Details

LOT 0305

Massive Medieval Iron Two-Handed Knight's Sword with Crosses on Guard

GERMANY, CIRCA 14TH CENTURY A.D.

56 in. (1.94 kg, 1.42 m).

Tapering blade with a shallow fuller, long and narrow tang with a pear-shaped pommel and a curved cross-guard of Oakeshott Style 6 with incised crosses; professionally conserved.

Provenance

From the private family collection of a lady, UK; acquired in Germany mid 20th century.

Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D’Amato.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.12788-240330.
This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Literature

See Oakeshott, R.E., The Archaeology of the weapons, London, 1960; Oakeshott, E., Sword in hand, London, 2001; Oakeshott, E., Records of the Medieval Sword, Woodbridge, 1991; see also Aleksić, M., Mediaeval Swords from Southeastern Europe, material from 12th to 15th century AD, Beograd, 2007, cat. nos.260, pl.16,3.

Footnotes

The noteworthy element of this sword is its guard with the engraved crosses. The presence of the cross suggests that the sword once belonged to person belonging to a military order of chivalry. Considering that the Templars were already destroyed when the sword was made, the main candidates could be the Hospitallers or, most probably, the Teutonic Knights.