Posts: 1,903 Location: Toronto
Wed 23 Nov, 2011 4:51 pm
Strange that the description calls it an Xa, and then refers to pages of
Oakeshott that provide general descriptions of XIII swords and disc/wheel pommels.
My original suspicion about this sword was not based on its good condition per se. There are very well accepted swords in better condition than this. My hero Oakeshott always said you cannot judge a sword by its condition. My initial suspicion was rather an overall gut feeling that it did not look right. Trying to analyze that impression, I think its a due to a collection of features that are both unusual in themselves and unsual in combination, plus a few red flags:
The overall outline of the sword is typical XIII, but if you look at the blade, its not a typical XIII. It does not have the geometry one expects in the profile and tip, and possibly thickness (from what one can tell from the shading in the photo). The blade profile looks more like an earlier Xa, although the fuller is about midway between the typical length of an XIII and and Xa. One might speculate that a more modern hilt was put on an older blade, but I doubt they would lengthen the tang, and why would someone put such a kingly hilt on such a plain old blade? A type 2 cross is pretty typical on XIII swords, but this one is on the thickish side (which one sees more often on sword replicas than real swords). The preserved handle is not unknown, but is unlikely. The gilding (perhaps not the right word) on the cross is very unusual. The matching pommel decorations are relatively rare for such a simple warsword. I don't know this particular fleur de lis symbol, but others have questioned it above. Together these decorative features of this general type are quite unusual in real medieval swords, although apparently commonin 19th century fakes (sword fakers can't seem to resist making things look special). Then there's the overall condition - a very uniform light pitting, from what one can see. This could be from hanging up a long time indoors, but one also sees patterns this in known fakes.
None of this is proof - but as a collection of unusual features, multiplying out all the very low probabilities, and dividing by the suspicious features, one is left with a very very very low probability that this is a real medieval sword.
However, I'm not a professional in these matters, I'm just an enthusiast who has spent years staring at pictures of swords in books and on the interent, collecting replicas good and bad, and alas, occassionally peering at originals through glass.
Only laboratory tests could show for sure.
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