English Horseman's Sword
About 1700, hilt of pierced and chiselled iron, the blade inscribed: ME FECIT HOUNSLOE
M.4-1956. Victoria and Albert Museum
Photo: The Spring 2004 London Park Lane Arms Fair, Article entitled: "Hounslow Hangers" by Anthony North.

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This is the one Hanwei based their sh-2003 basket hilt on:
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Ahh ....interesting, Chad .....I knew I'd seen this design somewhere before !

Good eye , Mac

Oh I love that! Do you know who or what that face is supposed to be? What sort of significance etc?

Hey all,
Besides this example, the W.R. Hearst collection had one of these, and it made the gunshow rounds in the mid-80s in Calif. The hilt, while large enough for gloved cav usage, wasn't overly large. Unfortunately I can't recall much about the blade except that it was a signed fullered backsword. The face is a grotesque, a pretty common motif in the 1600s, that was still used in the 1700s. As far as I know, the face is just decorative.

Thomas, I note that this sword is from an article about Hounslow swords-- any other photos? Maybe worthy of another thread?

--ElJay

I just noticed that the photo has been retouched by someone who didn't understand baskethilt construction! Take a look at the openwork heart terminal of the sideplate!

Thanks for the pic, Mac!
I'm currently waiting for one of those practical Hanwei backswords with that hilt. And therefor I've become a bit more interessed in the English basket hilts from the end of the 17th - beginning of the 18th century.
Could you please scan the article and send it to my e-mail??? I would be very grateful.

Didn't the British cavalery use this style (not this excact model) of hilt from Charles II's restoration to the early 1700s?
I also noticed that Angus McBride has used this model as an example of the type of baskethilts that were shipped to the Caribbean and sold to pirates. Do any of you know more of the basket hilt trade to the Caribbean, which according to Angus Konstam started in 1668? I've only read this in the Osprey books by the to named "Anguses".

Cheers,
Henrik

Hi Henrik

Send me your e-mail address and I will send it on, as I got it scanned to file ! (5 pages total)

Mac

Hmm .... unless the hearts end was broken off , ? , and were seeing the other sides heart terminal there ?
(I guess I just can't figure why someone would touch only that area up ? )

Maybe it's a V&A test .... and only Eljay has passed ;-) Mac

I'll have to check with Vince about this one, as he has photographed a bunch of stuff at the V&A.
( one basket there has a really cool 'flower within a flower' front screen that he showed me once)

I plan on calling him tonite, if he's free, and I will run this by him ! Mac

I'm sorry but I have stared at that photo for a long time now and I can't find the bad retoucihng. Can you point it out some how by cropping it out or drawing a circle around the area? I'm generally pretty experienced seeing baskethilts but I can't see it for hte life of me and its frustrating

Thanks for the article, Mac! Very interesting.
Do you think some of the houndslow blades found their way to the caribbean?
Do you know if there are any other basket hilted swords fitted with houndslow blades???

Cheers, Henrik

More baskethilts with Hounsloe blades ! Mac

* Photos : {from the excellent book} "Swords and Sword Makers of England and Scotland" by Richard H. Bezdek, 2003.
ISBN 1-58160-399-1, published by Paladin Press.

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So here's some more Hounslow blades in a variety of hilts.

The first is in the V&A, and is signed on the right of the blade "IOHANNES KINNDT", and on the other side "HOUNSLO 1634". There's another one by the same smith shown in the article by Hayward that's here in the myArmoury reference section.

The other photo has several hilt types, and all the blades are signed "Hounslo" or a variation thereof.

--ElJay

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