than found on most other Confederate-made swords. The brass guard differs from other Confederate cavalry sabers in that the two branches of the guard join the knuckle guard at different points, rather than at a single point as found on US sabers. The elliptical guard features the Roman numerals XXVIIII. The distinctive brass pommel is of plain cylindrical form with the top slightly rounded. The original black leather-wrapped grip features 11 turns of single-strand iron wire. Iron scabbard with iron mounts and twin carry rings, retaining remnants of its original red paint (now turned brown). Confederate States Armory cavalry sabers had many variations, both of style and materials. This example being of the most widely known style, featuring the Roman numeral assembly marks on the guard. The iron grip wire and scabbard mounts differed from others of the same style which often used brass, but is totally in line with other known examples. Guard with one bar slightly bent and dark brownish patina; grip wrap showing wear, but complete; blade smooth, with scattered age staining; scabbard with scuffs and some corrosion, its seam being smoother than most other Confederate examples. This type of saber is often called a “Kenansville” cavalry saber, but it could also have been made when the factory was in Wilmington. Overall length 41”, not including scabbard.

Nation : British
Local Price : £3,995.00

Rare 17th Century Flintlock Blunderbuss Pistol by Blanckle. Ref 9267. A Fine Rare 17th Century Flintlock Blunderbuss Pistol by Blanckle. 15&157; overall, 7 3/8&157; two stage copper alloy barrel engraved with acanthus at the flared muzzle & in front of the turned girdle, border engraved octagonal breech becoming polygonal, signed in capitals&194;&160;&194;&160;´I. Blanckle´ along the top flat & decorated with strawberry foliage, a line of wrigglework at the rear, & struck with London proof marks & barrelsmith´s mark, probably of John Blanckle, foliate engraved tang , border engraved rounded lock signed in capitals & decorated with strawberry foliage issuing from the mouth of a male profile head, engraved cock. Walnut moulded figured full stock with drop shaped apron around the barrel tang, copper alloy mounts comprising pierced foliate scroll side plate engraved with beadwork, escutcheon engraved with a male portrait bust wearing a cap against a finely dotted ground, rounded pommel cap engraved with a flower head centred on the retaining screw & with a border of repeated foliage, trigger guard with pointed finial & engraved with scrolling foliage issuing from the mouth of a monster head, baluster ramrod pipe, later capped wooden ramrod. Late 17th century.&194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160;&194;&160; Blunderbuss of this age are very rare, this example restocked with a later side plate & replaced mainspring, John Blanckle (also Blanckley, Blanckly and Blankley) was apprenticed to Thomas Towle and turned over to Thomas Cox in 1699. He was free of the London Gunmakers´ Company in 1677. He was Contractor to Ordnance between 1682 and 1700, the year of his death.&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160;&194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; Provenance Professor David Weaver Collection.&194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; &194;&160; Images courtesy of West Street Antiques (https://antiquearmsandarmour.com/)

Nation : German
Local Price : $3,995.00

European Shell Guard Rapier, First Half 17th C. Featuring 33″ (83.8 cm) double-edged blade of lens section with twin central full-length fullers, stamped “XIHSX” on both sides in the fullers. Iron hilt with two upturned side rings, each filled with a pierced and embossed shell guard. Decorative chiseled quillon block, reverse quillon with chiseled spherical finial, forward scroll quillon, and knuckle bow with central knob chiseled ensuite. Ovoid pommel with large button, chiseled with human figures, beasts, and grotesque masks in low relief. Wood grip with alternating single-strand and twisted iron wire wrap, and finished with Turks heads top and bottom. Metal with light pitting and rust marking, with gunmetal gray patina; shell guard loose. Overall length 40 1/2″ (103 cm). Unique and attractive rapier. Probably German or Italian. Provenance: The prestigious Russell Char Collection, Las Vegas.

