For instance, there is their "Late Spanish Sword" which they date to circa 1480:
[ Linked Image ]
Unusual, but interesting and historical. It appears to be based on a sword possibly made in Venice and definitely housed in Florence (yep, Italy), dated to circa 1500. Here's the Italian text from the book I found it in:
Unreliable OCR software wrote: |
Venezia ?, c. 1500 Spada di stocco Fornimento in bronzo, con pomo a lira, già dorato, sgusciato profilato e messo a giorno da due fori circolari e da due mistilinei. Impugnatura fasciata di spago coperto di pelle scura, non sua. Elso coi bracci leggermente volti in basso e finiti a controcurva; escono da un massello messo a giorno da due fori circolari e ornato di sgusci e profilature, formanti scudetto. Sono a sezione di esagono, con sgusci alla metà esterna superiore. II massello è messo a giorno da due fan cui ne corrispondono altri nella parte superiore della larna, sua, a sezione di rombo (a e b). Proviene dalla Collezione Carrand. [1052 X 2220; 840 X 67; 1300] Il rapporto elso-lama ricorda quello dde cinquedee per Ia presenza dei fori corrispondentisi, che perb qui non sono bloccati dai perni limati a cieca. Il pomo ricorda quello della spada del Sodoma, richiamata alla fig. 147 e quella del San Michele del Botticelli agli Uffizi databile intorno al 1490-1495. Nella Collezione Carrand al Bargello, è conservato un pomo di analoga struttura (c). |
They also have an "Early Spanish Sword" they date to circa 1300:
[ Linked Image ]
Note that its blade and furniture put it in that family of swords that includes the sword of Henry V, the sword in the Royal Armouries that Albion based the Kingmaker off of and numerous others. Those all date to the 15th century pretty convincingly. Oakeshott says the family saw its popularity from circa 1410 through perhaps 1550. While diamond cross-section sword blades can be found in period art (like the effigy of one of the Longspee's in Canterbury Cathedral) late in the 13th century, a date of circa 1300 for a hollow-ground diamond section blade would be unusual (though perhaps plausible--just barely).
Interestingly enough, I found a similar sword to MRL's in the same book as the possible inspiration for their "Late Spanish Sword." It shares a diamond section blade, though with a much stouter mid-rib, a guard with three trios of incised lines on the ecusson like the MRL piece, and a pommel whose raised rim is not raised very far and is oddly flat. It's housed in Madrid and dated to 1490-1500. It looks kind of similar and may be MRL's inspiration, though the dating is way off. Since it resides in the Real Armeria in Madrid you can probably call it Spanish though it's published in a book about Italian edged weapons. :)
They also have a new rondel dagger of unusual form. I'd love to see the inspiration for it. Looks kind of cool.
[ Linked Image ]
[ Linked Image ]
They also have a new great helm that they call a "Crusader Great Helm":
[ Linked Image ]
Attachment: 12.79 KB
Venetian sword
Attachment: 41.5 KB
Hilt
Attachment: 29.82 KB
Madrid sword