A Two Hander and a Side Sword...
Today we have two swords up in our
Artisan Section. A massive Two Hander and a16th century side sword. Both pieces are one of examples and when they sell they are gone. The two hander is based on very large examples from the later medieval period and can often be seen depicted in battle scenes of the day.
The long grip is covered in black leather and allows one to move the tip of the blade with great force with minimal movement of the hands. The great two handers like this are exceptionally impressive swords when on parade and even more fearsome when opposing you on the field of battle.
The side sword is a type 20 style of hilt with an S shaped cross and the fore guard consists of two posts that gently sweep back towards the pommel. This style of hilt is seen in central Europe and the Iberian peninsula in its early forms. Later it becomes more common across the continent. The clean lines and sturdy build make this a lovely sowrd in the hand with a cog only three inches in front of the hilt.
Nathan Clough, Ph.D. is Vice President of Arms and Armor and a member of the governing board of The Oakeshott Institute. He is a historical martial artist and a former university professor of cultural geography. He has given presentations on historical arms at events including Longpoint and Combatcon, and presented scholarly papers at, among others, The International Congress on Medieval Studies.
Craig Johnson is the Production Manager of Arms and Armor and Secretary of The Oakeshott Institute. He has taught and published on the history of arms, armor and western martial arts for over 30 years. He has lectured at several schools and Universities, WMAW, HEMAC, 4W, and ICMS at Kalamazoo. His experiences include iron smelting, jousting, theatrical combat instruction and choreography, historical research, European martial arts and crafting weapons and armor since 1985
