Paternosters on blades

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

So I tried the SEARCH button under PATERNOSTER, and there were five threads which had the term within the text. In all cases, the term was used in a comparative sense, for example Dutch swords having a petaled floral device which was compared to a paternoster. There were of course no examples showing these pierced or impressed dots on blades on the forum.

In trying to search on Google, the dearth of information is also notable, and the term paternoster is noted in its religious connotation or as a simile using the term. I did find the writer in 1905, as well as Burton 1885 who barely mention the term or device. The term itself has been seen in many references, auction catalogs over the years , passim, however I would be hard pressed to locate these descriptions.

I just find these curiosities and anomalies in the history of the sword intriguing, and apologies if these queries are deemed uninteresting or irrelevant.

Jim, you are right in that this is a tricky subject, as it appears conotated in more than one area. Yet in the threads shown in the SEARCH button, besides the petal device engraved in Dutch and Portuguese blades, there is another one with continuous 'elliptical depressions' on the (my) Dutch silver sword blade, which Jasper assumes as being named paternoster.
The amplitude of the paternoster (rosary) covers since lift (elevator) systems
"The name paternoster (Our Father in Latin) was originally used for the device because the elevator was shaped like a loop and therefore similar to the shape of the rosary".

... up to water elevation mechanisms.


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