Katzbalgers and Related Landsknecht Swords

Matchlock · 14th March 2009, 06:06 PM

And on ...

Matchlock · 14th March 2009, 06:15 PM

Some more.

Matchlock · 14th March 2009, 06:33 PM

And more ...

Matchlock · 14th March 2009, 06:42 PM

More ...

Matchlock · 14th March 2009, 07:02 PM

More.

Matchlock · 14th March 2009, 07:07 PM

That's it for today.

Not to forget something that might be of special interest to you, Fernando, compadre mio - well, actually I assume that you are a member of this Society!

Michael

fernando · 5th April 2009, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matchlock

... Not to forget something that might be of special interest to you, Fernando, compadre mio - well, actually I assume that you are a member of this Society!

...

Incidently Michael, just incidently; i am not a fencer

.
But then, let me tell you that eventually one of their moderators is a brilliant member of this Vickingsword forum

.
Fernando

celtan · 15th March 2009, 02:49 AM

Art is such a window into the past...a poorman's Time Travel Machine.

Did you guys notice the existence of both round and sharp tipped KBs?

Thank You Very Much for sharing these, Michael.

Best Regards

M

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matchlock

More.

cornelistromp · 18th March 2009, 10:48 PM

very nice pictures, I have 4 rare katzbalgers in my collection, one
published by J.Ypey.
I will place some pictures in this thread coming weekend.

Matchlock · 19th March 2009, 04:22 PM

Paintig of St. George, Swiss, ca. 1510, and a woodcut depicting hand-and-a-half swords from a fencing book of 1558.

Michael

Matchlock · 19th March 2009, 04:29 PM

The first boar sword, ca. 1510-20, sold at auction Galerie Fischer, Lucerne, Switzerland, May 19,1933.

The others preserved at the Deutsches Klingenmuseum (blade museum) Solingen. The boar sword ca. 1515, the Katzbalger ca. 1530.

Michael

Matchlock · 19th March 2009, 04:32 PM

Cornelistromp,

We look forward to seeing your pieces!

Michael

cornelistromp · 19th March 2009, 09:04 PM

katzbalger 1500-1520

cornelistromp · 20th March 2009, 05:03 PM

katzbalger early 16thC.
I found a similar piece in the "historischen Museum" in Bern Switserland
vgl. Wegeli Schwerter und Dolche nr 172

cannonmn · 6th December 2011, 01:02 PM

View item at Kunsthistorisches Museum
Identifier: HJRK_A_287
Format: Total: L. 88 cm, weight 1400 g Blade: L. 75 cm,

W 4.5 cm, weight 500 g gilded bronze, leather, brass
Publisher: Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Hofjagd- und Rüstkammer| Landsknecht sword with sheath for knife and an awl eight

Date: in 1515
Geographic coverage: South German
Type: Sword |Relation: Hofjagd- und Rüstkammer

Description: This from the southern German Landsknecht sword has a type of so-called Katzbalger eighth-shaped curved crossguard, which is heavily gold plated. The swing -up handle is duplicated four times with St. Andrew's cross, well-decorated as an indication of the closeness of the owner of the house of Habsburg. When the stitching on the knife-eaters there is a continuous poetic inscription.

Ulrich Schellenberg fought as Imperial officer in both Maximilian I and Charles V in Upper Italy against France and Venice. Caption: The inscriptions of the now lost awl grip caps and 4 Knives are out of the 19 Century, handed
down: ALS. IR. ZV. LIEB) / KAIN. FRED. ON. SI / ALS. MIT. GLVCK / ICH. WART. DER. ZIT / (ICH. LID. VND. SCHWIG) / ICH. HOFF. V .. See lessData provider: Kunsthistorisches Museum| Provider: Kulturpool| Austria| This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

(1515) Landsknecht sword with sheath for knife and an awl eight
Webpage available at link below:
[Accessed: November 29, 2011
09:27:18 PM]

cannonmn · 6th December 2011, 01:08 PM

If anyone has better photos of this sword or even the handle only, please post them here. I can buy them from the KHM but the cost may be more than it is worth for my little project.

