Cleveland Museum of Art

Hand-and-a-Half Sword

Date

c. 1550

Medium

steel, blued pommel and quillions, leather grip

Culture

Germany, mid-16th century

Department

Medieval Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

A hand-and-a-half sword is a large sword with a double-edged blade and a long grip so it could accommodate both hands. It was also know as a bastard sword. It would primarily be used with one hand, but if desired, the second hand could be used to give extra weight to the blow. There are three unidentified marks on the fuller of this blade.

The authoritative record is held by Cleveland Museum of Art. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.