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Mart Shearer
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Craig Peters
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 Posted: Wed 04 Jun, 2014 5:59 pm Post subject: |
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There are quite a few versions of Michael defeating Satan; however, to my knowledge, the Navarre Picture Bible is the only version that clearly depicts the weapon as having a spear head.
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Craig Peters
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| Posted: Wed 04 Jun, 2014 6:23 pm Post subject: |
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| Raman A wrote: | | Isn't that just a boar sword? |
It could be a boar sword, although I am not sure that it is for two reasons. First, my understanding is that boar swords appear circa 1500; the Pisani-Dossi Ms. dates to 1409. Secondly, when you look at extant antique boar swords, every one that I have seen has a very narrow section near the strong of the blade, and basically remains narrow until the point. Some have a ricasso, but otherwise fit this description. By contrast, the illustration in Fiore looks like it depicts a sword that really does have a profile taper, although the blade at the strong is still somewhat narrow. Fiore's sword looks like it could be an XVa or similar weapon with a spear point at the end.
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Craig Peters
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| Posted: Wed 04 Jun, 2014 8:22 pm Post subject: |
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Dating from 1550, the Geschlechterbuch der Stadt Augsburg can hardly be said to be from the Middle Ages, no matter what definition one uses for "medieval". Still, it depicts some absolutely fabulous arms and armour, and many examples of exotic, fantasy-type arms that fit perfectly with the theme of this thread. Really, the Geschlecterbuch deserves a thread all of its own, but here's just a few examples of the many extraordinary illustrations that it contains:
Source: http://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/~db/bsb00...pdfseitex=
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Craig Peters
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| Posted: Thu 05 Jun, 2014 12:07 am Post subject: |
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The knight in the upper left, who's tipping up the visor on his helmet, has a rather odd looking weapon. Image from the Queen Mary Psalter.
Source: http://manuscriptminiatures.com/4154/12090/
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Craig Peters
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Craig Peters
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J. Nicolaysen
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| Posted: Thu 05 Jun, 2014 1:22 am Post subject: |
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This is such an interesting thread. Great topic idea and fantastic pictures.
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Craig Peters
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| Posted: Thu 05 Jun, 2014 4:48 am Post subject: |
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I think this example is probably just an artistic error, rather than attempting to represent an exotic weapon. Nevertheless, the monstrous figure in this manuscript illustration appears to be holding a sword/club hybrid. It's from Artus de Bretagne.
Source: http://manuscriptminiatures.com/5207/16900/
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Craig Peters
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| Posted: Thu 05 Jun, 2014 5:04 am Post subject: |
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The weapon on the left here looks like one in the Queen Mary Psalter. Here, it looks like a wooden club with a sharpened, metal edge and hook.
Source: http://manuscriptminiatures.com/4071/7164/
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Craig Peters
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| Posted: Thu 05 Jun, 2014 5:11 am Post subject: |
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The polearm in the background here looks like a military fork with a back spike and a fluke. This is Speculum humanae salvationis, imperfect.
Source: http://manuscriptminiatures.com/4177/13102/
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Craig Peters
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Craig Peters
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William M
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| Posted: Thu 05 Jun, 2014 7:07 am Post subject: |
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That fantasy falchion looks like another fantasy sword... orcrist!
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Craig Peters
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| Posted: Thu 05 Jun, 2014 7:30 pm Post subject: |
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It can be easy to forget that fantasy weapons need not be exotic nor unusual. By taking an ordinary weapon and increasing its size such that it is a hyperbole of real life weapons, one can create a fantasy weapon. The illustrator of this manuscript seems to have fairly closely followed the Biblical description of Goliath's massive spear, and depicted one with similarly massive proportions. This comes from BL Royal 6 E VI Omne Bonum, A-D.
Source:http://manuscriptminiatures.com/4171/13090/
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Craig Peters
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| Posted: Thu 05 Jun, 2014 7:51 pm Post subject: |
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The far right soldier in the front carries a very odd weapon. When I initially looked at it, I thought the weapon was supposed to be a javelin with fletches, shown with the back end facing forward, and the artist mistakenly coloured the fletches and haft grey. But, looking closer, this interpretation does not make sense; the grey coloured section looks completely wrong as a javelin with fletches. The weapon looks vaguely reminiscent of a badly drawn winged spear, or a similarly distorted partizan, but neither of these fit either. Perhaps it is some sort of bludgeoning weapon? Alternative interpretations are more than welcome. This comes from the Morgan Weltchronik.
Source: http://manuscriptminiatures.com/4693/12807/
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Mart Shearer
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| Posted: Thu 05 Jun, 2014 8:08 pm Post subject: |
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Considering half the point is buried in the downed man's ass cheek, I suspect it's the exact same as the spear on the far left.
ferrum ferro acuitur et homo exacuit faciem amici sui
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Raman A
Location: United States Joined: 25 Aug 2011
Posts: 148
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Craig Peters
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| Posted: Thu 05 Jun, 2014 8:38 pm Post subject: |
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Perhaps it should not be considered a fantasy piece, but the hafted weapon to the far left is fairly unique. I wondered if it might be an instrument of torture, given the context of this image. However, the same weapon shows up again in the manuscript, and the second time, it is unambiguous that it is a weapon, not an instrument of torture. In form, its similar to a war hammer, save that it does not have a flat face for striking. This is from Politica & Economica.
Here's the second image, showing it clearly in a military context:
Sources: http://manuscriptminiatures.com/4953/14963/ and http://manuscriptminiatures.com/4953/14965/
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Craig Peters
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| Posted: Thu 05 Jun, 2014 8:40 pm Post subject: |
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Hmm... I had not realized that the weapon was supposed to be stuck in a person, but now that you mention it, that interpretation makes sense. Oh well.
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This is a 
