Antique Arms, Armour & Militaria - Thomas Del Mar

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AN EXTREMELY RARE AUSTRIAN GOTHIC AHLSPIESS,
SECOND HALF OF THE 15TH CENTURY
formed of a very long robust central spike of tapering
square-section, stamped twice on each face at the base
with the Vienna City Arsenal mark, fitted with its original
circular guard at the base, and tapering tubular socket
pierced with six holes, on a later wooden haft
121.2cm; 47Nin head
Provenance
The Vienna City Arsenal
A number of Ahlspiess are recorded in the Vienna
Zeughaus inventory of 1444. The last delivery was made in
1497-1500 when three hundred and twenty two were
supplied to Vienna from Piesting, Lower Austria, some of
which were made by Hans Maidburger. Approximately one
hundred and seventy are still preserved in the Vienna City
Arsenal (inv nos. 126.008-126.010, 126.050-126.057,
162.449-162.602). It would appear that this weapon
remained in use for some time: as examples are shown in
the illustrated histories of the Emperor Maximillian the
Weisskunig and the Freydal.
Other examples are preserved in the Deutsche Historisches
Museum, Berlin, the Musée de L’ Armée, Paris and
Kretzschmar von Kienbusch Collection in The Philadelphia
Museum of Art. See F. Glöck 1960, p.35 and Vienna 1977,
p.77 no. 59. No other examples retaining their original
guards have been offered for sale in recent years.
£8000-10000
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