A Rare English Silver-Hilted Small-Sword The Hilt Late 17th Century,...
A Rare English Silver-Hilted Small-Sword
The Hilt Late 17th Century, Unidentified London Silver Maker's Mark R
With tapering waved blade (some old wear and rust patination) of flattened hexagonal section, the forte on both sides etched in Latin with proverbs, one side surmounted by crossed swords and interrupted by the labelled figures of 'St. Carolus' and a coat-of-arms, the other side surmounted by crossed palms and interrupted by the figure of 'St. Agnes' and a crowned coat-of-arms, the etching retaining traces of gilding, hilt cast and chased in low relief with Classical figures in landscapes against finely stippled grounds on both sides of the double shell-guard, quillon-block and globular pommel, plain arms, lobed rear quillon with a floret on each side, knuckle-guard with a differing portrait bust of a Roman emperor between florets on each side, the terminal formed as a monster, its tail hooked into the pommel, and wooden grip bound with three thicknesses of silver wire between Turks' heads
73.7 cm. blade
The coat of arms may refer to the barony of the Barry family which became extinct in 1751 on the death of the notorious 4th baron Henry Barry (1710-1751), a member of the Dublin Hellfire club, whose execution for murder resulted in a pardon from King George II
For related examples see Leslie Southwick, London Silver-hilted Swords..., 2001, p. 277, pls. 20 and 21; and another sold in these Rooms, Antique Arms & Armour..., 28 November 2012, lot 162
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A Rare English Silver-Hilted Small-Sword
The Hilt Late 17th Century, Unidentified London Silver Maker's Mark R
With tapering waved blade (some old wear and rust patination) of flattened hexagonal section, the forte on both sides etched in Latin with proverbs, one side surmounted by crossed swords and interrupted by the labelled figures of 'St. Carolus' and a coat-of-arms, the other side surmounted by crossed palms and interrupted by the figure of 'St. Agnes' and a crowned coat-of-arms, the etching retaining traces of gilding, hilt cast and chased in low relief with Classical figures in landscapes against finely stippled grounds on both sides of the double shell-guard, quillon-block and globular pommel, plain arms, lobed rear quillon with a floret on each side, knuckle-guard with a differing portrait bust of a Roman emperor between florets on each side, the terminal formed as a monster, its tail hooked into the pommel, and wooden grip bound with three thicknesses of silver wire between Turks' heads
73.7 cm. blade
The coat of arms may refer to the barony of the Barry family which became extinct in 1751 on the death of the notorious 4th baron Henry Barry (1710-1751), a member of the Dublin Hellfire club, whose execution for murder resulted in a pardon from King George II
For related examples see Leslie Southwick, London Silver-hilted Swords..., 2001, p. 277, pls. 20 and 21; and another sold in these Rooms, Antique Arms & Armour..., 28 November 2012, lot 162
