Cover for a Smallsword Hilt

Santerre

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Leather bags of this kind were intended as covers to protect the hilts of smallswords, the ubiquitous side-arm of the eighteenth-century gentleman. These covers, called "hoods" in English documents, were provided by the sword cutler, or fourbisseur, and (at least in the two known French examples) bore his name as an advertisement. Another leather cover stamped with the name of the Paris cutler Pagès is also in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum (acc. no. 1995.52). A delightful example of eighteenth-century ephemera, this cover complements the Metropolitan Museum’s extensive collection of French smallswords.

Arms and Armor

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The principal goals of the Arms and Armor Department are to collect, preserve, research, publish, and exhibit distinguished examples representing the art of the armorer, swordsmith, and gunmaker. Arms and armor have been a vital part of virtually all cultures for thousands of years, pivotal not only in conquest and defense, but also in court pageantry and ceremonial events. Throughout time the best armor and weapons have represented the highest artistic and technical capabilities of the society and period in which they were made, forming a unique aspect of both art history and material culture.

Metropolitan Museum of Art