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Old 21st December 2015, 12:46 PM   #10
Iain
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Olomouc
Posts: 1,680
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Quote:
Originally Posted by estcrh
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.
Indeed, if you have not got a copy, I highly recommend the article by Clive Thomas in the 20th Anniversary edition of the London Park Lane Arms Fair publication.

My interest in the Alexandria grouping is more with the earlier ascensions, under Sayf al-din Aristay. Again I highly recommend Clive Thomas'article in the same publication from Spring 2011.

Clive Thomas and David Oliver have additional articles on certain Alexandria arsenal swords in the Spring 2009 and Spring 2013 editions respectively.
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