Transitional Rapier/Smallsword with massive Hilt

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

The inscription looks like it is in French, and seems to be the name of a maker but a Solingen blade. Latter 18th century.

Like in post #7 ?

[TimW]

The back side says:

De la manufacture de la marque au ROISIN??? à Solingen = Of the manufacture of the brand ROISIN??? in Solingen

The other side seems to be referring to the owner, not the maker. In my opinion it states:

Marchand = dealer
Fournisseur ... = dealer / seller of materials

[Emanuel]

Hello,
Lovely sword

I see:

De la
Manufacture
De la Marque
au Raisin
a Solingen

"au raisin" with grapes, hence the etched image of grapes below.

and

Lepelon
Marchand
Fournisseur
Rue
Des Carmes
au Coin
De La Rue
De Lemoine
A Rouen

"Lepelon, merchant-dealer, Des Carnes Street, at the corner of De Lemoine Street, in Rouen"

A quick google on Lepelon brings up a court document from Juin 16, 1827 on a merchant named Lepelon in Rouen going bankrupt.

I can translate the relevant passage if anyone is interested.

You can therefore trace the sword to the street Des Carmes in Rouen:
http://maps.google.co.in/maps?hl=en&...ed=0CC8Q8gEwAA

But no sign of Lemoine Street. It might have changed names at some pint in the last 180 years, but the name makes sense considering the nearby cathedral and all the streets named after saints.

Here is an similar one with identical inscriptions from an old auction, lot 398: http://www.thomasdelmar.com/Catalogu...12/page14.html

A bit of google search on Solingen blades marked with grapes brings up a number of documents concerning Solingen swordsmiths working for the London Cutlers' Company
See:
http://books.google.co.in/books?id=n...grapes&f=false
and
http://books.google.co.in/books?id=u...grapes&f=false

Some more research on French sites suggests that blades manufactured by miscellaneous small cutlers in Solingen were marketed and sold in bulk under common marks, such as the graves, and engraved with the name of the dealer than placed the orders for them.

Regards,
Emanuel

[Andreas]

[QUOTE=Emanuel]
Lepelon
Marchand
Fournisseur
Rue
Des Carnes
au Coin
De La Rue
De Lemoine
A Rouen

Hello,
Just a small correction, not fournisseur but fourbisseur = furbisher.
Regards
Andreas

[kronckew]

at a guess 'rue des carnes' (meat street) is where the boucheries would have been. in the inscription tho, it looks more like 'carmes'

there is a rue lemoine near the jardin des plantes in rouen, south of the river.

however there is also a 'rue des carmes' north of the river they do not now intersect.

[Emanuel]

Actually, it's short for "l'Ordre des Carmes" or the Order of Carmelites.

[kronckew]

i've amended my post my french is rudementary my german is a lot better tho.

rouen used to be part of england tho, until the french renigged on their deal with henry V after agincourt that he become king of france as well as england, and stole it back. richard plantagenet (aka 'the lionheart') used it as his capital. i gather he never actually spent much time in the british isles. he only spoke french in any case.

newsflash:

they just announced that richard iii, the last plantagenet king of england has been located hiding under a car park in leicester. henry tudor was not available for comment. as there is no statute of limitations in the UK, the crown prosecution service is still considering charges against richard for the murders of edward v and his brother richard, whose skeletal remains were discovered in the tower a few years back.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Emanuel

..."au raisin" with grapes, hence the etched image of grapes below...

Good shot

Originally Posted by Emanuel

Lepelon
Marchand
Fournisseur

Pas fourbisseur ? (sword trader)

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Emanuel

...Here is an similar one with identical inscriptions from an old auction, lot 398: http://www.thomasdelmar.com/Catalogu...12/page14.html ...

Funny; i thought it was the same one

[GIO]

I agree, it is the same sword

[Jim McDougall]

WOW! Emanuel, beautifully done!!!
It is fantastic to see this kind of comprehensive research, observation and detail focused on all the forensics of a weapon, along with outstanding entries and discourse with others, who have responded very much in kind.
This is what this forum is all about!!!
I have honestly learned a great deal from these entries, and am most grateful to Templar for having posted this amazing example. It would seem that despite not having interest in rapiers and smallswords to collect, his acumen in recognizing significant importance in this example is resoundingly astute.

Thank you all gentlemen....absolutely textbook!

[Emanuel]

Yup it's fourbisseur, with what looks like the old spelling "fourbyseur" though.
My mind went ahead of me, I was sure I saw "fournisseur" with an old style "S".

So Lepelon placed the order for the "generic" Solingen blades, and mounted them in Rouen.

Didn't realize it was the same sword, didn't look too closely beyond the overall type and inscription. Similar swords with the identical inscriptions have popped up on other sites and fora.

Emanuel

[fernando]

Originally Posted by TimW

The back side says:

Marchand = dealer

marchand nm (commerçant) merchant, trader, seller n

Originally Posted by TimW

Fournisseur ... = dealer / seller of materials

fourbisseur /fuʁ.bi.sœʁ/ masculin
1.(Rare) Personne dont la tâche est de fourbir, de monter ou de réparer des armes blanches pour les rendre plus brillantes.
furbisher / fuʁ.bi.sœʁ / male
1. (Rare) a person whose job is to polish, edit or repair swords to make them brighter.