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LOT 0280
Medieval Iron Schiavonesca Type Sword with Latten Inlaid Crosses
CIRCA 15TH CENTURY A.D.
43 1/4 in. (1.7 kg total, 1.11 m).
Comprising a broad double-edged parallel-sided blade, flat-section at the upper third with a very shallow central fuller, elliptical-section at the lower end; flat guard with scooped lower edge, D-section arms horizontally S-curved; 'cat's head' type pommel, rectangular with scrolled upper edge and integral central boss to both faces; on the upper part of the blade an engraved three-armed workshop mark and two possibly later added brass inlaid marks including a cross fourchee inside and the image of a sword to one side; mounted on a wall display mount.
ProvenancePrivate collection, Munich, Germany, 1970s.
Private collection, London, UK, 2014, acquired from the above.
See Aleksić, M., Mediaeval Swords from Southeastern Europe, material from 12th to 15th century AD, Beograd, 2007, especially cat. nos.273, pl.17, 2-3-4; similar swords at the armoury of the Ducal Palace in Venice, see Franzoi, U., L’Armeria del Palazzo Ducale a Venezia, Treviso, 1990, fig.41f., and in National Hungarian Museum, Budapest (inv. nr. 53.310, see Aleksić, 2007, cat.124).
FootnotesThe Schiavonesca sword was used by Dalmatian mercenaries serving in the Venetian state armies, and produced by the workshops of the Serenissima to which the marks probably belong. Many of these swords were produced in Dubrovnik, a Croatian city under the Venetian rule. Oakeshott classified all the pommels of square shape in his Type Z. Certain morphological differences between them were individuated by Dr Aleksić as a criteria for distinguishing the distinct subtypes, in this case the type Z3 for the upper crenelleted edge. The cross-guards of type 12b, like in this case, have symmetrically and horizontally sharply bent arms in the opposite directions. The 'cat's head' pommel is also found on surviving examples of cross-hilted swords of the 14th century which can be traced into the hands of Slavonic soldiers stationed in southern Europe, employed in the European armies of this period. The independent representation of the cross fourchee usually inscribed in a circle is rather frequent on the swords with type 12 cross guards and type Z pommel from Hungary, Northern Balkans and the neighbouring regions (Aleksić, 2007, p.122).
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LOT 0280
Medieval Iron Schiavonesca Type Sword with Latten Inlaid Crosses
Estimate £800 - 1,000€930 - 1,160 (for guidance only)$1,080 - 1,350 (for guidance only)
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German Jager Set Trigger Percussion Rifle
1730-1830 A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £780
Converted from a flintlock of about 3/4" bore with lock modified having 77cm (30¾") rifled barrel swamped to muzzle with set and hair triggers, with full wood stock and shaped butt with patch compartment and sliding top and fitted with brass butt plate, trigger guard, ferrules and engraved side plates and a bone fore-end; the wood ramrod with bone tip; fitted with hinged sling loops; action working well to half cock, full cock and set. 3.70 kg, 116 cm
Acquired from M J Noble, UK, 2015. The Kusmirek Collection, UK. Accompanied by copy of an invoice and information.
Sold as an exempt item under Section 58 (2) of the Firearms Act, 1968, to be held as a curiosity or ornament. No license required but buyer must be over 18 years of age. Overseas bidders should note that, due to UK regulations governing export of all firearms, overseas buyers will need to make arrangements for shipping this lot out of the UK directly, by air freight, with a specialist company or agent. -
Early Iron Age 'Griffzungenschwert' Sword
10th-9th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £1,040
Of Naue II Type, with broad flattened midrib to both faces of the iron blade, the blade gently broadening below the tip, serrated edges at the base, flanged rivetted guard and hilt for the insertion of the organic handle and rhomboid-section grip. 245 grams, 43.5 cm
Acquired 1960s-1990s. Late Alison Barker collection, a retired London barrister.
The Naue II, also known as the grip-tongue sword, was one of the longest lasting of all sword types. First appearing in the late Bronze Age it lasted well into the Iron Age, a span of 500-700 years, and it was made both in bronze and iron. As early as 1450 B.C., in northern Italy, smiths came up with an early type of a sword now known as the Naue II. It spread first into central Europe, Scandinavia and the British Isles. By 1200 B.C. it had spread to Greece, Crete, the Aegean Islands, the Levant, Palestine and Egypt. It was quite popular in Greece and the Aegean, but it is in Central Europe that the greatest number has been found. In all these areas it was the standard sword until the 7th century B.C. with iron replacing bronze, but still the same basic design. -
Roman Iron Plumbata Mamillata
4th-5th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £442
The barbed head with tapering cylindrical stem and biconical lead weight. 85 grams, 15 cm
Ex J. Layne collection, 1990s.
The lead-weighted darts known as plumbatae mamillatae, (or breasted javelin) were short darts mounted upon a shaft, of the same shape, and thrown from a short distance. A Roman soldier would typically carry around 5-6 of these darts at any one time, fastened to the back of his shield. They could be thrown overhand or underhand, with an effective throwing range of up to 60 meters by trained soldiers.
