with tapering blade double-edged towards the tip, struck Andria Farara between a series of decorative marks within a long slender fuller on each face (small areas of pitting), iron basket-hilt of rounded bars, comprising scrolling quillon stamped on its underside 'W.A' over 'S', a tall slender panel with delicately cusped borders and fluted surface emphasised by thin lines at the front, back and knuckle-guard, the former two each with a ram's horn moulding at the base (one slightly bent), two square panels with borders en suite and each fluted with a saltire over its surface, a pair of looped bars at the front, bun-shaped pommel with vertical and diagonal flutes framed with lines, early fish-skin-covered grip (losses) with a spiral binding of silver ribband between shaped silver collars, and an early red fabric-covered doe-skin liner, 85.2 cm blade

Provenance

K. J. Westwood

An Important English Private Collection

For a discussion of Allan's early work see Earlshall 2018, pp. 129-138. The striking form of this hilt, with its solid fluted panels, is apparently unique among the extant work of Walter Allan.