Practice Sword

Ulrich Diefstetter

ca. 1575 · Steel, leather, wood, brass · Arms and Armor

Purposely made with dull edges and blunt tips, this practice sword and another similar example in The Met's collection (acc. no. 14.25.1111) are descendants of knightly war swords, which were made to be wielded with either one hand or two. Known simply as the long sword, this type was a specialty of the German school, which continued to practice its use long after it had been abandoned elsewhere.

Artist

Ulrich Diefstetter

Date

ca. 1575

Medium

Steel, leather, wood, brass

Culture

German, Munich

Department

Arms and Armor

Credit line

Gift of William H. Riggs, 1913