Hunting Sword and Sheath thumbnail 1
Hunting Sword and Sheath thumbnail 2
Not on display

Hunting Sword and Sheath

ca. 1851 (made)
Artist/Maker
Marrel Frères (maker)
Place of origin
Paris (made)

This sword was purchased for £200 from the London 1851 Great Exhibition. The hilt incorporates a figure of St. Hubert while the scabbard shows St. Hubert's vision of the crucified Christ between the antlers of a stag.

Object details

Categories
Arms & Armour
Sport
Metalwork
Object type
Hunting sword and sheath
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.
(Some alternative part names are also shown below)
  • Sword
  • Hunting Sword
  • Sheath
Materials and techniques
Silver, parcel-gilt and cast, steel hollow ground and bronze, cast and gilded
Silver
Gold
Bronze
Steel
Gilding
Casting
Grinding
Brief description
Hunting sword and sheath, steel blade, cast silver hilt depicting St. Hubert and bronze scabbard depicting his vision of Christ between the antlers of a stag, France, Paris, Marrel Frères, ca. 1851
Physical description
Hunting sword (coutesse de chasse) with hilt and sheath in cast and chased silver, partly gilded, representing subjects from the legend of St. Hubert and various attributes of the chase.
Dimensions
  • Length: 26in
  • At hilt width: 5.5in
Gallery label
(05/04/2017)
Hunting Sword and Scabbard
About 1851
Shown at the Great Exhibition, London, 1851

This sword was made for display not use. The hilt incorporates a figure of St Hubert, patron saint of hunting, while the scabbard shows St Hubert's vision of the crucified Christ between the antlers of a stag. The Museum bought the sword as an example of exceptional skill in metalworking.

France, Paris; designed and made in the workshops of Marrel Frères
Blade, hollow ground steel; hilt, cast silver; scabbard, cast bronze, gilded, with cast silver plaques

Bought at the exhibition for £200
(1987-2006)
HUNTING SWORD AND SCABBARD,
Marrel Freres
Manufacturers
Paris, about 1851
Blade of hollow ground steel, cast silver hilt, cast bronze scabbard, gilded, with cast silver plates.

159-1851

This sword was purchased for £200 from the London 1851 Great Exhibition. The hilt incorporates a figure of St. Hubert while the scabbard shows St. Hubert's vision of the crucified Christ between the antlers of a stag.
Object history
Purchased from the Great Exhibition of 1851 for £200.
Subject depicted
Hubert (Saint)
Summary
This sword was purchased for £200 from the London 1851 Great Exhibition. The hilt incorporates a figure of St. Hubert while the scabbard shows St. Hubert's vision of the crucified Christ between the antlers of a stag.
Bibliographic reference
North, Anthony An Introduction to European Swords. London: HMSO, 1982, p.38-9 ill. ISBN 0112903789
Collection
Metalwork Collection
Accession number
159:1, 2-1851

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Record createdMarch 30, 2004
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O97471/hunting-sword-and-marrel-frères/
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