Description:

Western Europe, German or Swiss, ca. 15th to 16th century CE. An enormous iron halberd standing almost 8 feet tall including the original wood pole, the blade measuring 28.5 inches! The halberd is a two-handed pole weapon consisting of an axe-head topped with a spike that became prominent in the 14th and 15th centuries and was used by various armies throughout Europe until the late 1700s. The crescent moon iron head on this piece, beautifully modeled and embellished with an openwork floral motif is attached to the pole by four sturdy langets. An impressive example that was in the esteemed collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The original pole is stamped "MUSNY"; this was the stamp once used by the Met! Size: 94.5" H (240 cm)

Halberts could be used many ways in battle -- for hand to hand combat, for pulling horsemen to the ground, or for killing horses -- and famously were used to kill Charles the Bold in 1477 and, archaeologists have recently theorized, mortally wound King Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth.

Provenance: Ex-Sarkisian Gallery, Denver, CO, acquired in the 1950s; Ex-Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY.

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#112852

  • Condition: Intact and excellent. The blade and pole have aged gracefully. The pole shows stable fissures. The blade shows nice patina.

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April 20, 2016 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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