Hunting Sword thumbnail 1
Hunting Sword thumbnail 2
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On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Hunting Sword

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

The fragile ivory hilt and the superb condition of this sword suggest it may have been a presentation piece. The grip is a violent scuffle of writhing animals with dogs attacking a lion, a bear, a stag, a boar and a hare. The engraved blade depicts a boar hunt. The knife and bodkin were stored in the front pockets of the scabbard.

Object details

Categories
Arms & Armour
Sport
Sculpture
Tools & Equipment
Object type
Hunting sword
Parts
This object consists of 4 parts.
(Some alternative part names are also shown below)
  • Sword
  • Hunting Sword
  • Scabbard
  • Bi-Knife
  • Knife
  • Bodkin
Materials and techniques
Ivory, silver, steel, enamel
Ivory
Silver
Steel
Enamel
Brief description
Hunting sword, bi-knife and bodkin in later sheath, carved ivory hilt mounted in gilt brass, German, ca.1680-1700
Object history
The fragile ivory hilt and the superb condition of this sword suggest it may have been a presentation piece. The grip is a violent scuffle of writhing animals with dogs attacking a lion, a bear, a stag, a boar and a hare. The engraved blade depicts a boar hunt. The knife and bodkin were stored in the front pockets of the scabbard.

Bought from an unrecorded vendor in 1863.
Historical context
The two bi-knives would be stored in the side pockets of the main sheath.
Summary
The fragile ivory hilt and the superb condition of this sword suggest it may have been a presentation piece. The grip is a violent scuffle of writhing animals with dogs attacking a lion, a bear, a stag, a boar and a hare. The engraved blade depicts a boar hunt. The knife and bodkin were stored in the front pockets of the scabbard.
Bibliographic references
  • Inventory of Art Objects Acquired in the Year 1863. In: Inventory of the Objects in the Art Division of the Museum at South Kensington, Arranged According to the Dates of their Acquisition. Vol I. London: Printed by George E. Eyre and William Spottiswoode for H.M.S.O., 1868, p. 37
  • Trusted, Marjorie, Baroque & Later Ivories, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013 pp. 422, 423
  • Trusted, Marjorie, Baroque & Later Ivories, Victoria & Albert Museum, London, 2013, pp. 422, 423, cat. no. 435
Collection
Metalwork Collection
Accession number
9039-1863

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Record createdNovember 8, 2002
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O69664/hunting-sword-unknown/
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