Matchlock · 6th December 2011, 07:49 PM

Hi John,

Here are better images of the von Schellenberg Katzbalger at the KHM Vienna. Thought I had posted them somewhere here before but can't find them.
The close-ups of the hilt in color at the bottom are mine. Even if you are lucky and get special permission like I did, and are allowed to use flashlight, taking good pictures is extremely critical in the Vienna exhibition (as in most museums when it comes down to guns ...

).

The blade mark on the ricasso is an Italian-style crowned Greek pi.

Enjoy,
Michael

Matchlock · 6th December 2011, 11:13 PM

Those interested in Ulrich von Schellenberg's biography, please see

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...689#post129689

m

Matchlock · 7th December 2011, 06:35 PM

They are preseved in the Museum of Hunting History.

From top:

A fine South German or Swiss hand-and-a-half sword, ca. 1540

A Venetian Landsknecht Sword, ca. 1510

A fine Venetian Storta, ca. 1500

Best,
Michael

cornelistromp · 9th December 2011, 04:46 PM

auctioned at Thomasdelmar this Wednesday, lot 130.

Michael do you recognize the sword from your Photo's at the beginning of the thread?

A RARE SOUTH GERMAN BACKSWORD, SO-CALLED LANDSKNECHTMESSER, SECOND QUARTER OF THE 16TH CENTURY, PROBABLY MUNICH
with straight blade double-edged for the last third, cut with three long slender fullers on each face, stamped with the so-called 'twig' mark on one face, iron hilt comprising a pair of straight quillons with spirally-moulded knob-shaped terminals, shell-guard formed as a fire-steel and pierced with a central cross between two hearts, the front border roped and extending to a scrolling terminal on each side, finely carved ivory crutch-shaped pommel decorated with a female figure in contemporary dress on the top (cracked), a cherubic mask on the front, and scrolls on the reverse, wooden grip bound with fishskin and an early brass inventory tag
82.5cm; 32 1/2in blade

Provenance
Adrian Conan Doyle (as stated below)
Christie's King Street, 9th December 1998, lot 98

A sword with etched blade by Ambrosius Gemlich dated 1532 and with a pommel carved in the same style is preserved in the Museum fûr Deutsche Geschichte, Berlin. See H.Mûller and H. Kölling 1990, No. 157, p. 219. An almost identical guard on another Munich messer, also with an etched blade by Gemlich and dated 1533, is preserved in the Historisches Museum, Dresden. See H. Seitz 1965, Ill. 227.

fernando · 23rd March 2012, 01:46 PM

Can i add some more ?

.

Matchlock · 24th March 2012, 03:48 PM

Thanks a lot, 'Nando,

Especially as an arquebus of ca. 1540 is illustrated!

I'll steal that image for my threads on Landsknecht arquebuses

:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...echt+harquebus

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...harquebus+1525

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=harquebus

Best,
Michael

fernando · 24th March 2012, 04:18 PM

You mean this one ?

.

Matchlock · 24th March 2012, 04:39 PM

Exactly!

I used to have this in my archives but somehow could not find it.

Best,
Michl

Matchlock · 24th March 2012, 05:16 PM

From the so-called Codex Amberger, a compilation of early- to mid-16th century German illuminated manuscripts which is now in the private colection of Christoph Amberger, USA.
The first illustration attached can - based on the shape of the costumes - be dated to ca. 1560, a period when the heday of the Landsknechte had already become a piece of history.
The second illustration seems to be from the 1520's-30's.

http://fencingclassics.wordpress.com/

Best,
m

Matchlock · 24th March 2012, 05:37 PM

A Landsknecht with his Katzbalger, beginning of the 16th century, the quillons showing the earliest form of the 'pretzel' which is not fully developed yet.

