Basket hilt Sword for discussion

Jim McDougall · 10th December 2023, 12:06 PM

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

SwordLover79 · 10th December 2023, 02:29 PM

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.

Jim McDougall · 10th December 2023, 05:22 PM

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!

10th December 2023, 02:29 PM	#2
SwordLover79 Member Join Date: Jun 2022 Location: San Diego Posts: 56	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. Attached Images

10th December 2023, 12:06 PM	#1
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,896	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

10th December 2023, 05:22 PM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,896	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!