Scanderbeg's helmet and sword returning to Albania?

According to a recent meeting between Albania's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edmond Haxhinasto, and his Austrian counterpart, Michael Spindelegger, there is a good possibility that the  actual helmet and sword of Albania's 15th century folkhero, Gjergj Kastrioti surnamed Scanderbeg, will be returned to Tirana on November 28, 2012, as part of its historic commemoration of Albania's Flag Day - Dita e Flamurit - which marked Albania's independence from the Ottoman Empire on that date in 1912.

 Scanderbeg's helmet and sword have been on longtime  exhibit at the Kunthistorisches Museum in Vienna where Jane and I had the good fortune to view them in person.  And it was with thanks to the Museum's director Dr. Matthais Pfaffenbichter, who provided me with official photographs of Scanderbeg's sword and helmet and the most interesting history of how they eventually ended up in the Vienna museum. 

-Van Christo

Source:   [memedheu] Austria: Do të sjellim në Tiranë përkrenaren dhe shpatën e Skënderbeut

From:	luigj shkodrani  Add to Contacts
Sent:	Sun, Jun 17, 2012 at 10:02 am
To:	albeuropa@yahoogroups.com, memedheu@yahoogroups.com, sterkala@yahoogroups.com, cameria@yahoogroups.co

Ceremonial Helmet
Italian, circa 1460 Bright steel, bells of Italian design. Lower border and neck protection removed where corrosion and cracks have appeared. These have been covered by a sown-in leather band under which the former coverlet of gold silk remains. Adjusted copper headstrap bound by gold ornamental borders decorated with six rosettes of which the copper gilt original is in the neck - the remaining five are restorations of the 16th century. Between the rosettes inscription: in/per/ra/to/re/bt. helmet ornament in the form of a goat's head of embossed, engraved gilt sheet copper with gilt ornamental border. A hole in the helmet originally served for fastening Scanderbeg's crest.


Oriental Sword
Near East, 15th century Wide, double-edged blade with rounded tip. At the head of the front side are gold inlaid leaf ornaments - a circular medallion and a band of indecipherable Arabic script. Later grip of Turkish style with blackened handle hood parrying rod with leather-covered handle. Even later sheath of black leather with pressed knotted pattern and simple ornamental iron carrying strap as well as positioning strap. On the reverse side, red oil-painted incription of the Ambrasian armory: "Sk'anderwech."

See Frosina infobit "Scanderbeg's Helmet and Sword in Austrian Museum" under "Infobits" (History and Culture) at www.frosina.org to read how they eventually got to Austria from Albania.