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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.
Page data
- Page
- 1
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- 0
- Type
- photo
- Media ID
- 99372ddff2cf5427
- Size
- unknown
Document data
- ID
- 95800
- Core
- obj
- Type
- object
DTO data
{
"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",
"citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1916.1489",
"rights": "CC0",
"rightsUri": "CC0",
"language": "en",
"wikidata": [
"Q60778728"
],
"genreSpecific": [
"Arms and Armor"
],
"iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1916.1489/1916.1489_web.jpg",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1916.1489/1916.1489_web.jpg",
"largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1916.1489/1916.1489_web.jpg",
"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"
}
Context sent to Scholar
Document identity
{
"localId": "95800",
"label": "Small Sword",
"core": "obj",
"dtoType": "object"
}
Document 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",
"citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1916.1489",
"rights": "CC0",
"rightsUri": "CC0",
"language": "en",
"wikidata": [
"Q60778728"
],
"genreSpecific": [
"Arms and Armor"
],
"iiifBase": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1916.1489/1916.1489_web.jpg",
"thumbnailUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1916.1489/1916.1489_web.jpg",
"largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1916.1489/1916.1489_web.jpg",
"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"
}
Document 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",
"url": "https://archive.org/details/CatArmsArmour4/page/n250"
},
{
"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",
"url": "https://archive.org/details/SeveranceCollection1924/page/n199"
}
],
"url": "https://clevelandart.org/art/1916.1489",
"creditline": "Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance",
"updatedAt": "2026-05-29 05:09:00.665000",
"imageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1916.1489/1916.1489_print.jpg",
"sourceId": 95800,
"dept": "Medieval Art",
"coll": "MED - Arms & Armor",
"med": "steel; piercing; perforation",
"thumbnail_url": null,
"image_url": null
}
Page context
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