Italian Storta

[Victrix]

I found a storta with an identical hilt in “Ubojite Ostrice” (Gornja Stubica 2003) by Mario Kovac. This sword is described as an Italian Storta dated to late 16thC. It seems shorter with overall length stated at 76cm.

The author mentions that Stortas are Italian short sabres with wide blades and chunky appearance which were widespread in use 16-17thC in Italy mostly of Venetian provenance. It was a weapon for combat at close range, especially useful during boarding from one ship to another with constrained space. The swords are usually robust and minimum elegance. The swords were probably also used by city guards in areas controlled by the Venetian Republic. Stortas differ from falchions in that the former have a false edge near the tip. (this is based on translation using Google)

[fernando]

Very nice example. No idea what the name stamped on the blade is ?

[Victrix]

I scratched my head to understand the meaning of the smith’s mark stamped on one side of the blade. It dawned on me that blade smiths in 16thC often had poor literacy. It seems to me that the letters are in reverse order (read from right to left) and the letter S has mistakenly been confused with the letter G (quite similar but with the lower loop closed). The text between the stars on the smith’s mark then reads G E N D O V A or GENOA in today’s standardised spelling.

In “Fringia Die endlose Geschichte einer Klingeninschrift” by Friedrich Jäger (2013) he mentions multiple Genoa marks spelled as GENOVA, GENEVA, GENEVE, etc.

[fernando]

Great .

[Interested Party]

Originally Posted by Victrix

The author mentions that Stortas are Italian short sabres with wide blades and chunky appearance which were widespread in use 16-17thC in Italy mostly of Venetian provenance...... Stortas differ from falchions in that the former have a false edge near the tip. (this is based on translation using Google)

My understanding is that falchions are very sharp with a thin cross section at the edge to be able to slice through gaberdine. Is this the case with Stortas as well?

[fernando]

I guess Jasper would an ideal person to comment on Victrix's example and stortas in general .

[Victrix]

Sword #47 in the picture above is a falchion. The author Mario Kovac writes that in German this sword is called malchus. He writes that the purpose of the swords were different so they are built differently. He says the main distinguishing feature of the Storta is that this single bladed sword loses its spine near the tip where it forms a false edge like a sabre. The falchion is also single bladed but has a clipped tip. In “A Guide to the Arms and Armour Collection in Cesta Castle, San Marino” (1969) G. Giorgetti allegedly claims falchions were typical weapons of the guard of the Holy Inquisition but the author questions this. [I hope I got this right as I used Google Translate]

My sword, which is a Storta, has a fairly thick spine so I think it’s meant for some quite heavy cutting in close combat. The blade is wider than my 17-18thC hussar sabres. What’s interesting with this blade is it’s wider near the hilt for strength with a step decrease after a quarter of its length and then the spine disappears in the final 19cm into a false edge like a sabre.

[Jim McDougall]

Italian arms makers and armourers were known for their innovation and styling, and highly influenced arms not only throughout Europe, but in many cultural spheres through trade. It is interesting to see the guard system on this which corresponds to Arab sabres (known as 'nimchas') as well as vestigially in the Sinhalese kastane.
Also as you note the pommel which remarkably resembles those on schiavona with the central boss.

This is an amazing example of the storta, and as noted, it was meant for heavy blows in close quarters,. the marking on the blade too is remarkable. I have always understood that GENOA was often on blades regardless of what city or center had produced it as this was the port where they departed into trade networks.

Excellent example Victrix! and really exciting to see.

[Victrix]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Italian arms makers and armourers were known for their innovation and styling, and highly influenced arms not only throughout Europe, but in many cultural spheres through trade. It is interesting to see the guard system on this which corresponds to Arab sabres (known as 'nimchas') as well as vestigially in the Sinhalese kastane.
Also note the pommel which remarkably resembles those on schiavona with the central boss.

This is an amazing example of the storta, and as noted, it was meant for heavy blows in close quarters,. the marking on the blade too is remarkable. I have always understood that GENOA was often on blades regardless of what city or center had produced it as this was the port where they departed into trade networks.

Excellent example Victrix! and really exciting to see.

Thank you for your kind words, Jim.

Interesting to read about the influence of Italian arms in the Middle East and Ceylon. It seems the influence went both ways. I attach a couple more photos of the top end of the blade near the hilt which is decorated on both sides with lines and [full] moons with stars. There’s also what appears to be a shooting star or perhaps it’s a star with a new moon. This looks oriental to my eyes and Venetians did a lot of trade with the Ottomans and so probably got some cultural influences from there in the process. I think the Ottomans and Persians were also big believers in Astrology. The blade is sharp.

[Reventlov]

Originally Posted by Victrix

There’s also what appears to be a shooting star or perhaps it’s a star with a new moon. This looks oriental to my eyes and Venetians did a lot of trade with the Ottomans and so probably got some cultural influences from there in the process.

The shooting star is, I think, an elaborated variant of the engraved ornament appearing on the ricasso of many type XIX blades. Many of these are Italian (or Italianate), and the ornament first appears in the 14th century. If it was in any way inspired from a non-European style, the transmission occurred very early.

Usually the final detail is simply a point, or small circle, not a star. I can at least share a 16th-century illustration from Spain of buenas espadas antiguas, showing the "shooting star" style.

Thanks for sharing your handsome storta!

Best,

Mark

[Victrix]

Originally Posted by Reventlov

The shooting star is, I think, an elaborated variant of the engraved ornament appearing on the ricasso of many type XIX blades. Many of these are Italian (or Italianate), and the ornament first appears in the 14th century. If it was in any way inspired from a non-European style, the transmission occurred very early.

