The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of April 19, 2024

Parade Halberd (from the state guard of Elector Christian I of Saxony [ 1560- 91])

Parade Halberd (from the state guard of Elector Christian I of Saxony [ 1560- 91])

1586–91
steel, gilt and etched; round wood haft
Overall: 238.2 cm (93 3/4 in.); Blade: 30.5 cm (12 in.)
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1916.1819
Location: 210A Armor Court

Did You Know?

This halberd is typical of the parade weapons used by the more than one hundred palace guards of the Prince Elector of Saxony, Christian I.

Description

The halberd was a staff weapon favored by European infantries (foot soldiers) of the 1400s and 1500s for its versatility and deadly effect. The word halberd comes from the German words Halm (staff) and Barte (axe). The halberd is, in fact, an axe that served multiple functions: the axe blade was used for hacking, the spike for thrusting, and the beak for piercing plate armor or for pulling a knight from his saddle. The halberd was used by shock troops (those who lead an attack) and by Swiss and German mercenaries. After about 1550, the halberd gradually became less functional. Its large blade provided space for coats of arms and insignia. By the late 1500s, the parade halberd had become a ceremonial weapon for palace guards.
  • Richard Zschille (1847-1903), Leipzig, Germany
    ?-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. Vol. 2, 16th century. [Boston, Massachusetts]: [Frank Gair Macomber], [1900-1915]. Mentioned and Reproduced: No. (57) 62 archive.org
    "Halberd of the Elector of Sazony's Guard." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 9, no. 9 (November 1922): [page range]. Mentioned: P. 157; Reproduced: P. 160
    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. 197, H52; Reproduced: Plate XLII, H52 archive.org
    Fliegel, Stephen N. Arms and Armor: The Cleveland Museum of Art. [Cleveland, Ohio]: The Museum, 1998. p. 128; cat. no. 115
    Fliegel, Stephen N. Arms & Armor: The Cleveland Museum of Art. [Cleveland, Ohio]: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2007. cat. no. 101, p. 187
  • Armor Court Reinstallation. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer).
    Master Goldsmiths of the Renaissance: Their Models and Designs. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 2, 1982-March 20, 1983).
  • {{cite web|title=Parade Halberd (from the state guard of Elector Christian I of Saxony [ 1560- 91])|url=false|author=|year=1586–91|access-date=19 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1916.1819