Renaissance executioner sword from Germany

fernando · 11th October 2010, 11:53 PM

Hi Mauro,
Excelent condition.
These swords often have one hole in the blade tip, which is used for hanging them.
I wouldn't know what the purpose is, when they have three holes

.
... but hardly for adding weight, i would say

David · 12th October 2010, 12:51 AM

Wow! Now that's somethin'!

Reichsritter · 12th October 2010, 01:40 AM

The sword in saltire was perhaps a symbol of his office, I cannot recognize the crown. At first glance a marquee hat comes to my mind.

Very interesting on the other side is the coat-of-arms of Saxony (barry of ten or and sable a crown of rue) at first look, but again after counting the horizontal bars on the shield it has only eight. Such shield I have seen on the Lords of Kuenring (a bastard line of the Duke of Saxony). Maybe the reason the crown (hat) is not Ducal.

Matchlock · 12th October 2010, 11:24 AM

The three holes near the tip of the blade are of course not for making the piece lighter by 2-3 grams (!) but are the last Baroque decorative element of the older Gothic trefoil (Dreipass).

This of course is no longer a Renaissance sword as that epoque ended in the early 17th century. It is of High Baroque type (2nd half 17th c.).
Best,
Michael

broadaxe · 12th October 2010, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matchlock

The three holes near the tip of the blade are of course not for making the piece lighter by 2-3 grams (!) but are the last Baroque decorative element of the older Gothic trefoil (Dreipass).

This of course is no longer a Renaissance sword as that epoque ended in the early 17th century. It is of High Baroque type (2nd half 17th c.).
Best,
Michael

The three holes are supposedly not for removing but rather adding weight by attaching two pieces of steel via nuts or rivets. This is probably an urban myth, the reason is purely decorative and religious, a trefoil indeed. However not all beheading swords of this type have the three holes. I can think of a secondary benefit created by the holes: a sinister whistle while the blade spins rapidly in mid air... Unlike the axe, the motion was paralell to the ground and the executioner had to build up speed with 2-3 free spins, before the death blow was struck.

Matchlock · 12th October 2010, 04:25 PM

Exactly, broadaxe!

m

Mauro · 12th October 2010, 10:54 PM

Many thanks to all of you for these very interesting informations. I am always surprised from the many simbols are hidden in an old sword. I enlarged the photos of the shield and I can note that the horizontal bars are surely 9. I checked the coat of arms of Saxony in wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Saxony) and it has 9 stripes so many many thanks. One of the coat of arm seems surely Saxony. I don't know the meaning of the other but I shall continue to search in that direction.

12th October 2010, 01:40 AM	#3
Reichsritter Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 26	The sword in saltire was perhaps a symbol of his office, I cannot recognize the crown. At first glance a marquee hat comes to my mind. Very interesting on the other side is the coat-of-arms of Saxony (barry of ten or and sable a crown of rue) at first look, but again after counting the horizontal bars on the shield it has only eight. Such shield I have seen on the Lords of Kuenring (a bastard line of the Duke of Saxony). Maybe the reason the crown (hat) is not Ducal. Last edited by Reichsritter; 12th October 2010 at 02:56 AM.

11th October 2010, 11:53 PM	#1
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Hi Mauro, Excelent condition. These swords often have one hole in the blade tip, which is used for hanging them. I wouldn't know what the purpose is, when they have three holes . ... but hardly for adding weight, i would say

12th October 2010, 12:51 AM	#2
David Keris forum moderator Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Nova Scotia Posts: 7,250	Wow! Now that's somethin'!

12th October 2010, 11:24 AM	#4
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	The three holes near the tip of the blade are of course not for making the piece lighter by 2-3 grams (!) but are the last Baroque decorative element of the older Gothic trefoil (Dreipass). This of course is no longer a Renaissance sword as that epoque ended in the early 17th century. It is of High Baroque type (2nd half 17th c.). Best, Michael

12th October 2010, 04:25 PM	#6
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Exactly, broadaxe! m

12th October 2010, 10:54 PM	#7
Mauro Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 83	Many thanks to all of you for these very interesting informations. I am always surprised from the many simbols are hidden in an old sword. I enlarged the photos of the shield and I can note that the horizontal bars are surely 9. I checked the coat of arms of Saxony in wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coat_of_arms_of_Saxony) and it has 9 stripes so many many thanks. One of the coat of arm seems surely Saxony. I don't know the meaning of the other but I shall continue to search in that direction.