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24th June 2008, 08:15 PM
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#1 |
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 2
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Help needed - sword with inscription "Frincia"
Hello,
on my attic I found a very old sword with the inscription "frincia" and a sun, a moon and a star on it. My family thinks it is ottoman, but we are not really sure. Maybe someone of you could tell me more about it. Thanks a lot! Here some pics that might help you: http://service.gmx.net/de/cgi/dfstoo...26f=fullscreen http://service.gmx.net/de/cgi/dfstoo...26f=fullscreen http://service.gmx.net/de/cgi/dfstoo...26f=fullscreen http://service.gmx.net/de/cgi/dfstoo...26f=fullscreen |
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3rd July 2008, 06:50 PM
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#2 | |
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: The Sharp end
Posts: 2,928
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Quote:
Can you insert the images into your post, I cant see them when I click on the links. |
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3rd July 2008, 07:00 PM
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#3 |
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 1,620
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Same here, apparently to see the pictures one needs a gmx account.
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3rd July 2008, 09:09 PM
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#4 |
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 45
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Hello,
I cannot open the images, but I am interested to see the sword. Could you please email me with the pics to email found in my contact info? Best regards, |
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4th July 2008, 05:39 AM
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#5 |
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Arms Historian
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
Posts: 9,943
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The name/term 'fringia' is associated often with the so-called 'sickle' or 'eyelash' marks that are generally held to have been taken from blades from Italy c.15th c. and the terms 'Genoa' and 'ferara' are also found with these marks.
The fringia marking itself seems more associated with 18th century blades that carry the magical/talismanic symbols of sun, moon and star and are typically seen on German and Hungarian trade blades. The Hungarians sometimes termed a type of cavalry sabre in mid 18th c. 'fringia'. It would seem that Solingen quickly would have adopted this term in marking blades. While I cannot comment on this sword, I can say it is certainly not Ottoman (even though there have even been suggestions that the fringia term might be Turkish? ). The blade would likely be one of these trade blades, and when we see the hilt, we might have more on where it may have been mounted. "in the attic" !!!  What else might be lurking in there!!! Nicely done.ref: "Wallace Collection" Sir James Mann, 1962, pp.255,274,361, also cites discussions on 'sickle marks' and this term from "Zeitschrifte fur Historische Waffenkunde" II, 27,151,270 (sure would love to have access to these German Arms Society journals that go back to end of 19th c.!!
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4th July 2008, 06:20 AM
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#6 |
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Arms Historian
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
Posts: 9,943
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Just looked in Wagner, "Cut and Thrust Weapons", 1967:
p.348-349, in plate 32 is a 'FRINGIA' hussar sabre of 18th c. Austria, with the word engraved on one side of blade, a sun and half moon with human faces between two stars. The author offers some interesting speculation on the source for the word, suggesting the Latin word 'frangere' (=to break, smash) but this seems unlikely. Also offered are initials from regal titles, FRedericus (III, Holy Roman Emperor 1415-93) Rex (Hungariae) IN Germania Imperator Augustus. ....but this seems reaching! It is noted that this term and its variations Frindia, Francia occur on 17th and 18th c. blades, used in Poland and Hungary, and even occurs as early as on the sword of King of Poland Stephen Bathory (1532-1586). While nothing conclusive on the origin of the term, it seems clear that it is well established on Hungarian and Polish swords from 16th-18th c. in a number of variants. It would appear this may be an East European version of the Andrea Ferrara mystery!! |
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