Could the eyelash mark originate from Vienna ?

[Norman McCormick]

Hi Jens,
Although I perceive that your statement with regard to research has validity I do not think it is particularly apt in a Forum with a varied membership base. Surely a community like this should engage with everybody regardless of their degree of interest. For some this is just a hobby, maybe one of many, and not an academic pursuit. Some may be constrained by time and financial threshholds. For others it may be that they have more than a passing interest in the subject but not necessarily to the point of "obsession". I am not for one minute suggesting that anyone on this Forum is 'obsessive" about their subject/s just that there are varying degrees to which members take an interest from mild and passing to hobbyist zeal and academic pursuit. I personally have had a long and varied interest in arms and armour kindled in the first instance by childhood brushes with 'knights in armour' and tales of Robin Hood but that is just what it is "a varied interest". Indian arms and their roots do have a special interest for me but with some recent aquisitions my fascination has also been rekindled in 18th/19th Century British military swords. I concede that there always has to be someone who takes on the mantle of teacher, investigator and ground breaker in any sphere of 'knowledge seeking' I just don't think that the ability or the will is necessarily part and parcel of everyone who takes part in and enjoys the comradeship of an open Forum. Notwithstanding the aforementioned it is a joy to me, and I'm sure to many, to get questions answered and information supplied by the more expert and knowledgeable members without resorting to acres of text in search of an answer. Some people enjoy and positively revel in 'acres of text', these are the ones who will ultimately produce the facts to substantiate or disprove the theories unfortunately I, along with others I presume, are not able to give the time and commitment that such an undertaking requires but this does not diminish our interest or enjoyment of the subject. I sincerely hope that I have not caused any offence as none is intended.
My Regards,
Norman.