My first antique blade, help with ID?

AUhills79 · 25th July 2020, 09:37 PM

Really exciting to find out it's so much older than I thought! Even though it's not in it's original form that's part of it's history and the fact that the blade and inscriptions are probably around 400 years old is fascinating. It only weighs 13 ounces, fits in the right hand perfectly, has a sharp edge, and is super comfortable to handle but it has too much history and too nice of a patina to take it out hunting & camping like I originally planned. I think I will find another antique hunting knife to carry and keep this one preserved as is. Glad I posted on here before I started using it in the woods!

Thanks to your comments I've been googling "Backsword made in Solingen" and found this example with an almost identical double fuller blade. This one was made in the mid 16th century and re-hilted in it's current form in 1620-1640. It's a horseman's backsword with a 38 inch long blade! Mine likely looked very similar originally. (Pictures attached, I think it's ok to post pics and link since it's already been sold)

Source:
https://www.antique-swords.com/H21-1...Backsword.html

Some quick research shows there appears to be little variation in-between the double fullers on backswords made in Solingen during the 16th-17th century's. Maybe the maker's mark on mine will help narrow it down to a more exact date but right now it looks like the earliest it could have been forged is during the mid-16th, latest is mid-late 17th century. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Rick · 26th July 2020, 02:09 AM

Peter, is there any chance you could find out from the seller where he sourced it from?

AUhills79 · 27th July 2020, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rick

Peter, is there any chance you could find out from the seller where he sourced it from?

It's an out of town dealer so I sent an e-mail asking, saying I was working on researching the knife and it's provenance but haven't heard back. Not sure if he is going to reply, I negotiated him down to less than half the asking price when I bought it and now I'm getting back to him asking additional questions so probably not his favorite customer. They specialize in sculpture and art this knife was a pretty random item for them to have I think and definitely outside their area of expertise. I would guess most of their inventory comes from local estates and estate auctions there around Austin, Texas though.

Chances are this blade has been here in the States for some time but will probably never know for certain. Now knowing it's age I'd like to imagine it being carried and used by men throughout the whole development of the America from Colonial days to our Declaration of Independence, adventuring into the wild west and all the way through the Civil War until more modern times.

In all actuality though if the blade was commissioned by the English as seems likely it really could have been here since all the way back in colonial days

Rick · 29th July 2020, 06:02 PM

It could possibly date to the era of The Great Migration which occurred fairly shortly after the success of the Plymouth colony. You are a lucky guy.

midelburgo · 13th August 2020, 06:47 PM

I think you have two inscriptions from two different times/places.

The one with Me fecit Solingen has "E"s that you often find in XVIIth German exports into Spain, imitating a sort of Spanish XVIth c. script. You find many swords attributed to SEBASTIAN HERNANDEZ, with that sort of "E"s.

On the other hand, NEC TEMERE NEC TIMIDI is not a motto that you find in Spanish swords. Its "E"s are more an Italian (standard) type.

Maybe your knife (and possibly some Scottish backswords) could have started life as a double edge blade.

I put Sebastian Hernandez and sword in google, and I got this officers 1728...

25th July 2020, 09:37 PM	#1
AUhills79 Member Join Date: Jul 2020 Location: North Carolina, USA Posts: 8	Really exciting to find out it's so much older than I thought! Even though it's not in it's original form that's part of it's history and the fact that the blade and inscriptions are probably around 400 years old is fascinating. It only weighs 13 ounces, fits in the right hand perfectly, has a sharp edge, and is super comfortable to handle but it has too much history and too nice of a patina to take it out hunting & camping like I originally planned. I think I will find another antique hunting knife to carry and keep this one preserved as is. Glad I posted on here before I started using it in the woods! Thanks to your comments I've been googling "Backsword made in Solingen" and found this example with an almost identical double fuller blade. This one was made in the mid 16th century and re-hilted in it's current form in 1620-1640. It's a horseman's backsword with a 38 inch long blade! Mine likely looked very similar originally. (Pictures attached, I think it's ok to post pics and link since it's already been sold) Source: https://www.antique-swords.com/H21-1...Backsword.html Some quick research shows there appears to be little variation in-between the double fullers on backswords made in Solingen during the 16th-17th century's. Maybe the maker's mark on mine will help narrow it down to a more exact date but right now it looks like the earliest it could have been forged is during the mid-16th, latest is mid-late 17th century. Correct me if I'm wrong. Attached Images

13th August 2020, 06:47 PM	#5
midelburgo Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 264	I think you have two inscriptions from two different times/places. The one with Me fecit Solingen has "E"s that you often find in XVIIth German exports into Spain, imitating a sort of Spanish XVIth c. script. You find many swords attributed to SEBASTIAN HERNANDEZ, with that sort of "E"s. On the other hand, NEC TEMERE NEC TIMIDI is not a motto that you find in Spanish swords. Its "E"s are more an Italian (standard) type. Maybe your knife (and possibly some Scottish backswords) could have started life as a double edge blade. I put Sebastian Hernandez and sword in google, and I got this officers 1728... Attached Images Last edited by midelburgo; 14th August 2020 at 12:25 AM.

26th July 2020, 02:09 AM	#2
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,339	Peter, is there any chance you could find out from the seller where he sourced it from?

29th July 2020, 06:02 PM	#4
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,339	It could possibly date to the era of The Great Migration which occurred fairly shortly after the success of the Plymouth colony. You are a lucky guy.