Nation : British
Local Price : £3,950.00

Royal Victorian General Officers Sword – Prince Arthur. Royal Victorian General Officers Sword belonging to Prince Arthur. Arthur William Patrick Albert was Queen Victoria favourite son and became Duke of Connaught and Strathearn in 1874. He entered the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, in 1866 and did well in the army, becoming full general in 1893 and field marshal in 1902. He served in Egypt in 1882, commanding the 1st Guards Brigade at Tel el Kebir. The Sword Levee pattern with flat solid blade, etching includes monogram AWP below the coronet for a younger son and brother of a blood royal – Fairbains Crests – to the reverse is the royal garter with same crown above plus VR in a shield. By Wilkinson Sword London number 19350 and complete with matching brass scabbard.

Nation : Unknown
Local Price : £3,950.00

An Incredibly Scarce Flintlock Grenade Launcher.. An Incredibly Scarce Flintlock Blunderbuss Grenade Launcher. With round three-stage cannon barrel, stamped ‘LONDON’ and decorated with foliage at the breech end, interestingly stamped with London proofs and also stamped with later Birmingham proofs (I have not seen this before) plain steel tang (signs of an old repair) stepped bevelled lock, signed ’Stanton’ in script, full-stocked in walnut (old repair to the wrist and above the lock – see pictures) with ‘Elephant and Castle’ escutcheon, foliate engraved butt plate, border engraved trigger guard, turned ramrod pipes, horn tipped ramrod with worm. Stanton Jonathan Apprentice to William Turvey, 1739; free of Gunmakers Co., 1747. Proof piece and mark 1754. Elected Assistant, 1761; Master 1765. Gunmaker, Nephew & Successor to William Turvey, next Furnival Inn, Holborn, from 1748. Died 1766. Dimensions: Bore: N/A Barrel Length: 14 Inches ( Overall Length: 30 inches (

