- 952
A rare Scottish broadsword with fine basket-hilt signed JA over S for John Allan of Stirling,
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Description
A rare Scottish broadsword with fine basket-hilt signed JA over S for John Allan of Stirling,
second quarter of the 18th century,
with double-edged blade cut with a running wolf mark and stamped 'ihn solingen' between a series of decorative marks within a short fuller on each face (rubbed, tip chipped), iron basket-hilt formed of rounded bars carrying alternating broad and narrow bars each pierced with symmetrical arrangments of circles and stylised hearts, decorated further with fluting and cut with finely cusped borders throughout, scrolling rear quillon signed JA over S underneath, fluted conical pommel, spirally carved wooden grip (covering missing), and retaining an early leather liner
76.7 cm; 30 1/4 in blade
The late Charles Whitelaw attributed swords bearing the signature JA over S to John Allan the Younger, admitted Freeman of the Incorporation of Hammermen of Stirling in 1741. However, it has subsequently been shown that this mark was that of his father, John Allan the Elder, admitted Freeman to the same Incorporation in 1714 and previously Journeyman to John Simpson of Glasgow. See C.R.Rolland, Observations on the Dating of Scottish Basket Hilted Swords, in The Seventh Park Lane Arms Fair, pp.18-23 and David Oliver, John Allan of Stirling, in The Seventeenth Park Lane Arms Fair, pp.14-19.
For swords with hilts of the same distinctive construction and decoration, see William Reid, Walter Allan, Armourer in Stirling, in The Scottish Art Review, vol.9, No.1, 1963, pp.16.21 and David Oliver, ibid, plate 8.
second quarter of the 18th century,
with double-edged blade cut with a running wolf mark and stamped 'ihn solingen' between a series of decorative marks within a short fuller on each face (rubbed, tip chipped), iron basket-hilt formed of rounded bars carrying alternating broad and narrow bars each pierced with symmetrical arrangments of circles and stylised hearts, decorated further with fluting and cut with finely cusped borders throughout, scrolling rear quillon signed JA over S underneath, fluted conical pommel, spirally carved wooden grip (covering missing), and retaining an early leather liner
76.7 cm; 30 1/4 in blade
The late Charles Whitelaw attributed swords bearing the signature JA over S to John Allan the Younger, admitted Freeman of the Incorporation of Hammermen of Stirling in 1741. However, it has subsequently been shown that this mark was that of his father, John Allan the Elder, admitted Freeman to the same Incorporation in 1714 and previously Journeyman to John Simpson of Glasgow. See C.R.Rolland, Observations on the Dating of Scottish Basket Hilted Swords, in The Seventh Park Lane Arms Fair, pp.18-23 and David Oliver, John Allan of Stirling, in The Seventeenth Park Lane Arms Fair, pp.14-19.
For swords with hilts of the same distinctive construction and decoration, see William Reid, Walter Allan, Armourer in Stirling, in The Scottish Art Review, vol.9, No.1, 1963, pp.16.21 and David Oliver, ibid, plate 8.