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Artwork Details
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Title:Sword Pommel
Date:ca. 1550
Culture:Italian
Medium:Steel
Dimensions:H. 2 1/16 in. (5.2 cm); Wt. 4 oz. (113.4 g)
Classification:Swords-Accessories
Credit Line:Gift of Stephen V. Grancsay, 1942
Accession Number:42.50.50
Clarence H. Mackay, Roslyn, NY (until d. 1938; his estate, sold through Seligmann & Co. to Grancsay); Stephen V. Grancsay, New York (by January 14, 1941–42; his gift to MMA).
Los Angeles. Los Angeles County Museum of Art. "Loan Exhibition of Mediaeval and Renaissance Arms and Armor from the Metropolitan Museum of Art," January 15–March 18, 1953, no. 100.
San Francisco. California Palace of the Legion of Honor, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. "Loan Exhibition of Mediaeval and Renaissance Arms and Armor from the Metropolitan Museum of Art," April 18–June 7, 1953, no. 100.
Pittsburgh. Department of Fine Arts, Carnegie Institute. "Loan Exhibition of Mediaeval and Renaissance Arms and Armor from the Metropolitan Museum of Art," October 1953–April 1954, no. 100.
Bruhn, A. Der Schwertfeger Gottfried Leygebe: eine Studie. Kopenhagen: Tøjhusmuseet, p. 24 (sword pommel attributed to Leygebe, possibly similar to ours?).
Laking, Guy Francis, Sir. The Armoury of Windsor Castle: European Section. London: Bradbury, Agnew, & Co., 1904. p. 34, no. 69, plate 8 (sword with similar pommel).
Christie, Manson & Woods. Catalogue of the Important Collection of Objects of Art, Antiquities, Armour and Arms Formed by S.E. Kennedy, Esq.. London: Christie, Manson & Woods, March 18–22, 1918. Lot 35 (pommel with Hercules, possibly acquired by Laking at Kennedy sale and later bought at Laking sale by Mackay, now 14.50.50?).
Christie, Manson & Woods. Catalogue of The Collection of Arms and Armour and Objects of Art Formed by Sir Guy Francis Laking, Bart. London: Christie, Manson & Woods, April 19–22, 1920. Lot 153 (called French, ca. 1550; sold for 150 guineas).
Bruhn, A. "Svaerd og Kaarder i Roskilde Domkirke." Vaabenhistoriske aarbøger (1949–1951), fig. 11a–b (sword with similar pommel, by same iron chiseler).
Grancsay, Stephen V. Loan Exhibition of Mediaeval and Renaissance Arms and Armor from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 1953. p. 26, no. 100, ill.
MacAgy, Jermayne. The Installation of the Loan Exhibition of Mediaeval and Renaissance Arms and Armor at the Legion of Honor Museum from April 18 through July 5 Nineteen Hundred Fifty-Three. San Francisco: California Palace of the Legion of Honor, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, April 18–July 5, 1953. Loan exhibition from MMA, April 18–June 7, 1953 (same catalogue used).
Blair, Claude. European & American Arms, c. 1100–1850. New York: Crown Publishers, 1962. fig. 146 (sword by same iron chiseler, in V & A).
Norman, A. V. B. Small Swords and Military Swords: Their Development and Dating, from the Middle of the Seventeenth Century to the Early Nineteenth Century. London: Arms & Armour Press, 1967. fig. 7 (discussed group of swords chiseled by same artist as our pommel, dates them ca. 1650–1660, possibly French).
.
Norman, A. V. B. The Rapier and Small-Sword, 1460–1820. London: Arms & Armour Press, 1980. p .249 (this detached pommel, discussed under pommel type 21, 1640–50, is associated with a sword in the Victoria and Albert Museum, reg. no. M. 659–1910, and at Windsor Castle, cat. no. 69, all by the same hand "the Master of the Hamden sword").
Stamped with the armorer's name, LIONARDO (Italian, probably active in Milan, ca. 1440)
ca. 1440
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