Steel Hilted SDmallsword

RobertGuy · 17th October 2017, 08:10 AM

Thanks all. I have one more question. I have been looking at a lot of smallsword images online and see very few with a chain instead of a knuckle bow. The few that do have chains are usually spadroon type smallswords. The chain seems more decorative than functional and seems a fashion item. Were they common and do they help to narrow the date range for the sword?

kronckew · 17th October 2017, 08:42 AM

my english black 'cut steel' mourning sword had a chain. i'm guessing they were mostly decorative, but could keep you from dropping it if your grip slipped...thanks for posting, now i know what the chain may have looked like.

Jim McDougall · 17th October 2017, 05:39 PM

These swords were very much fashion accoutrements, and the chain was entirely decorative, not intended to be functional. The use of chains in place of knuckle guard was very common by the end of the 18th century, where the age of the small sword was closing, and hilt elements such as pas d'ane were entirely vestigial.

The chain is not a component which might be relied on for establishing date or any other factor. Such estimations are based more on the nature of the actual hilt structure and elements and design character. For example Dutch and English often run very closely, while French seem to have the subtle indicators which set them apart. I am certainly no authority on these, but have had the J.D. Aylward book for many decades, and this is about the best book to learn more.

17th October 2017, 08:42 AM	#2
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,152	my english black 'cut steel' mourning sword had a chain. i'm guessing they were mostly decorative, but could keep you from dropping it if your grip slipped...thanks for posting, now i know what the chain may have looked like. Attached Images Last edited by kronckew; 17th October 2017 at 09:46 AM.

17th October 2017, 08:10 AM	#1
RobertGuy Member Join Date: Aug 2015 Posts: 135	Thanks all. I have one more question. I have been looking at a lot of smallsword images online and see very few with a chain instead of a knuckle bow. The few that do have chains are usually spadroon type smallswords. The chain seems more decorative than functional and seems a fashion item. Were they common and do they help to narrow the date range for the sword?

17th October 2017, 05:39 PM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,785	These swords were very much fashion accoutrements, and the chain was entirely decorative, not intended to be functional. The use of chains in place of knuckle guard was very common by the end of the 18th century, where the age of the small sword was closing, and hilt elements such as pas d'ane were entirely vestigial. The chain is not a component which might be relied on for establishing date or any other factor. Such estimations are based more on the nature of the actual hilt structure and elements and design character. For example Dutch and English often run very closely, while French seem to have the subtle indicators which set them apart. I am certainly no authority on these, but have had the J.D. Aylward book for many decades, and this is about the best book to learn more.