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Originally Posted by Iain
That's the one in the Met correct? The Bashford Dean sword.
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Iain, here are the two swords compared, the Met does not labled its sword as "Italian", it is described as being "European".
Sword
Date: before 1419
Culture: European
Medium: Steel, wood
Dimensions: L. 43 11/16 in. (110.96 cm); L. of blade 34 1/8 in. (86.67 cm); W. of cross guard 12 3/8 in. (31.43 cm) Wt. 3 lb. 10 oz. (1644 g)
Classification: Swords
Credit Line: Bashford Dean Memorial Collection, Bequest of Bashford Dean, 1928
Accession Number: 29.150.143
The Arabic inscription engraved on the blade of this sword indicates that it was part of the large group of European arms and armor once stored in the Mamluk arsenal in Alexandria, Egypt. Many of those pieces were taken as booty in the battles between Muslim and Christian armies in the Near East and Aegean regions; others were sent to the sultan as tribute, possibly by the king of Cyprus.
The inscription reads in translation: "Donation of al-Mālik al Mu`ayyad Abū al-Nasr Shaykh to the armory in the frontier city of Alexandria [in the] year 822 [A.D. 1419]."
Marking: Stamped on one face: W; on the other face: a cross.