Is the "proto-mortuary" hilt shown below (posted to the albums by WG) a 17th c. original? Whether it is or isn't, is the smooth, truncated inside shell a known mortuary variant? I can't quite tell from Mazansky. Symmetrical shells seem to have been (more?) common, but I'm especially interested in this assymetrical hilt.
As for the full wire grip–would a grip of two strands of twisted wire over leather over a carved core, with Turk's Heads at top and bottom, be as plausible as the one shown here for such a simple hilt of this period? I know it'd be fine for the more complex and more highly decorated mortuary hilts of the period. Just wondered if such a grip treatment was confined to the better-quality weapons.
Thanks for any help/advice you can offer!
![](images/icon_clip.gif)
![normal_CVL229914688.jpg](files/normal_cvl229914688_190.jpg)
![](images/icon_clip.gif)
![normal_CVL229914688~0.jpg](files/normal_cvl229914688_0_176.jpg)