Basket hilted swords

E.B. Erickson · 6th April 2015, 06:09 AM

Hi Cathey,
Unfortunately, the other French basket was traded long before I began taking photographs of my swords.
However, it was literally a twin to this one, so just imagine a large etched panel with VIVE LE ROI on the blade and you've got it!

--ElJay

ulfberth · 6th April 2015, 07:32 AM

Hi Cathey and E.B.

I have collected basket hilts before but sold them like 20 years ago.
I have seen and sometimes see basket hilts that are of French origin or with French blades.
At one point I had one with a brass basket that was left at Waterloo, however I never found out if it was French or English or Scottish, it was in its scabbard with brass mountings, double edged blade with one fuller and rather short, almost like an infantry sword.
Anyway, here is one that is described as "Forte-épée écossaise de la 1ere compagnie des Gardes du corps du roi marquée "Vive le Roy - 1731"
wide shell combat sword forte, where sometimes contained the arms of France, the blade bearing the inscription "Vive le Roy"."

And the look of it is surely not French, If you would find a sword like this without inscriptions on the blade, one would never think of it as French.

It is present in the French le musée de l'Empéri Ancien régime

kind regards Ulfberth

E.B. Erickson · 6th April 2015, 12:18 PM

Hello Ulfberth,
I'll do some speculating about that sword that you posted with the French blade: the hilt is a Scottish "Glasgow" type hilt, and I would bet that the sword was brought over to France by a Jacobite, who then had it rebladed to show his new allegiance. If only these could talk!!

--ElJay

ulfberth · 7th April 2015, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E.B. Erickson

Hello Ulfberth,
I'll do some speculating about that sword that you posted with the French blade: the hilt is a Scottish "Glasgow" type hilt, and I would bet that the sword was brought over to France by a Jacobite, who then had it rebladed to show his new allegiance. If only these could talk!!

--ElJay

Hi ElJay, that is an logical thought and keeping history in account it could very well be the case here, and were one did this there were probably more that followed.

Kind regards

Ulfberth

Cathey · 7th April 2015, 11:41 PM

Hi Ulfberth,

I concur with Eljays thoughts on this sword and was wondering if you had any more pictures of this sword you could post. It would be great to see a close up of the hilt and pommel etc.

Cheers Cathey and Rex

ulfberth · 8th April 2015, 09:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cathey

Hi Ulfberth,

I concur with Eljays thoughts on this sword and was wondering if you had any more pictures of this sword you could post. It would be great to see a close up of the hilt and pommel etc.

Cheers Cathey and Rex

Hi Cathey,

unfortunately not the sword is the French Museum de l'Empéri
However I did find these, only with permission, with copyright
Bertrand Malvaux dealer in antique arms France.

The Original drawings by Michel PÉTARD pour l'ouvrage de Monsieur Christian ARIÈS «Les Armes Blanches Militaires Françaises» (1966-1990, 30 cahiers).

the disctription that goes wit them is:
FORTE-ÉPÉE À L’ÉCOSSAISE D’OFFICIER de la fin du XVIIe à la guerre de Sept Ans; planche 1, TOME V, 3ème fascicule 1967.

Kind regards
Ulfberth

Jim McDougall · 9th April 2015, 04:28 AM

Ulfberth thank you so much for posting these amazing works by Petard!!!
This resource by Aries is hard to acquire, cost alone and not sure how many volumes in total, so very grateful for you sharing these....not to mention how intriguing it is to discover French versions of basket hilts!
I had no idea, but makes perfect sense since the Jacobite circumstances.

6th April 2015, 07:32 AM	#2
ulfberth Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 413	Hi Cathey and E.B. I have collected basket hilts before but sold them like 20 years ago. I have seen and sometimes see basket hilts that are of French origin or with French blades. At one point I had one with a brass basket that was left at Waterloo, however I never found out if it was French or English or Scottish, it was in its scabbard with brass mountings, double edged blade with one fuller and rather short, almost like an infantry sword. Anyway, here is one that is described as "Forte-épée écossaise de la 1ere compagnie des Gardes du corps du roi marquée "Vive le Roy - 1731" wide shell combat sword forte, where sometimes contained the arms of France, the blade bearing the inscription "Vive le Roy"." And the look of it is surely not French, If you would find a sword like this without inscriptions on the blade, one would never think of it as French. It is present in the French le musée de l'Empéri Ancien régime kind regards Ulfberth Attached Images Last edited by ulfberth; 6th April 2015 at 08:28 AM.

7th April 2015, 11:41 PM	#5
Cathey Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: adelaide south australia Posts: 284	French Basket hilt Hi Ulfberth, I concur with Eljays thoughts on this sword and was wondering if you had any more pictures of this sword you could post. It would be great to see a close up of the hilt and pommel etc. Cheers Cathey and Rex

6th April 2015, 06:09 AM	#1
E.B. Erickson Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 61	Hi Cathey, Unfortunately, the other French basket was traded long before I began taking photographs of my swords. However, it was literally a twin to this one, so just imagine a large etched panel with VIVE LE ROI on the blade and you've got it! --ElJay

6th April 2015, 12:18 PM	#3
E.B. Erickson Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 61	Hello Ulfberth, I'll do some speculating about that sword that you posted with the French blade: the hilt is a Scottish "Glasgow" type hilt, and I would bet that the sword was brought over to France by a Jacobite, who then had it rebladed to show his new allegiance. If only these could talk!! --ElJay

9th April 2015, 04:28 AM	#7
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,195	Ulfberth thank you so much for posting these amazing works by Petard!!! This resource by Aries is hard to acquire, cost alone and not sure how many volumes in total, so very grateful for you sharing these....not to mention how intriguing it is to discover French versions of basket hilts! I had no idea, but makes perfect sense since the Jacobite circumstances.