English Civil War-era mortuary sword – £2300 at Unique Auctions.
The 1640s weapon with a straight double-edged blade, a pierced hilt with finely chased foliage and large masks to the guard, was last sold at Christie’s auction held at National Trust property Nostell Priory in 1990.
During the civil war, the estate was owned by the Wolstenholme family who were bankrupted by debts incurred to provide finance for the Royalist cause. It is possible this sword and others in the 1990 sale were part of Nostell’s defences.
