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Source Description
During the 1700s, the small-sword emerged as a light, quick weapon. Like the rapier it was carried by unarmored civilians, the noblemen of the upper classes. Over time this delicate sword became more an accessory of male attire than a weapon essential to life and death. The sword hilt, which shows even when the blade is sheathed, became the ground for elaborate decoration. These small-swords thus represent the final stage in the evolution of the sword, from the edged weapons of antiquity to the elegantly refined blades of the 1700s and 1800s.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
95800
label
Small Sword
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
95800
contentType
object
title
Small Sword
description
During the 1700s, the small-sword emerged as a light, quick weapon. Like the rapier it was carried by unarmored civilians, the noblemen of the upper classes. Over time this delicate sword became more an accessory of male attire than a weapon essential to life and death. The sword hilt, which shows even when the blade is sheathed, became the ground for elaborate decoration. These small-swords thus represent the final stage in the evolution of the sword, from the edged weapons of antiquity to the elegantly refined blades of the 1700s and 1800s.
date
c. 1720–60
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q60778728
genreSpecific
Arms and Armor
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 97 cm (38 3/16 in.); Blade: 80.5 cm (31 11/16 in.); Grip: 12.6 cm (4 15/16 in.); Guard: 7.7 cm (3 1/16 in.)
cul
England, 18th century
accession
1916.1489
Source extras
tec
steel; piercing; perforation
tombstone
Small Sword, c. 1720–60. England, 18th century. Steel; piercing; perforation; overall: 97 cm (38 3/16 in.); blade: 80.5 cm (31 11/16 in.); grip: 12.6 cm (4 15/16 in.); guard: 7.7 cm (3 1/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance, 1916.1489
supportMaterials
description
perforated blade
collection
MED - Arms & Armor
citations
citation
<em>Catalogue of Arms and Armour</em>. Vol. 4, <em>17th to 19th century and a few pieces of iron work</em>. [Boston, Massachusetts]: [Frank Gair Macomber], [1900-1915].
page_number
Mentioned and Reproduced: No. (218) 237
citation
Gilchrist, Helen Ives. <em>A Catalogue of the Collection of Arms & Armor Presented to the Cleveland Museum of Art by Mr. and Mrs. John Long Severance; 1916-1923</em>. Cleveland: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1924.
page_number
Mentioned: p. 132, E102; Reproduced: Plate XXXII, E102
creditline
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance
updatedAt
2026-05-29 05:09:00.665000
sourceId
95800
dept
Medieval Art
coll
MED - Arms & Armor
med
steel; piercing; perforation
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
99372ddff2cf5427