Thomas Del Mar - Armour Sale

224 225224A GERMAN ETCHED HALBERD OF THE SAXONELECTORAL GUARD, EARLY 17TH CENTURYthe head formed with a slender triangular spike with strongmedial ridge extending to a basal socket, short neck cutwith decorative cusped edges, and etched on both sideswith a two-stage scrollwork cartouche filled with foliage ona blackened granular ground, plain flat hook-shaped rearfluke fitted with an additional up-turned lug at the base (thelower lug removed), S-shaped blade with cusped inneredges, etched with a strapwork oval cartouche on bothsides, enclosing on one side the arms of Saxony and onthe other the arms of the Archmarshalship of the HolyRoman Empire, and tubular socket extending to a pair ofstraps: on a later wooden haft strong medial ridge94cm; 33in headA number of halberds of similar form and decorationincorporate the abbreviated inscription CDAHZSC on therear spike for Christian der Andere Herzog zu SachsenChurfürst. See Kienbusch 1963, no. 571.£2500-3500PROPERTY REMOVED FROM A STYRIAN CASTLE225A FINE GERMAN ETCHED HALBERD OF THE GUARD OFTHE EMPEROR FERDINAND I, DATED 1558with tapering central blade formed with a medial ridge,crescentic axe-blade, and flat rear fluke, both sides etchedwith a pattern of scrolling leafy tendrils on a mattedgranular ground, incorporating the date on the fluke, andthe axe blade charged with the fire steels and raggedcrossed staves of Burgundy impaling a coronet anddividing the cypher FAR, etched socket extending to a pairof straps, on an early wooden haft, perhaps the original,with an additional pair of side-straps (areas of light wear)57cm; 22I in.Ferdinand I was born in Madrid on the 10th March 1503,the younger brother of the Emperor Charles V. In 1526 hewas elected King of Bohemia following the defeat ofSuleyman the Magnificent. In 1529 his forces successfullyrepelled the assault of Sulyeman at the first siege ofVienna. In 1531 he was elected king of the Romans, makinghim the designated heir of his brother. This continued theprocess which would eventually convert the crowns of88