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Sean Flynt




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PostPosted: Wed 04 Feb, 2009 9:06 am    Post subject: English Baskethilt Sword, ca. 1540         Reply with quote

Here's another very interesting sword from the Royal Armouries, Leeds, online database. Note the short, straight cross and long, straight blade.


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-Sean

Author of the Little Hammer novel

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Hammer-Sean-Flynt/dp/B08XN7HZ82/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=little+hammer+book&qid=1627482034&sr=8-1
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Chris Arrington





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PostPosted: Wed 04 Feb, 2009 9:33 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Sean,

How long is that blade? It definitely looks like a cavalry sword in the 40"+ range.
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Nathan Robinson
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PostPosted: Wed 04 Feb, 2009 9:45 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Man oh man, I love those. Such a nice blade.
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Sean Flynt




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PostPosted: Wed 04 Feb, 2009 9:57 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Yes, it is very long. Just the thing for some thug astride a bog-trotter. Big Grin

No stats, unfortunately, but there is a bit more info:
Object #IX.4427
Object history note Excavated from the north bank of the river Thames at Southwark Bridge


Here's another view, that may give a better idea of size (I'll take the middle sword here, though):



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-Sean

Author of the Little Hammer novel

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Hammer-Sean-Flynt/dp/B08XN7HZ82/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=little+hammer+book&qid=1627482034&sr=8-1
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William Goodwin




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PostPosted: Wed 04 Feb, 2009 10:23 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

a rather lengthy bugger it is.....and ditto on taking the one in the middle.....


cheers,

Bill

Roanoke Sword Guilde

roanokeswordguilde@live.com
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Craig Johnson
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PostPosted: Wed 04 Feb, 2009 8:40 pm    Post subject: Thames Basket         Reply with quote

Love this sword it has been one of my favorites since I first laid eyes on it. Its definitely one of those Sean, don't you think? Several years ago a fellow who liked this type comissioned one from us. It took quite a whiole to get right and I had some issues but it turned out quite nicely in the end. I have stats but I do not have them to hand,anyone that has the first issue of The Oakeshott Journal they are in there with pics.

Here are some pics of the finished replica

Blued as finished for customer.


Here is brushed steel before blueing


It is a significant weapon in the hand and one that would do Mr Silver quite proud I think.

Best
Craig

Found the stats:

Overall L: 1105mm, 43.5"
Blade L: 950mm, 37.4"
Blade W at hilt: 40mm, 1.57"
Ricasso L: 70mm, 2.75"
Hilt H: 155mm, 6.1 W: 195mm, 7.67"
Grip L: 83mm, 3.26"
Pommel W: 60mm, 2.36" H 58mm, 2.28"
Wt: 1.5Kg, 3.21lbs
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Nathan Robinson
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PostPosted: Wed 04 Feb, 2009 9:09 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Craig,

You'd knew you'd get my attention by posting that.

Damn you. That's fantastic.

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Anders Backlund




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PostPosted: Thu 05 Feb, 2009 5:25 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Hm. The blade is too huge for my taste and I'm not sure about the large spherical pommel either.

But on the other hand, that's one gorgeous basket.

The sword is an ode to the strife of mankind.

"This doesn't look easy... but I bet it is!"
-Homer Simpson.
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Sean Flynt




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PostPosted: Thu 05 Feb, 2009 7:00 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Eek! That's beautiful, Craig! That blade...! I need that blade!
-Sean

Author of the Little Hammer novel

https://www.amazon.com/Little-Hammer-Sean-Flynt/dp/B08XN7HZ82/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=little+hammer+book&qid=1627482034&sr=8-1
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Craig Johnson
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PostPosted: Thu 05 Feb, 2009 7:54 am    Post subject: Large Pommels         Reply with quote

Anders Backlund wrote:
Hm. The blade is too huge for my taste and I'm not sure about the large spherical pommel either.

But on the other hand, that's one gorgeous basket.


Hi Anders,

The large pommels are a feature of many of these early baskets. Some people do not like the looks others are shy of them as they have handled some of the solid reproductions that weight the sword there on quite strangely. This one, as the originals is hollow and are actually spheres with quite thin walls for there size. They are not sheet metal but I would guess that the average thickness is somewhere in the 5-6mm range. These make for fairly agile and fore weighted swords, great cutters.

This particular example does have a blade that is quite long and almost certainly was wielded by a relatively tall and strong individual. This would have been a challenge to defend against on foot or horse.

Best
Craig
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Craig Johnson
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PostPosted: Thu 05 Feb, 2009 8:05 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Nathan Robinson wrote:
Craig,

You'd knew you'd get my attention by posting that.

Damn you. That's fantastic.


Sean Flynt wrote:
Eek! That's beautiful, Craig! That blade...! I need that blade!


Thanks Guys

I knew you guys would like this. Its in the queue to go up on the custom section of the site. I should be getting to this relatively soon. The sword is really an excellent piece though bigger than one imagines even when you look at the measurements. This piece would be very much a product of the requirements of the individual swordsman and the style of combat he practiced.

Have a good one.
Craig
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Eric Myers




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PostPosted: Thu 05 Feb, 2009 9:59 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Sean Flynt wrote:
Here's another view, that may give a better idea of size (I'll take the middle sword here, though)


And look at that two-hander on the right, that looks really typical of the Iberian ones....

Eric Myers
Sacramento Sword School
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E.B. Erickson
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PostPosted: Sun 08 Feb, 2009 4:51 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Sean,
Thanks for starting this thread. About 4 years ago Thomas MacDonald sent me a photo of this hilt without any other info, and I always wondered what the blade looked like: now I know! The reason for my curiosity was that I decided to make a sword for myself, and have decided on this one for the inspiration.

--ElJay
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Richard Hare




Location: Alberta, canada
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PostPosted: Sun 08 Feb, 2009 7:10 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Sean,

The middel one you like in your above photo reminds me quite a lot of the one Vlad. makes.
When I first saw it I drooled all over the keyboard!

See attached.

All the best,
Richard.

Please forgive me for adding the pictures, I do not mean to hi-jack the thread.



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Henrik Bjoern Boegh




Location: Agder, Norway
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PostPosted: Sun 08 Feb, 2009 11:01 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

That's a lovely looking sword you've made Craig. Aside from a very attractive hilt I must say the fullers on the blade looks awsome! They give the sword a very serious look.

Cheers,
Henrik

Constant and true.
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Nathan Robinson
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PostPosted: Sat 21 Mar, 2009 6:43 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

I was looking at these types of hilts lately and remember a very similar hilt to the one above that is found at the Royal Armouries, ix.2574. It was once in Claude Blair's collection.

Does it look, to you guys, if this has a double-fullered backsword blade? I wish I had an overall view of this sword.




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Justin King
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PostPosted: Sat 21 Mar, 2009 10:17 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

This same sword is pictured in Wallace's "Scottish Swords and Dirks" and also in Mazansky's book, but neither author comments specifically on this blade and there are no shots showing any more of the blade than what you have. It does appear to be as you decribe, however. Wallace does say that "Blades in the 17th century appear to have been exclusively double-edged, though basket-hilt swords of a known English kind in the late 16th century were furnished with single-edged blades" - from the pictures and captions later in the chapter it seems clear that he is referring to this type of hilt.
Multiple fullers were common on both single and double edged blades by this time.

Edit-Wallace does say that the blade is 33-1/2" long but does not comment further.
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