Posts: 11,553 Location: San Francisco
Tue 08 Dec, 2015 11:21 am
Three swords, left to right:
1. Hand-and-a-Half or Bastard Sword, Germany, second quarter the 16th century
Broad 44.5 inch blade with 9.5 inch fuller at the forte, the ricasso bearing the crossed flails maker's mark of Melchior Diefstetter, the reverse with the
shield lozengy of Bavaria; fuller with line and dot border surmounted by a cross and stamped seven times with two small armorer's marks. Steel hilt comprising down-curving quillons with spirally fluted ball finials and outboard branch with reinforcing ring, the branch molded with five spirally fluted balls; inner defense composed of a saltire joined to the side bars, the lower side with projecting bar terminating in a spirally fluted ball; writhen pommel of compressed ovoid form, the center of each rib engraved with double lines. The 8 inch wooden grip molded with two rings at the center and single rings top and bottom and retaining perhaps 50-60% of the original black leather binding.
See No. A.534 in the
Wallace Collection for a sword by Diefstetter with the same marks in the fullers.
Overall length: 55.12" (140 cm); Blade length: 44.5" (113 cm)
http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/22403/lot/5075/
2. A Hand-and-a-Half Sword, Southern Germany, third quarter of the 16th century
With broad double-edged blade with short fuller on each side of the forte struck with a series of marks within incised lines terminating in a crucifix, strong ricasso struck with the obscured crossed flails and shield of Bavaria marks of Melchior Diefstetter of Munich, iron guard comprising long straight spatulate quillons each with button terminal, and double oval side-rings each swelling at the center, all of flattened rectangular section, and arms of circular section, fig-shaped pommel, and flattened bottle-shaped leather-covered wooden grip
The marks on the fullers are similar to those on Wallace Collection No. A.534, and those on the ricasso to Wallace Collection Nos. A.480, A.481 and A.534
Overall length: 59"(150 cm); Blade length: 45.28" (115 cm)
Provenance:
Galerie Fischer, Luzern, Waffenauktion, 26-28 September 2002, lot 106
http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/22991/lot/164/
3. A Hand-and-a-Half or Bastard Sword, Munich, circa 1540-1580
Straight 42 inch blade of hexagonal section; 8 inch central fuller at the forte enclosed by a line and dot border surmounted by an anchored cross, the fuller inscribed sequentially IN MONACI and ME FECIT; strong ricasso bearing the crossed flails maker's mark of Melchior Diefstetter, the reverse with the shield lozengy of Bavaria. Steel hilt comprising long, spatulate quillons with ball finials and two ring outer defense, the bars of triangular section; inner defense of rounded bars comprising a saltire connected to the guard and side rings; pommel in the form of a truncated cone; quillons, outer rings and front of pommel decorated with panels of delicate scrollwork. Grip of oval section swelling at the center and wrapped in black leather.
For a very similar sword from the collection of the Comte de Nieuwerkerke, see item A.481 in the Wallace Collection. The blade markings on that sword, as well as A.480, are the same as those found on the present example. Another Diefstetter bastard sword, found in the Armeria Real in Madrid, has a pommel of the same truncated form. As Melchior Diefstetter worked in the Au district, southeast of Munich, the Latin phrase 'In Monaci (Manaci) Me Fecit' on the blade, which translates 'The Monks Made Me.' is perhaps a reference to the coat-of-arms of Au, which refers to the Lilienberg Monastery, situated there.
Overall length: 50.4" (128.1 cm); Blade length: 42" (106.7 cm)
http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/22403/lot/5070/
Copyright © Bonhams
A more detailed photo, alongside examples of other swords, can be found in our
16th century longswords photo album.
Attachment: 117.13 KB
Three 16th century longswords.
