Bearing Sword from Armouries of Princes of Liechtenstein

[Jack Loomes]

Editor's Note: I'm not certain this sword is a perfect fit for Oakeshott's Type XVII, though Type XVII seems to be the closest fit. This is another reminded that European medieval swords were not built to conform to a typology, the Oakeshott typology is attempt to develop a system of classification retrospectively.

A SOUTH GERMAN GILT-IRON BEARING SWORD FROM THE ARMOURIES OF THE PRINCES VON LIECHTENSTEIN, C. 1580

Southern Germany. Wood, steel, gold.

PROVENANCE
American Art Association Inc., New York, European Arms and Armor, Mainly XV-XVII Century, including Artistic and Rare specimens from Princely Provenience, November 19-20, 1926, lot 60, pl. IV. The auction included 261 lots from an un-specified princely collection, of which lot 60 was one, later revealed to be from the armouries of The Princes von Liechtenstein. The princely armoury in Schloss Vaduz is one of the few ancestral collections of substance remaining in private ownership, and is universally considered to be of great historical importance.

SIZE: Length 125 cm / 49.2 in, Quillon width 31.5 cm / 12.4 in

For more information about swords of type XVII see this extract from Ewart Oakeshott's Records of the Medieval Sword: sword-site.com/thread/175/oakeshott-type-records-medieval-sword

Source: www.peterfiner.com/current-stock/item/1979/