A Good English Mortuary Hilted Backsword.
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38” overall, 31 ¼” single edged tapering blade cut with two long deep fullers running along the back edge for almost the entire length of the blade, stamped within the fullers the blade smith’s mark ‘ X X ANDREA X X FERARA X X’. The hilt is of typical form consisting of a broad saucer shaped guard plate from which three main guard bars extend upwards with the flattened terminals screwed into the pommel. The spaces between these bars are infilled with subsidiary bars and scrolls. The guard plate is covered with chiselled decoration to the outside consisting of panels of foliage and ferns plus two busts either side of the blade. The guard bars and pommel are decorated with chiselled lines in a fern pattern. A curled wrist guard is fashioned from the rear of the plate. The pommel is globular in shape and has an integral button and a pronounced flared neck. With original twisted gilt coper wire grip including two Turk’s heads.
Circa 1640
In good original condition even dark patination.
See Cyril Mazansky, British Basket Hilted Swords, pages 233 to 280.and Stuart C Mowbray, “British Military Swords” page 178 to 226.