id:			95329
accession number:	1916.1096
share license status:	CC0
url:			https://clevelandart.org/art/1916.1096
updated:		

Small Sword, 1700s. France, 18th century. Steel, copper alloy inlays; wood grip with steel wire; overall: 90.7 cm (35 11/16 in.); blade: 77.2 cm (30 3/8 in.); quillions: 8.6 cm (3 3/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1916.1096

title:				Small Sword
title in original language:	
series:				
series in original language:	
creation date:			1700s
creation date earliest:		1700
creation date latest:		1799
current location:		210A Armor Court
creditline:			Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance
copyright:			

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culture:	France, 18th century
technique:	steel, copper alloy inlays; wood grip with steel wire
department:	Medieval Art
collection:	MED - Arms & Armor
type:		Arms and Armor
find spot:	
catalogue raisonne: 

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CREATORS

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measurements: Overall: 90.7 cm (35 11/16 in.); Blade: 77.2 cm (30 3/8 in.); Quillions: 8.6 cm (3 3/8 in.)
state of the work:	
edition of the work: 	

support materials:


inscriptions:

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CURRENT EXHIBITIONS

	title:		Armor Court Reinstallation
	opening date:   1998-09-10T00:00:00
	<i>Armor Court Reinstallation</i>. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer).

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LEGACY EXHIBITIONS

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PROVENANCE

	Frank Gair Macomber (1849-1941), Boston, MA, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art
	date: ?-1916
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


	The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
	date: 1916-
	footnotes: 	
	citations: 	


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fun fact:
The banded pattern on the hilt was achieved by carefully winding wire over a wooden core. The result was a handle with a textured surface that improved the user's grip.

digital description:


wall description:
The small-sword was a civilian thrusting weapon customarily worn by well-to-do gentleman in civilian dress during the weapon's heyday in the 1700s, and were later worn on formal or court occasions. They were traditionally suspended at about mid-thigh from the left side of the belt, the gilt exposed through an opening in the gentleman's coat. Since it was highly visible it was subject to lavish decoration with precious materials and fashions came and went. Many were decorated to match personal costume and were truly an emblem of social rank.
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RELATED WORKS

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CITATIONS

	<em>Catalogue of Arms and Armour</em>. Vol. 4, <em>17th to 19th century and a few pieces of iron work</em>. [Boston, Massachusetts]: [Frank Gair Macomber], [1900-1915].
	page number: 	Mentioned and Reproduced: No. (223) 242
	url:		https://archive.org/details/CatArmsArmour4/page/n280

	Gilchrist, Helen Ives. <em>A Catalogue of the Collection of Arms &amp; Armor Presented to the Cleveland Museum of Art by Mr. and Mrs. John Long Severance; 1916-1923</em>. Cleveland: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1924.
	page number: 	Mentioned: p. 123, E82; Reproduced: Plate XXXIII, E82
	url:		https://archive.org/details/SeveranceCollection1924/page/n186

	Fliegel, Stephen N. <em>Arms and Armor: The Cleveland Museum of Art. </em>[Cleveland, Ohio]: The Museum, 1998.
	page number: 	pp. 121, 169; cat. no. 141
	url:		

	Fliegel, Stephen N. <em>Arms &amp; Armor: The Cleveland Museum of Art.</em> [Cleveland, Ohio]: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2007.
	page number: 	cat. no. 202, p. 192
	url:		

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IMAGES

web:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1916.1096/1916.1096_web.jpg
print:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1916.1096/1916.1096_print.jpg
full:	https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1916.1096/1916.1096_full.tif