Swords

[ed]

I used to collect swords, had quite a few now sold off mostly. I have 12 or so that I particularly liked. This one used to belong to Ewart Oakschott
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ewart_Oakeshott
and was obtained by me at auction

Overall.JPG

hilt2.jpg

Overall 39½” Blade 331/8” Weight 2lbs 7 oz
Fig-shaped octagonal POMMEL, vertically fluted and marked with a Gothic “S”. Grip modern (post 1960) leather with twisted wire. Arched QUILLONS of square section, terminating in fig-shaped knobs en suite with the pommel. A semi-circular ring-guard is attached to the outside of the quillons. Evenly tapered BLADE of flattened diamond section, the faces slightly hollowed, bearing a maker's mark (a T surmounted by a fleur-de-lys) inlaid in copper repeated four times.
Italian, c.1420-40
- From description in Cutlers Hall Exhibition catalog, 1951

Current thinking is that it is later, maybe midish 16th c. I dropped a note to Oakschott telling him I had it and he wrote back with a very nice response. I should have probably continued the correspondence but didn't. For reasons that escape me now.

Anyway, this is one of my favorite "things".

[ed]

Another turd in a punchbowl.

Guess the intimate stories behind the other 20 swords will remain untold. :cry:

Bastards.

Unfeeling, uncaring bastards. :x

[Fid]

So get on with the stories.

[solely]

I was here.

[WildCat]

Swords were actually rarely used in ancient and medieval combat, they were a sidearm much like pistols today. Spears/lances, pikes/halberts, and bow and arrows were the main weapons of the day. The Romans were an exception, but their swords were effective because they used their pilums to pierce the enemy shields and make them useless. But swords were also a status symbol, and remained so long into the age of gunpowder.