The heart never grows better by age; I fear rather worse, always harder. A young liar will be an old one, and a young knave will only be a greater knave as he grows older.
During the Renaissance civilian swords were not just weapons: they were works of art. The rapier of the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II (1527-1576) is the paragon of the art of the sword. Modelled with unbelievable skill in solid gold, the hilt, glittering with multi-coloured enamel in many bright colours, is set onto a deadly Milanese blade of the very best quality.
Beside jewels, the blade is incribed with the mark and name of the maker Lucio Marliani, called Piccinino (1538 - 1607). Lucio Piccinino was described by Paolo Morigia in his “La nobilta di Milano” (1595) - “The Milan Nobility” - as being the son of the famous swordsmith Alessandro Piccinino, who died in 1589, and brother of Federigo, another swordsmith.
Morigia writes that he “works in relief on iron and silver, whether in grotesque figures or other strange animal forms (and in) leaf-work and landscapes he is most excellent, and particularly skilful in his damascening, and has made some outstanding armours for His Serene Highness the Duke of Parma, Alessandro Farnese, and for other Princes which are regarded as rare objects.” He was still working at the time Morigia was writing.
Medium & Techniques: steel, leather, silver/chiselled, engraved
Measurements: overall length 109 cm
Provenance: acquired from sword-cutler Bland
The sword features a burnished steel hilt-vase shaped pommel, with an acorn-shaped tang button, and a C-scroll guards. The white rayskin covered barrel-shaped wooden grip features silver gilt foil. The one-edged blade has a fuller at spine, plus giltand blued panels with trellis, scrolls, trophies.
Could time travel exist? Some people believe so. Look at these images and see what you think.
1. The Chinese Swiss Watch. Back in 2008, a 400 year old tomb was opened. Archaeologists were shocked to discover this small watch among the artifacts. The back of the watch is engraved with the word “Swiss”. They have no explanation of how this modern watch came to be in an unopened 400 year old tomb.
2. Charlie Chaplin Cell Phone. Viewers watching the extras section of the 1928 Charlie Chaplin film “The Circus” noted this person seemed to be talking on a cell phone. Others have claimed it was an ear trumpet, a horned device used to help those who were hard of hearing to hear. If that’s true, skeptics argue, who would she be talking to? Why is she laughing and talking if no one is there to hear but herself?
3. 1940s Hipster. This picture was taken at a small opening event in 1941.Time travel enthusiasts were quick to point out how this man stood out. He appears to be wearing a hooded sweatshirt and printed t-shirt, and holding a modern camera.
4. Rudolph Fentz. Rudolph apparently vanished without a trace in 1876. That alone wouldn’t be enough to constitute time travel, except that he turned up again…in the 1950s. Fentz allegedly materialized in a New York street, where he was struck by a car and died. Police were baffled as to what happened, especially when they found his pockets to only hold currency from the 1800s.
5. The Man in the Book. A couple was perusing an old book store when they happened across a book with this photograph included. It shows a group from 1917, but this man sticks out. His hair is disheveled and his clothing doesn’t fit in with the time period. Also note how the man beside him his staring at him, as though he too is aware of the strangeness.
Originating with the Eastern European mercenaries employed by the Most Serene Republic of Venice as bodyguards for the Doge, the Schiavona pattern sword became a popular export, finding a market with cavalrymen, mercenaries, and citizens looking for a potent weapon. The sword features an imported German double edged blade measuring 34 ½ inches long, a short single fuller on each side marked “INTI DOMNNI” and capped with an engraved running wolf design.
The weapon is fitted with a very intricate basket hilt, showing an asymmetrical design which flares out from the front quillon and reaches down to the pommel and reconverges on the rear quillon. The latter has a short projection beyond the basket, turned 90 degrees to the right. The oval grip has an interwoven wire wrap and right handed thumbrest, plus a “cat’s head” pommel disc with floral patterns on each side.
The blade of the sword is most likely made during the 17th century, while the hilt, tick steel hilt decorated with pierced work and chiselled details, is 18th century.
There are only seven known rings of the Anglo-Saxon period (9th or 10th century) bearing runic inscriptions. This one is known as the Kingmoor Ring since it was found near Greymoor Hill in Kingmoor, England.
The inscription reads: ÆRKRIUFLTKRIURIÞONGLÆSTÆPON-TOL with the last three runes “TOL” being written on the inside of the ring. Another gold ring with an almost identical inscription was found at Bramham Moor in Yorkshire.
Various attempts to decipher the inscriptions on these two rings have not been successful. Three words occur in each case and the meaning is assumed to be magical or amuletic.
