Ran a similar thread on SFI with mixed results, thought id try good ol´ MyA as well...
I'm searching to find a sword fitting a noble from "germany" around 1380. Finding characteristic and breathtaking swords from that area 70 years later is simple, but i just cant seem to find what i'm looking for in this time period. So any advice or tips are highly wanted.
I kinda like the type produced by MRL called Auray, but it felt a little "too french", or something of that nature. What i want is a mean type XV with a german feel to it. Something like the sword of Estore Visconti, but more..german. A strongly tapered blade, pointy hilt and *no* discpommel.

Does it have to be a Type XV or a single-hander? That limits things a great deal, since most single-handed Type XV's I've seen date from 1400 on. The ones that don't are typically French/English.

A really nice sword that could be Germanic or England that fits the era to a "T" is Albion's Sempach.

Sadly, a type XV, in my opinion, is perhaps the least expressive sword type. The pommels are almost always some kind of disc shape, and there is relatively little variation in the guard shape.

I have seen an illustration which shows what might be an XV (the style of drawing makes it difficult to tell). The codex was written between 1305 and 1340, but the pommel is a disc and I'm not sure how contemporary the guard is with 1380. http://digi.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/sammlung2/we...d=PAGE0079

The Albion Constable might be a possibility. It is a type XVa with a scent stopper pommel. I don't know about an exact date or if this type of sword was used much in Germany but it it named after a Frenchman from the time period you are looking for and it meets several of the other criteria.

The Constable is pretty firmly 15th century. Its guard is from the Castellan, based on a sword from 1420-1460. That type of scent-stopper is also mid-to-late 15th century.

I'd second what Chad said. The Sempach is based upon swords found on Austrian knights from the Battle of Sempach in 1389. As you know, Austria was part of Germany such that it was as the Holy Roman Empire. The pommel of the sword dates from between circa 1360-1420, which is a pretty narrow timeline, and within the era that you wanted. Might I also add that the Sempach looks really good with a red grip.

http://www.albion-swords.com/swords/albion/ne...-xvii2.htm

Thanks for the input fellas. I am indeed looking for a onehanded german XV, without a disc pommel. And thats prob why im having a hard time. But i know its out there in the deep dusty vaults!
The Sempach looks awesome, but wont do me much good this time since its gotta be used with a buckler. Maybe there is a one-hander that looks similar to this somewhere..

The XVI.3 sword is very nice, and looks quite german.

Yep, thats the one. Its a little old but very close to the feel i want, if i wouldnt go for a XV that is.
German-looking is a term that streches over all sword-types, and is more a gut-feeling then something specific.

Got hold of this picture, anyone know more about this sword? Any fullsize pictures out there?

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Currently looking into that.

For some reason, I think that last sword pictured is in a museum in Copenhagen (same one as the XVI.3). I can't prove it, though. It just seems like I've read a caption to that effect somewhere.

As far as non-disc pommels during the 14th century go; that in and of itself is going to be a very tall order to fill. I am personally interested in the period 1320 - 1370 (the Battle of Cadzand to the Battle of Lusac Bridge). XVI.3 is the only sword I have encountered that fits in that period and does not have a disc pommel. Obviously by the end of the century there were several more examples.

In order to get what you want, you may have to comission a custom piece or modify an existing one. You may also have to be content to call it one of those "historically feasible" variations.

Just my thoughts on the matter anyway...

-Grey

Are you able or at least willing to try a bit of upgrading/customizing?

If so, you might be able to get what you want out of the old MRL English War Sword:

http://www.silvermane.com/swords_english-war.html

It's a pretty cheap way to get an attractive XVIa-ish sword--the poor man's Sempach. It's based on a documented original (the Dublin Civic Sword) and could easily be modified if you want the hexagonal lower section of a true XVIa. You could clip off the ends of the cross if you want more acute ends, but since this piece takes its cues from a known original, I'd leave 'em as-is. This weapon is dated to ca. 1400.

Here's an old thread on this particular replica:
http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t...ight=civic

Not planning on doing any costumizing, but thanks for the tip. Im trying to find an original for a custom order. Im almost leaning towards the XVI.3 at the moment, after seeing that superb repro by Jason Dingledine. But hoping to see the full pic of that other XVI before i decide. As far as i might enjoy the XV swords and thinking they are the best-looking individually, i have sort of realized most of them would not fit too good together with a german 14th cen outfit consisting of much splinted-leather-limbs and Visby-type gautlets.

Darn, that was the only thing my spotfilled german didnt cover...