id: 96094 accession number: 1916.1826 share license status: CC0 url: https://clevelandart.org/art/1916.1826 updated: 2023-03-03 07:01:12.283000 Parade Halberd, c. 1600–50. Italy, 17th century. Steel, engraved; rectangular wood haft with planed corners; overall: 252 cm (99 3/16 in.); blade: 65.6 cm (25 13/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1916.1826 title: Parade Halberd title in original language: series: series in original language: creation date: c. 1600–50 creation date earliest: 1595 creation date latest: 1655 current location: 210A Armor Court creditline: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance copyright: --- culture: Italy, 17th century technique: steel, engraved; rectangular wood haft with planed corners department: Medieval Art collection: MED - Arms & Armor type: Arms and Armor find spot: catalogue raisonne: --- CREATORS --- measurements: Overall: 252 cm (99 3/16 in.); Blade: 65.6 cm (25 13/16 in.) state of the work: edition of the work: support materials: inscriptions: --- CURRENT EXHIBITIONS title: Armor Court Reinstallation opening date: 1998-09-10T00:00:00 Armor Court Reinstallation. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer). --- LEGACY EXHIBITIONS * The Cleveland Museum of Art (09/10/1998); "Armor Court Reinstallation" --- PROVENANCE Zschille; Frank Gair Macomber; Boston; cat. #53. date: footnotes: citations: --- fun fact: Highly decorated with remains of silk tassels, this halberd was for ceremonial use. digital description: wall description: The halberd was a staff weapon favored by European infantries (foot soldiers) of the 1400s and 1500s for its versatility and deadly effect. The word halberd comes from the German words Halm (staff) and Barte (axe). The halberd is, in fact, an axe that served multiple functions: the axe blade was used for hacking, the spike for thrusting, and the beak for piercing plate armor or for pulling a knight from his saddle. The halberd was used by shock troops (those who lead an attack) and by Swiss and German mercenaries. After about 1550, the halberd gradually became less functional. Its large blade provided space for coats of arms and insignia. By the late 1500s, the parade halberd had become a ceremonial weapon for palace guards. --- RELATED WORKS --- CITATIONS Catalogue of Arms and Armour. Vol. 2, 16th century. [Boston, Massachusetts]: [Frank Gair Macomber], [1900-1915]. page number: Mentioned and Reproduced: No. (53) 58 url: https://archive.org/details/CatArmsArmour2_201602/page/n169 Rudolph Lepke’s Kunst-Auctions-Haus, Berlin. R. Zschille’sche waffensammlung. Mar 21-22, 1900. page number: Mentioned: p. 16, lot 117; Reproduced: lot 117 url: https://archive.org/details/Zschille/page/n22 Gilchrist, Helen Ives. A Catalogue of the Collection of Arms & Armor Presented to the Cleveland Museum of Art by Mr. and Mrs. John Long Severance; 1916-1923. Cleveland: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1924. page number: Mentioned: p. 196, H50; Reproduced: Plate XLIV, H50 url: https://archive.org/details/SeveranceCollection1924/page/n284 Cleveland Museum of Art, and Helen Ives Gilchrist. Handbook of the Severance Collection of Arms and Armor. 2d ed., 1948. page number: Reproduction: p. 45 url: https://archive.org/details/HandbookArmsArmor1948/page/n51 --- IMAGES web: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1916.1826/1916.1826_web.jpg print: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1916.1826/1916.1826_print.jpg full: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1916.1826/1916.1826_full.tif