I am researching the Marquis of Montrose (d. 1650). He carried a basket-hilted broadsword. In photos, the sword appears yellow in color. Can anyone please tell me what type of metal it was? Was that common for the time period in Scotland?

Thank you!

Veronica W.

Attached is a photo of the sword with a color-correction.

Note that the blade is also "golden" in the photo, indicating a bad color cast to the photo. it is very unlikely that the blade was gold in color and so I've neutralized the cast with the assumption that the blade is typical "steel" color. Doing so resulted in the following photo that shows the basket to also be steel.

This isn't to say that I know from what material the sword in question is made. It does say that the photo I happened to find happens to be a bad one. I do not remember this sword from anything I've read. Are you aware of any other photos of this sword or any place it is documented?

Quite a number of baskets of this era were gilt (iron with gold gilding) or even brass: both gold in color. Others were silver gilt. Some were painted. It was more common to have an iron or steely hilt, though.

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Marquis of Montrose sword
Before and after

Judging by the small pictures on the Motrose Museum site it appears the sword, basket & blade, is as Nathan said, just steel.

Mac

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I'm no basket case, but that hilt looks to be too late for 1650. I'd guess it's late 17th c. at the earliest. Of course, the original blade might have been re-hilted. I've seen basket hilt swords badly misdated based on inscriptions on a recycled blade.For the marquis, I'd expect to see a hilt more like this:
http://www.myArmoury.com/albums/photo/6605.html

or perhaps a mortuary form. Maybe gilded or gold-encrusted iron, as Nathan indicated. Not brass.

Veronica (now that Nate has given you a "true-image...sorry I couldn't resist that pun on your name!), take a look at the condition of the blade and the condition of the hilt. Now I know blades wear faster than the basket, but that's a pretty srtarting difference. Mazansky illustrates a virtually identical hilt on p. 100, plate F5a which he identify's a "horseman's sword" from the mid-18th century. I have to agree with Sean and Mac: this is a much later hilt replaced by Victorians (??) on a dandy original mid-17th century blade. As to the original hilt, thant's anyones guess but I imagine Sean is right again and I would even narrow the field down to an early Anglo / Irish type hilt rather than a Mortuary hilt as the blade just doesn't look right for that sort of mounting. For reproductions of thoise type of hilts, look at Armour Class in Glasgow and Darkwood Armory here in the states. Good luck! George

Wow, these replies have been fantastic! I wonder if the Montrose Museum is aware that this is likely not the original basket...?!

Thanks so much to everyone for the amazingly well-informed and gracious responses!

Veronica