Arms & Armor Edward III Sword

Considered by many of the acknowledged experts of the last 80 years to be a fake, recent tests have indicated that the original of this sword may indeed be a genuine 14th Century sword. If so, it most probably would have been the personal sword of Edward III, King of England. This exquisite piece of history is certainly one of the best preserved swords from this period in existence. The grip appears to be original, which is extremely rare and the pommel and cross guard are in beautiful condition. The pommel has the enameled royal coat of arms on the face, replicated here in translucent red, blue and purple. The back side of the original pommel carried a relic of rough cloth behind an opaque disc of crystal. Arms & Armor has duplicated the gilding on the original furniture by encasing the bronze parts in gold.

The blade is an excellent example of an Oakeshott Type XVIIIa. The etching on the blade depicts a very early example of the badge of the Order of the Garter and possibly the earliest use of the portcullis as a badge by an English Royal. Edward formed the Order of the Garter in 1348 and died in 1377 (thus the sword would fall into this period somewhere). This knightly order was the first and most prestigious of the royal sponsored orders. This magnificent sword is one of a very few that can be seriously attributed to its original owner, a King of England no less. Designed and constructed for battle, the grip and furniture bear the marks of extensive use. This extraordinary sword is a pleasure to wield and a truly historic centerpiece for any collection.