To formalize my earlier outburst, since I started collecting arms, I've focused on ethnographic, non-European weapons out of interest and due to economic limitations. Pre-19th century European has remained thoroughly out of my league, as have Nihonto and most Persian and Caucasian arms. The efforts you folks have made in putting all of this material on the forum and sharing your knowledge and experience have made Euro arms so much more accessible.

Thank you once again.
Emanuel

Hi Emanuel,

I do appreciate your comment and thank you in return.
Me, on the other hand, I don't now the least on ethnographic arms ...

And: weapons, to many men, actually seem to have some kind of eroticism - I can't deny that for myself ... I mean they are not exactly 'sexy' but they sure they are fascinating and thrilling! :cool: :eek:

Best,

Michael

A Fine North Italian Knightly Hand-and-a-Half Sword, ca. 1500-10
 

This is a painting by the so called Master of Cassoni Campana, active in Florence in the early 16th century (Italian Renaissance period).

The painting is in the Musée du Petit Palais, Avignon, France. The scene depicts the Ancient Greek mythology of Theseus and the Minotaur.

Enjoy

Two finely writhen Landsknecht sword pommels in the Museum of Lucerne, Switzerland
 

Photographed by the author in their reserve collection.

The ring on the one on the right denotes that it was later re-used as a sliding weight, as often was the case.

Michael

A fine South German, less probably Swiss, hand-and-a-half Landsknecht sword of ca. 1530, preserved in the Musée des Beaux-Arts, Dijon, France.

Best,
m

A hand-and-a-half Landsknecht sword in a ca. 1530's Flemish painting of the legend of St. Hubert, sold at auction at Galerie Koller, Zürich, Switzerland, in March 2010.

Best,
Michael

A Landsknecht short sword with an open ring or antenna shaped pommel, an ear dagger and halberds in a ca. 1460-70 painting of the Passion of Christ.

m

Hubert van Eyck, Rotterdam, The Empty Tomb, ca. 1415.

Please note the edged weapons of the sleeping guards and the highly unusual shapes of some hafted weapons, including the two long arrows on the right!

m

Jörg Breu the Elder, The Crucifixion, dated 1501, Germanisches Nationalmuseum Nürnberg.

Please note the short sword with the ca. 1480-90 pommel and curved quillons (Kurzwehr, Seitenwehr) of the Landsknecht dressed in red in the middle.

m

St. Florian and St. Paul; painting by Jörg Breu the Elder, Augsburg, ca. 1500.

Please note the fine blade of the hand-and-a-half sword on the right.

m

The Joy of Springtime, by Jörg Breu the Elder, Augsburg, 1531.

Note the Katzbalger sword in its sheath.

m

Hand-and-a-half sword; St. Florian, by Francesco del Cossa, dated 1473.

m

Woodcut by Hans Schäufelein, ca. 1515, who among others worked for the Emperor Maximilan I.

m

Hans Sebald Beham, Nürnberg, dated 1540; drawing of one of the first rapiers.

m

Details from the so called Resurrection Altar, ca. 1430, from Arnstadt/Thuringia, now preserved in the Berlin Gallery.

Note the short Landsknecht sword (Seitenwehr or Kurzwehr) with riveted wooden or bone grips and the kidney dagger.

m

Woodcut of the students' riots in Efurt, Thuringia, ca. 1520, depicting some type of a Großes Messer.

m

Gothic Fencing Books
 

From top:

ca. 1320, 1452, 1558.

m

The Martyrdom of St. Sebastian, ca. 1475
 

Munich, ca. 1475; now preserved in the Wallraff-Richartz-Museum Cologne (Köln).

Please note the sword of a type that is usually dated 'ca. 1520' and called a 'hunting sword' - so this really is an important painting!

Segovia, Alcázar, Spain, Cathedral: a very fine two-hand sword with partially gilt blade, ca. 1540.

Two fine hand-and-a-half Landsknecht swords, ~1520; painting of the Passion of Christ, by Rueland Frueauf The Younger, Passau, Lower Bavaria.

A good South German Korbdegen, ca. 1550, preserved at Schloss Braunfels, Northern Germany.

Photos taken in 2004, copyright by the author.

m

A very fine and rare South German Estoc (Panzerstecher), ca. 1500, the blade struck with an orb and cross mark, preserved at Schloss Braunfels, Northern Germany.

Photos 2004, copyright by the author.

m

Important 1530's Nürnberg Woodcut Sources - in Color!
 

From only recently recovered colored leaves.

Mostly from flickr.com, with thanks to the original posters there.

m

from the new publication of Jan Piet Puype & Harm Stevens
Arms And Armour of knights and landsknechts in the netherlands Army Museum.

some more.

Great, Cornelis,

Thank you so much!

I just ordered my copy of that publication.

Best,
Michael

Thanks Michael for posting this beauty!

A bit of a silly question but would you happen to know if the piece was for use on foot (as in armored fighting) or for equestrian combat? Our hussar did carry similar pieces a decade or so later but with a shorter grip ( I do think the hilt on the stecher you posted is at least "hand-and-a-half" .. assuming my eyes are not decieving me :) )

Cheers,
Samuel

Hi Samuel,

Exactly, this is a hand-and-a-half estoc and too long for foot combat. Estocs usually were equestrians weapons to thrust from horseback against foot soldiers.

Cheers, and best,
Michael

A Fine Katzbalger Sold for 16,500 USD at Sotheby's N.Y., January 12, 1991
 

Ca. 1515, preserved in perfect patina all over.

Author's color photos.

A knight with his Katzbalger, ca. 1510.

Hi Jasper,

I hope you don't mind my re-attaching better quality scans of these unusually fine items, together with the informative texts. ;)

The first Katzbalger dates of ca. 1515-20, next there is a sample of ca. 1540 but please note that the blade is from a rapier of ca. 1590-1600.
The excavated find is a rare Katzbalger saber (I don't really think it should be called cutlass) of ca. 1535.

Best,
Michael

These two Landsknecht daggers in the Legermuseum range among the finest I have ever seen.

For the first I would suggest a date of almost exactly 1500, the other might be a decade or so younger.

Best,
m

A Fine Landsknecht German or Swiss Two Hand Sword, ca. 1540
 

Sold Thomas Del Mar, in association with Sotheby's, Dec 8, 2010, incorrectly dated 'late 16th c.' in the description.

Best,
Michael

What a glorious twohander!
Running wolf and all!

And preserved in virtually 'untouched', heavily olive oil patinated condition as well!

Best,
Michael

An Irish Great Sword (two hand sword) of 1521, in a Drawing by Albrecht Dürer
 

Enjoy!

m

Please also see my threads

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=14115

and

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ht+hand+swords


Best,
Michael

Thank you so much, Dmitry,
I have to admit I am sort of proud of it myself. :cool: :eek:

Best,
Michael

Hi Michael,

I think this lot remained unsold, I had a look at it after the auction but did not 'like" it.

best,

Hi Jasper,

You're right, of course; it should read 'failed to sell'.
Apart from that: well, I dislike the leather on the grip but on the other hand, I wasn't there to handle it. So your knowledge on this is doubtlessly more profound than mine.

Thanks, and best,
Michael