with broad blade stamped with an inscription within a long central fuller framed by a pair of further slender fullers on each face (light pitting), symmetrical iron hilt comprising a pair of langets chiselled with foliage, broad scrolling vestigial quillon, basket-guard chiselled at the base with delicate scrolling leafy tendrils carrying a grotesque mask in each corner and with four large portrait medallions, front-and rear-guard each interrupted by a further small portrait medallion and bifurcated at the base, joined to the knuckle-guard by a pair of diagonal bars and compressed ovoid pommel decorated en suite, and the grip with an early spirally moulded fishskin covering between ‘Turk’s heads’ (binding missing, the hilt with a small repair at the top of the knuckle guard), 90.4 cm blade

Provenance

Ken Drake

The quality of the chiselled decoration on the hilt is of notably high quality.