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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
95806
label
Small Sword
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
95806
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. 1730
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q60780095
genreSpecific
Arms and Armor
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 95.2 cm (37 1/2 in.); Blade: 78.8 cm (31 in.); Guard: 7.6 cm (3 in.)
cul
Italy, 18th century
accession
1916.1494
Source extras
tec
steel, iron, copper wire, wood
tombstone
Small Sword, c. 1730. Italy, 18th century. Steel, iron, copper wire, wood; overall: 95.2 cm (37 1/2 in.); blade: 78.8 cm (31 in.); guard: 7.6 cm (3 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance, 1916.1494
collection
MED - Arms & Armor
inscriptions
inscription
AMOR VINCIT OMNIA
citations
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. 131, E101
creditline
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance
galleryDonorText
Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Armor Court
updatedAt
2026-05-29 05:09:03.785000
sourceId
95806
dept
Medieval Art
coll
MED - Arms & Armor
med
steel, iron, copper wire, wood
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
347a155169d14363