Usually the final detail is simply a point, or small circle, not a star. I can at least share a 16th-century illustration from Spain of buenas espadas antiguas, showing the "shooting star" style.

Thanks for sharing your handsome storta!

Best,

Mark

Mark, many thanks for sharing that information. I think it puts the decorations on the Storta in context. I assumed the symbols were oriental influence but look to have been used in Italy for centuries before the sword was made.

[Jim McDougall]

Thank you for adding the additional marking note, which is celestial in nature, a moon and star. These kinds of marking were well known on very early Italian swords, and I believe I recall one on the hilt of an Italian sword of this period.

The use of celestial markings on blades by makers or sometimes perhaps as a form of imbuement goes back well into antiquity, and of course there are distinct associations with astrology. While astrology was indeed popularized in Eastern context, it is not necessarily isolated to their use.

Because of the use of the moon and star(s) by the Ottomans, it is often assumed that these symbols indicate that context is specific to them.
Actually these celestial symbols were well known throughout Europe independent of that influence. For example, the Szekely of early Hungarian ancestry were known to have used the celestial theme in their symbology.

I do not have "Armi Bianchi Italiene" (1975) handy at the moment, but I feel certain similar markings are among the detail on Italian markings.
The moon and stars symbols, became well known in Germany as they adopted many markings and inscriptions etc. for their blades and sometimes makers markings.
This does not apply to this storta as it is clearly Italian, and again, IMO a superb example.

Interestingly, the attribution of moon and star markings as 'Turkish' is an often occurring trope in the west is seen in an article in "Man at Arms" magazine (" Revolutionary War Swords with Crescent and Star Blades"). A number of swords with markings comprised of these symbols are described as 'Turkish', when in fact these are actually German blades, and variations of these celestial elements.
In Kinman (2015, p.133) this exact marking is seen deeply punched on blades of two German broadswords c. 1530, so the early Italian source for the German markings is suggested.

* Mark, just saw your post as I entered this, very well noted! It is worthy of note that Italian observance of celestial phenomenon gave us the Tarot cards with their notable use of these kinds of depictions.

[Radboud]

That's a great-looking sword Victrix!

[Victrix]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Thank you for adding the additional marking note, which is celestial in nature, a moon and star. These kinds of marking were well known on very early Italian swords, and I believe I recall one on the hilt of an Italian sword of this period.

The use of celestial markings on blades by makers or sometimes perhaps as a form of imbuement goes back well into antiquity, and of course there are distinct associations with astrology. While astrology was indeed popularized in Eastern context, it is not necessarily isolated to their use.

Because of the use of the moon and star(s) by the Ottomans, it is often assumed that these symbols indicate that context is specific to them.
Actually these celestial symbols were well known throughout Europe independent of that influence. For example, the Szekely of early Hungarian ancestry were known to have used the celestial theme in their symbology.

I do not have "Armi Bianchi Italiene" (1975) handy at the moment, but I feel certain similar markings are among the detail on Italian markings.
The moon and stars symbols, became well known in Germany as they adopted many markings and inscriptions etc. for their blades and sometimes makers markings.
This does not apply to this storta as it is clearly Italian, and again, IMO a superb example.

Interestingly, the attribution of moon and star markings as 'Turkish' is an often occurring trope in the west is seen in an article in "Man at Arms" magazine (" Revolutionary War Swords with Crescent and Star Blades"). A number of swords with markings comprised of these symbols are described as 'Turkish', when in fact these are actually German blades, and variations of these celestial elements.
In Kinman (2015, p.133) this exact marking is seen deeply punched on blades of two German broadswords c. 1530, so the early Italian source for the German markings is suggested.

* Mark, just saw your post as I entered this, very well noted! It is worthy of note that Italian observance of celestial phenomenon gave us the Tarot cards with their notable use of these kinds of depictions.

Yes, point taken Jim! Thank you for sharing your encyclopedic knowledge on swords.

[Akanthus]

Originally Posted by Victrix

Sword #47 in the picture above is a falchion. The author Mario Kovac writes that in German this sword is called malchus. He writes that the purpose of the swords were different so they are built differently. He says the main distinguishing feature of the Storta is that this single bladed sword loses its spine near the tip where it forms a false edge like a sabre. The falchion is also single bladed but has a clipped tip. In “A Guide to the Arms and Armour Collection in Cesta Castle, San Marino” (1969) G. Giorgetti allegedly claims falchions were typical weapons of the guard of the Holy Inquisition but the author questions this. [I hope I got this right as I used Google Translate]

My sword, which is a Storta, has a fairly thick spine so I think it’s meant for some quite heavy cutting in close combat. The blade is wider than my 17-18thC hussar sabres. What’s interesting with this blade is it’s wider near the hilt for strength with a step decrease after a quarter of its length and then the spine disappears in the final 19cm into a false edge like a sabre.

Only mentioned in passing : Thr German name "Malchus" for this kind of swords refers on one of the soldiers,who were sent to arrest Jesus Christ in the garden of Getsemani.To defend his lord ,Simon Petrus cuts off the right ear of the soldier Malchus with his sword.Jesus healed the wound .
( Joh.18,10 ; Lk.22,50 )

[Victrix]

Originally Posted by Akanthus

Only mentioned in passing : Thr German name "Malchus" for this kind of swords refers on one of the soldiers,who were sent to arrest Jesus Christ in the garden of Getsemani.To defend his lord ,Simon Petrus cuts off the right ear of the soldier Malchus with his sword.Jesus healed the wound .
( Joh.18,10 ; Lk.22,50 )

Interesting. I remember the story.