11th-mid 12th century AD. A well-balanced sword of Oakeshott Type XI with double-edged tapering blade, well-marked fuller and solid tip; a square-section parallel-sided lower guard tapering towards the ends, strongly tapering tang and disc pommel of Type G. See Oakeshott, R.E., The Archaeology of the weapons, London, 1960; Hoffmeyer, A.D., 'From mediaeval sword to Renaissance rapier' in Gladius, II, (1963), pp. 5-68; Oakeshott, E., The sword in the Age of the Chivalry, Woodbridge,1964 (1994); Oakeshott, E.,Record of the medieval sword, Woodbridge, 1991; Romisch-Germanischen Zentralmuseum Mainz (RGZM), Das Reich der Salier, 1024-1125, Sigmaringen, 1992; for similar sword see RGZM, 1992, pp.105ff., cat. 19/03 (Utrecht Museum, inv.8783); see sword Xa in the Wallace collection, individuated by Oakeshott as a possible early sample of type XI (Oakeshott, 1991, p.37); and the famous sword from Tyrvaa, of circa 1100 AD, with a long blade and narrow fuller (Oakeshott, 1991, p.54"). 1.3 kg, 93cm (36 1/2"). Property of a European gentleman living in London; from his grandfather's collection by descent in 1989; formerly in the family collection since at least the 1970s; accompanied by an academic report by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato; this lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate number no.10691-175189. The sword belongs to type XI of 'war swords', as classified by Oakeshott. The type is distinguished by a slender blade, generally long in proportion to the hilt, with a narrow fuller running to within a few inches of the tip. In the subtype Xia, the blade is still generally broad, but the fullers remain narrow. The pommel can change according to the different finds, being of style A-B (Oakeshott, 1991, XI.1-3), I (Oakeshott, 1991, XI.7) or the strong disc pommel in style G, as is our example. [No Reserve]

Fine condition, cleaned and conserved.