HELBARD

Swiss, late 17th century, for officers in Berne, Vaud, Bernese Aargau.
Blade-shaped tip, rhombic cross-section. Crescent-shaped openwork blade. Square parrying spike, one spike missing. Two langets and shaft bands. Original octagonal shaft.
L 244 cm.

A rare, exquisitely-crafted weapon in good condition. The Bernese Armory owned 235 "Officierer Halbarten" (Officer's helbards) in 1687. A weapon from the same workshop was sold by Koller-Zurich on 24 September 2020 under Lot No.1433 for CHF 4'500.-, Collection M. Sigrist. See also Wegeli: Stangenwaffen, Bernisches Historisches Museum 1939, p. 95, Nos. 1542-1543.