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Hand-and-a-half sword: HEN.M.189-1933

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Object information

Awaiting location update

Maker(s)

Production: Unknown (Probably)

Entities

Categories

Description

Very large hand-and-a-half war sword, type XIIIA. Large, flat oval pommel, the edges bevelled off. Very long, stout tang of flat rectangular. Cross of faintly hexagonal section, very slightly arched and widening imperceptibly to the tips. Very broad, heavy blade of flat section with very well-marked chamfered edges with a broad shallow fuller running halfway down.

Notes

History note: Sold at the Helbing Gallery in Munich 1908

Measurements and weight

Length: 118.0 cm

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1933-03-16) by Henderson, James Stewart

Dating

14th Century
Circa 1300 CE - 1350 CE

Note

The length of the tang of this sword is such that it is more in the nature of a small two handed sword. A hilt similar in all respects is shown on the tomb-effigy of Guther von Schwarzburg in the Cathedral at Frankfurt (1349).

Western European, almost certainly German

Components of the work

Pommel Depth 5.0 cm Thickness 2.5 cm Width 7.0 cm
Tang Length 23.0 cm
Blade Length 89.0 cm
Cross Width 21.5 cm
Blade At Hilt Width 5.8 cm

Materials used in production

Steel

Techniques used in production

Casting (process) : Sword, cast

Identification numbers

Accession number: HEN.M.189-1933
Primary reference Number: 18830
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Thursday 11 August 2016 Last processed: Friday 8 December 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Hand-and-a-half sword" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/18830 Accessed: 2024-11-08 16:53:57

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/18830 |title=Hand-and-a-half sword |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-08 16:53:57|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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