Small sword with German blade

As firearms began to become more prevalently used in military and civil confrontations over  swords and rapiers, the hilts of small swords gradually became more stylised and less practical during the 18th century.   The hilt of this small sword is chiselled and pierced with scrolled filigree ornamentation, and the guards and the edge of the quadrilobate shell are roped. The small sword also features a straight, triple-edged, hollow-ground blade that is etched with strapwork near the hilt.   The manufacture of small swords and other blades were often quite complex. The making of a sword or dagger typically required the work of several makers within a craft guild who often worked in different towns, or even different countries. Such is the case with this dagger, which has a blade of German origin and an English hilt.