113:
438:
282:
149:"little apple") is an enlarged fitting at the top of the handle. They were originally developed to prevent the sword from slipping from the hand. From around the 11th century in Europe they became heavy enough to be a counterweight to the blade. This gave the sword a point of balance not too far from the hilt allowing a more fluid fighting style. Depending on sword design and swordsmanship style, the pommel may also be used to strike the opponent (e.g., using the
38:
446:
489:
wire for infantry officers at the end of the 19th century. Such acorn forms of tassels were called 'boxed', which was the way of securing the fringe of the tassel along its bottom line such that the strands could not separate and become entangled or lost. Many sword knots were also made of silk with
349:
protects the wielder's entire hand from the opposing sword; only with the abandonment of the shield and then the armoured gauntlet did a full hand guard become necessary. The crossguard still protected the user from a blade that was deliberately slid down the length of the blade to cut off or injure
398:
revealed a vulnerability to thrusting. By the 17th century, guards were developed that incorporated a solid shield that surrounded the blade out to a diameter of up to two inches or more. Older forms of this guard retained the quillons or a single quillon, but later forms eliminated the quillons,
252:
the "fig" or "pear" or "scent-stopper" (for its resemblance to the stopper on a bottle of scent) shape, first found in the early 14th century, but seen with any frequency only after 1360, with numerous derived forms well into the 16th century. T1 to T5 are variants of this basic
477:—usually of leather but sometimes of woven gold or silver bullion, or more often metallic lace—looped around the hand to prevent the sword being lost if it is dropped. Although they have a practical function, sword knots often had a decorative design. For example, the
375:, guards became more and more elaborate, with additional loops and curved bars or branches to protect the hand. A single curved piece alongside the fingers (roughly parallel with the handle/blade and perpendicular to any crossguards) was referred to as a
382:
Ultimately, the bars could be supplemented or replaced with metal plates that could be ornamentally pierced. The term "basket hilt" eventually came into vogue to describe such designs, and there are a variety of
265:
square shape, with its sub-types used to closely define the area and age, Z1 and Z2b (most common in south-eastern Europe), Z3 ("cat's head", typical for
Venetian swords), Z4 (typical for Serbia and Bosnia)
555:
In Old French of an ornamental knob from the late 11th century, attested for the pommel of a sword in the late 12th century, of the pommel of a saddle in the mid-15th century. Compare Middle Latin
228:
a late derivation of the multi-lobed Viking pommel type, found frequently on tomb effigies during 1250–1350 in southern
Scotland and northern England, but with few surviving examples; see
535:, often have lanyards or tassels attached. As with Western sword knots, these serve both decorative and practical functions, and the manipulation of the tassel is a part of some
517:, with its divisions of Decor, Clergy and Nobility, Upholstery, Coaches and Livery, and Military, is covered in a few books on that subject, none of which are in English.
511:(ornamental braid, lace, cord, or trimmings makers) is evident in catalogs of various military uniform and regalia makers of centuries past. The broader art form of
156:
Pommels have appeared in a wide variety of shapes, including oblate spheroids, crescents, disks, wheels, and animal or bird heads. They are often
612:
206:
a plain disk. G1 and G2 are disk pommels ornamented with flower-shaped or shell-like ornaments, respectively, both particular to Italy
580:
425:
is a blunt section of blade just below the guard. On developed hilts it is protected by an extension of the guard. On
309:
became popular in the latter half of the 19th century. Many sword types alternatively opt for ray skin, referred to in
305:
skin). Shark skin proved to be the most durable in temperate climates but deteriorates in hot climates. Consequently,
191:
a more rounded and shorter form of A. B1 is the variant with a straight lower edge, known as "mushroom" or "tea-cosy"
357:
to prevent the hand slipping up the blade when thrusting as they were invariably used in conjunction with a shield.
429:, the ricasso provided a third hand position, permitting the user's hands to be further apart for better leverage.
17:
461:. When worn, the sword knot is wrapped around the sword guard, or sometimes looped though a slot in the guard.
219:
as I, but with the chamfered edges deeply hollowed out. J1 is an elaborated form of the classic wheel-pommel
216:
a disk with wide chamfered edges, the inner disk being much smaller than in H. I1 is a hexagonal variant
180:. Oakeshott pommel types are enumerated with capital letters A–Z, with subtypes indicated by numerals.
