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Hunting Sword

ca. 1680 - ca. 1700 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Germany (made)

This ivory hunting sword or knife was made in South Germany in about 1680-1700. The handle is carved with intertwined animals: bears, lions and dogs. It has a curved blade.

Object details

Categories
Arms & Armour
Sport
Object type
Hunting sword
Materials and techniques
Carved ivory; gold and silver overlay
Ivory
Gold
Silver
Steel
Carving
Brief description
Hunting sword or knife, ivory and steel with gold and silver overlays, carved with various animals, South German, ca. 1680 - 1700
Physical description
Sword with carved ivory hilt, the mounts of blued iron overlaid in gold and silver. Carved with intertwided animals: bears , dogs and lions. In the centre of the base of the handle on one side is a medallion of a bear, and on the other side, a fox. A lion's head and a dog's head protrude from either end of the base. The blade is curved.
Dimensions
  • Whole length: 71cm
  • Hilt (quillons) width: 10cm
  • Ivory alone length: 12.1cm
  • Hilt (grip) depth: 2.9cm
  • Hilt (grip only) length: 10cm
Object history
Bought from Sigmund Pickert, the son of the dealer Abraham Pickert, in Nuremberg in September 1871. Henry Cole was in Nuremberg in September 1871, when he selected for purchase a number of objects for the Museum, for a total sum of £350, from Herr Pickert. These were then acquired from January 1872 onwards.
Subjects depicted
Dogs
Bears
Lions
Fox
Lion's Head
Summary
This ivory hunting sword or knife was made in South Germany in about 1680-1700. The handle is carved with intertwined animals: bears, lions and dogs. It has a curved blade.
Associated object
590PART/1-1872 (Ensemble)
Bibliographic references
  • List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum in the Years 1868 - 1908. In: List of Works of Art Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum, During the Year 1872, Arranged According to the Dates of Acquisition with Appendix and Indices. London: Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office, by Wyman and Sons, Limited, p. 48
  • Trusted, Marjorie, Baroque & Later Ivories, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013 p. 422
  • Trusted, Marjorie, Baroque & Later Ivories, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013, p. 422, cat. no. 434
Collection
Metalwork Collection
Accession number
590-1872

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Record createdNovember 8, 2002
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O69674/hunting-sword-unknown/
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