Extremely rare example retaining considerable original silver decoration. Central cuboid, with circular mounting hole or socket. Each face with an elongated pyramidal lug or nub. Each external facet decorated in silver Iron, forged integrally pairing a circular, perhaps armorial, motif with a bordered lattice. Remnants of silver to both ends. See Arms and Armour of the Crusading Period, Nicolle, #223 a for a near identical example. As with the more common spherical variations, the interior of the socket is not cylindrical, but slightly expanded toward the center, evidently for an adhesive. This is a horseman’s (knight’s) mace and would have been mounted on a haft to a length of about 26”. In our 57 years in the business, we have sold less than 10 maces of this period. Each is very rare, but none approaches this example for original quality or preservation of decoration.
