CC, you have asked the very question that has been puzzling me for these past years. If you remember in a previous thread, I mentioned that my M1804 has block letter GR under crown, but not like the spurious mark of the S&K German swords, as shown in Gilkerson. The GR on mine near exact to the m1814 Brit cutlass with block letter GR. I further mentioned an early cast iron ribbed grip cutlass with straight blade and sheet guard with a very worn VR under crown marking. This sword's mark is so worn that only a slight portion of the V visible, leading me to wonder if it were a later (and weaker) stamp of a sword put back into service in its working life. You have asked that fundamental question that I've hoped others might be able to answer, as I have only guesses. I remembered reading of the destruction of many of the older models in the Tower fire and likewise suspected that some of the existing earlier models might have been issued to naval ships. As this would have been after the Age of Fighting Sail, they would have more or less been for emergency use and just sat in a rack, awaiting the need. So many questions remain, even if we can determine that the marks aren't spurious, which they still might be (notice I said spurious and not fake! S&K marked thier swords to inspire buyers that theirs was a mark of quality. Were there other makers at the time perhaps doing the same with similar marks? VR marks? Were these reused in the Royal Navy? As surplus on merchants? As exports? Certainly, British swords were being shipped out to India, Africa, etc, at the time. Until someone can document the markings that appeared on Kirshbaum swords with clarity, we can't even rule them out as the producers of said swords. Anyway, just my two cents. Hopefully, someone else might come in on this one? Anybody?
|