Object Title

Sword

Sword

Date

1300-1399

Object Number

IX.13

Provenance

In the Tower collections by 1870. Formerly IX.2. Hewitt (1870) records that it was 'found by G. Vulliamy Esq. in constructing the coffer dam for the erection of the Houses of Parliment in 1838. It was taken from a natural bed of concrete eight or ten feet below the surface'. On loan to Museum of London 1914-1973 (Mus. London No. B306). Returned to the Tower of London, February 1973.

Physical Description

The hilt consists of a small wheel pommel, short tang, and a slender, slightly down-curved, tapering cross-guard of hexagonal section.
The comparatively short two-edged blade, tapers evenly to its point and bears a single shallow fuller for two- thirds of its length.
There are no visible marks, but the whole sword is covered with a shiny black patina.

Techniques

Handmade

Materials

Steel

Dimensions

BladeLength695 mm
OverallLength838 mm
OverallWeight745 g

Associations

Places England

Bibliographic References

Museum of London Medieval Catalogue, London, HMSO, 1954, p41, fig. 5,1.

A.R. Dufty and A. Borg, European Swords and Daggers in the Tower of London, London, 1974, p. 15 and Pl. 4d.

F. Wilkinson, Those entrusted with arms..., London, Greenhill Books and Leeds, Royal Armouries, 2002, p. 13, fig. 1.7 (gen. view).

Dorling Kindersley, Weapon. A visual history of arms & armour, Dorling Kindersley Ltd, London, 2006, pp. 62-3 (col. illus., 5th from top on p. 63).

Notes

For Vulliamy, G., see Dictionary of National Biography. He was a contemporary and probably friend of Hewitt (both in RAI) so story almost certainly true.

Information

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