Seventeenth Century Shell Sword: The Mastery Of Hortuño De Aguirre

SWORD OF SHELLS. Author: Vicente Toledo Momparler (sword expert)

Reference	2-1604-A
Name	Sword of Shells
Author	Hortuño de Aguirre
Location	Toledo
Era	17th Century
Guard	Exquisite craftsmanship, combining lace and cut-out shells in perfect symbiosis. A set of rings, knuckles, bridges, and quillons with brilliant decoration featuring twists, constrictions, and chained facets. Globular pommel with a flattened top. Slightly tapered square grip, fully wrapped with flat and twisted wire alternately, and finished with two braided ferrules in a turban head design. A long ricasso is discernible between the cut-out shells.
Blade	Straight, with three flat faces per side, featuring two parallel fullers and cut-outs in the forte.
Inscription	HORTUÑO AGUIRRE / TOLEDO
Total Length	1270 mm
Blade Length	1075 mm
Blade Width	022 mm
Description	Hortuño de Aguirre appears with the number 38 in the famous list of the Nómina de Palomares, nicknamed “The Old Man.” From this master armor, there is a sword dated 1604 in the Royal Armory of Madrid.
Museum Inventory	Lázaro Galdiano Museum, inv. no. 7241

Seventeenth Century Shell Sword: The Mastery of Hortuño de Aguirre