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Fig. 645. Curved sword
Northern French, first quarter of XVth century
Collection: Mr. Felix Joubert
swordsmith forging a curved blade after the fashion of the scimitar. We have already alluded to the curved sword known as that of Charlemagne in the Vienna Treasury (vol. i, Fig. 116), and to the only other three of early date that are known to us (vol. i, Figs. 157, 158, and 160), but swords of this type are constantly found appearing in the missals, illuminations, and paintings of the XVth century. It is, however, instructive to note that in these pictures the curved sword appears generally to be girded on personages who are in some way associated with the East or who belong to an unknown country. The Magi in adoration as often as not wear the curved sword. In "Christ, the Light of the World," the famous Hans Memlinc picture of the Munich Gallery, the curved sword is many times represented in the various small groups of figures, but especially noticeable as being worn by the Magi and their attendants. We can, however, obtain ample evidence as to the character of these swords from extant examples, without being under the necessity of having to derive it solely from the testimony of pictures. Of an actual falchion or scimitar which may be legitimately assigned to the early years of the XVth century we give an illustration. This scimitar is in the collection of Mr. Felix Joubert (Fig. 645), and was discovered some years ago in a house in Lorraine, at no great distance from Domremy; a circumstance which gave birth to the tale that it was the original sword of Joan of Arc—a statement without foundation and without reason other than that it is of her period and of French origin. The metal parts of the hilt are of gilded bronze, and viewed roughly are in the style of a Persian abbási scimitar; with the exception that the pistol-shaped grip and pommel, nearly always seen on the scimitar, are here replaced by a grip with a curved bifurcated pommel. The
