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Apr 9, 2020

Seven-Flanged Mace

c. 1540–50

Italy (?), 16th century

Gilded russet steel; with chiseled foliate decoration

Support: Chisled foliate decoration

Overall: 64.5 cm (25 3/8 in.); Head: 11.4 cm (4 1/2 in.)

Weight: 1.6 kg (3.53 lbs.)

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1916.1589

Location

210A Armor Court

Did you know?

In use throughout the middle ages, the mace became increasingly popular in the 1400s and 1500s because edged weapons (such as swords) were ineffective against fully developed plate armor.

Description

The mace was primarily a weapon for mounted warriors in both actual combat and courtly contests. For this reason it was regarded as a knightly weapon. Arming oneself with a mace had gradually taken on significance among the nobility and commanding officers. It eventually came to be considered a badge of rank, to be carried by its owner in parades and other ceremonial occasions, as this decorated example certainly was.

Provenance

?-1916

Frank Gair Macomber (1849-1941), Boston, MA, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art

1916-

The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH

Citations

Catalogue of Arms and Armour. Vol. 2, 16th century. [Boston, Massachusetts]: [Frank Gair Macomber], [1900-1915]. Mentioned and Reproduced: No. (35) 39 archive.org

Gilchrist, Helen Ives. A Catalogue of the Collection of Arms & Armor Presented to the Cleveland Museum of Art by Mr. and Mrs. John Long Severance; 1916-1923. Cleveland: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1924. Mentioned: p. 247, K9; Reproduced: Plate XLIX, K9 archive.org

Cleveland Museum of Art, and Helen Ives Gilchrist. Handbook of the Severance Collection of Arms and Armor. 2d ed., 1948. Reproduction: p. 50 archive.org

Fliegel, Stephen N. Arms and Armor: The Cleveland Museum of Art. [Cleveland, Ohio]: The Museum, 1998. pp. 95, 168; cat. no. 122, p. 168

Fliegel, Stephen N. Arms & Armor: The Cleveland Museum of Art. [Cleveland, Ohio]: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2007. cat. no. 125, p. 188

Exhibition history

Armor Court Reinstallation. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer).

Cite this page

{{cite web|title=Seven-Flanged Mace|url=https://clevelandart.org/art/1916.1589|year=c. 1540–50|access-date=18 August 2022|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

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Seven-Flanged Mace

Seven-Flanged Mace

Italy (?), 16th century

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