A signed basket-hilt by John Simpson, the younger, of Glasgow ( 1711-1749).
"The reverse of the hilt is open but does not have the oval ring found often on what have come to be called 'horsemen's swords'.
In this case the roughly retangular pierced plate which protects the distal finger joints in a 'full' basket hilt have been omitted and, instead of the relatively common oval ring, the opening for the reins is strengthened towards the pommel with a stout down-curved, U-shaped bar echoed by another similar bar near the characteristic loops which strengthen the front-lower section of all good Scottish sword-hilts of the eighteenth century."
Mac
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Pics & text : David H. Caldwell, "Scottish Weapons & Fortifications 1100-1800" ( 1981)
Hi Thomas,
Interesting hilt! Wonder if it was made that way because (a) he got tired of doing it the usual way, or (b) an apprentice welded things together wrong!!
Looks like it used to have a scrolled wristguard. And it's got engraving in some very odd places.
--ElJay
Interesting hilt! Wonder if it was made that way because (a) he got tired of doing it the usual way, or (b) an apprentice welded things together wrong!!
Looks like it used to have a scrolled wristguard. And it's got engraving in some very odd places.
--ElJay
| E.B. Erickson wrote: |
| Hi Thomas,
Interesting hilt! Wonder if it was made that way because (a) he got tired of doing it the usual way, or (b) an apprentice welded things together wrong!! Looks like it used to have a scrolled wristguard. And it's got engraving in some very odd places. --ElJay |
Hi Eljay
William Reid's article "A New-Found Sword by John Simpson" (in Dr. Caldwell's book) goes on to say .....
"It is forged from thick heavy metal, the frettings perhaps lacking the delicacy of some of the finer hilts; the whole varnished black and enriched with gilt ornament of the type often known as 'Japan enamel'. "
"At some time the sword has been dismounted and the pommel-button lost.
The typical downward curling quillon terminal has been broken off, probably, but not certainly, by accident.
The grip is covered in fish-skin bound with twisted wire, a turk's-head knot at top and bottom. The guard retains a lining of soft leather similar in colour and texture to buff-leather with an outer cover of scarlet worsted which closely resembles the cloth of an eighteenth-century military coat. The edges of the leather and the worsted are stitched together with yellow silk thread which may also have formed a fringe. The lining is not, as is sometimes the case, cut to follow the line of the opening in the guard.
The German blade is undistinguished: 32.3" inches long (0.821 m.) and 1.4" inches wide (35.5 mm.) at the hilt, it is single-edged to within 8" inches (203 mm.) of the point with a double fuller near the back. Close to the hilt is engraved on both faces the spurious signature 'ANDREA FARRARA' in Roman capitals, a leafy-stemmed flower above and below.
Mac
| Thomas McDonald wrote: |
| ... William Reid's article "A New-Found Sword by John Simpson" (in Dr. Caldwell's book) goes on to say .....
"It is forged from thick heavy metal ... " Mac |
The heaviness was the first thing that struck me. It looks like it weighs a ton.
| Quote: |
| The heaviness was the first thing that struck me. It looks like it weighs a ton. |
Hi Scott
Yeah, she has that thick look about her ....
Wish Mr. Reid had noted the overall weight .... and since the capstan is missing they no doubt could break it down and weigh the basket itself , too !
Mac
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