[Jim McDougall]

dralin,outstanding example of a 'mortuary' !! and all the better retaining that lovely patina! These swords regarded as 'half basket' were intriguing developments in these types close hilts evolving contemporary to the forms of full baskets. While we have discussed the terms for full basket hilts as 'Irish' "close' or 'basket hilt' for these, I wonder what term or if any of these were applied in vernacular of the time for these 'mortuaries'.
The 'mortuary' term is of course a Victorian 'collectors' term presuming the facial devices were 'deaths head' of Charles I (d.1649) but obviously misapplied as these hilts preceded that event by at least 10 years, and the motif was popular on various sword hilts.

Lee, that was an amazing thread from several years ago, and brings to mind an interesting aspect of the basket hilt conundrum, that of the Italian 'schiavona'. I note that these were not exclusive to Venice, but somewhat widely used throughout the Italian states.

The question was posed whether or not the schiavona was used or known in Great Britain, and of course with that, wondering if these may have been the influence for the Highland basket hilt. Naturally that theory has been long defeated as structurally the hilts are quite different, except obviously their closed nature.

However, when considering influences it is difficult to determine if some degree or notion of likenesses might have come into the process of development. We know that the Scots were noted as being ready mercenary forces, and that they had served in various European theaters and campaigns which certainly provided exposure to various weapon forms which they brought back.

While the 'basket' form hilt had been well developed in North Europe on the dusagge and so called 'Sinclair' types and is generally regarded as the key influence for the Highland basket hilt, it is clear that these types of close hilt were already well known in England.

The evolution of the well known trellis type basket of the schiavona seems to be contemporary with the evolution of these baskets in Europe and England if not perhaps slightly later.

Whether the schiavona was ever used in its developed form in Scotland or Great Britain is a good question, and as far as I have known, like many weapon forms, there was certainly incidental presence. In what I have learned of the famed 'Border Reivers' of North England and Scottish border regions, the schiavona was among the wide range of weaponry in use by them.

In Scotland, the fabled myth of ANDREA FERARA of course pertains to the Italian (Belluno) swordsmith of the 16th century, who with his brother indeed had contracts for blades with Scotland which evolved into the perplexing mystery of these ubiquitous signed blades which spanned over centuries.

Prince Charlie, Charles Edward Stuart, was born in Rome in 1720, with of course the distinct connection of the Catholic monarchy of the Stuarts to the Papacy.

These factors all suggest that the schiavona was certainly known in Great Britain, but likely had only minor influence on the developing basket hilts there in later periods, and again probably only incidental.

While off course a bit as to the original question, this pertains to the types of basket hilts either evolving or in place c. 1631, so salient to a degree.