Rating and value of cinquedea swords and daggers

If you own a cinquedea sword, and would like to know its value, and if you don't know, the period and model of the weapon, our state-approved experts and auctioneers will offer you their appraisal services. Our specialists will carry out a free appraisal of your weapon, and provide you with a precise estimate of its value on today's market. Then, if you wish to sell your item, we'll guide you towards the best possible means of obtaining the best possible price.  

Rating and value of cinquedea swords  

cinquedea swords are among the most sought-after military collectibles on the auction market. However, price differences can be considerable, depending on model, engraving, state of preservation, who owned it, and other criteria. Nowadays, prices for these weapons can rise considerably under the auctioneer's hammer. Buyers from all over the world are interested in sales of certain rare pieces. The price at which they sell on the art market ranges from €340 to €44,000 at the moment, a considerable difference but one that says a lot about the value that can be attributed to cinquedea swords. In 2023, an exceptional cinquedea with an engraving attributed to Ercole dei Fedeli was sold for €44,000 by Auctie's. It was originally estimated at between €20,000 and €30,000. Here's a look back at past auctions and more details on these weapons.

Order of value from a simple weapon to the most prestigious

cinquedea swords, exceptional weapons 

cinquedea swords are highly prized antique weapons on the auction market. They are referred to as swords or daggers, as the blades are generally quite short. They are weapons of honor and decoration, and are not used in combat. They first appeared in northern Italy around 1460, and most of the cinquedea on the market date from the late 15th and early 16th centuries. Period pieces are the most sought-after, although there are also remanufactured pieces of lesser value. In the Renaissance, they were a mark of social rank, as court swords were in France.

Technique and features of cinquedea swords

These weapons take the form of a dagger or a sword, depending on the length of the blade, which ranges from 20 to 50 centimetres. When the blade measures between 40 and 50 centimeters, it's called a sword, while a cinquedea measuring between 20 and 30 centimeters is called a dagger.

The blades are deliberately wide at the guard (up to 10 centimetres), allowing for detailed and important stylistic work.

These coats of arms were engraved with etching, or decorated with gilding. They may also feature a family coat of arms (such as that of the Este family) or the Vatican coat of arms.

An engraver by the name of Ercole dei Fedeli, who was active in northern Italy at the same time as the cinquedea, probably decorated many of these arms, and is credited with the most precious. He worked with antique inspiration, scrolls and medallion figures.

Historical background and success of the cinquedea

The cinquedea appeared for a purely social purpose, to show the power of Italy's noble families. They were a great success at the court of Mantua, where the engraver Fedeli was close to Isabella d'Este, considered the First Lady of the Renaissance. The d'Este family, less well known today, was as influential as the Medici.

The Pope used to offer cinquedea as weapons of honor to influential princes, or to various noblemen and high-ranking churchmen who left their mark on their time. They were extremely popular at the time, and are just as popular today. They are highly prized collector's items, rarely found on the auction market. Many of these weapons are housed in major museums in Geneva, the Louvre and the MET Museum in New York.

Antique subjects are very much in vogue today, almost as much as they were back then. On the cinquedea sold by Auctie's, a record in France for a sale of this type of weapon, we can see Minerva and Fama, goddesses of war and fame. The selection of subjects was also a means of showing the culture of those who may have owned these weapons of honor, and of slipping subliminal messages into them to represent their power through powerful mythological subjects.

Reasons to auction a cinquedea  

If you own a cinquedea sword or dagger and don't know how to sell it, auctions are a solution. Indeed, collectors use this method to find models that correspond to a particular battle or that belonged to their ancestors. Prices can reach unprecedented heights.

The cinquedea obviously has a financial value on the art market, but it also has a historical value. These weapons bear witness to the various conflicts of their time and the power wielded by those who owned them. They also show how weapon design has evolved scientifically.

Knowing the value of a cinquedea  

If you happen to own a cinquedea, whatever its period, and would like to know its value, don't hesitate to request a free appraisal using the form on our website. A member of our team of experts and chartered auctioneers will contact you promptly with an estimate of your piece's market value, and will provide you with all the relevant information. If you wish to sell your property, our specialists will also be on hand to offer you alternatives for selling it at the best possible price, taking into account market trends.