Object Title

Sword - Basket hilted sword

Date

1520-1560

Object Number

IX.4427

Provenance

Purchased by private treaty in January 1993. 'Found during 1979 under Southwark Bridge - on the Northern [Thames] foreshore on the downstream side.' (letter from vendors, 22 Feb. 1993 - on inv. file).

Physical Description

The frontally asymmetrical hilt has a spherical pommel decorated with eight applied, longitudinal, decorative ribs. The end of the tang is covered by a decorative washer, in the form of a six-petalled flower. The guard is composed of round-section bars and has a pair of straight quillons with domed knop [?] terminals. Outside the hand the main knuckle-guard is joined to a side knuckle by two bars crossing in saltire with a small lozenge at the junction. On the outside the lozenge is decorated with two diagonal incised lines which form a cross and on each edge with a split double cusp. A rear guard joins the end of the side knuckle-guard with the rear quillon. A thumb-guard curves from the side knuckle-guard before joining the root of the forward quillon. Inside the hand, a diagonal bar joins the end of the main knuckle-guard nearest the pommel with the rear quillon, opposite the junction to the rear-guard. A short bar joins the centre of the diagonal bar with the thumb-guard. The flattened oval-sectioned wooden grip swells slightly towards the centre.
The straight, double-edged blade has a ricasso which extends for approx. 70 mm from the hilt. The ricasso has two narrow fullers (one at either edge of the blade). Two wide, shallow fullers run from the end of the ricasso to the point
Condition on acquisition: generally good. The blade has the dark patination associated with river finds and there are nicks on both edges.

Techniques

Handmade

Materials

Iron, Steel

Dimensions

Overall	Length	1105 mm
Overall	Weight	1.5 kg
Blade	Length	950 mm
Blade	Width	40 mm

Inscriptions and Marks

Maker's mark
Traces of inlaid mark, (possibly a running wolf) in copper alloy?

On inside of blade, approx 9 in. from the hilt
Inlaid

Associations

Places England/Europe
Germany/Europe

Events Henry VIII: Dressed to Kill, Tower of London 2009.

Bibliographic References

C. Paggiarino, The Royal Armouries, masterpieces of medieval and renaissance arms and armour, Milan, 2011 volume 2

G Rimer, T Richardson and J P D Cooper, Henry VIII: arms and the man, Leeds, 2009, p.223

Information

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