17th c Broadsword with Crabhilt -- myArmoury.com

Thom R. · Posted: Sun 13 Jan, 2008 11:17 am Post subject: 17th c Broadsword with Crabhilt

There is an interesting thread in off-topic right now on the price point of swords in the marketplace, antique vs. reproduction etc.

My experience in the antique side of things the past three years is that what used to hammer at 2-3K a few years back is now going off at 4-6K. I went to Bonhams this past fall and came away empty handed. I heard the same from folks who were at Oxford just a few weeks back. Prices have really shot up just recently. However in 2007 I did manage one decent purchase for myself that might be of interest to folks here. This is a 17th century european broadsword with a late renaissance styled hilt. At first I was a bit nervous about it as most swords I have seen with similar hilts have been married originally to rapier blades. However, I now am 90% certain the blade is original to the hilt for three reasons:
1. The sword (hilt +blade) weighs in at 1240 grams very similar to other complex hilted broadswords of the period
2. The POB for the sword is right where the blade profile narrows 5 inches down from the hilt
3. the hilt itself is somewhat different than others of its type married to rapier blades that I have seen, having three rings and no plate , and protection for the hand is on one side only

The blade is 33 inches long and the sword is 38.5 inches. The blade geometry is hexagonal with chamfered edges and with three well cut fullers down a wide blade center . The last 6 inches from the tip the chamfered edges disappear and it is very much a flat oval, very lenticular. As mentioned before, the upper 5 inches of the blade has a swelled profile at the forte and is 1.7 inches wide at the hilt. The tip is rounded. There are stamps to the blade which I have not yet identified (any help would be much appreciated).

This sword handles very well in hand, is very well balanced and feels much like a cutter rather than a thrusting sword. On the other hand, with that hilt it is hard to think of this as a horsemans sword either. The steel blade when closely examined has a lamellar character with some texture from carburized zones which is typical of the 17c 'shear steel' made from iron enriched by the cementation process. Overall this is a very interesting sword.

pictures can be found here
http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa160/shinumo/DSC01244.jpg

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa160/shinumo/DSC01245.jpg

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa160/shinumo/DSC01249.jpg

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa160/shinumo/DSC01247.jpg

Don Stanko · Posted: Sun 13 Jan, 2008 5:40 pm Post subject:

Hello and congratulations, it is a nice sword. The blade appears to be original, many of the crabclaw hilted swords did have broader blades. Unless you see evidence of tampering to the end of the pommel or where the hilt joins the blade, I would not worry about it. In fact, it appears that you might have the original wrapping to the handle as well, but it is hard to tell from the photo.

Again, great sword. One of my favorite types!

Jerry Knox · Posted: Mon 14 Jan, 2008 3:47 am Post subject:

I think that the rivetting of the guard components is really interesting.

I have been in the process of making a complex guard for one of my long and narrow cut and thrust blades, and had been considering rivetting as an alternative for trying to weld the components. I am happy to see someone in the past did the very same thing I was thinking of with regard to the problem of attaching extra components to the cross.

Great picture, thanks!

Thom R. · Posted: Mon 14 Jan, 2008 8:40 am Post subject:

The handle wrapping does appear to be original and is twisted silver wire ropes with copper ribbon with the copper fully tarnished. The pommel is a steel globe but has eight facets.

What is interesting to me is how as musketry developed in the 17th century, the heavy armor starts to go away and now the broadsword begins to go "back to its roots", i.e., becomes thinner and more lenticular, going back to blade geometries reminiscent of Oakeshott type X. This blade is sort of a hybrid between a type XIX (with the hexagonal geometry) and a type X (with the flatter thin lenticular section). When it was sharp, I suspect it was a very effective cutter.

Jerry Knox · Posted: Mon 14 Jan, 2008 9:11 am Post subject:

I agree. The blade is very much like the ones used with basket hilts in scotland, which also were cut-oriented and did not encounter much armor. In fact, I have heard this sword's type referred to as a "crab claw claymore" before.

If I were to use it, though, I would want at least a small shell on the unprotected side, and a thumb ring under it ideally.