Oakeshot Type X Sword to Type XII Transitional

[Jack Loomes]

Editor's Note: Listed by vendor as Type XII I personally would place this sword in Type X. Like most Medieval Swords the Oakeshott Typology struggles with this sword - a reminder that swords were not made to a typology historically.

A German Crusaders Sword 11th- 14th Century. References via the Oakeshott place this sword as a XII and the pommel and cross guard style means the sword can be dated between circa 1050 – 1300.

These swords are super rare when they are in a fine state of preservation and also having maker markings. Most swords are recovered from the earth and rivers and are simple skeletons. This particular sword has all original parts.

The hilt has the exposed tang measuring 11 cm and the cross style guard measure app 18.5 cm. The guard can slide up and down the tang due to the handle not being present.
The sword blade and pommel are perfectly fitted with no looseness or wobble present.
A large rounded pommel fits perfectly on the sword also making it a very effective counter balance. With a weight of 1.64 kg it is perfectly balanced and manoeuvrable in your hand.

The blade width is 5.8 cm blade with a single fuller on either side running 3/4 of the blade.

The blade also has several marking on one side in the fuller.
These include a heart, two cross and orb marking and a marking in the middle of the two which has since faded.
These seem to have some gold or copper metal gilded in the groves.

The orb and cross is attributed to sword smiths in Germany.

Overall Sword 102 CM

Blade 84.6 CM

For more information on Oakeshott Type X see this extract from Ewart Oakeshott's Records of the Medieval Sword: sword-site.com/thread/118/oakeshott-type-records-medieval-sword

& Oakeshott Type XII: sword-site.com/thread/127/oakeshott-type-records-medieval-sword

Source: www.antiquesarmoury.com/product/german-crusaders-sword-11th-14th-century/