Measuring 42 inches in overall length, this highly impressive sword is fitted with an earlier 36 inch long, tapering, double edged blade, with a flattened diamond cross section and a set of quarter length single fullers with pierced-through decoration. No maker's mark can be found on the blade or the fittings, but all parts are clearly the work of experts. The hilt is comprised of a guard formed as one-piece with short quillons and outer pierced shell-guard, gilt-brass ferrule cast and chased with foliage, and one-piece grip. The quillons and grip are each finely carved in the round. The shell-guard is pierced and carved in the round. Includes the original leather covered scabbard with case and chased brass suspension hook in the form of an image of Virginia en suite with the hilt and the locket engraved en suite with the ferrule. The decoration of the sword recalls a grim scene from the history of the early Roman Republic, the death of Virginia (also recorded as Verginia). The daughter of centurion Lucius Virginius (or Verginius), Virginia received the unwanted attention of Appius Claudius, a patrician and a member of the decemviri, a council of men originally formed to codify Roman law that had degenerated into corruption and power seeking. Already betrothed to another man, Virginia rejected Claudius, who responded by having her abducted while her father was away from the city, with one of his clients swearing falsely that she was not a free plebeian woman, but the daughter of one of his slaves and therefore his property. Returning to Rome, Virginius attempted to make his case in the Forum for his daughter's freedom, only to have Claudius disperse his supporters by armed force. Appealing to Claudius for the chance to speak with his daughter, Virginius used the window of opportunity to stab her, seeing it as the only way to spare her a grim fate. This action resulted in a general uprising, with 8 out of 10 members of the decemviri exiled and the final two dead; while on trial for the events leading to Virginia's death and other abuses of power, Appius Claudius was found hung, which is disputed as being either suicide or an unofficial execution by varying sources. The guard is carved with the forms of Virginius and Virginia as the quillions forming a 5 inch wide cross guard, with a pierced through counter-guard featuring a finely detailed scene of Virginia on the ground, clutching the blade in her side as blood rushes out from the wound. The grip is 4 1/2 inches long (not including the ferrule), and depicts the moment of the fatal blow, Virginius holding his daughter from behind and driving the dagger into her chest. Both sets of ivory are romanticized interpretations of the scene, with both figures stripped to the waist to exhibit their forms, and the weapon depicted as a thin-bladed dagger instead of the butcher's knife mentioned in some of the more detailed versions of the legend. The scabbard is constructed from dark brown leather, with another rendition of Virginia integrated into the frog hook, light raised sculpted decoration on the throat to match the ferrule, and an unadorned brass tip. Notes from the consignor describe the sword as a former part of the Miller Bedford Collection, with a provided photocopy of a catalog listing the carving as being seventeenth century Baroque in style. While the original buyer or recipient of the sword is not documented, the combination of features (especially the extreme artistry of the hilt compared to the straightforward, simple and practical blade) suggests an owner of very high status during the era when a sword was both a mark of status and possibly the last thing between them and death, which would track well with a European nobleman from the century in question.

Very good. The blade possibly dates to the 17th century and has been polished bright and has some scattered corrosion marks and the tip of the blade lacking. The hilt has some age-related staining and surface cracking along the grain throughout, a small chip to the femal quillon figure's right shoulder, some visible repairs to the female figure on the shell guard, and a repaired section of foliage forming the edge of the guard. The grip has similar age-related staining and surface marking, including some yellowing on the rear. The ferrule retains much of the original gilding and has sharp edges to the foliate decoration. The scabbard mounts show signs of minor surface wear, and any gilding has faded off. The leath body of the scabbard has minor age related surface marking, and the chape has been replaced. This is a superb specimen of the art of the sword featuring a caliber of decoration rarely found in any condition.