Subject: noble
Culture: Tuscan Italian
Setting: Italian Renaissance, Florence 15-16thc
Object: cinquedea 'five finger [wide]' short sword
* Windlass Steelcrafts
* National Museum of the American Indian on the National Mall
Metropolitan Museum of Art > Stone Gallery of Arms and Armor *
Forest Fenn *
*
Scarborough Faire Renaissance Festival > Angel Sword *
Metropolitan Museum of Art > Stone Gallery of Arms and Armor *
"Cinquedea Steel, etched and gilt; gilt bronze; horn; brass
Italian (possibly Emilia), about 1500
The cinquedea derives its name from the distinctively broad blade, five fingers (cinque diti) wide. The scenes on both sides of this blade represent episodes from the legend of Diana and Acteon." ...
* Higgins Armory Museum > Great Hall
"Sword of Cinquedea form, 19th century European reproduction after the 15th century style Steel; brass; horn" ...
* Arlington Museum of Art > A Knight's Tale
"Blade of Cinquedea Ercole dei Fedeli Italian manufacture (Ferrara) ca.1480-1500 Steel
The cinquedea sword takes its name from its form fhat resembles the five fingers of a hand. The term also refers to the approximate width of the blade next to the guard. It was a civilian short sword, developed in northern Italy, very much in style in the late 1400s and the early 1500s. The blade was heavy and tapered to a rather rounded point with a cross-guard that curved towards the point, as can be seen in this blade."
Royal Armouries Museum > Self Defence Gallery *
"Cinquedea North Italian, early 16th century With a tooled leather scabbard, fitted near the top with a small byknife.
Its blade bears etched and gilt classical ornament including scenes from legend of [SIC] Mucius Scaevola. its grip of wood, ivory and
red velvet is decorated on either side with a Roman coin, showing, respectively, the heads of the Emperor Trajan and the Emperor Nero."
* Royal Armouries Museum > Self Defence Gallery
"Cinquedea North Italian, early 16th century Decorated on its blade with etched and gilt classical ornament including the inscription FORTES TIMET FORTVN [A VIROS] (Fortune fabours the brave) on one side, and ESTO.TE FORTIS IN BELLO (Be brave in war) on the other. The hilt is restored. The cinquedea is thought to have derived its name from its broad blade which was five fingers (cinque ditti) wide." ...
