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Originally Posted by ariel
Another Forum is having a thread initiated by a Caucasian buff (  ); the gist is that the origin of Caucasian blades locally dubbed " David Peruli" ( or, as some sources call it, "davitperuli") both sounding rather "Georgian", is in fact a mispronounciation of David Ferrara, an Italian master whose blades were popular in the area in the 17-18th centuries.
Another example of Korda/Gorda? |
This was interesting, and it adds further mystery to the long standing arms conundrum of 'Andrea Ferrara'.
Ariel noted in his query concerning 'gurda', "was it a 'class' of sword?", which has proven also to be key in the Andrea Ferrara situation.
Reviewing notes as well as the outstanding reference on Italian edged weapons, "Armi Bianchi Italiene" (L.Boccia & E.Coelho, Milan, 1975), it seems, as mentioned often, that there is considerable doubt that any blademaker named Andrea Ferrara ever actually existed. Even blades with this marking presented in the authoritative reference by Boccia & Coelho are referenced with question marks.
It seems that listings of nearly all significant Italian blademakers and the comprehensive records kept by the guilds have enabled arms historians to establish actual addresses and locations of virtually all of these makers. That is not the case with the Ferrara's, where no such locations have been found. It is also interesting that the 'name' inscribed in the blades, even for one in Boccia & Coelho (op.cit. p.384 #481) the name is above and below, with each encapsulated at either end, contrary to the continuum of name and surname.
Dr. Lloyd Cabot Briggs, in his remarkable article "European Blades in Tuareg Swords and Daggers" (J.A.A.S. Vol.V, #2, 1965, pp.37-92), also brings attention to the 'Ferrara' dilemma. He notes personal correspondence from Sir James Mann in 1958 stating "...I have never seen any sword which could creditably be attributed to Andrea dei Ferari of Belluno". Mann continues by noting, "...the Baron de Cosson many years ago pointed out that the name Andrea Ferrara is used on blades just the same as found on blades of certain kinds, i.e. Andrea Ferara on broad blades; Sahagun on a different kind of broad blade; Tomas Ayala on rapier blades, in fact the names were each a kind of brand for a certain type of sword".
Further, he notes that Calomarde in his "Historia Politica de Aragon" mentions an Andres Ferrara working in Saragossa, so the Solingen smiths using the name so freely probably were thinking of a Spaniard rather than an Italian. It is well known the Solingen smiths used Spanish names consistantly on thier export blades.
It has been suggested that the Latin term for iron (=ferrum) may be the root of the name, and that 'andrew', an early colloquial term for 'true' or 'good' may correspond to 'andrea'. The term 'andrea ferara' may then be applied as a quality mark, just as the German 'eisenhauer' (=iron cutter).
There is also the Italian place Ferrara, which may associate.
The Caucasian term (rather than name) 'David Peruli' may be considered in the same parlance mentioned here. I recall discussions with the author of an important book on Caucasian weapons years ago, in which I was told the term 'pranguli' was often applied to a particular type of straight bladed Khevsur sword. It is tempting to consider the apparant similarity of 'pranguli' and 'peruli' which may support this perspective.
I thought this material might prove of interest with regard to the terminology associated with sword blades.