Lot 1320

Description

Distinctly curved single-edged blade with broadened double-edged point, underneath the back a flat fuller on each side. Stained and slightly pitted in places. The obverse completely covered with delicately etched annual calendar stating the saints of the day and with a table indicating the fixed and movable holidays for the years 1679 – 1705. The base of the blade with motto "tu ne cede malis, sed contra audentior ito" (tr. Do not yield to evil, but go against it more boldly) and signature "Joh. Vital. Dettdorfs. Anno MDCLXXXV". The reverse of the blade profusely decorated with etched flower tendrils. Iron knuckle-bow hilt with guard plate on each side and thumb ring on the reverse. The domed iron guard plates decorated with finely engraved garlands. Guard bars with sturdy double nodes. Original, helically grooved grip with elaborate brass wire wrap (slightly damaged) and Turks’ heads. Pear-shaped pommel with guard bars screw-mounted on the sides, the upper side with finely engraved tendrils. Length 91.5 cm. Comes with a good reproduction of a leather-covered wooden scabbard with partly openwork iron fittings, on the sides two movable suspension rings. Length 81 cm. The extremely rare, elaborately etched calendar blades were manufactured in southern Germany and Austria in small numbers in the 16th and 17th century. For example, one hunting hanger with calendar blade dated 1656 can be found in the armoury collection of the Museum of Art History in Vienna. Further weapons with calendar blades are on display, among others, in the collections of the Styrian Armoury in Graz, the German Blades Museum in Solingen and the Bavarian Army Museum in Ingolstadt. Comes with a written certificate by Dr. Hanns-Ulrich Haedeke, dated 1977.

Condition: II - Questions about the lot?