Mortuary Sword (for William Goodwin) -- myArmoury.com

Thomas McDonald · myArmoury Alumni

Item: 6846 A Mortuary Sword
Category: Swords

Description:
A Mortuary Sword. The 34” backsword blade with two fullers & signed ‘CNSYCYS’. Chiselled hilt of typical form, with guard deeply chiselled with masks etc. Side bars deeply engraved. Ovoid chiselled pommel. Copper wire grip with turks heads, probably an old replacement. C1640 Good condition for age (some pitting on blade) Price: £2995 - Availability: yes
West Street Antiques

Bill Grandy · myArmoury Team

That basket looks remarkably like the one that CAS Iberia reproduces.

William Goodwin · Posted: Tue 21 Feb, 2006 9:14 am Post subject:

Mac,

Thanks laddie for posting this. It's simply glorious! Have seen very similar examples (as far as hilt motifs) on Mortuarys' found at York Castle Museum, which I believe are also shown in Mazansky's "British Basket-hilt Swords" book. This one looks to be in quite good shape overall, especially the blade.

These types of chisilled feature's are pretty common on alot I have in my data @ home and each new one I see still gives me goose bumps.

Now, if anyone would like to make a small donation to my sword fund to acquire such a piece....please feel free Big Grin

Cheers,

Bill

Roger Hooper · Posted: Tue 21 Feb, 2006 11:10 am Post subject:

Those 2 faces on the hilt - are they representations of Charles I? They look a bit like those monumental heads on Easter Island.

William Goodwin · Posted: Tue 21 Feb, 2006 1:57 pm Post subject:

This is the main Mortuary myth about them having bust of Charles I . There may be a few
with this characteristic, but most are just generic grotesque's and engravings.

Bill

Stephen Hand · Posted: Tue 21 Feb, 2006 7:35 pm Post subject:

Similar motifs (if somewhat different basket) to one I had made by local genius Steve Cunningham. I use it in all the photos in my new book.

William Goodwin · Posted: Wed 22 Feb, 2006 5:52 am Post subject:

Stephen,

That is a very nice example you have there. Really like to wooden grip. What type of wood is it made of?
Looks like walnut.

Cheers,

Bill

Stephen Hand · Posted: Wed 22 Feb, 2006 3:39 pm Post subject:

I'm not sure what the wood is, almost certainly an Australian hardwoord, not walnut. It's very difficult to get foreign woods in Australia due to shipping costs, the fact that we have so much of our own wood and our very strict quarantine conditions. It's a shame because there are good reasons why particular woods were used (particularly linden for shields - I couldn't think of a better suited wood). It can be done, but it's so much trouble that most people don't bother.

Cheers
Stephen

William Goodwin · Posted: Thu 23 Feb, 2006 4:42 am Post subject:

That Steve Cunningham did a fine job on the hilt.

I have a local chap here (Will Goodwin - no relation,strange as it is) that did a proto-mortuary that really
surprised alot of the local sword group.

Bill