A GERMAN FIGHTING TWO HAND SWORD LATE 16 TH CENTURY

cornelistromp · 9th January 2016, 11:52 AM

I would not worry about it, the patina and pitting need not necessarilyto be equal.
the hilt of this type was originally blackened with a protective layer or browned, hot in oil.
suppose someone in the last 100 years of this 450 year old sword has cleaned the sword "thoroughly".
so mechanically removed the rust of the blade and worsed brushed the black coating of the hilt, because he wanted it to be shiny.
actually because the guard and pommel have a dull leaden look, I think they have been cleaned with acid !

The hilt is over 350 years been protected against oxidation and looks quite new now.
but the blade therein is 450 years exposed to oxygen and shows dark oxidation patches.
the style of your hilt is good, so is the rough forging typical for those two-handed swords. Most 19th/20th-century productions hilts are made too perfect and often wrong in type.
alongside Thom would certainly have placed a note in the description as he would have doubts about the hilt beeing of a later date.

best,
Jasper

9th January 2016, 11:52 AM	#16
cornelistromp Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1,060	I would not worry about it, the patina and pitting need not necessarilyto be equal. the hilt of this type was originally blackened with a protective layer or browned, hot in oil. suppose someone in the last 100 years of this 450 year old sword has cleaned the sword "thoroughly". so mechanically removed the rust of the blade and worsed brushed the black coating of the hilt, because he wanted it to be shiny. actually because the guard and pommel have a dull leaden look, I think they have been cleaned with acid ! The hilt is over 350 years been protected against oxidation and looks quite new now. but the blade therein is 450 years exposed to oxygen and shows dark oxidation patches. the style of your hilt is good, so is the rough forging typical for those two-handed swords. Most 19th/20th-century productions hilts are made too perfect and often wrong in type. alongside Thom would certainly have placed a note in the description as he would have doubts about the hilt beeing of a later date. best, Jasper Last edited by cornelistromp; 9th January 2016 at 01:08 PM.