213:
off. One of the most common forms, found throughout the 10th to 15th centuries. H1 is an oval variant
399:
altogether being referred to as a cup-hilt. This latter form is the basis of the guards of modern
360:
From the 11th century, European sword guards took the form of a straight crossbar (later called "
645:
225:
a tall type of trefoil shape; rare and probably limited to Spain in the 12th and 13th centuries
141:
31:
276:
129:
8:
531:
490:
a fine, ornamental alloy gold or silver metal wire woven into it in a specified pattern.
384:
177:
150:
576:
624:
David Haring, ed. "The
Complete Encyclopedia of Weapons" Gallery Press, 1980, p. 48
112:
596:
520:
Indian swords had the tassel attached through an eyelet at the end of the pommel.
319:. Whatever material covers the grip, it is usually both glued on and wrapped with
640:
608:
169:
42:
437:
634:
426:
478:
400:
229:
186:
340:
240:
a rare shield-shaped form only known from a statue at
Nuremberg cathedral
121:
345:
The guard is just above the grip. It is a common misconception that the
505:
as it was called in German. The military output of the artisans called
395:
336:
93:
222:
a very wide and flat variant of J, popular in the late medieval period
172:
introduced a system of classification of medieval pommel forms in his
404:
157:
243:
flower-shaped pommels, only known from artistic depictions of swords
298:
259:
the "fish-tail" pommel of the 15th century, with variants V1 and V2
125:
37:
474:
441:
Germany 19th century: Various colours and tassels of sword knots.
416:
361:
281:
210:
165:
77:
246:
rare spherical pommel, mostly seen in the 9th and 10th centuries
455:(dress sword, literally 'stabbing rapier') with sword knot, or
391:
372:
310:
306:
144:
69:
45:
493:
The art and history of tassels are known by its French name,
482:
470:
445:
365:
324:
302:
294:
161:
73:
65:
615:: "the curved part of a sword-guard that covers the fingers"
525:
486:
466:
320:
290:
289:
The grip is the handle of the sword. It is usually made of
48:
guard, from between 1580 and 1600, with reproduction blade.
353:
Early swords do not have true guards but simply a form of
249:
a rare type in the form of a cube with the corners cut off
234:
boat-shaped, rare both in art and in surviving specimens
256:"key-shaped" type of the later half of the 15th century
481:
generally adopted a white leather strap with a large
390:
Simultaneously, emphasis upon the thrust attack with
185:the "Brazil-nut" pommel derived from the classical
124:, depicting the moon-engulfing sea serpent deity,
632:
194:"cocked-hat" form, derived from the Viking sword
314:
512:
506:
500:
494:
456:
450:
556:
197:a bulkier and slightly later variant of C
575:. Great Britain: Pen & Sword Books.
444:
436:
280:
111:
104:may be attached to the guard or pommel.
36:
613:Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary
14:
633:
570:
164:with various designs and occasionally
200:a variant of D with an angular top
27:Handle of a sword or similar weapon
24:
564:
473:, sometimes called a tassel, is a
25:
657:
371:Beginning in the 16th century in
174:The Sword in the Age of Chivalry
618:
602:
589:
549:
13:
1:
542:
432:
237:a rare type of crescent-shape
561:"knob, boss" (12th century).
7:
315:
301:(untanned tough leather or
203:a more angular variant of E
10:
662:
414:
410:
334:
274:
176:(1964) to stand alongside
92:. The guard may contain a
29:
449:German cavalry officers'
262:a "misshapen wheel" shape
168:and mounted with jewels.
107:
364:") perpendicular to the
330:
264:
128:, a prominent figure in
609:FineDictionary citation
297:and often covered with
270:
145:
599:for an online summary.
557:
513:
507:
501:
495:
462:
457:
451:
442:
286:
209:a disk with the edges
133:
49:
571:Loades, Mike (2010).
