hello jim,
Thank you for your response to my post. I'll try to give you or anyone else interested some more information about the two Shiavonas.
The first Shiavona is certainly something special, as I've rarely seen it in this form. I think it was made for an officer, and the hilt end was also custom-made.
The blade probably comes from an Austrian saber, although the dating suggests that the blade is probably older than the hilt. According to the well-known overview of hilt shapes for Shiavona swords, this sword is around the eighth pattern, which is dated 1780-1797...
But all in all, it is certainly an exceptional sword, and it would certainly be interesting to learn something about its original owner and his history.
The second sword is also unusual because it has a flamed blade, as you've already noticed.
The blade is signed on one side with "Francisco" and on the other side with "En Toledo."
It was supposed to imitate a Spanish blade made by Francisco in Toledo. However, the engraved running wolves, which are engraved opposite to the direction of the writing, suggest something else. To me, they indicate that it is a Solingen blade made in the mid-17th century.
It is certainly unusual in this composition, as such a flamed blade would not have had particularly good properties for a sword thrust.
I hope I have contributed a little to the discussion. If anyone has further information about this, I would be very grateful.
|