English Basket Hilt

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Triarii

Thanks.

Mid C17th British military history, tactics and equipment are my 'thing' hence the collecting of swords from the period (a move from Georgian ones).

I've found that the basket hilts are more commonly used in the English Civil War in munition and officer quality (eg Lt Gen Massey and Col Hammond portraits) than I thought. One to explore. The long thread on this forum is great.

I have seen the so-called mortuary (and proto mortuary) swords with broadsword blades. I have one, but that's not typical because the blade is likely to be from the early to mid C16th.

They were indeed used heavily in the Civil Wars of mid 17th and through the century in the conflicts that endured into the Jacobite unrest. The fact that they were of munitions grade is due to being hilted by garrison town makers and many surrounding metal workers and blacksmiths. The most recorded of these types were in London (Jeffries, Drury) and of course Harvey and Dawes of Birmingham.

An outstanding source is "The British Military Sword" by Stuart Mowbray, one of the most tenacious researchers in this field, but the book stops just short of the 18th century. I'm sure you have the Mazansky book, which is great for typology, but not so much for dating.

Your name sounded remarkably like the famed artist Dan Troiani, whose work on military themes is amazing! Im sure you know it.

Mortuary swords with 16th century blades, breathtaking!