Post-Medieval — 1636-1645; 17th century
Mortuary sword
Sword of 'mortuary' type with straight single-edged blade, inscribed ME(FEC)IT HVNSLOE (meaning ‘made in Hounslow’). It has a basket hilt with a featherwork pattern, which is lined with red cloth. The knuckle-bow and two counter-guards are all screwed into the mushroom pommel which has feather-work decoration. 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:
- 36.154/2
- Object name:
- Mortuary sword
- Object type:
- Artist/Maker:
- —
- Related people:
- Related events:
- Related places:
- Production date:
- 1636-1645; 17th century
- Material:
iron, steel, textile
- Measurements/duration:
- L 900 mm (blade), L 1450 mm, W 140 mm
- 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.