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Old 14th February 2008, 11:57 PM   #14
Paul Macdonald
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
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Aye, a good thread that`s nice and close to home, folks

From the photos posted, the one second from top appears to be a Walter Allan hilt from Stirling. The top one appears to be a Glasgow hilt in the style of Walter Allan, but I`m not sure if it is made by himself.

Norman, you are pretty bang on about the European development of the basket. Each style of basket hilt (English mortuary, Scottish ribbon or Glasgow pattern, `Sinclair` style, Italian schiavona, Walloon, etc.) is the result of indigenous artistic expression in craftsmanship and Art from any one country.

The function of the basic weapon is the same Europe-wide. A solid cutting blade with a protective basket, and we start to see this development as a unique European weapon from early - mid 16th century.

Its reason for emerging stems from the development of the civilian sidesword from 1500`s onwards. Civilian single handed sword development split into two basic sword forms at this time, the cutting and thrusting sidesword and the back or broad sword, designed mostly for cutting actions.

The reason for hilts developing from simple cross hilted forms of the C15th to basket hilts in the C16th is that prior to this period, swords in Europe were primarily weapons of war, and soldiers wear armour as a matter of course, so in-built hand protection was less of a neccessity in weapon construction.

The overthrow of feudal society from the early C16th onwards saw civilian society adopt many cultural specifics that previously were the trappings of nobility and men-at-arms only. The wearing of the sword was the most distinct symbol to distinguish the identity of a new self-righteous society.

Given that the sword was now being created as a civilian sidearm, hand protection becomes a primary consideration in construction, as the wielder in either duel or streetfight was likely to be wearing a thin leather gauntlet at most, and more likely a bare hand.

A reasonable sword cut will take a wrist to the bone and a good cut sever the hand entirely. These were the simple reasons for the basket hilt being developed throughout Europe at this time, and as said, in distinctive styles in specific countries, though very much at the same time, as social change sweeps throughout all Europe.

As for blades and their forms and function as broadsword and backsword, that`s an interesting subject in itself for another post, as it`s getting late now and time for a late night dram

All the best,

Macdonald

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