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#1 |
Arms Historian
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
Posts: 9,896
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Thank you so much for joining us on this thread Capn! This is a fascinating example of a 'Glasgow' style basket hilt, and the thing about these kinds of examinations is that there is ALWAYS something further.
In this case, the blade, which has the distinctive mark of the crescent or half moon, which is a marking generally held to have been used by the 'espaderos del Rey' in Spain. This was typically used in conjunction with the makers own punzone, much as in the manner of silversmiths having several markings in their work, the hallmark, year and assayers mark. Naturally, the half moon became seen as an indicator of high quality for obvious reasons, so was readily copied spuriously by German smiths, who were well known for also using well known Toledo marks and names. While browsing through 'The Plug Bayonet" by the late R.D.C. Evans, looking through the profusely compiled plates of markings, there they were......in the British bayonet chapter.............TWO of these same almost silhouette half moon marks. Both were 17th c. of course, but unique in being pretty much solid, without 'rostrum' (the lighter inside outline), both to unidentified cutler and rare. What I am wondering is, would it be possible that these blades might have filtered through the British networks that were importing blades out of Germany in the 17th century? In the case of my 'mortuary' which is presumed c. 1640, it also has the Solingen ANDREA FERARA with the half moon on obverse side of blade. In this case, I feel this is most certainly a Hounslow product, but with the 'Glasgow' , a blade, curiously WITHOUT the ANDREA FERARA appears on a Scottish sword. In this paradox, it seems it should have been reversed, as the ANDREA FERARA was of course ubiquitous on basket hilts, but notably less on English swords. The appearance of the half moon on these plug bayonets to an unidentified cutler simply indicates the circulation of imported (or smuggled) Solingen blades for swords, and the apparent use of the same marks by cutlers working at the time. Conundrums indeed, but all part of the joy of traveling virtually into these times hoping to find answers, if not simply perspective. Capn, one more note, the example you have with the incredible blade by Wundes with FOUR (count em) kings heads, is plenty to add!!! On the 'SINCLAIR' , what is most important is the part played by these basket hilt sabers, often with heart shaped piercings which correspond to those on the Glasgow form shields. The 'Sinclair' term was simply taken by Victorian writers to memorialize George Sinclair who was killed in the tragic event in Norway during the Kalmar War. |
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#2 |
Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: NC, U.S.A.
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Thanks for mentioning my basket, Jim. Many of the German-imported blades were completely unmarked, some with just 'Andrea Fererra', some with just the Wundes family king's head markings and some marked with all of the above! I was unaware of the obviously rare crescent moon markings on these. Very intriguing and important to note here for future collectors. Reminds me of the 'fleur de lis' stamps found on English swords from the mid/late 17th c (specifically the dog head/monster head naval types) that threw so many of us until we pinpointed that symbol also existing in British heraldry. The connection with these crescent shapes with German makers makes total sense as most Scottish baskets possessed imported blades-
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#3 |
Arms Historian
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
Posts: 9,896
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In looking further here, I realize that the 'half moon' marking on my 'mortuary' has the 'rostrum' which is the opague outlined area within the moon. As mentioned, this was a key mark to the espaderos del Rey in Spain whuch augmented to makers own punzone.
That it was spuriously applied to blades in Germany to capitalize on the quality factor of Toledo and its masters is well understood. When England brought i German smiths from Holland to spur its own blade making industry, first with Hounslow, later Shotley in the 17th century, it created an interesting conundrum. Just how many blades were actually produced in England in the shops of these enterprises, and how many were 'salted' imports from Solingen, which was where these German smiths were expatriated? The fact that these spurious German renditions of the famed Toledo mark are seen on plug bayonets, as per R,D.C.Evans (2002) suggests that British makers indeed must have applied 'German style' marks to their blades, as per the Hounslow and Shotley situations. What this shows is that in the broader spectrum of these situations in England with blade producing, there was a confluence of both, blades actually produced there, as well as some degree of imports from Germany. Naturally we know that in Shotley, blades were being smuggled in from Rotterdam as Mohl (of Shotley) was arrested while accepting shipment of them. With Hounslow it is less clear, but we know the blades were coming into various entrepots in England, and obviously Scotland. As pointed out by Mark, the variety of blades coming into the cutlers (i.e. sword slippers) in Scotland were from various makers, shops and sources in Solingen, typically filtered through the departure ports in Holland, primarily Rotterdam. With the volume of blades imported, they were of course, collectively from 'Solingen', however this comprised many different shops of various makers, their families, and workers over long periods of time. Keeping this in mind, the often widely varied conventions in markings, names, and other blade augmentations in understandable as found on these swords mounted in England and Scotland. What is most important here, is to illustrate how examination of a sword example here in discussion can bring to light many key facts and clues in the overall study of arms.....very much 'one thing leads to another'. ...and as always, we learn together ![]() |
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#4 |
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Join Date: Jun 2022
Location: San Diego
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Jim et al: here are some photos of a sword that I have owned for many years - one of my favorites. It combines many of the attributes being discussed in this thread in terms of early basket hilt, Sinclair form (tessak/dussage), guard pierced with hearts, and astrological motifs on the blade. This example is 38 1/2 inches in total length. The 32.5 inch single-edged double-fullered blade is 1.625" wide throughout, and 1.9375 inches wide at the hatchet tip which is double edged. The hilt is massive and very comfortable to hold - this sword is well balanced. To give an idea of size, the quillons are 10.75 inches tip to tip. Stars, suns and moons on both sides of the otherwise unmarked blade.
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#5 |
Arms Historian
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
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OMG! This is BREATHTAKING! an exquisite example of these late 16th-early 17thc. heavy battle sabres. These are as noted termed 'tessak' (Czech) or 'dusagge' (German), various spellings of course, and the neologism 'Sinclair saber' firmly emplaced by Victorian writers This was commemorative to Capt George Sinclair, killed in Norway in 1612, where these kinds of swords were in common use.
The motif and symbolism is primarily from Eastern Europe, where ancient cosmological symbols became ingrained in medieval superstition and magic beliefs. From here, these familiar symbols, sun, moon, star (usually the 6 point 'prayer' star) became commonly placed on sword blades to suggest imbued talismanic properties and 'magic'. These conventions diffused through Europe in the 18th century with the popular phenomenon of the colorful and exotic hussar cavalry, where many of the flamboyant sabers carried these symbols and motif which had clearly long existed on these earlier swords. In essence, a mans sword was of course, his protection and barrier between life and death, and with imbued 'magic' properties, in mind at least, each man was wielding 'Excalibur'. The heart shaped piercings were religiously symbolic in the profound Catholic traditions in the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and represent the 'sacred heart' often with mottoes and other features such as the Madonna etc. It is understandable that Scottish Jacobites would adopt such a symbol as the heart as one of the distinctive Jacobite symbols pierced in this manner in the shields of their hilts. The amazing blade is quite likely Styrian, or collectively Bavarian, the widened distal end of the blade is the 'yelman' adopted from the Turkic sabers of the Ottomans. This was primarily to add weight to add impetus to the cut. Thank you so much for sharing this to add perspective to what we are discussing. It is truly a magnificent Sinclair! |
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