Sword with Scabbard for an Officer in the Bodyguard of the Elector of Saxony c. 1580

This sword with scabbard was made by Urban Schneeweiss, an artist who lived in the 16th century. The sword is made of steel, with inlays of silver, and a wooden scabbard covered in leather. Swords like this one were not simply cast or stamped out. Instead, they were forged in a labor-intensive process, involving many stages of heating, hammering, and quenching. Skilled traditions of metalworking imbue the sword with significance, reflecting the cultural values of craftsmanship and precision. The etching on the guard and pommel is especially fine, displaying a high level of skill. The handle is wrapped with twisted wire. The scabbard is just as carefully made as the sword. The combination of different materials—steel, silver, wood, and leather—testifies to the sword's status as a luxury object. The sword and scabbard represent a merging of function and form, where the art of making elevates a weapon of war to a symbol of power, prestige, and status.