Jörg Wilhalm Huter: an Early 16th c. Fechtbuch

Huter, Jörg Wilhalm: Fechtkunst - BSB Cgm 3711

Bayerische Staatsbibiothek dates this to 1523

A high resolution scan is available here.

Here is the Wiktenauer entry.

Pretzel product placement here.

My thanks to Hugh Knight for finding this.

The Invention of Glory: Afonso V and the Pastrana Tapestries

The Pastrana Tapestries—among the finest surviving Gothic tapestries—will be on view together for the first time in the United States at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, from September 18, 2011, through January 8, 2012. The Invention of Glory: Afonso V and the Pastrana Tapestries will feature the recently restored set of four monumental tapestries that commemorate the conquest of two strategically located cities in Morocco by the king of Portugal, Afonso V (1432–1481).

Time-lapse View of Earth from Space

You may want to embiggen this.

Dawn Flies Around Vesta

Animation based on images from Dawn's framing camera.

What Is This?

I have a theory, but I don't want to prejudice you.

The owner was born in 1852 and died in 1931. The head is iron or steel.

The handle seems to be silver, and is engraved with the owner's name. While it resembles a box tool, it is much smaller.

The wear is consistent with being used as a letter opener.