Late 15th-early 16th century AD. A two-handed sword with straight double-edged blade equipped with a narrow blood channel, three circles and letter R inlaid in brass to one side; long quillons with knop finials, knuckle guard with inlaid rosettes, long grip with maker's mark, convex rectangular pommel. See Wegeli, R., Inventar der Waffensammlung des Bernischen Historischen Museums in Bern, Bern,1929; Tarassuk, L.and Blair, C., The complete encyclopedia of Arms & Weapons, Milano, 1989; Grotkamp-Schepers B., Immel I., Johnsson P. and Wetzler S., Das Schwert. Gestalt und Gedanke: The Sword. Form and Thought, Solingen, 2015; the weapon has parallels with various double- edged swords in Bernischen Historischen Museum (Wegeli, 1919, pl.viii"). 2.2 kg, 1.29m (50 3/4"). From a private family collection; previously acquired from a collection formed before 1990; thence by descent; accompanied by an academic report by military specialist Dr Raffaele D'Amato; this lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate number no.10211-167289. Doppelsöldner ('double-mercenaries', 'double-pay men', from German doppel meaning double, sold meaning pay) were the Landsknechte in the 16th-century Germany who volunteered to fight in the front line, taking on extra risk, in exchange for double payment. The stated ratio was that one Landsknecht in four would be a Doppelsöldner. Likewise, Landsknechte who schooled in the use of the Zweihänder, a two-handed sword, were entitled to double pay and thus qualified as Doppelsöldner. The fencing guild of the Brotherhood of St. Mark had the monopoly of the use of the Zweihänder after the Frederick III, Holy Roman Emperor, granted it to them in 1487.