basket hilt

[urbanspaceman]

I've had no firm identification of this basket.
I've thought it was a Sterling model but dating that style has been difficult
Can anyone provide a positive ID for me please.
I know the blade is from Oley in Shotley Bridge in 1688 - 1691 but was the hilt contemporary?

[Battara]

The Scottish hilt looks more like the early to mid 1700s. Might fit. Others like Jim should know better.

[urbanspaceman]

Thank-you Battara.
I also, instinctively, felt your dates were more appropriate.
I thought it a Sterling style hilt - but I may be wrong.
Whatever it is, it has been fitted to an exemplary, very expensive and well used - but well cared-for Catholic blade; so maybe it was re-hilted and used again in the '15 and/or '45.

[Jim McDougall]

Thank you Jose,
In the many years of 'trying' to understand the distinctive Highland basket hilts(I think I have just scratched the surface) it seems that this form with the pierced designs in the shields are collectively regarded as 'Glasgow' in form.
If I understand correctly the Stirling hilt designs were more 'free form' and quite 'artistic' in the ironwork which decorated the 'basket'.
Contrary to many notions...the 'S' often seen in many hilt designs was not the letter to supposedly signify STIRLING or SCOTLAND (of course) but simply a connecting element in the guard assembly.

The use of older blades in Scottish basket hilts was of course common, and like many instances with specific traditional weapon forms, it was not unusual to remount heirloom blades which remained in clan families for generations.

At Culloden (1746) it was exclaimed that from the field of battle, only 197 broadswords were retrieved, which is incredible considering there were nearly 5000 Jacobites fighting. The men fighting were of course close family members, and as they left the field, I believe they would have taken these proud swords from those who had fallen.
This was poignantly a good move, as of those swords retrieved by the Hanoverian forces, most ended up being deliberately disgraced by the blades taken from the dismounted swords and made into a fence.

I agree with Jose on this basket, in which the highly decorated shields had developed more by c. 1740s onward. After Culloden of course the general production declined and the artisans in garrison towns such as Glasgow, Stirling and others made baskets for the military units of the British army swords. Actually the basket hilt was preferred for cavalry through much of the 18th century.

The extended guard protruding from the basket according to Whitelaw, began to be added to hilts at the end of the 17th century, and was noted to protect the hand from the 'wrist cut' which was a feature in Scottish sword play.
In many cases these were welded on to existing hilts.

In the 'British' versions of the Scottish style basket hilts, again typically for dragoons (cavalry) there was a curious oval aperture which has been determined to allow the horseman to hold his reins while discharging pistol.
These were thought to have been a feature more of 1770s but it is now known they were in use much earlier in the century. Also note, the ring under the pommel is a distinctly British feature well known on many dragoon sword forms of c. 1750s onward. On the Scottish hilt, the saltires are slotted into pommel. This is of course 'rule of thumb' but notable nonetheless.

One of these 'Glasgow' style British hilts with 'horsemans aperture'is shown in second photos, and recent research has found these were actually known as early as 1740s-50s.

The first illustrated is earler 'Glasgow' form, with added on wrist guard, the blade is Wirsberg (by mark) c. 1630s, the hilt presumed c. 1700-10.

TO THE BASKET HILT OF OP

This is an amazing example of a true Glasgow hilt of the Highlands, and I think more likely to have been in use in its incarnation for the '45, the blade however might of course seen any number of the earlier Jacobite events even prior to the '15. Most remarkable is the SHOTLEY fox on the blade!!! as this marking is relatively rare on Highland weapons, that is, that have survived. It is important to note that the Jacobites were not always Catholic, and many Scots fighting for the cause had various other perspectives, and were of other Faiths.

[urbanspaceman]

Quite right Jim, many Jacobites were not Catholics but were simply dedicated Royalists. I don't know how the Catholics aligned when William and Mary were enthroned.
The reason I called it a Catholic blade is because of the I X in the fuller which was a Catholic symbol. It may not be easily visible.
Northern England was regarded in the South as being a "Den of Popery" while in truth 50% of the country had no interest in religion and the other 50% were divided about half and half, varying marginally according to location. It was never about religion.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by urbanspaceman

Quite right Jim, many Jacobites were not Catholics but were simply dedicated Royalists. I don't know how the Catholics aligned when William and Mary were enthroned.
The reason I called it a Catholic blade is because of the I X in the fuller which was a Catholic symbol. It may not be easily visible.
Northern England was regarded in the South as being a "Den of Popery" while in truth 50% of the country had no interest in religion and the other 50% were divided about half and half, varying marginally according to location. It was never about religion.

Well noted Keith, and I could not see the IX on the blade. Its hard to say on many blades though those with certain symbols, markings, phrases and mottos, where these can signify certain religious significance. It was in research on the Jacobite rebellions that I learned about some of the diversities actually involved. It was interesting in my own family geneology learning of the notably different following of some of the clans where some were indeed Jacobite, while others had Royalist leanings.

In actuality, it seems that despite the religious predominance suggested by writers in various historic circumstances, there was a large number of the populaces who were actually indifferent toward these matters. It would seem that 'spun news' is not just a modern phenomenon.