Swiss saber with inscription "ANNA" (?)

[Gonzoadler]

Hello,

I recently purchased this saber. My guess is, that it was made in Switzerland around 1700. Is that correct in your eyes or is another region of production and/or time more plausible?
Also there is an inscription on both sides of the blade I read as "ANNA". What is the meanig of that? Is it a makers mark?

Total length: 925 mm
Blade length: 780 mm

Regards
Robin

[ulfberth]

Hi Robin,
the word ANNA is not a makers mark , in the cristian context it means " favorite " or refers to Marie the Holly Mother.
The Romans named a year cycle ANNA , like we still use the word ANNO.
It is found every now and then mostly on 16th century blades, and i think your blade is 16th C the hilt around 1700, nothing wrong with that this is clearly mounted with an older blade during or at start of its working life.
I never saw a number following after the word ANNA as we do see it after the word ANNO.
In this case its refering to Marie and - or " the favorite" , in the same way as we find "MARIA" and "IESVS" on swords blades in the 16th and 17th c,
kind regards
Ulfberth

[Gonzoadler]

@ulfberth
Thank you very much for this interesting information!

Kind Regards
Robin

[Jim McDougall]

As always, Ulfberth's insights are treasure in the understanding of these weapons! While I had understood 'ANNO' (in the year of) as indicating a particular year for whatever reason on a blade, this independent use using ANNA seemed unusual.

I wanted to learn more on this sword, so spent some time researching and found the following.

The sword as a type, is shown in Ewart Oakeshott's "European Weapons and Armor" (1980, p.132, L) as a Swiss bastard sword 1650-1700. It appears that these type hilts and using these lion head pommels were in use in the 17th century there, and were popular elsewhere as well in Northern Europe.
On p.135 it is noted these hilts commonly on 'tuck' broadswords in late 16th century in S. Germany often had falchion blades mounted.

Here I would venture to the Swiss canton of Glarus, where a long heritage of mercenary forces was centered, and also with a long history of religious friction existed from times of the Reformation in Switzerland.
While it is tempting to connect the apparent 'field application' of ANNA added to the blade representing St. Anna, who was the mother of Mary Magdalene, the Holy Mother (Anna= in Hebrew means favored, as noted). ......there may be other possibilities.

The mounting of earlier blades on later hilts and vice versa is not uncommon in the working life of swords, which often covers generations. This would seem very likely in regions like this with long heritage in mercenary activity.
Also, in these times, the formation of 'town guard' units was standard practice throughout Europe, and use of often 'repurposed and obsolete' arms remained in use.

In the canton of Glarus, there was a popular folk figure named ANNA Goldi, who was executed in 1782 for suspiciously contrived charges of witchcraft (she was exonerated in 2008) and we might wonder if perhaps there might have been factions or groups in these Swiss regions which might have held her in patriotic esteem.
Obviously an alternate theory, in evaluating the forensics in the study of historic weapons, all options must be considered, so I wanted to present these things from research thus far.

Whatever the case, it appears this hilt form is from the mid 17th century and clearly remained in use into the 18th probably in refurbished examples like this. As noted, the blade and hilt are not homogenous, but together in the well known practice of continued use of older weapons and components in local militia type groups as well as other politically and religiously oriented factions over generations.

Fascinating example with potential for intriguing history!

[urbanspaceman]

Well done Jim.
Is it mentioned that the blade was probably from Solingen?

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by urbanspaceman

Well done Jim.
Is it mentioned that the blade was probably from Solingen?

thank you Keith!
Not sure if it is Solingen and seems unusual to be unfullered and what seems elliptical in section. Cannot tell if other characters etc were among the well worn 'ANNA' but it is possible, as this might be a spurious attempt at 'ANNO' as with alluding to the markings on 'quality' blades. As noted, there are various possibilities. All part of the intrigue

[urbanspaceman]

Originally Posted by ulfberth

Hi Robin,
the word ANNA is not a makers mark , in the cristian context it means " favorite " or refers to Marie the Holly Mother.
The Romans named a year cycle ANNA , like we still use the word ANNO.
It is found every now and then mostly on 16th century blades, and i think your blade is 16th C the hilt around 1700, nothing wrong with that this is clearly mounted with an older blade during or at start of its working life.
I never saw a number following after the word ANNA as we do see it after the word ANNO.
In this case its refering to Marie and - or " the favorite" , in the same way as we find "MARIA" and "IESVS" on swords blades in the 16th and 17th c,
kind regards
Ulfberth

Thank-you for that information, which is all new to me.
Did you notice that there are the remains of additional lettering above the ANNA on one side.
Any clue as to what they might be.

[urbanspaceman]

Just a note: I love this sword.

[ulfberth]

Thanks Jim !
@ Urbanspaceman , in fact ANNA is two times on the blade if you look closely , inverted to each other. The lines you see before ANNA are not rests of any engravings these are forging lines the structure in the steel that has become visible.
kind regards
Ulberth

[ulfberth]

here is the double (inverted) ANNA

[urbanspaceman]

Thank-you Ulfberth.

[Jim McDougall]

Without looking further for examples, it seems the opposed dual application of names etc. was a convention often seen on Italian blades late 16th through 17th c. While obviously crudely inscribed by someone not necessarily skilled, and copying loosely this often seen manner, perhaps this Italian oriented convention was in mind.
Again, simply a hypothetical option toward possible scenarios.

The opposed configuration brings to mind the familiar 'sickle' marks typically attributed to Genoan origin, which are opposed dentated arcs.

[midelburgo]

Many Spanish knifes from XVIII and XIX centuries have grips made with two brass conus.
I have a walloon hilt saber with that sort of grip, as the one analyzed in this thread.
As there were two regiments of Swiss guards in continuous Spanish service, I wonder if this sort of grip could be related to those troops.

[Radboud]

A lovely sword.

Looking at the parallel lines to the left of the ANNA mark, those look to be the remains of a Passau Wolf mark.

[ulfberth]

Originally Posted by Radboud

A lovely sword.

Looking at the parallel lines to the left of the ANNA mark, those look to be the remains of a Passau Wolf mark.

They look a bit like the passau wolf , but they are merely forging lines.

[ulfberth]

these are the same type of lines as you can see on the front brach of the guard.
On the blade they are visible on the back and front in the beginning of the blade.
This type of Swiss sabre with brass parts is generaly considered between 1700 and 1750, the older ones of this type between 1650 and 1700 did not have brass guard plates but steel and later the brass became the fashion.