From the Herscheider Altar in Burg Altena.

m

14th March 2009, 06:06 PM	#1
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	And on ... Attached Images

14th March 2009, 06:15 PM	#2
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Some more. Attached Images

14th March 2009, 06:33 PM	#3
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	And more ... Attached Images

14th March 2009, 06:42 PM	#4
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	More ... Attached Images

14th March 2009, 07:02 PM	#5
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	More. Attached Images

14th March 2009, 07:07 PM	#6
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	That's it for today. Not to forget something that might be of special interest to you, Fernando, compadre mio - well, actually I assume that you are a member of this Society! Michael Attached Images

18th March 2009, 10:48 PM	#9
cornelistromp Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1,060	katzbalgers very nice pictures, I have 4 rare katzbalgers in my collection, one published by J.Ypey. I will place some pictures in this thread coming weekend.

19th March 2009, 04:22 PM	#10
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Paintig of St. George, Swiss, ca. 1510, and a woodcut depicting hand-and-a-half swords from a fencing book of 1558. Michael Attached Images

19th March 2009, 04:29 PM	#11
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	A Katzbalger and two Boar Swords The first boar sword, ca. 1510-20, sold at auction Galerie Fischer, Lucerne, Switzerland, May 19,1933. The others preserved at the Deutsches Klingenmuseum (blade museum) Solingen. The boar sword ca. 1515, the Katzbalger ca. 1530. Michael Attached Images

19th March 2009, 04:32 PM	#12
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Cornelistromp, We look forward to seeing your pieces! Michael

19th March 2009, 09:04 PM	#13
cornelistromp Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1,060	katzbalger 1500-1520 Attached Images

20th March 2009, 05:03 PM	#14
cornelistromp Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1,060	katzbalger early 16thC. I found a similar piece in the "historischen Museum" in Bern Switserland vgl. Wegeli Schwerter und Dolche nr 172 Attached Images

6th December 2011, 01:02 PM	#15
cannonmn Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 161	Ulrich von Schellenberg sword View item at Kunsthistorisches Museum Identifier: HJRK_A_287 Format: Total: L. 88 cm, weight 1400 g Blade: L. 75 cm, W 4.5 cm, weight 500 g gilded bronze, leather, brass Publisher: Kunsthistorisches Museum Wien, Hofjagd- und Rüstkammer\| Landsknecht sword with sheath for knife and an awl eight Date: in 1515 Geographic coverage: South German Type: Sword \|Relation: Hofjagd- und Rüstkammer Description: This from the southern German Landsknecht sword has a type of so-called Katzbalger eighth-shaped curved crossguard, which is heavily gold plated. The swing -up handle is duplicated four times with St. Andrew's cross, well-decorated as an indication of the closeness of the owner of the house of Habsburg. When the stitching on the knife-eaters there is a continuous poetic inscription. Ulrich Schellenberg fought as Imperial officer in both Maximilian I and Charles V in Upper Italy against France and Venice. Caption: The inscriptions of the now lost awl grip caps and 4 Knives are out of the 19 Century, handed down: ALS. IR. ZV. LIEB) / KAIN. FRED. ON. SI / ALS. MIT. GLVCK / ICH. WART. DER. ZIT / (ICH. LID. VND. SCHWIG) / ICH. HOFF. V .. See lessData provider: Kunsthistorisches Museum\| Provider: Kulturpool\| Austria\| This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below: (1515) Landsknecht sword with sheath for knife and an awl eight Webpage available at link below: [Accessed: November 29, 2011 09:27:18 PM]

6th December 2011, 01:08 PM	#16
cannonmn Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 161	Better photos wanted If anyone has better photos of this sword or even the handle only, please post them here. I can buy them from the KHM but the cost may be more than it is worth for my little project.

