new blade I picked up
 

I just picked up this in Munich last week. It's about about 2 and a half ft long over all. The handle and brass fittings look newer. I believe the blade is original and much older than the handle. I do not recognize all the markings and any help identify them is appreciated.


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Interesting.
Cabalistic symbols ? :o
Could you post a picture with a close up of the handle/grip ?

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Here they are.


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Interesting resemblence of the crossguard to that of some jian...

Looking through Bashford Dean's book of swords, there is quite a bit of oriental flavor to some of the sword ornament. A more stylized example of this hilt is shown on a couple of examples from the latter quarter of the 18th century.

http://swordlinks.com/courtswords/intro.html

There is probably an online dictionary for the alchemic figures and symbols but I have never found an all encompassing page that might dechiper a lot of it.

Neat sword.

Cheers

GC

I believe the cross guard is new compared to the blade. I also believe that this is a german hunting blade.

This blade does appear earlier, the markings and cosmological symbols are with what appears to be interpretations of what is termed 'Enochian' or Angelic script used in talismanic invocations of 'magical' association in the mid to late 18th century, probably with degree of revival in the 19th. Alchemical symbolism and devices are often grouped somewhat with magical and cabalistic under occult headings.
This was often the case with fraternal and some occult associated groups. The hilt is indeed newer by far, and in the style of 'Oriental' styling seen on 'Pandour' and irregular and auxiliary units in Europe in these times.
The hilt is also in the style of 'hirschfanger' or hunting swords of these periods, key in military fashion and sometimes dress for some courtly settings.

Hi Jim

I have looked at the Enochian script and I did see similar writing but not quite the same. Do you have any idea what these symbols mean?

Yes and, in my humble opinion, whoever made this cross guard did not improve the sword at all :shrug: .

I agree with you fernando, but then I think from seeing another example like my, this one might have been as close as they could find to the original style.

It would be extremely difficult in my opinion to exact meanings with these symbols as they are stylized and somewhat interpretive renderings of 'magical' symbols. These type of symbols in cosmological configurations were popularized in the mid to latter 18th century with fascination with secret societies, magic and occult subjects. Interesting blade!