Snazzy Smallswords

In this post, I simply want to share a selection of smallswords I like! For now, it only includes smallswords from the Metropolitan Museum of Art‘s collection. I might expand this post to include examples from other museums in the future.

What is a smallsword?

Smallswords, also known as court swords, are a category of light-weight, one-handed swords with a straight, medium-length blade optimized for thrusting (with minimal or no cutting capacity) that reached the height of their popularity in the 18th century.

I find smallswords charming in part because high-status examples are works of art in their own right, but also because both fancy and unpretentious examples strike me as extremely “efficient” weapons, managing to create a respectable amount of sword from less than a pound of material.

If you’re interested in learning more, you can find a playlist of videos examining a variety of original smallswords here and an interesting article about the transition from rapier to smallsword here.

The Met

Early smallsword / transitional rapier, possibly British

Link: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/27456
Date: 1600s
Overall length: 102.8 cm
Blade length: 87.6 cm
Weight: 595.3 g

Spanish early smallsword / transitional rapier

Link: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/27450
Date: 1625-50
Overall length: 108.2 cm
Blade length: 90.4 cm
Weight: 680.4 g

Dutch early smallsword / transitional rapier

Link: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/27371
Date: ca. 1630
Overall length: 112.8 cm
Blade length: ?
Weight: 652 g

Italian early smallsword / transitional rapier

Link: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/27449
Date: ca. 1650
Overall length: 104.4 cm
Blade length: 87.3 cm
Weight: 765.4 g

French early smallsword

Link: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/22964
Date: ca. 1650-1660
Overall length: 89.5 cm
Blade length: 73.7 cm
Weight: 680 g

French early smallsword

Link: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/35698
Date: ca. 1650-1660
Overall length: 103.2 cm
Blade length: 87.5 cm
Weight: 532 g

Dutch early smallsword

Link: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/22924
Date: ca. 1650-60
Overall length: 108 cm
Blade length: 90.8 cm
Weight: 652 g

Smallsword with tortoiseshell guard

Link: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/22939
Date: ca. 1720
Overall length: 85.4 cm
Blade length: ??
Weight: 340.2 g

Bottom of shell
Bottom of shell with tortoiseshell illuminated

Japanese smallsword created for the Western market

Link: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/22934
Date: ca. 1730
Overall length: 96.8 cm
Blade length: 80.7 cm
Weight: sword 340.2 g; scabbard 85 g

Smallsword, probably Russian

Link: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/22940
Date: ca. 1750
Overall length: 91.4 cm
Blade length: 75.9 cm
Weight: 436.6 g

French Smallsword

Link: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/26748
Date: ca. 1750
Overall length: 95.8 cm
Blade length: 78.4 cm
Weight: 368.5 g

Smallsword with porcelain grip

Link: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/22943
Date: ca. 1750
Overall length: 88.5 cm
Blade length: 73 cm
Weight: 397 g

Smallsword, probably German

Link: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/22947
Date: ca. 1750-60
Overall length: 99.7 cm
Blade length: 82.6 cm
Weight: 680 g

Smallsword, probably German or Dutch

Link: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/27723
Date: ca. 1750-1760
Overall length: 92.5 cm
Blade length: 78.2 cm
Weight: 464.9 g

Smallsword, possibly German

Link: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/35373
Date: ca. 1750-1760
Overall length: 93 cm
Blade length: 70 cm
Weight: 417 g

French Smallsword

Link: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/22935
Date: ca. 1760
Overall length: 100.3 cm
Blade length: 83.2 cm
Weight: 481.9 g

Indian smallsword created for the Western market

Link: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/22938
Date: ca. 1775
Overall length: 102.5 cm
Blade length: 85.1 cm
Weight: sword 624 g; scabbard 113.4 g

Smallsword in the Spanish style

Link: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/22926
Date: ca. 1775
Overall length: 101.6 cm
Blade length: 85.4 cm
Weight: 482 g
Video featuring a lower-status version of the same kind of sword: https://youtu.be/98rnKYZMlGE?si=JnuCvWQOnrImvxiB