[Hadrian Coffin]

Hello,

I have a sword here that is really very strange. It has no provenance, and I can't determine it's origin exactly. It was purchased in a lot with two genuine late 14th century sword, and a genuine late 11th century Brazil nut pommel sword. This one, I don't know. It has a lenticular cross section, a short guard, and a rectangular pommel with some dots punched.

It looks fake at first glance, the tang looks to wide, etc, etc... but on closer inspection... it does actually harmonise quite well. The balance is good. The patina is even and correct.
Its too "weird" of a sword to fake, and was sold in a lot with three other originals that do not exhibit any signs of forgery..it didn't particularly drive the price up. What do others think?

It is definitely weird, but none of the peculiarities are necessarily wrong. I think it might be a ~10th-11th century spatha-type franco/germanic sword. I dunno. Its definitely interesting.

Cheers!
Hadrian

(The flash and reflection do not adequately represent the colour, they are reflecting from the lacquer coating put on to prevent further rust degradation)

[Hadrian Coffin]

It seems similar, perhaps, to this sword. But with a much more robust tang. http://sword-site.com/thread/262/lenticular-v...provenance

[J.D. Crawford]

The cross is reminiscent of the effigy sword of Gilbert Marshal, 1241 (cast pictured below).

What are the dimensions of the sword? Is it big enough to be an executioner's sword? It has that look about it.