Loading, please wait...
Details
LOT 0267
Medieval Iron Single-Handed Sword
LATE 13TH-EARLY 14TH CENTURY A.D.
37 3/8 in. (1.39 kg, 95 cm).
Of Oakeshott Type XII or XIII with a double-edged, well-balanced tapering blade, shallow fullers and a parallel-sided straight lower guard of cross style 2; medium tang and disc pommel of type K with chamfered sides; the blade with later inlaid markings, one side with Passau wolf, the other side with cross within a circle; cleaned and conserved.
Provenance
Acquired 1990s-early 2000s.
East Anglian private collection.
Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
Literature
See Oakeshott, E., The Sword in the Age of the Chivalry, Woodbridge, 1964 (1994); Oakeshott, E., Records of the Medieval Sword, Woodbridge, 1991; Aleksić, M., Mediaeval Swords from Southeastern Europe, material from 12th to 15th century AD, Beograd, 2007.
Footnotes
The sword’s blade presents analogies with a sword of type XIIIa (Aleksic, 2007, pl.7,1) sharing the same type of pommel and the same length of the fuller. The sword, found in the Danube near the village Visnjica, is now in the City Museum, Belgrad, and presents a cross and a wolf impressed on the blade and inlaid with a yellow metal.
CONDITIONVETTING:
TimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
RELATED LOTS
-
Western Asiatic Bronze Long Sword
2nd-1st millennium B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £182
Composed of a tanged and barbed blade with raised midrib to both faces, extending the full-length of the weapon. 470 grams, 57 cm
Private UK collection, 1980s. Ex London gallery.
In the last ninety years many such tanged blades have been considered coming from centres of production of North-West Iran, like Amlash and Marlik. Without context an accurate dating is impossible, but the shape recalls the rapiers of Bronze Age or Early Iron Age. -
Tower 'Brown Bess' Musket and Bayonet
Circa 1800 A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £3,640
Napoleonic era musket with 93cm (36½") smooth-bore barrel of .75" bore with London proof marks, the lockplate with 'TOWER', 'crown-over-G R' and inspection marks; fitted with full wood stock stamped 'S' and 'IR' to left side and butt with brass butt plate, trigger guard, ferrules, fore-end and sideplate; fitted with sling swivel loops and steel ramrod with cleaning rag eye; action working well in half and full cock, with correct steel socket bayonet. 4.60 kg, 173 cm with bayonet
Acquired from Andrew Bottomley, UK, 2014. The Kusmirek Collection, UK. Accompanied by copy of the invoice and listing. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate no.204080.
The 'Brown Bess' musket, in several versions, was the standard British infantry longarm from about 1736 to 1838; some were later converted to the percussion system. 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. -
Roman Iron Gladius
1st-2nd century A.D.Estimate: £1,800 - 2,400 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £722
Or semi-spatha blade with parallel-sided lentoid-section body and a long rectangular-section tang; Mainz type, Wederath-Canterbury-Kopki variant; repaired and surface treated. 557 grams, 83 cm
Ex South London collection, acquired 1970-1990. The Kusmirek Collection, UK. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
In contrast to the average length of the Roman Pompeii type gladius, some Roman swords, continuing the typology of the Mainz gladius, tend to be longer and transform themselves into a semi-spatha. Both the weapon from Eich (Miks, 2001, AI43), and especially a gladius from Korytnica with approximate blade length of 548mm (total length 762mm) is very close to the length limit of a semi-spatha. The same can be said of a blade from Godmanchester (Miks, 2001, no.A824) for its dimensions and proportions, where the tip of the blade already gives a significantly shorter impression, showing a certain relationship to 'Lauriacum-Hrornöwka', 'Mainz-Canterbury' variant type spathae.