Basket-hilted (cage-hilt) sword for discussion

Jim McDougall · 30th August 2024, 01:16 PM

Hi Peter!
WELL and astutely observed, as always!!!
As Keith has determined from the remarkable and well supported research he has done for his book on the Shotley Bridge mysteries of the late 17th century, these 'bushy tail fox' figures seem likely to have begun there.

While it has been generally held that these figures were used by Samuel Harvey of Birmingham c. 1750 (A.D.Darling, 1975) but with his initials SH in the body of the fox to signify the blade as his product, we believe that the mark was appropriated by Harvey, but as noted more proof is of course required. Still this speculation is compelling with the examples of Shotley Bridge blades (so marked) along with the running fox mark, found by Keith.

It seems that the Shotley Bridge enterprise did not end c.1700 as thought, but continued with the Oley family making blades well through the century and rather silently furnishing blades to Birmingham. It was believed that the BTF (bushy tail fox) mark without the SH may have been used by Dawes, also of Birmingham, however this seems now to have been likely to have been a remnant of the Shotley blade enterprise noted.

While the use of the 'fox' seems to have ceased in Shotley around this time mid 18th c. it has been found in records of the so called 'sword scandals' of the 1790s in Birmingham perpetuated by Thomas Gill, that Oley was still a blade provider, despite not being typically noted among British blade makers of these times. These types of clandestine affairs included throughout Keiths book ("Crossed Swords: The Story of the Shotley Bridge Swordmakers")are what make it such a remarkable reference for those who study English sword making.

All best regards
Jim

30th August 2024, 01:16 PM	#8
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,945	Hi Peter! WELL and astutely observed, as always!!! As Keith has determined from the remarkable and well supported research he has done for his book on the Shotley Bridge mysteries of the late 17th century, these 'bushy tail fox' figures seem likely to have begun there. While it has been generally held that these figures were used by Samuel Harvey of Birmingham c. 1750 (A.D.Darling, 1975) but with his initials SH in the body of the fox to signify the blade as his product, we believe that the mark was appropriated by Harvey, but as noted more proof is of course required. Still this speculation is compelling with the examples of Shotley Bridge blades (so marked) along with the running fox mark, found by Keith. It seems that the Shotley Bridge enterprise did not end c.1700 as thought, but continued with the Oley family making blades well through the century and rather silently furnishing blades to Birmingham. It was believed that the BTF (bushy tail fox) mark without the SH may have been used by Dawes, also of Birmingham, however this seems now to have been likely to have been a remnant of the Shotley blade enterprise noted. While the use of the 'fox' seems to have ceased in Shotley around this time mid 18th c. it has been found in records of the so called 'sword scandals' of the 1790s in Birmingham perpetuated by Thomas Gill, that Oley was still a blade provider, despite not being typically noted among British blade makers of these times. These types of clandestine affairs included throughout Keiths book ("Crossed Swords: The Story of the Shotley Bridge Swordmakers")are what make it such a remarkable reference for those who study English sword making. All best regards Jim