523:Chinese swords, both
448:
440:
415:Further information:
335:Further information:
284:
115:
64:) is the handle of a
40:
32:Hilt (disambiguation)
573:Swords and Swordsmen
385:basket-hilted swords
277:Grip (sport fencing)
130:Philippine mythology
30:For other uses, see
120:horn hilt from the
558:pomellum, pomellus
463:
443:
287:
178:his blade typology
134:
80:, consisting of a
50:
582:978-1-84884-133-8
485:knot made out of
427:two-handed swords
56:(rarely called a
16:(Redirected from
653:
625:
622:
616:
606:
600:
593:
587:
586:
568:
562:
560:
553:
516:
510:
504:
498:
460:
454:
318:
313:construction as
285:Parts of a sword
148:
96:or quillons. A
21:
661:
660:
656:
655:
654:
652:
651:
650:
631:
630:
629:
628:
623:
619:
607:
603:
594:
590:
583:
569:
565:
554:
550:
545:
435:
419:
413:
343:
333:
279:
273:
268:
170:Ewart Oakeshott
110:
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
659:
649:
648:
643:
627:
626:
617:
601:
588:
581:
563:
547:
546:
544:
541:
539:performances.
434:
431:
412:
409:
332:
329:
272:
269:
267:
266:
263:
260:
257:
254:
250:
247:
244:
241:
238:
235:
232:
226:
223:
220:
217:
214:
207:
204:
201:
198:
195:
192:
189:
182:
109:
106:
43:pattern welded
26:
18:Pommel (sword)
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
658:
647:
646:Blade weapons
644:
642:
639:
638:
636:
621:
614:
610:
605:
598:
597:myarmoury.com
592:
584:
578:
574:
567:
559:
552:
548:
540:
538:
534:
533:
528:
527:
521:
518:
515:
514:passementerie
509:
508:passementiers
503:
497:
496:passementerie
491:
488:
484:
480:
476:
472:
468:
459:
453:
447:
439:
430:
428:
424:
418:
408:
406:
402:
397:
393:
388:
386:
380:
378:
374:
369:
367:
363:
358:
356:
351:
348:
342:
338:
328:
326:
322:
317:
312:
308:
304:
300:
296:
292:
283:
278:
261:
258:
255:
251:
248:
245:
242:
239:
236:
233:
231:
227:
224:
221:
218:
215:
212:
208:
205:
202:
199:
196:
193:
190:
188:
184:
183:
181:
179:
175:
171:
167:
163:
159:
154:
152:
147:
143:
139:
131:
127:
123:
119:
114:
105:
103:
99:
95:
91:
87:
83:
79:
75:
71:
67:
63:
59:
55:
47:
44:
39:
33:
19:
620:
604:
591:
572:
566:
551:
536:
530:
524:
522:
519:
492:
479:British Army
464:
422:
420:
389:
381:
376:
370:
359:
354:
352:
346:
344:
288:
230:Cawood sword
187:Viking sword
173:
155:
153:technique).
142:Anglo-Norman
137:
135:
117:
101:
97:
89:
85:
81:
61:
57:
53:
51:
396:smallswords
377:knuckle-bow
347:cross-guard
341:Basket-hilt
122:Philippines
635:Categories
543:References
502:Posamenten
465:The sword
452:Stichdegen
433:Sword knot
350:the hand.
337:Crossguard
275:See also:
116:A Visayan
102:sword knot
94:crossguard
595:See also
469:or sword
211:chamfered
299:shagreen
158:engraved
126:Bakunawa
475:lanyard
458:Troddel
423:ricasso
417:Ricasso
411:Ricasso
392:rapiers
362:quillon
162:inlayed
151:Mordhau
118:tenegre
78:bayonet
41:Silver
641:Swords
579:
373:Europe
311:katana
307:rubber
138:pommel
108:Pommel
98:tassel
90:pommel
88:, and
70:dagger
46:rapier
499:, or
483:acorn
471:strap
405:épées
401:foils
366:blade
331:Guard
325:helix
323:in a
303:shark
295:metal
146:pomel
82:guard
76:, or
74:sword
66:knife
62:shaft
577:ISBN
537:jian
529:and
526:jian
487:gold
467:knot
421:The
403:and
394:and
355:stop
339:and
321:wire
316:same
291:wood
271:Grip
253:type
166:gilt
136:The
86:grip
58:haft
54:hilt
52:The
611:of
532:dao
293:or
160:or
100:or
60:or
637::
407:.
387:.
379:.
368:.
327:.
84:,
72:,
68:,
585:.
140:(
132:.
34:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
