1630s English basket hilts

Jim McDougall · 13th October 2023, 04:47 PM

Fernando thank you for linking this great article by Hayward, who was a brilliant authority on English swords. The topic of the Hounslow shops is a most esoteric subject and as noted, Benjamin Stone was an ambitious entrepeneur who though not a swordsmith himself, put together a sort of confederation of them here, outside the jurisdiction of the London Cutlers Co. with a number of German smiths who were brought to England in 1629.

I am wondering if the 'basket hilts' mentioned may have been a proto version of the familiar 'mortuary' swords of the English Civil Wars. While these are typically associated with the period after the execution of Charles I (1649) it is known these were around before that, with some suggesting the earliest were c. 1635.

Though the 'mortuary' is technically a 'half basket', it is included with the basket hilts in typologies and the basket term was likely collectively used.

Attached image of a 'mortuary' c.1640 believed Hounslow, Solingen 'ANDREA FERARA' blade, revealing the numbers of German made blades used in Hounslow despite the notion all blades were made there.

13th October 2023, 04:47 PM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,194	Fernando thank you for linking this great article by Hayward, who was a brilliant authority on English swords. The topic of the Hounslow shops is a most esoteric subject and as noted, Benjamin Stone was an ambitious entrepeneur who though not a swordsmith himself, put together a sort of confederation of them here, outside the jurisdiction of the London Cutlers Co. with a number of German smiths who were brought to England in 1629. I am wondering if the 'basket hilts' mentioned may have been a proto version of the familiar 'mortuary' swords of the English Civil Wars. While these are typically associated with the period after the execution of Charles I (1649) it is known these were around before that, with some suggesting the earliest were c. 1635. Though the 'mortuary' is technically a 'half basket', it is included with the basket hilts in typologies and the basket term was likely collectively used. Attached image of a 'mortuary' c.1640 believed Hounslow, Solingen 'ANDREA FERARA' blade, revealing the numbers of German made blades used in Hounslow despite the notion all blades were made there. Attached Images Last edited by Jim McDougall; 13th October 2023 at 05:14 PM.