The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 25, 2024

Hand-and-a-Half Sword

Hand-and-a-Half Sword

c. 1550
steel, blued pommel and quillions, leather grip
Overall: 123.9 cm (48 3/4 in.); Blade: 92.3 cm (36 5/16 in.); Quillions: 24.8 cm (9 3/4 in.); Grip: 30.5 cm (12 in.)
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1916.1506
Location: not on view

Did You Know?

There are three unidentified marks on the fuller of this blade.

Description

A hand-and-a-half sword is a large sword with a double-edged blade and a long grip so it could accommodate both hands. It was also know as a bastard sword. It would primarily be used with one hand, but if desired, the second hand could be used to give extra weight to the blow.
  • -1916
    Frank Gair Macomber (1849-1941), Boston, MA, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    1916-
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Catalogue of Arms and Armour. [Boston, Massachusetts]: [Frank Gair Macomber], 1900. cat. #489 archive.org
    Gilchrist, Helen Ives. A Catalogue of the Collection of Arms & Armor Presented to the Cleveland Museum of Art by Mr. and Mrs. John Long Severance; 1916-1923. Cleveland: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1924. Mentioned: p. 89, E12 archive.org
    Fliegel, Stephen N. Arms and Armor: The Cleveland Museum of Art. [Cleveland, Ohio]: The Museum, 1998. cat. no. 159, p. 170
    Fliegel, Stephen N. Arms & Armor: The Cleveland Museum of Art. [Cleveland, Ohio]: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2007. cat. no. 134, p. 189
  • Armor Court Reinstallation. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer).
  • {{cite web|title=Hand-and-a-Half Sword|url=false|author=|year=c. 1550|access-date=25 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1916.1506