AN EARLY 18TH CENTURY BRASS BASKET-HILTED BACKSWORD
Auction: Day 2: Thursday 21 August - Lots 297 - end
Description
the large basket formed of reeded flattened bars, with scalloped guards, with loop forward quillion and scrolled wrist-guard, with large facetted octagonal pommel, the wooden grip with copper wire binding, single edge blade with double fuller running entire length, indistinct bladesmith's mark
Dimensions
92cm long (blade), 108cm (overall)
Footnote
This rare brass hilted sword falls into a group of similar examples, many of which have this often rather exaggerated facetted pommel. There has been much academic debate over the placement of these hilts within the 18th century. They were previously attributed by Charles E Whitelaw to circa 1750-60, but subsequently ascribed by A.V.B. Norman as having been produced circa 1720-30.
For two other examples of close comparison and likely from the same workshop, see Culloden, The Swords and the Sorrows, National Trust for Scotland loan exhibition April-September 1996, cat.no. 1:24 and 1:27, both from the Geoffrey Jenkinson Collection. Another of close comparison is found within the collection of National Museum Scotland (LNA41) see British Basket Hilted Swords, Cyril Mazansky, page 126 sword F19.