Odd sword that sold at Dorotheum

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Salaams Iain, It may indeed be an Oakeshott Type XI. Readers may see https://www.google.com/search?q=oake...&bih=665&dpr=1 plus a vast array of other available data on probably the greatest ever specialist historian on medieval swords .. Actually I didn't get much in feedback when I typed Oakshott wrongly misspelled !! into library search but with the correction now giving lots of references... OAKESHOTT.

There were a number of Oakeshott styles made in Spain, Italy and Germany and some ended up in armouries in Alexandria and plundered in and out of Mamluke hands etc. Some were Milanese with an M stamp. The Nasrid form seems to be there and I also agree on a mixed hilt/blade situation here. The quite big decorated cuff is interesting... I haven't seen that yet in Oakeshott Type XI but as it states in the great masters guide on this vast array of swords a degree of flexibility is required when viewing such examples.

The work already at Library will take me a while to plough through but I look forward to that.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.

Hi Ibrahiim we can't really use the Oakeshott typology in full for a case like this I think, the XI was rather too early for this being in use during the 12th century. I referenced his pommel typology not the general sword typology. If we were to go down that route XIII might be more fitting although still too early in my view. As the large cuff is not original to the blade you won't find a match in Oakeshott for this.

Returning to the hilt and the decorative themes, more and more I'm favouring the central Asian provenance indicated by the auction house. The dragon theme in this form was popular during and after the Timurid period as can be seen on this jug handle. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/91.1.607

A blade such as this could have arrived in these environs in any number of ways, if I'm not mistaken the guard exhibits a two piece construction which could explain how it was fitted without removing the pommel.