Spanish Military Broadsword, Bilbo, Second Half 17th C

Description

Featuring iron hilt of round-section bars and large upturned shell guards with incised line
border around the edges, recurved quillons with turned knob finials, knucklebow with
turned central knob and finial. Small bun-shaped pommel, original grip with copper wire
wrap, longitudinal iron bars, and ferrules top and bottom (wire with breaks and some loss).
Broad 32 1/4″ hexagonal-section blade with shallow central fuller inscribed “GIO KNEGT”
on one side and “IN SOLINGEN” on the other, with anchor marks. The Knecht Family of
Solingen bladesmiths dates back at least to the first quarter of the 17th C and produced
generations of blade makers. The name Geo Knecht, in various spellings, appears on a
number of early Spanish broadswords of this type. Light pitting and age patina. Overall
length 38 1/4″. This type sword was popular in the Spanish colonies of the New World and
thought to be a favorite weapon of pirates.