Nation : French
Local Price : £3950.00

A Rare, Absolutely Stunning 1st Empire, Combat, 'Blue. & Gilt' Officer's Sabre of the Legere, Hussards, & Mounted Chasseurs. The Year IX, Circa 1810, Sabre Used by Officers of the Mounted Chasseurs of the Imperial Guard. The second example of an incredibly rare pair we acquired, but of course swords such as this were never made for combat use in pairs, so we are selling them separately. The first example we offered for sale, a few weeks ago, we immediately sold to a collector from abroad. A fabulous Ist Empire deluxe quality Light Cavalry officer's 'blue and gilt' sabre with three bar guard hilt called "Hunter-style". Maker marked blade, within the gilt under one langet, S & K for Schnitzler and Kirschbaum, a well regarded maker of swords for 1st Empire officers from December 1808. Many officers swords marked S & K are in Les Invalides Musee de l’Armee in Paris. See ref below; Light cavalry Hussars. These fast, light cavalrymen were the eyes, ears, and egos of the Napoleonic armies. They regarded themselves as the best horsemen and swordsmen (beau sabreurs) in the entire Grande Armée. This opinion was not entirely unjustified and their flamboyant uniforms reflected their panache. Tactically, they were used for reconnaissance, skirmishing, and screening for the army to keep their commanders informed of enemy movements while denying the enemy the same information and to pursue fleeing enemy troops. Armed only with curved sabres and pistols, they had reputations for reckless bravery to the point of being almost suicidal. It was said by their most famous commander General Antoine Lasalle that a hussar who lived to be 30 was truly an old guard and very fortunate. Lasalle was killed at the Battle of Wagram at age 34. There were 10 regiments in 1804, with an 11th added in 1810 and two more in 1813. Chasseurs à Cheval (Mounted Hunters) These were light cavalry identical to hussars in arms and role. But, unlike the chasseurs of the Imperial Guard and their infantry counterparts, they were considered less elite. Their uniforms were less colourful as well, consisting of infantry-style shakos (in contrast to the fur busby worn by some French hussars), green coats, green breeches, and short boots. They were, however, the most numerous of the light cavalry, with 31 regiments in 1811, 6 of which comprised Flemish, Swiss, Italians and Germans. was a cavalry composed of chasseurs but on the horse, they could ride into melee or shoot as light infantry The Mounted Chasseurs of the Imperial Guard would use this form of sword, and officers of wealth and status could afford, if they so chose, to have Chasseurs à cheval de la Garde impériale engraved onto the sword blades back strap etc. But many chose not to. Chasseurs à cheval de la Garde impériale constituted a light cavalry regiment in the Consular, then Imperial Guard during the French Consulate and First French Empire respectively. They were the second senior "Old Guard" cavalry regiment of the Imperial Guard, after the Grenadiers à Cheval. The regiment had its origins in the Guides raised by General Bonaparte during his Italian Campaign of 1796. It was the Chasseurs that usually provided personal escort to Napoleon, and he often wore the uniform of the regiment in recognition of this service. The regiment was not only known for its lavish uniform, but its combat history as well. On 1 August 1811, the regiment was increased to five squadrons and the vélites were done away with. During the year, squadrons were sent successively to serve with the divisions of the Garde in Spain. Guyot was promoted général de division, but still retained the command. To replace Corbineau and Daumesnil as majors, the regiment received Colonel François d'Haugéranville (6 August) and General Baron Exelmans (24 December). On 6 May 1812, General Lefebvre-Desnouettes, who had escaped by breaking his parole, returned from his captivity in England and resumed command of the regiment. The chasseurs, five squadrons and the company of Mamluks, went through the Russian campaign, but though they lost 500 men, they only had 10 officers hit. At Borodino, they had no officer casualties at all. But on 25 October, the day after the Battle of Maloyaroslavets, two squadrons, escorting the Emperor on a reconnaissance, were sharply engaged and had 4 officers wounded. A body of Cossacks appeared suddenly from a wood and charged straight at Napoleon. General Rapp and the escort managed to beat them off, but not before one had fought his way to within twenty yards of the Emperor. From this day forth, haunted by the fear of captivity, he always carried a bag of poison on a string about his neck. The regiment's losses in this campaign must on the whole be attributed not so much to the fighting as to the Russian climate. In 1813, the regiment was expanded from five to nine squadrons. The first five of these remained under the Old Guard while the newly raised 6th through 9th squadrons formed part of the Young Guard and in 1815 were redesigned as the 2e régiment de chasseurs de la Garde impériale. While Napoleon is best known as a master strategist and charismatic presence on the battlefield, he was also a tactical innovator. He combined classic formations and tactics that had been used for thousands of years with more recent ones, such as Frederick the Great's "Oblique Order" (best illustrated at the Battle of Leuthen) and the "mob tactics" of the early Levée en masse armies of the Revolution. Napoleonic tactics and formations were highly fluid and flexible. In contrast, many of the Grande Armée's opponents were still wedded to a rigid system of "Linear" (or Line) tactics and formations, in which masses of infantry would simply line up and exchange vollies of fire, in an attempt to either blow the enemy from the field or outflank them. Due to the vulnerabilities of the line formations to flanking attacks, it was considered the highest form of military manoeuvre to outflank one's adversary. Armies would often retreat or even surrender if this was accomplished. Consequently, commanders who adhered to this system would place a great emphasis on flank security, often at the expense of a strong centre or reserve. Napoleon would frequently take full advantage of this linear mentality by feigning flank attacks or offering the enemy his own flank as "bait" (best illustrated at the Battle of Austerlitz and also later at Lützen), then throw his main effort against their centre, split their lines, and roll up their flanks. He always kept a strong reserve as well, mainly in the form of his Imperial Guard, which could deliver a "knockout blow" if the battle was going well or turn the tide if it was not. The swords came to us from one of the world's foremost experts on the finest antique European weapons, and a famous collector and author on antique fine and rare swords. Original grip wire over original leather binding, only very light bruising to the scabbard, no combat damage. the blade has much mirror bright blue remaining {around 50%} with areas of blue wear, fine engraving within the blue with all the gilt remaining in the engraving, traditional three branch guard with no combat damage. Ref; 'German Knife and Sword Makers' ( Complete Edition A to Z Hardcover – published 2015 ) by Anthony Carter (Author), John Walter (Author), Henning Ritter (Author). John Walter has been a most welcome visitor to us for decades, and a very dear friend and colleague of our late colleague of over 30 years, Christopher Fox. Every single item from The Lanes Armoury is accompanied by our unique Certificate of Authenticity. Part of our continued dedication to maintain the standards forged by us over the past 100 years of our family’s trading, as Britain’s oldest established, and favourite, armoury and gallery

