Sword found with magnet -- myArmoury.com

M Hermes · Posted: Fri 25 Apr, 2014 6:54 am Post subject: Sword found with magnet

A friend fom a friend of mine found this sword last week with the help of a strong magnet(magnet fishing is a populair hobby over here). Does anyone know what type of sword this is? Thanks

Bruno Giordan · Posted: Fri 25 Apr, 2014 7:49 am Post subject:

Some sharper, non distorted pics will help identifying this sword, even if the pommel seems clear enough to give a first impression of the typology (probably a type XII from around half the XIII century)

The blade should be more wide than it appears in your pic, but, as I said, there is an apparent distortion in your image so judging the blade is impossible.

You should try to photograph it by staying perpendicular to the blade lying on a flat surface, so as to give a clear idea of the blade profile.

Also some close up pics of the first half of the blade should reveal the presence of a concavity, called fuller, which would help in the authentication of the piece.

Pommel looks very promising. Probably an important find, if it is a water find it is obviously unlikely to be a recent fake.

S. Sebok · Posted: Fri 25 Apr, 2014 2:00 pm Post subject:

That looks almost exactly like the Albion Ritter. Probably a type XII just like it from probably the 13th century. Rather cool.

M Hermes · Posted: Fri 25 Apr, 2014 2:39 pm Post subject:

The sword is handed over to the dutch archeology department for research and conservation. I will let you know when there is more clarity.

Tim Lison · Posted: Fri 25 Apr, 2014 3:40 pm Post subject:

Glad to hear that it went to the professionals. If it's genuine, it should be conserved properly. Great find! I have to say it looks like it could be a type XI blade to me. The hilt components could easily be paired with that blade type.

J.D. Crawford · Posted: Fri 25 Apr, 2014 6:49 pm Post subject:

Very cool. Looks authentic.

A series of similar swords with this pommel type, straight cross, and long slim blade were made in (probably) Germany in the 13th century. You can see some of them here: http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=20025

Coincidentally, I'm having one of these made right now (or rather re-made since I wasn't quite happy with the first version). It looks almost identical to this find.

James Moore · Posted: Sat 26 Apr, 2014 5:28 am Post subject:

Part of me was about to scream "get it to someone like the conservators in the Legersmuseum, Delft, FAST!"

I'm very, very glad to hear that that has already been done. This is a perfect example of what should be done after a find.

(And I'm so envious. what an object to discover!)

Aaron Hoard · Posted: Sat 26 Apr, 2014 5:57 am Post subject:

That is just beyond cool - a find of a lifetime. Good on him for handing it over to the archaeology department.

Luka Borscak · Posted: Sat 26 Apr, 2014 9:26 am Post subject:

Jeroen T · Posted: Sat 26 Apr, 2014 12:12 pm Post subject:

Wow great find.
Where in Holland was this?

Ian Hutchison · Posted: Thu 01 May, 2014 8:17 pm Post subject: Re: Sword found with magnet

Shahril Dzulkifli · Posted: Sat 03 May, 2014 8:42 am Post subject: Sword found with magnet

I didn't know that there's such thing as magnet fishing in Holland. But it turned out to be a sword, not fish, that gets the bait.
To me it looks more like a Viking sword, because Vikings themselves once invaded the area which is now Holland.