Lot 50
An Unusual English BackswordCirca 1640-50
24 November 2021, 10:30 GMT
London, KnightsbridgeSold for £3,187.50 inc. premium
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Find your local specialistAn Unusual English Backsword
Circa 1640-50
Circa 1640-50
With tapering blade cut with two fullers along the back over nearly its entire length to the double-edged point, the fullers on each side of the forte incised with bladesmith's name 'Heinrich Kolle' between cross potent marks, the ricasso on one side indistinctly struck with a mark, a crucifix with sacred 'INHS' monogram above, iron hilt comprising cup-guard chiselled with trophies of arms and with a cuirassier on horseback on one side probably representing Charles I, all against punched grounds, an outer side-ring above on each side with central portrait medallion and swept-up to join the knuckle-guard, the latter chiselled with foliage on each side, screwed to the pommel and with vertical lobed quillon against the front of the guard, down bent ovoidal flat rear quillon chiselled with a mask on one side and a leaf on the other, compressed globular pommel chiselled with trophies en suite with the guard, and wooden grip bound with twisted copper wire between Turk's heads
95 cm. blade
95 cm. blade
Footnotes
Provenance
Sold in these Rooms, Antique Arms & Armour..., 25 November 2015, lot 98
For a sword with hilt of similar form including unusual hooked front quillon, see A.R. Dufty, European Swords And Daggers In The Tower Of London, 1974, p. 20, pl. 29 b
