Schiavona - The one that got away

[werecow]

Speaking of which, this one was on auction earlier today. Presumably it's been sold now so I hope that's OK. It looks a little odd to me (though it's got one of those broad fullered blades that tickle my fancy!), but I still have lots to learn about these so I'm curious about your opinions. Aside from the wire wrap, is it maybe a composite of old, or even old and new parts? That pommel looks more like something belonging on a swept hilt rapier, and something about the basket looks a bit oddly proportioned to me, as if it's too wide for its length.

[urbanspaceman]

I'm not even remotely expert in judging authenticity; Dirk is the man to ask.
However, I have to agree with you that the grip has been rebound and the pommel replaced, beyond that it seems ok to me.
My preference for schiavona blade types is the wide broadsword with multiple fullers, but failing that, this wide hollow is agreeable.

[Victrix]

Yes in the 19thC the Victorians were avid collectors of anything which was displayed in the stately homes for visitors to view. This included antique arms and armour and sometimes unscrupulous dealers would fashion ”composites” of parts to sell on to unsuspecting collectors. This includes schiavonas which were probably considered exotic collectibles, and some are composites. At the same time part of the charm is the great diversity and artistic beauty of schiavonas where they are all different. This particular item may be a composite but also looks Spanish as the grip ends in ferrules and with the wide fullered blade. The pommel looks baroque and may be a replacement but may also have been added to suit local tastes.

[Philip]

Originally Posted by urbanspaceman

I'm not even remotely expert in judging authenticity; Dirk is the man to ask.
However, I have to agree with you that the grip has been rebound and the pommel replaced, beyond that it seems ok to me.
.

Agreed. Re-wrapping of grips can be expected due to wear or damage during service life, especially considering that the norm for the original configurations was leather over cord winding. The wire binding is a bit out-of-character but understandable considering the long service life of this sword type (the hilt on this example looks to be an earlier style as well). That pommel is the most jarring mismatch, and I would be suspicious of the piece from that standpoint alone.

[Victrix]

Originally Posted by werecow

Speaking of which, this one was on auction earlier today. Presumably it's been sold now so I hope that's OK. It looks a little odd to me (though it's got one of those broad fullered blades that tickle my fancy!), but I still have lots to learn about these so I'm curious about your opinions. Aside from the wire wrap, is it maybe a composite of old, or even old and new parts? That pommel looks more like something belonging on a swept hilt rapier, and something about the basket looks a bit oddly proportioned to me, as if it's too wide for its length.

This is an example of a composite schiavona in the collection of the Swedish Royal Armoury. The pommel, guard and blade are each from different centuries! The sword appears in White Arms of the Royal Armoury (1984) by Lena Nordström, in the section on ”Combination weapons, Miscellaneous, Fakes.”