A Baselard by any other name? (RA Winter Lecture)

This entry details a 15th-century Swiss Baselard discovered in the River Thames, as presented by Scott, Assistant Curator at the Royal Armouries. The sword, also known as a Schweizerdegen, was identified as Swiss through its hilt construction and confirmed by X-ray analysis revealing a Zurich maker's mark. Its blade features a unique inscribed copper alloy panel, the meaning of which remains a subject of study.

This video details the identification of a Swiss Baselard from the River Thames, originally miscataloged as English. Assistant Curator Scot Hurst explains the defining characteristics of Baselards, particularly the H-shaped grip, and contrasts European and Swiss styles. The analysis highlights the importance of grip curvature, blade cross-section, and the presence of ferrous metal caps on Swiss examples. Crucially, a Germanic inscription and a maker's mark linked to Zurich solidify its Swiss origin, offering a deep dive into historical weapon classification and terminology.

Ian McCollum and Jonathan Ferguson of the Royal Armouries present a challenge to find three unique firearms based on appearance, mechanical oddity, and historical impact. They showcase experimental and rare pieces like the Charlton Automatic Rifle, Sterling 7.62mm prototype, Schwarzlose Model 1898, Gabbett-Fairfax Mars pistol, an SA80 prototype, and a BSA Machine Carbine, highlighting their unusual mechanisms and limited adoption.

This entry details the Knight's Armament KS-1 (L403A1), the British Army's new Alternative Individual Weapon, adopted under Project Hunter. Expert Jonathan Ferguson from the Royal Armouries provides an in-depth look at its features, intended use for specialized units, and its role in supplementing existing platforms like the SA80.

This guide details the process of arming an 11th-century Norman knight, as explained by an institutional expert from the Royal Armouries. It covers the sequence of donning essential protective gear, including padded undergarments, a mail hauberk, a nasal helmet, and a kite shield, emphasizing weight distribution and historical construction techniques.

This guide details the installation and operation of the Harston's Patent Mark IV magazine, a rare modification designed to convert the single-shot Martini-Henry rifle into a repeater. Expert Jonathan Ferguson explains the mechanism, its inventor Captain Charles Gravelle Harston, and the historical context of its development. The guide covers fitting the magazine, the cycling process for feeding rounds, and the use of the cutoff device for single-shot operation, while also noting potential reliability issues and the high conversion cost.