Antique Polish Winged Hussar Sword Karabela Pałasz Pallasch 17th Century Poland

Very rare antique, 17th century (circa 1650 A.D.) Polish Winged Hussar massive sword (broadsword) Pałasz (pallasch) with a karabela hilt and a semi-closed guard composed of a carved horn grip, secured to the tang of the blade with three rivets with domed pewter heads (one rivet has a silver washer).
The steel guard has a semi-closed knuckle bow, faceted crossguard and langets, and down curved quillon.
This particular semi-closed guard is distinctive of the 17th-century Polish hussar swords, such as hussar sabers, palashes, and estocs.
Extremely well hand-forged, massive and wide, tapered, the double-edged straight steel blade is cut on each face by a full-length narrow fuller, flanked by two short, slender fullers.
The Polish hussar Pałasz is a weapon with a heavy, straight, single or double-edged blade with an open or closed hilt.
It was a weapon used mainly for breakthrough strikes for slashing, piercing directly through chain mail links, cutting the chain mail armor, or thrusting between armor plates.

During the 17th century, in the Polish Armed Forces, only winged hussar officers were armed with two or three swords; a curved saber, Pałasz sword, and Koncerz sword (estocs), which were attached to the saddle under the knee of the horseman.
Koncerz (estocs) was designed exclusively for thrusting with a long triangular or square cross-section blade.

The Hussars used the Pallasch because they often faced enemies with armored cavalry. The Turkish Ottoman, Russian or Swedish sabers are good against unarmored enemies and are not as effective against armored cavalry.
Koncerz was designed solely for thrusting but not for cutting or slashing with a maximum 160 cm (63 inches) overlength with a 145 cm (55 inches) triangular or square cross-section blade.
After crushing the lance, the hussar reached for Koncerz for the second charge. However, with such a long blade, Koncerz was ineffective in close combat.

In many cases, when the hussar went into battle, he would take both of these swords; Koncerz was placed under the right knee and Pałasz under the left knee.

REFERENCES:
A Polish sword with a comparable hilt is in the collection of the Polish Army Museum in Warsaw and is published in the book "Blankwaffen - Band II - Geschichte und Typenentwicklung in europäischen Kulturbereich Vom 16, bis 19. Jahrundent" by Heribert Seitz on page 162.

Another similar sword is published in the book "Historia broni siecznej: miecze, rapiery, szable i pałasze" by Tadeusz Królikiewicz on page 24.

Please see the pictures attached to the listing.

We also provided an actual photo of this sword on display at the museum
(please see the last pictures attached to the listing).
Polish Winged Hussar Pallasch swords are rarer than the Koncerz swords, and pallasch swords with a karabela hilt and this form of semi-closed guard are extremely rare.
Our sword and swords in the Polish museum may be the only three worldwide known Polish swords with this rare type of hilt.

The price of antiques, including military antiques, is estimated based on the object's rarity. This sword pattern is the rarest among all 17th century Polish swords.

MEASUREMENTS:
Overall length: 98.5 cm (38.78 inches).
Length of the blade: 86 cm (33.86 inches).
Width of the blade at the widest point: 5.2 cm (2.05 inches).

CONDITION:
In very good untouched condition with lovely patina. Age and use are showing. Such excellent condition seldom can be seen in over 350 years old combat swords,

To see all 19 pictures of the sword please see the link below:

https://www.antiquesword101.com/European-Arms-and-Armor.php#!/Antique-Polish-Winged-Hussar-Sword-Karabela-Pa%C5%82asz-Pallasch-17th-Century-Poland/p/496684213

NOTE: Antique Polish arms and armor from the 17th to 18th centuries are highly sought after by collectors, but they are scarce and difficult to acquire.

Unfortunately, due to the significant demand for these historical artifacts, many reproductions of 17th-18th century Polish arms and armor have appeared on the antique market. These reproductions include swords, maces, war hammers, helmets, and armor and are often made by craftsmen in the USA, Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine.

In many cases, these objects are very well made and professionally aged, rusted, and damaged to look old, which can deceive inexperienced collectors into thinking that they are authentic artifacts.

These reproductions are being sold as genuine antique objects directly by these counterfeiters and by many dealers who lack knowledge and experience in antique Polish Arms and Armor.

It is important to understand that these reproductions have no historical or investment value.

This sword will be provided with a Certificate of Authenticity together with a photocopy of the pages from the mentioned references to ensure the buyer that it is a 100% authentic antique dating back to the 17th century (circa 1650 A.D.)