Basket hilted sword Austrian
 

Austrian basket hilted sword, “korben degen”? End of 16 begining of 17 century, very nicely made, blade marked iohanes mefecit and with two ancors on each side.
Acquired from very old and big collection, published.

Beautiful sword. Wonder if it has some sort of Dalmatian connection? The basket shape overall reminds me of a delicate version of a schiavona and the grip must be shark skin (or possibly sting ray). Also I wonder if the wielder is supposed to hook an index finger over the riccasso hence the lower guard, and there’s no thumb ring.