Sword identification

[JesseS]

Originally Posted by Battara

It would be helpful to see pictures of the sword.

Pics are up now, sorry for the delay.

[fernando]

Thi is most certainly an European blade, Jesse.
Let's move this thread to the European Forum, to see if members there come around with their comments.

[fernando]

Until better opinion, i would bet on the Solingen origin, such as used for export.
The symbols (Solingen Orb type) are unusual, although recognisable by some.
It looks like they are connected to something more defined than the usual generic stuff.
May i put it upright ?
... and maybe with time you can get a better picture ?

.

[fernando]

Have you visited this thread, Jesse ?

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5453

[JesseS]

Originally Posted by fernando

Have you visited this thread, Jesse ?

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=5453

Thanks, Fernando. Do you think my "orb and cross" is a Solingen mark, then? It seems similar to this group of Solingen marks:




PS...sorry for photo quality. That's the best I can do. The markings are worn and quite faint.

[M ELEY]

The history of the piece makes sense. The Barbary Corsairs were 'just across the way' from the Iberian Peninsula, with trade routes and potential captures from Spanish ships. The blade is from a broadsword (?), so we can assume the original hilt was probably that of a bilbo (more likely) or perhaps cuphilt, as in the types seen in Peterson's and Brinkerhoff's books.
Mark

[JesseS]

Originally Posted by M ELEY

The history of the piece makes sense. The Barbary Corsairs were 'just across the way' from the Iberian Peninsula, with trade routes and potential captures from Spanish ships. The blade is from a broadsword (?), so we can assume the original hilt was probably that of a bilbo (more likely) or perhaps cuphilt, as in the types seen in Peterson's and Brinkerhoff's books.
Mark

Thanks, Mark. I've been researching Decatur's actions in the First Barbary War. In late 1803 he was involved in the capture of the Tripolitan warship "Mastico" and its captain Mustapha Rais who surrendered, and I would like to imagine that this is Mustapha Rais' sword surrendered to Decatur. Decatur later sailed the captured "Mastico" (renamed "Intrepid") into Tripoli in disguise and destroyed the captured "Philadelphia" in a daring raid that made him famous.

Then in August 1804 he boarded and captured two Tripolitan gunboats in hand-to-hand combat. On one of the boats he fought with the captain, who nearly killed him, but while they wrestled, Decatur was able to reach his pistol in his pocket and cock and fire it, killing his opponent. Possible that the sword was taken in one of these encounters as well.