[Fabrice Cognot]

Hi Peter

As you've been able to see it from close, how is the fitting between blade and cross (and tang) ?

[Michael Edelson]

Hi Peter,

Thank you so much for your insights.

As you got to examine the blade quite closely, were there any other signs of use besides that it was resharpened? Were there deep nicks or evidence of bends?

[Peter Johnsson]

Fab:
It is a pretty good fit. Some other guards of this type are tighter, but it is still a good one. The best ones of this type are so tight you cannot slip a paper between blade and guard. The Brescia Spadona is less precise than this in places, but is overall good. The guard looks well made even if it is gone in rust and pitted.
It has been cleaned.
I would say it is very probable the whole sword has been taken apart, cleaned and put together again.
The grip is so tight against guard and pommel, I could get no clear indication of the "interior" fit between guard, tang and grip. But the sword feels very solid today, as I would think it did during its time of use.

Michael:
No nicks as I recall. Perhaps some minute snags, but I have no notes of damage.
The edges very obviously snakes sideways as you look down the blade. I have made no notes on the blade having a set, curve or saber however. On the other hand it is very common that blades have some small degree of curve or undulation in them. This can be scars from use, or it may have happened in the time between its active life and now. Hard to tell.
The point is a bit rounded as it is now, but I had the impression it was once much sharper.
The fuller is a bit washed out is its present state. My impression is that it was once defined more sharply. It had the look of a blade that had been polished many times during its active life. That tends to round sharp ridges.
The section is octagonal with clear bevels shaped on a diamond body. This is not secondary bevels from sharpening, but a design feature: some blades (and this is not uncommon) have a cross section that is octagonal or hexagonal. Especially type XIIIa´s, XIIa´s and XVIa´s seem to have this feature often.
The point of the Brescia spadona is not heavily reinforced as some XVIa´s.
The distal taper is not dead even, but as is common has some dips and bumps down the length of the blade. This is a variation within tenths of millimeters from an ideal straight line. A very easy thing to have when you account for large scale production. Not, as is a common way of thinking, a result of "primitive" tools. They could get very even results if they really wanted. Mostly this does not seem to have been a priority as long as the blade worked the way it was supposed.

The sword has a very keen and ready feel to it. It is very much *there* in your hand. Not overpowering, but not docile either. Just dependable and ready, smooth and efficient.

[Michael Edelson]

Thank you everyone, particularly Peter. This has been a great help.

I'm putting together a collector's journal...I have 9 Albions and I want to document each thoroughly. Most are not Museum Line swords, but there are still historic originals on which either the entire sword or parts of it are based. I'm always trying to remember specific details and it gets fuzzy, so I figure it will help to just get everything written down and to get all the images in one place. Likewise, I've done numerous performance tests and can document the results.

I've started with the Brescia and have already learned a lot in the process. I may not be in a position to study originals in the way Ewart Oakeshott was, but thanks to Peter and Albion, I have something almost as good, and in the sense that I can test the hell out of their performance, perhaps in some ways better.

[Michael Edelson]

A mid 15th century German painting...note the pommel and cross...

[Fabrice Cognot]

Konrad Witz. Nice .

[Michael Edelson]

[Fabrice Cognot]

They should rather rename it the "Judgement Day sword" :


Judgement Day Altarpiece, by Rogier Van der Weyden, Hôtel Dieu of Beaune. Ca. 1445-48.