"Katzbalger" (infantry sword)

Datelate 1400s–early 1500s

Mediumsteel, brass and briar wood

Dimensions86.4 × 4.6 × 71.1 cm (34 × 1 13/16 × 28 in.), 2 lb, 2 oz (weight)

ClassificationsArms and Armor

MarkingsOn obverse face of blade, 2 stamped marks - in "point" of central fuller on ricasso, upside down lower case "t" with pennant-shape at bottom. Beneath this is brass half circle mark with saw-toothed outer edge & 1 end trilobated. See digital file.

Credit LineThe John Woodman Higgins Armory Collection

Terms

Object number2014.294

DescriptionInfantry sword of the so-called Katzbalger type. Double-edged steel blade of very flat lenticular section, tapering slightly to bluntly pointed spatulate tip (this is doubtless a modern alteration). Ricasso of flattened rectangular section with 3 shallow, wide fullers on each face, becoming pointed & continuing as pair of fullers extending 1/3 of length of rest of blade. These are about 8" in overall length, and pointed at their ends. Pressing toward the tip, the blade becomes flat and lenticular, tapering gently and slightly to the point. In addition to the reshaped tip, there have been losses to the edges, whose line is now slightly irregular, and some reshaping of the fullers, which are also irregular in places.

S-shaped octagonal section crossguard recurving in plane of blade, with domed, brass capped terminals. Quillon block, terminals of guard, brass caps have deeply incised line decoration.

1-piece briar wood grip of hexagonal section, widening towards pommel. The side faces are accented by cut axial lines at the angles. The grip is insulated at the ends by thin sheets of brass plate. There are no signs of a covering having ever been in place. There are cracks in the wood, with some losses at the distal end.

Steel pommel, hexagonal at base & expanding into flattened mushroom-shape at end which is deeply cut into 3 sections.

Where the blade tang passes through the pommel body there is a shallow rectangular cavity that might well have once held a finial both decorative and functional, perhaps matching the brass caps on the crossbar. Misshaping and damage around this point makes it clear that the sword has been disassembled.
Label TextThis sword is an early example of a type of sword carried by German mercenary footsoldiers in the 1500s. The word Katzbalger means “brawler,” or more literally, “catfighter.” When fighting got too close for a long spear or two-handed sword, the compact design of the Katzbalger made it an excellent backup weapon.Provenance(probably) Franz Thill collection, Vienna S. J. Whawell Metropolitan Museum of Art, acc. no. 07.53.1 Purchased by Museum at Parke-Bernet Galleries, Inc.. (NYC) on November 15, 1956, sale no. 1708, lot no. 132, (with our nos. 3261, 3262). Price paid for lot. Collection transfer from Higgins Armory, January 2014.

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