Cleveland Museum of Art

Sword

Date

c.1550

Medium

steel, hilt russetted, leather grip

Culture

Italy, 16th century

Department

Medieval Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

The hilt of this sword is russeted, a decorative technique popular in France and England that imparts a brownish color to the surface of the metal. It was achieved by a chemical process that involved treating the steel surface with a mild corrosive medium. As an added benefit the process also helps protect against rust. There are three unidentified marks inlaid on the ricasso or the unsharpened blade just above the guard.

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