Shiavona mark for id.

[Cerjak]

Originally Posted by Philip

Congratulations, Cerjak : a most interesting example of a schiavona. I agree with your early 17th cent. dating of this one. From my observations, your hilt has a noteworthy feature which seems to peg it as a "proto-type 2" , to use Ewart Oakeshott's classification.

Do you have Oakeshott's EUROPEAN WEAPONS AND ARMOUR FROM THE RENAISSANCE TO THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION (1980 edition)? Chapter 10 has a very detailed discussion of the history of the schiavona, whose hilt form is identified by 4 different variations, types 1, 2, 2a, 2b. Germane to this thread are the distinctions between 1 and 2. To make a long story short, types 1 and 2 are of totally different construction from each other (although to the uninitiated they probably look the same down to the distinctive "testa di gatto" pommels). It is seen in the arrangement of bars that make up the "basket" itself. Oakeshott traces type 1, the simplest form of the four, to mid-16th cent. Venetian antecedents. It has leaf-shaped bars, the lowest ones crossing at the bottom of the basket, the 3 main diagonals not joined by any struts. Yours does not follow this form.

Type 2 is more complex, with stylistic embellishments pointing to possible non-Italian origin. (added to the fact that examples of the same hilt style are encountered elsewhere in Europe but not in Venice). The lower bars do not cross in front, and instead of 3 unjoined diagonals there are two, connected by 4-5 short struts or bridge bars. Yours fits this mold quite well, except that the diagonals have only one strut, which is shaped to create a cardioform opening below. This single bridge leads me to believe that your hilt is a predecessor to the full-blown, mature version. A nice touch to any collection of these swords!

The likely Germanic origin of the blade meshes quite nicely with Oakeshott's assessment of the origin and development of the type 2 hilt.

Types 2a and 2b differ from 2 only in the number of diagonals joined by struts, and enough examples dating to the mid 18th cent. have Venetian provenance to lead scholars such as Oakeshott to believe that they are elaborated and Italianized type 2s.

Dear Philip,
Yes I have most of the publications from Ewart Oakeshott and I have to say that I have forgot this book as Oakeshott’s work is more focused on medieval sword .
I would like to find more literature about the shiavona sword do you have a book to advise me ?
best
CERJAK

[Philip]

I have not yet found references with as much to say about the development of this family of swords as Oakeshott has. Not to say that something doesn't exist, it's just that I haven't encountered it yet but am still looking! Last year I was in Venezia and visited the armory, the museum bookstore had nothing on sale that was useful. I am on my way to Italy again to study some important collections in Firenze and Torino, if I succeed in finding some useful literature on Italian swords that is "new to the world" I will certainly let you know.

[Jim McDougall]

It seems to me that the paper written by Nathan Robinson on the 'My Armoury' site is very informative discussing the evolution of these schiavona . It seems that the style itself evolved from Hungarian swords with similar pommel and simple S guard, and eventually added bars with the trellis in Croatian areas.
"Cut and Thrust Weapons" by Eduard Wagner has some cursory detail and drawings.