The "Bushy Tailed Fox" story

Jim McDougall · 3rd September 2024, 06:52 PM

Absolutely brilliant Keith, and this is perfect forensic presentation of the mystery of this marking!
I have to admit that in my early days of collecting, back in the early 70s, i specialized (?) in British military swords and became aware of the Hounslow enterprise. Later when I learned of Shotley it was hard for me to truly understand the differences, mostly as there was hardly much on these other than cursory notes in some references.

It was not until the 80s when more research revealed some obscure titles which took forever to find and get copies of. Those were the days before computers so interlibrary loan and reference librarians were the only resources, and these efforts took months or longer to achieve.

In those days, always interested in blade markings, I had been trying to learn more on the 'Passau' wolf, or running wolf as it became collectively known.
Over the years I discovered that this ubiquitous mark was used more prolifically in Solingen, where it was seen more as a quality oriented device. I believed the mark had deeper symbolism as it was placed in so many variations that it could not have been distinctly qualified as a spurious use of a makers mark etc.

Wagner (1967) showed a plate of these variations with each example with date(period) shown as if it were a chronologically developed form. This was NOT the case, and these dates were simply assumed by the exemplars on blades they were seen on.
Clearly the application depended on the skill or whim of the worker putting the mark in the blade.

According to Wagner, the 'wolf' had been added to the blades going to Passau for the forces of Leopold, in the manner of 'branding' Solingen was so well known for in their blades to certain clientele.

Whatever the case, it seems use of the wolf was diminished by the end of the 17th century, and ceased entirely in Solingen by early in the 18th.
This brings the case of Samuel Harvey, whose mark (I thought was just a copy of the running wolf) in the mid 18th c. and thinking he was just using it as a taunt to the Solingen blades ever permeating the commerce to cutlers in England.

It NEVER dawned on me it was a FOX! boink! I was a worse detective than Clouseau!!

Not until I met Keith, some years ago, did I realize...this was a FOX!!!

Then came the theories that perhaps this was perhaps a tongue in cheek use of the English fox to supplant the German wolf .....sounded good

To add to the insult or taunt, I thought Harvey must have emblazoned his initials in the fox accordingly.....in a 'so there' kind of attitude.

More research that ensued, as I was caught up in the fever pitch intensity of Keith's, revealed that Hounslow, while staffed with German makers in the 1630s...was still 'salting' their stock with covertly supplied Solingen blades.
While the Hounslow makers often marked their names on the blades (a practice NEVER used by English makers, Aylward, 1945), there were still many with the distinctive Hounslow hilts, but running wolf marked blades. I have a Hounslow hanger with only a latten running wolf, no name.
Also a mortuary with ANDREA FERARA blade, attributed to Hounslow c1642.. (featured in Bezdek).
While typically regarded as solely Scottish blades, this shows that these spuriously marked Solingen blades went into England, via Hounslow, as noted.

The Hounslow enterprise virtually disintegrated with Cromwell's take over.

It was not until the next phase of English sword making enterprise using German makers began in 1685, as Keith describes, that the intrigue and complex machinations continued. With the ever complicated issues involving the Jacobites that evolved into the familiar campaigns and uprisings, it can be seen how this well disguised enterprise evolved and carried forward with more intrigue than a BOND movie!
Only the super sleuthing of Keith could finally capture all of this, and in addition, actually FIND examples of the swords that entirely support his theories and compelling evidence.

That the BTF (bushy tail fox was totally misunderstood, (I was clearly not alone!) is exemplified by a caption in a reference (I have yet to relocate) where the SHOTLEY mark was accompanied by what was noted as a 'running horse'(?). It was the BTF.
Another reference (Gardner) shows one as from Austria mid 18th c.(revealing the caveat toward these references).

While these mysteries have remained so for generations, it is this work that had finally brought the cold case to light.
I for one am ever grateful for this, and anxious to continue, there is still more to learn.

