Ribaldo Sword Set

Dating roughly from between 1350 and 1450, this is one of over 170 bearing inscriptions from the Arsenal of Alexandria in Egypt. The original was sold by Sotheby’s in 1979.  This sword is very similar to the one in the Royal Armory collection and likely forged by the same sword maker sometime before 1432.

The typology of this sword is Oakeshott XIX which was popular during the 15th century. The complex blade features a ricasso and a flat hexagonal blade that changes to lenticular shape at the tip. This geometry results in a capable cut and thrust sword.

The sword has a very early example of a guard for the forefinger, which was an early step in a series of developments that would lead into increasingly complex hilts of the 16th century and beyond. By looping the forefinger over the unsharpened ricasso, a user would be better able to align the edge when cutting and also gain a more refined control of the tip. Having the finger in front of the cross-guard would leave it vulnerable on a simple cross-hilted sword, hence the development of the protective hook.

Our Ribaldo set of accessories are entirely handmade by UK craftsmen with decades of experience. The hand shaped lines and tiny imperfections are what catches the eye, sharply contrasting against machine perfect factory made replicas.

We do not use electroplating. The silver or gold is brushed on thickly and then polished to a high shine. All fittings are cast here in the UK and attached to leather tooled and stitched in the same region.

Please note that each piece is made by hand, and there may be cosmetic differences or variations in the finished product. These are not mass produced items.

If you have specific requests, get in touch at info@tempus-fugitives.co.uk and we will do our best to accommodate you!