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Gilt white-metal sword pommel and upper guard

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posted on 2021-10-26, 15:07 authored by Helena HamerowHelena Hamerow
Sword-hilt, total length preserved 28.5cm from base of guard to top of pommel. The tang survives, and the hilt fittings are still attached to it, though broken off in part.Pommel, silver gilt, length 4.3cm, parcel gilt. Front face plain silver with single row of nielloed triangles around it; chased grooves, tooled and gilded at base, vertical gilded grooves at either end. Back face similar without the chased grooves. Domed top ungilded, with nielloed ring and dot in centre of nielloed diagonal cross. Narrow ends gilded, except for raised tongue with border of nielloed triangles. Affixed to a flat gilded sheet silver plate, iron tang in position in pommel and through to base of lower plate of upper guard. This lower plate the usual dished affair with gilded rim, and secured to upper plate by stout rivets at end, one of which has domed heads at either end, the other of which makes means of attachment of ring-fitting. Pommel attached to lower guard by means of 2 silver rivets at each end of pommel; domed heads show on pommel, but below lower plate they are affixed through a rectangular, silver plate, and heads hammered flat. At the end of pommel without the ring, there is a third dummy rivet, like the others in a specially moulded casing. At the other end this central rivet missing, and space taken by the tongue at end of fixed half of ring which fixes in here. This half-ring, and the complete ring which hangs loosely from it have hollowed sides, plain on one side, and gilded. On upper surfaces both rings have plain silver borders with single rows of nielloed triangles, and between gilded grooves decorated with punch-work. On lower edge of lower guard, impression of wooden handle 2.7cm x 1.7cm. Length of iron tang between upper and lower guards 9cm. Lower guard more broken; length 8.1cm. Upper plate of thin sheet silver, gilded and with decoration of triangular punch-marks. Lower plate similar to base-plate of upper guard, and secured to upper plate by means of two stout silver rivets with domed heads at either end. Elliptical slit for sword-blade 5.1 x 4.5 cm. At base of handle was placed a collar of gilded channel sheet silver allowing for handle base 4.5 x 1.6cm. The part still surviving on the tang might be wood or horn. Nothing survives of the worn or horn used in the guards.The pommel, etc. shows little or no sign of wear!

History

Grave ID

Guilton Grave Unk

Object ID

M6650

Catalogue Number

M 6650

Material

white metal, gilt, niello, iron, organics (Sonia Hawkes Material Notes; silver gilt, niello, iron, wood, horn) (Antiquarian Material; N/A)

Complete Keyword List (Including Alternatives)

sword pommel (Sonia Hawkes Keyword; sword hilt, sword pommel, guard) (Antiquarian Keyword; N/A)

Status

extant

Location

National Museums Liverpool

Collection

Mayer Collection

Original Collection

Rolfe

Category ID

sword

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    The Novum Inventorium Sepulchrale

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