Nation : British
Local Price : £3950

Rare English “Mortuary” sword, dating to the middle part of the 17th century. A rare English “Mortuary” sword, dating to the middle to third quarter parts of the 17th century and the English Civil War, Commonwealth, Protectorate and Restoration periods. The sword is a rare hybrid type with hilt features common to both contemporary English Mortuary and Walloon swords. The hilt is of typical “Mortuary” form consisting of a broad saucer-shaped guard plate from which three main curved guard bars taper upwards ending with flattened angled terminals screwed into the pommel to secure the structure. The wide back edge of the plate is tightly scrolled downwards to create a wrist guard. The grip sits on top of a flanged plug inside the guard beneath which two short langets extend through the base to secure the blade at the ricasso on either side. Whilst of “Mortuary” type, the hilt differs from the usual form. The guard plate is chiselled on the outside with the outline of two clams, one on either side of the blade, which emulate the side guard plates of English contemporary “Walloon” swords. The insides of these areas are pierced with regular patterns of diamond, circle, and figure of eight shapes, similar to the piercings in the plates of Walloon swords. The oval panel to the front of the guard plate at the base of the knuckle bow is an extension of the plate which is also pierced in the “Walloon” manner. The guard bars are narrower but thicker than the usual flat bars of mortuary hilts. The two secondary guard bars which emit downwards from the knuckle bow either side terminate in pronounced curls which fall short of reaching the side guard bars to which they are usually fixed. Instead, the bars are joined together, and the bottom bar is joined to the plate below. The upper bar is extended to create a crescent which is fixed onto the side guard bar to secure the front and side structures. The middles of the side guard bars are swollen and bisected to create knops and whilst this feature is common, but not exclusive to English Walloon swords, it is not common on mortuary hilts. The curved rear secondary guard bars which extend downwards from the side bars to the plate near the wrist guard terminate in pronounced curls like the secondary bar terminals which emit from the front knuckle bow. The onion shaped pommel is smoothly multifaceted and has an integral button on top and a pronounced flared neck beneath with a collar. It sits on top of a baluster shaped grip with iron ferrules top and bottom bound with wire. The broad, plain, double-edged, tapering blade is imposing and of robust form. It has a short ricasso. The blade was probably made in one of the German blade making centres such as Solingen. Huge numbers of blades were imported into Britain during the Civil War period from Europe to fulfill demand for swords on both Royalist and Parliamentarian sides. Two swords described as mortuary swords, very similar in form to our sword, are illustrated in Cyril Mazansky’s “British Basket Hilted Swords”, Boydell Press 2005, on pages 245 and 246. One is in the Kienbusch Collection, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Reference 1977-167-621, and the other sold through Christies London, lot 54, 7th May 1981. Other Mortuaries with similar secondary guard arrangements are featured on pages 250 and 263. Contemporary English swords of definite Walloon type which display similar features are illustrated in Mazansky on pages 282, 283 and 284, mounted with typical teardrop wrist guards etc. Provenance: John Hardy Collection. Measurements: 34.5 inch blade (87.5 cm), 40.75 inches overall length (103.5 cm). The blade is just over 1.75 inches wide at the hilt 4.75 cm