Untitled

art-of-swords:

Basket-Hilted Sword

Dated: 1600–1625
Culture: British
Medium: steel, silver
Measurements: L. 39 3/8 in. (100 cm); L. of blade 33 in. (83.8 cm); greatest W. 5 ¾ in. (14.6 cm); greatest W. of blade 1 11/16 in. (4.3 cm); greatest D. of blade, 3/16 in. (0.5 cm); Wt. 3 lb. 13 oz. (1729 g)
Inscription: in lateral grooves of the blade, twice on each side: “M M M M S S S S”
Provenance: Ex coll.: Baron Charles Alexander de Cosson, Florence; Rutherford Stuyvesant, Allamuchy, NJ

This sword is believed to have belonged to Sir William Twysden (1566–1628), who was knighted by King James I in 1603, served in Parliament for many years, and was a collector of books and manuscripts. It is one of the finest examples of a silver encrusted English basket-hilted sword of this period.

Source: Copyright © 2015 The Metropolitan Museum of Art