Rare et bel estoc, panZerstecher, armant... - Lot 106 - Pierre Bergé & Associés

Rare et bel estoc, panZerstecher, armant la compagnie à cheval des traBantenleiB-garde des princes-électeurs de Saxe, vers 1570-1600. A fine and rare estoc, panZerstecher, carried by the mounted company of the traBantenleiB-garde of the Prince Electors of Saxony, circa 1570-1600. With long slender straight blade formed with a pronounced medial ridge running over its entire length on both sides and tapering to a narrow point, iron hilt retaining a proportion of its original blue/black finish, formed of flattened bars, comprising a pair of long quillons drooping slightly towards "fishtail" terminals, a large D-shaped ring-guard between, a smaller version below carried by a pair of arms, each ring widening towards the middle, innerguard formed from a single diagonal bar linking the head of the forward arm to the base of the rear quillon and with no provision for a thumb-ring, the base of the hilt fitted with an oval tubular sleeve intended to fit over the mount at the mouth of the scabbard, its outer face punched with decorative panels and bordered by a roped flange, octagonal pommel swelling about the middle, cut with pairs of very narrow segmental flutes and rising to an octagonal bun-shaped button, and the grip reinforced by moulded slender bars set between a pair of cusped and linear engraved collars and retaining its original fish-skin covering. L. overall: 127.5 cm - L. blade: 112 cm. Provenance: The Saxon Electoral Armouries, Dresden. The mounted contingent of the Saxon Trabantenleib-garde was formed of a company of one hundred men on black horses. Their uniform included a blackened comb morion with etched and gilt ornament, black doublets and yellow hose and stockings, the colours being those of the arms of the Electors of Saxony. A woodcut included in the Stammbüchlein of the Nuremberg artist Jost Amman (pub. 1589) illustrates a pair of mounted "Squires of the Guard" armed with estocs very similar to the present example. Another estoc from this series, virtual