just bought this...

[chevalier]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=170234564349


not sure if youd call that a "gurade" or not. its ethiopian from 1890 or thereabouts. but constructed in the 1796 LCS style. im assuming the blade is solingen.....

[Lew]

Very nice . Not exactly a gurade but pretty close.

Congrats

Lew

[chevalier]

yea, im still not sure if its solingen or not

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by chevalier

yea, im still not sure if its solingen or not

Actually its Finnish

Why would you think its not from Solingen?

Playing the name game with describing swords can be frustrating, but from my understanding is on Ethiopian swords, the straight blade swords are typically sa'if; the deeply parabolic sickle like swords are shotel, and curved sabres are GURADE/GORADE.
Whether technically correct or not, the widely accepted term for these European style sabres is GURADE (the horn grip swords with the same hilt as shotel and mounted with military style trade blades are techically considered gurade, though often mistermed shotel because of the hilt form).

This one is very nice, and it is amazing to see such straightforward description in this medium, the period and identification patently correct.

The G.G. marking is distinctly German and essentially a mark of guarantee, GESETZLICH GESCHUETZT, often appeared on forte of German blades, usually of course from Solingen. The blade etching seen on various German makers as well as on the English exports as Ethiopia (then Abyssinia) received weapons from both.

[chevalier]

i knew passau produced alot of blades too but then this one dident have the wolf mark on it like most passau blades did.


i understand wilkinson also made alot of blades for ethiopia as well.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by chevalier

i knew passau produced alot of blades too but then this one dident have the wolf mark on it like most passau blades did.


i understand wilkinson also made alot of blades for ethiopia as well.

I meant to quote, but inadvertantly edited your post with my response, so I will rewrite here.

Passau was a prominent arms and armour center in early times, and the running wolf has long been considered to have been a marking associated with that center. In later years, with the advent of Solingen, that center declined markedly with smiths in Solingen often using the marking in varying interpretations. Though the Passau origin for the running wolf mark is seemingly well established it is often discussed and debates over speculation continue. It was apparantly known in Spain, as noted adopted by smiths in Solingen, and later used defiantly by German makers in England in 17th century Hounslow and Shotley Bridge. The latest use for the running wolf I am aware of would be the 18th century swords by S. Harvey in England.

In the period of this gurade, late 19th century to early 20th, Germany was a key exporter of swords and blades to Abyssinia in addition of course to many other countries. The swords were often routed through export intermediaries naturally, and products from both Germany and England were sent to Abyssinia in varying degree and situations.
The Wilkinson contracts of substance were in agreements with Emperor Haile Selassie in the 1930's.

Wilkinson swords always were marked and were both of sabre (gurade) type and the deeply curved sickle form of the traditional shotel. The German blades, as noted, were Solingen products (not Passau and no wolf markings are known beyond 18th century England).

There seems to be wide range in your interests. Your interest in Finnish swords seems to have given way to Ethiopian. What are your actual specific interests and field of collecting?