I hope others will find this intriguing as well and join in here.

3rd September 2024, 06:52 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,898	Absolutely brilliant Keith, and this is perfect forensic presentation of the mystery of this marking! I have to admit that in my early days of collecting, back in the early 70s, i specialized (?) in British military swords and became aware of the Hounslow enterprise. Later when I learned of Shotley it was hard for me to truly understand the differences, mostly as there was hardly much on these other than cursory notes in some references. It was not until the 80s when more research revealed some obscure titles which took forever to find and get copies of. Those were the days before computers so interlibrary loan and reference librarians were the only resources, and these efforts took months or longer to achieve. In those days, always interested in blade markings, I had been trying to learn more on the 'Passau' wolf, or running wolf as it became collectively known. Over the years I discovered that this ubiquitous mark was used more prolifically in Solingen, where it was seen more as a quality oriented device. I believed the mark had deeper symbolism as it was placed in so many variations that it could not have been distinctly qualified as a spurious use of a makers mark etc. Wagner (1967) showed a plate of these variations with each example with date(period) shown as if it were a chronologically developed form. This was NOT the case, and these dates were simply assumed by the exemplars on blades they were seen on. Clearly the application depended on the skill or whim of the worker putting the mark in the blade. According to Wagner, the 'wolf' had been added to the blades going to Passau for the forces of Leopold, in the manner of 'branding' Solingen was so well known for in their blades to certain clientele. Whatever the case, it seems use of the wolf was diminished by the end of the 17th century, and ceased entirely in Solingen by early in the 18th. This brings the case of Samuel Harvey, whose mark (I thought was just a copy of the running wolf) in the mid 18th c. and thinking he was just using it as a taunt to the Solingen blades ever permeating the commerce to cutlers in England. It NEVER dawned on me it was a FOX! boink! I was a worse detective than Clouseau!! Not until I met Keith, some years ago, did I realize...this was a FOX!!! Then came the theories that perhaps this was perhaps a tongue in cheek use of the English fox to supplant the German wolf .....sounded good To add to the insult or taunt, I thought Harvey must have emblazoned his initials in the fox accordingly.....in a 'so there' kind of attitude. More research that ensued, as I was caught up in the fever pitch intensity of Keith's, revealed that Hounslow, while staffed with German makers in the 1630s...was still 'salting' their stock with covertly supplied Solingen blades. While the Hounslow makers often marked their names on the blades (a practice NEVER used by English makers, Aylward, 1945), there were still many with the distinctive Hounslow hilts, but running wolf marked blades. I have a Hounslow hanger with only a latten running wolf, no name. Also a mortuary with ANDREA FERARA blade, attributed to Hounslow c1642.. (featured in Bezdek). While typically regarded as solely Scottish blades, this shows that these spuriously marked Solingen blades went into England, via Hounslow, as noted. The Hounslow enterprise virtually disintegrated with Cromwell's take over. It was not until the next phase of English sword making enterprise using German makers began in 1685, as Keith describes, that the intrigue and complex machinations continued. With the ever complicated issues involving the Jacobites that evolved into the familiar campaigns and uprisings, it can be seen how this well disguised enterprise evolved and carried forward with more intrigue than a BOND movie! Only the super sleuthing of Keith could finally capture all of this, and in addition, actually FIND examples of the swords that entirely support his theories and compelling evidence. That the BTF (bushy tail fox was totally misunderstood, (I was clearly not alone!) is exemplified by a caption in a reference (I have yet to relocate) where the SHOTLEY mark was accompanied by what was noted as a 'running horse'(?). It was the BTF. Another reference (Gardner) shows one as from Austria mid 18th c.(revealing the caveat toward these references). While these mysteries have remained so for generations, it is this work that had finally brought the cold case to light. I for one am ever grateful for this, and anxious to continue, there is still more to learn. I hope others will find this intriguing as well and join in here.