View Single Post
Old 8th June 2015, 05:35 AM   #179
Cathey
Member
 
Cathey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: adelaide south australia
Posts: 274
Default BASKET HILT Broad Sword c1740, earlier blade

Hi Guys

This is actually one of the first Basket hilts I purchased back in 1996 in Adelaide.

BASKET HILT Broad Sword
Date: Hilt Circa 1740 (18th Century), Blade earlier
Nationality: SCOTTISH
Overall Length: 36 ½” 92.9 cm
Blade length: 31 1/16” 79 cm
Blade widest point: 1 ½” 3.2 cm
Hilt widest point: 5” 12.7 cm
Inside grip length: 4 ¼” 10.8 cm
Marks, etc.: 2 short fullers containing remnants of inscription, only the letters I O H A N T can be read with any certainty. Blade is pitted and has dark patina, possibly predates hilt.

It has been suggested that the name on the blade is Johanus Cole, but with so few letters to go on I am unconvinced at this stage.

Description
BASKET HILT Scottish Broad Sword. The hilt guards are attached to a very prominent and board flat ring under the pommel, which is associated. The space between the rear and additional rear-guards has a very short transverse linking cross-bar, one third of the way up from the blade-end of the hilt. The margins of the plates and shields are scalloped to follow the outline of the piercing. These consist of large coarsely shaped hearts and circles, which give an open appearance to the shield and plates. This hilt has an oval ring on the inside of the hilt. The blade has 2 short fullers containing remnants of inscription, only the letters I O H A N T can be read with any certainty, followed by an anchor mark. Blade is pitted and has dark patina and a number of sharp contact cuts to its edge. I would suggest that the blade definitely predates the hilt.

General Remarks
The same hilt features on a sword in the National Museum of Scotland Edinburgh LA 140

References:
CAMPBELL.A. Scottish Swords from the Battlefield at Culloden. pp 54-55
CURTIS, T The Lyle Official Arms and Armour Review 1976 Pp21
MAZANSKY (C.) BRITISH BASKET-HILTED SWORDS: A TYPOLOGY OF BASKET-TYPE SWORD HILTS pp126 F20.
MOORE, W. Weapons of the American Revolution and Accoutrements. Pp 146, plate E33.
OAKESHOTT, E. European Weapons and Armour. (See Claymore) pp 175-182.

Cheers Cathey and Rex
Attached Images
   
Cathey is offline   Reply With Quote