Browse Items (19 total)

  • Tags: Swords

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As the dashing Hussars won acclaim from most northern continental countries in the mid 1700's, their uniforms and weapons were closely imitated. This included their light saber with a curved blade. It began to gain acceptance in England by the 1770's…

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This hilt illustrates some of the fine cut steel work from England contemporary with the last years of the War for Independence. The spaces between its side branches are now filled with prolific designs creating a semi-basket guard which also expands…

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Near the mid 1700's the French popularized a variation of the hunting sword pattern usually mounted in silver, with short opposite curving quillons (counterguards) projection as frail counterguards. These dress swords were called "couteau-de-chasse".…

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One of the interesting aspects of the small sword was the blade. Designed for thrusting, its cross section assumed many forms - principally elliptical, triangular, diamond, and hexagonal. This one is an undulating "flamboyant" pattern. It is…

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This early small sword further illustrates the pattern's 17th century evolution from the heavy rapier. The double-ended quillions were forged as one piece to include the uneven pas d'ane (or "arms of the hilt"). Its tall thin cylindrical grip is…

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The design of this example is plainer, but it mounts a heavier curved blade and a fighting man's thumb ring. The white bone grip has spiraling grooves through which pass a single twisted copper wire rope. A true flat cap serves as the pommel. The…

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This better quality specimen was probably used by a noncom or officer, but it still bears the large military fleur-de-lis stamp on both faces of the blade. The brass is embellished with raised 18th century designs, including a military panoply of…

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This expanding guard has a hollowed out knuckle bow into which fits two thin sections that pivot out when needed and lock into position by a spring near the grip's base. A small friction clip from the outboard branch fits through a mid-point hole in…

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The structure of this basket incorporates pierced designs showing interesting variations of key slots and stars. The segment tips in this case end at a center slot in the pommel (which does not encircle it entirely), and are not joined by a ring. Its…
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