in fine excavated condition with blackened river finish and accretions, with sharply tapering double-edged blade of flattened hexagonal section changing to diamond section at the point, and incised with a bladesmith’s mark, a gothic ‘h’, on the flat on both sides towards the forte, hilt comprising straight quillons of square section widening slightly towards the tips, flat slightly tapering tang retaining traces of grips, and chamfered wheel pommel with pyramidal tang button, 84.5 cm blade, 105.0 cm overall

A sword with an almost identical but reversed mark is in the Wallace Collection, London (inv. no. A462). Another (found in France) bearing the same mark was lent by Baron de Cosson to the Victoria & Albert Museum between 1891 and 1893, and was later in the collection of Sir Guy Laking. The same mark was also used on a sword from the so-called Castillon group, sold in this room 4th December 2024, lot 119.