A VERY RARE SWISS HALBERD C.1700

95 1/4 length. Iron head with flamberg fore spike and flared blade developing to a curved back fluke. The axe, typically pierced with a cantonal device, is mounted with a separate Helvetic cross pressed in and held by friction. A small notch at the top of the opening allows for a tool to remove the inset and presumably replace it with a cantonal device. Halberds of this general type are well known, particularly with Z device of Zurich Canton. Evidently none with this removable device is recorded. Switzerland suffered religious civil war 1656-1712 between the majority Catholic cantons and the Protestant cantons centered in Zurich. It is likely that this halberd originated in the Zurich Zeughaus (arsenal) and was captured and modified for use by the troops of the Catholic cantons. Quite crisp with light old stable surface storage rusting.