Post-Medieval — 1630-40; 17th century
Rapier sword
This sword has a straight, single-edged blade inscribed ‘ME FECIT HOVNSLO’ (meaning ‘Made in Hounslow’). It has a large iron hilt with volute-ended quillons, knuckle-bow formerly notched into pommel, and half-basket with asymmetrical shells, the smaller one broken away from its outer counter-guard. The grip is bound with alternate bands of single and cabled copper wire. It has a large egg-shaped pommel, its outer side decorated with incised chevrons as on the corresponding shell. In 1636 Benjamin Stone boasted that he had perfected the art of blade-making, and his factory in Hounslow produced swords ‘as good cheap as any…in the Christian world’. Stone’s factory was staffed by German swordsmiths and specialised in single-edged cavalry weapons. Parliament ordered 200 swords from him during the Civil War.
- Category:
- Post-Medieval
- Object ID:
- 49.61/1
- Object name:
- Rapier sword
- Artist/Maker:
- —
- Related people:
- Related events:
- Related places:
- Production date:
- 1630-40; 17th century
- Material:
iron, steel, copper alloy, brass
- Measurements/duration:
- L 995 mm, W 185 mm, D 120 mm (overall)
- Part of:
- —
- On display:
- —
- Record quality:
- 100%
- Part of this object:
- —
- Owner Status & Credit:
Permanent collection
- Copyright holder:
digital image © London Museum
- Image credit:
- —
- Creative commons usage:
- —
- License this image:
To license this image for commercial use, please contact the London Museum Picture Library.