Quote:
Originally Posted by Radboud
Thank you for the feedback Jim. It is as you say an unusual configuration, especially the orientation of the wolf and that pannel in between the fullers.
I saw Boeker's mark in Kinman but discounted the connection as his tree is split into two trunks and doesn't show the roots. That the blade is English made is another possibility that just muddies the water. But we can't discount the possibility that all the markings are spurious, after all, if it's good enough for the smiths from Solingen, then why not the smiths from England?
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This is certainly an anomaly, and the character of the blade fullers resembles in. degree those of many of the mortuary type swords assembled in these periods during the English civil wars.
There can be no doubt the markings are spurious, in the same way they were applied in Solingen, most of the Hounslow blades were indeed German.
There are references suggesting that even blades from Solingen were marked as 'from Hounslow'. The lettering and configuration of the SAHAGUM as I note are atypical for that application as used in Solingen. It seems that in most cases these 'Sahagum' marked blades typically went into North Europe which is why they are well known on 'walloons'.
There are of course certain Hounslow smiths who did place their names on blades; Kinndt, Hoppie and Hopkins but this was not a consistent case, many of the blades simply had the running wolf.
I have a 'mortuary' with typical ANDREA FERARA blade which is certainly Hounslow c. 1650 as identified in Bezdek (p.281). Attached....pretty rough, and dont have clear pic of Andrea Ferara blade
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According to Bezdek the Germans were producing blades for Benjamin Stone after 1631, the year he was awarded the drapes mark by Cutlers Co.
The mark had previously been owned by William Bals who died 1630.
As I say, I do not have image of this mark, and the idea of grape plant or vine is just a suggestion. It would seem that English cutlers were using punzones or marks which do not appear in the usual compendiums. If anyone has Levines Book of Knives (1985?) it seems there are some markings in there.
Whatever the case, I think this is possibly a Hounslow product c. 1630s-40s.
despite the unusual and irregularly executed lettering etc.