Art Institute of Chicago

Thrusting Sword (Estoc)

German

Date

c.1520—c.1540

Medium

Steel, brass, wood, and leather

Culture

Germany

Department

Applied Arts of Europe

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

Stiff-bladed swords or estocs were designed to pierce through the joints or gaps of plate armor. They were often kept on the front of the saddle of a well-equipped man-at-arms and used as an auxiliary weapon in addition to an arming sword, war hammer, or mace. This example with its crutch-shaped pommel (top end) is a rare type. This unusual device may have been designed to help wedge the back end of the sword hilt into the user’s elbow or upper arm while holding the blade with two hands and pressing the point through a pinned opponent’s armor.

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