Sword of Honor given to Francis the First, 1526, Antique Print, 1851

This is an original antique chromolithograph, printed in gold, silver and deep crimson, showing the hilt and scabbard mounts of a sword of honor. At the center is the hilt: an oval gilt pommel framing a silvered panel with a small medallion of a capped male head among trophies of arms, a grip of silvered panels worked with trophies, and a broad curved silvered guard set with a faceted red stone under a crown. Below it a gilt plate with a crowned cartouche and grapes is mounted on crimson velvet. At the upper left a scabbard locket of pierced gilt scrollwork sits on crimson, and at the upper right the chape ends in a gilt lion mask.

The running head reads "LE MOYEN AGE ET LA RENAISSANCE." at the left and "OBJETS DIVERS." at the right. Below the image are the credits "F. Séré del.", "Chromolith. Lemercier." and "Kellerhoven lith.". The caption reads "ÉPÉE D'HONNEUR. Cadeau de l'Empereur Charles V, à François 1er (1526) Collection du Prince Colloredo, à Prague." (sword of honor, a gift from the Emperor Charles V to Francis I in 1526, collection of Prince Colloredo, Prague).

Le Moyen Âge et la Renaissance was edited by Paul Lacroix, who also wrote as the Bibliophile Jacob, with Ferdinand Séré directing the illustrations, and was published in Paris in five volumes between 1848 and 1851. Its chapters, written by a range of specialists, survey the arts, crafts, sciences and customs of Europe from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance, and its plates reproduce objects, manuscripts and buildings in public and private collections of the day. This plate comes from the fourth volume, of 1851, where it accompanies the section headed "Objets Divers" (miscellaneous objects). Francis the First was King of France; the date 1526 is the year of the Treaty of Madrid between the two rulers.

The plate can be framed on its own or hung with other plates from the work.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.