6th December 2011, 07:49 PM	#17
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Hi John, Here are better images of the von Schellenberg Katzbalger at the KHM Vienna. Thought I had posted them somewhere here before but can't find them. The close-ups of the hilt in color at the bottom are mine. Even if you are lucky and get special permission like I did, and are allowed to use flashlight, taking good pictures is extremely critical in the Vienna exhibition (as in most museums when it comes down to guns ... ). The blade mark on the ricasso is an Italian-style crowned Greek pi. Enjoy, Michael Attached Images Last edited by Matchlock; 7th December 2011 at 01:43 AM.

6th December 2011, 11:13 PM	#18
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Those interested in Ulrich von Schellenberg's biography, please see http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...689#post129689 m Attached Images

7th December 2011, 06:35 PM	#19
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Fine Landsknecht Swords in the Museo Storica della Caccia, Florence They are preseved in the Museum of Hunting History. From top: A fine South German or Swiss hand-and-a-half sword, ca. 1540 A Venetian Landsknecht Sword, ca. 1510 A fine Venetian Storta, ca. 1500 Best, Michael Attached Images

9th December 2011, 04:46 PM	#20
cornelistromp Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 1,060	auctioned at Thomasdelmar this Wednesday, lot 130. Michael do you recognize the sword from your Photo's at the beginning of the thread? A RARE SOUTH GERMAN BACKSWORD, SO-CALLED LANDSKNECHTMESSER, SECOND QUARTER OF THE 16TH CENTURY, PROBABLY MUNICH with straight blade double-edged for the last third, cut with three long slender fullers on each face, stamped with the so-called 'twig' mark on one face, iron hilt comprising a pair of straight quillons with spirally-moulded knob-shaped terminals, shell-guard formed as a fire-steel and pierced with a central cross between two hearts, the front border roped and extending to a scrolling terminal on each side, finely carved ivory crutch-shaped pommel decorated with a female figure in contemporary dress on the top (cracked), a cherubic mask on the front, and scrolls on the reverse, wooden grip bound with fishskin and an early brass inventory tag 82.5cm; 32 1/2in blade Provenance Adrian Conan Doyle (as stated below) Christie's King Street, 9th December 1998, lot 98 A sword with etched blade by Ambrosius Gemlich dated 1532 and with a pommel carved in the same style is preserved in the Museum fûr Deutsche Geschichte, Berlin. See H.Mûller and H. Kölling 1990, No. 157, p. 219. An almost identical guard on another Munich messer, also with an etched blade by Gemlich and dated 1533, is preserved in the Historisches Museum, Dresden. See H. Seitz 1965, Ill. 227. Attached Images

23rd March 2012, 01:46 PM	#21
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	Can i add some more ? . Attached Images Last edited by fernando; 23rd March 2012 at 02:06 PM.

24th March 2012, 03:48 PM	#22
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Thanks a lot, 'Nando, Especially as an arquebus of ca. 1540 is illustrated! I'll steal that image for my threads on Landsknecht arquebuses : http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...echt+harquebus http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...harquebus+1525 http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=harquebus Best, Michael

24th March 2012, 04:18 PM	#23
fernando (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,694	You mean this one ? . Attached Images

24th March 2012, 04:39 PM	#24
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Exactly! I used to have this in my archives but somehow could not find it. Best, Michl

24th March 2012, 05:16 PM	#25
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	Landsknecht Two-Hand Swords in Combat From the so-called Codex Amberger, a compilation of early- to mid-16th century German illuminated manuscripts which is now in the private colection of Christoph Amberger, USA. The first illustration attached can - based on the shape of the costumes - be dated to ca. 1560, a period when the heday of the Landsknechte had already become a piece of history. The second illustration seems to be from the 1520's-30's. http://fencingclassics.wordpress.com/ Best, m Attached Images

24th March 2012, 05:37 PM	#26
Matchlock (deceased) Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bavaria, Germany - the center of 15th and 16th century gunmaking Posts: 4,310	A Landsknecht with his Katzbalger, beginning of the 16th century, the quillons showing the earliest form of the 'pretzel' which is not fully developed yet. From the Herscheider Altar in Burg Altena. m Attached Images