Medieval Hand-and-a-Half Long Sword. 14th-15th century A.D. An iron long sword of Oakeshott's miscellaneous type, cross style 5, pommel style H1, with a long tapering two-edged blade, broad at the hilt, sharp reinforced point and a shallow but once well marked fuller on the upper two-thirds; the blade bearing remains of an inlaid latten design to each face, a trapezoidal banded shield to one face and a Passau Wolf to the other (marks of the armourers); various signs of battle nicks along the edges on both sides have slightly reduced the width of the blade; narrow lower guard with flared ends in style 5, the quillons tapering to squared ends; broad flat tang and long grip, hexagonal pommel chamfered to the lateral edges; possibly of German origin. Cf. Oakeshott, E., The sword in the Age of the Chivalry, Woodbridge, 1964 (1994); Oakeshott, E., Records of the Medieval Sword, Woodbridge, 1991; Scalini, M., A bon droyt, Spade di uomini liberi, cavalieri e Santi/Epées d'hommes libres, chevaliers et saints, Milano, 2007; very similar sword in Oakeshott, 1991, p.223, no.6; another sword of the same typology in Cerreto Guidi, Museo Storico della Caccia e del Territorio (Historical Museum of hunt and territory), Firenze (Scalini, 2007, pp.142-143). 1.95 kg, 1.14 m long (45 in.) Acquired 1960s-1990s. Late Alison Barker collection, a retired London barrister. Accompanied by an academic report by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato. It seems reasonable to suppose that these big ‘war swords’, especially if they could also be used with two hands, may have been carried in two different ways. In 1372 A.D. a certain D'Orronville describes …David Olegreve qui…portait deux espées, une ceinte et l'autre a l'arcon de la selle (David Olegrave who.wore two swords, one at the belt and the other at the arch of the saddle). The presence of the 16th century A.D. Passau wolf on the blade, if not added later, could support the thesis that the sword was a product of German sword maker.

Fine condition.