Broadsword of Oliver Cromwell display at Phila Art Museum -- myArmoury.com

Bryan Heff

One of my favorite swords of all time. It's back on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. For many years it had not been displayed. I don't know the reason. Sorry the pictures are not better. Its some what hard to tell in these pictures but the blade has multiple fullers similar to a cinquedea. It also has a VERY broad double edged blade which has the overall size and shape of many type X blades.

2018-02-21_07-50-58 by warspite15, on Flickr

2018-02-21_07-50-34 by warspite15, on Flickr

2018-02-21_07-50-21 by warspite15, on Flickr

2018-02-21_07-49-56 by warspite15, on Flickr

2018-02-21_07-49-42 by warspite15, on Flickr

2018-02-21_07-49-30 by warspite15, on Flickr

2018-02-21_07-49-18 by warspite15, on Flickr

2018-02-21_07-48-50 by warspite15, on Flickr

Michael Beeching · Posted: Thu 22 Feb, 2018 9:52 am Post subject:

That thing is a brute! The fullers are gorgeous, but I have always wondered about potential spikes in the stress load of the blade where they terminate and transition into the next set. A study into that would make for an interesting exercise in blade design.

Guillaume Vauthier · Posted: Thu 22 Feb, 2018 12:25 pm Post subject:

Goddamn, what a wide blade! That's impressive.

Max L · Posted: Fri 23 Feb, 2018 7:20 am Post subject:

Oh thats beautiful. I'm going to have to visit the museum again soon! Also, there's a XIIIb there that I'm thinking of having someone replicate.

Ken Speed · Posted: Sun 25 Feb, 2018 10:58 am Post subject:

DAMN!! Now THAT is a sword! One of the first thoughts that came to me when I saw the photos was how would a sword like that handle? What if an enterprising smith made a sword with that blade configuration and a less ornate handle and someone put it through it's paces? I think that would be fascinating!

Nathan Robinson · myArmoury Admin

That's fantastic. It wasn't on display when I went years ago. It's great to know it's out there again.

Bob Haynes · Posted: Wed 29 Jul, 2020 12:22 pm Post subject:

Holy hell, now that is a beaut!

Say on the subject of English Civil War swords, if I may- has anyone came across one of Major-General Hezekiah Haynes?
He was in fact my direct 9th great grandfather.

Martin Buckley · Posted: Thu 30 Jul, 2020 5:37 am Post subject:

The Cromwell museum (in Huntingdon I believe) has two more swords that are believed to have been owned by the king-killer himself. They’re both mortuary jilted swords but look a little more ornate than that beast. I think they’re able to be seen on their website and twitter.