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Old 21st September 2022, 07:56 PM   #2
Jim McDougall
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
Posts: 10,194
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Well, this is really a puzzler!
Going through all the standard references; Wallace Coll., Lenciewicz, Gyngell, Gardner, Kinman there is no record of a 'tree' like this........only in Kinman (p.110) BUT that is a Heinrich Boeker (Boker) of Solingen from 1829 onward...obviously having nothing to do with this sword.

I thought perhaps the Boecker might have earlier family who might have earlier beginnings in Solingen , but so far nothing there either.

I will say that the entire configuration of markings on this blade seem contrary to the usual patterns of Solingen markings. The 'running wolf' is typically upside down in accord with other markings on the blade (as with the Me Fecit and Sahagum). The wolf is not normally with a punzone, usually it is only flanked with numbers or letters in a phrase etc.
It is unusual to the the SAHAGUM doubled .

However, that is not to say there is anything suspect, but that this blade seems to have been marked by someone outside the normal workers who would carry out these blade inscriptions etc.

As this 'mortuary' is from the period in England when swords were produced in Hounslow, then in Oxford as well, possibly German 'type' markings were added to a blade. In these times Benjamin Stone if I recall, used a marking of grapes or a grape vine. Perhaps further research on this line might give a possible answer. and maybe this is a grape vine? The only conflict would be , Stone petitioned the Cutlers company complaining of the spurious use of Spanish or other marks on English blades in 1638....so is this outside that potential?
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