The Shotley Bridge Factor
Hi Keith,
Glad you're in, as the northern English regions are not only a key factor in the production and development of the basket hilt, but the Border Reivers were keenly a part of the diffusion and use of these distinct swords. While the original 'CLOSE' hilts, that is developed hand guards made up of bars and plates/shields were in use in England as early as late 16th c.....it is primarily the evolution of the HIGHLAND forms we are focused on at this point.
I have added your fine example of what is regarded as the 'conventional' or 'traditional' form of Highland hilt, which is known as the GLASGOW style of hilt. It has been held (Whitelaw, 1934) that John Simpson, a Glasgow hammerman who was working 1683, becoming master in 1692, was the originator of what is now recognized as the 'Glasgow' form hilt.
These hilts with the bars holding shields forming the 'basket' became distinctively recognized by the pierced shields which had the designs with various shapes of hearts, circles and other forms in characteristic formations. There are other features which we will discuss later.
John Jr. his son was working by 1711.
There were two journeymen, JOHN ALLEN(1702) and James Allen (1706).
What is important here is that John Allen went to STIRLING by 1714, and here evolved the second form of Scottish basket hilts.
These were distinguished primarily from their notable departure from the conventional pierced plates, and into more elaborately designed elements of the basket structure. These often incorporated not only artistic designs, but many features including Jacobite symbolism.
John had two sons, Walter and John who later worked in Stirling as well.
Most notable about these men is that they developed a unique way of signing their hilts, which was how Whitelaw identified and was able to categorize these hilts basic forms.
With this, we can see that the GLASGOW form hilt must have evolved around the 1680s with John Simpson. It is notable that he and the others listed seem to have been the only slippers who signed their work (initials) aside from one or two other cases.
So with Keiths sword, the 'Glasgow' hilt seems likely mid to late 1690s possibly later into early years of 1700s.
My question/theory? is, could John Simpson Sr. have developed the guard system while he working toward his mastership in 1680s? Using the known elements from the long extant 'ribbon or beaknose' hilt with wide curving bars and the variously structured bars of earlier English forms circulating, perhaps he created the use of consistently placed shields. He then may have embellished these with the piercings which became rather a trademark style.
I would note here that the otherwise 'standard' Glasgow hilts which factor in the S shape element (as in Normans example posted earlier), seem to have been a likely variant used by other hammermen in Glasgow regions in the period from turn of century into early 18th.
Another important development here with the Glasgow hilt, as seen with Keiths example, is the notably extended 'wrist guard' (backward) which as per Whitelaw was added in latter years of 17th into early 18th. This feature was to protect the wrist from the sawing cut often used in Highland swordsmanship. This does not seem to be included in the basket hilts of Stirling and lowland forms.
Going to the blade....clearly a Shotley Bridge 'Oley' example, and from 1680-90, with the familiar bushy tail fox (BTF), it seems evident that blades from these Newcastle regions were in circulation into Scotland as well as into England. It has been of course plausibly, if not compellingly noted that the Shotley conduit was a key center for Jacobite sword supply.
I have wondered if Shotley was indeed a point of entry for the immense numbers of German blades who supplied Scottish sword slippers of these periods of Highland basket hilt development in mid 17th into 18th. It is well known that German blades mostly, and of 17th century, comprised the blades invariably mounted in these swords.
Could this been one of the entrepots for the ubiquitous ANDREA FERARA blades which appear so constantly on Highland basket hilts? We know that while the Andrea Ferara blades are forever aligned with the Scottish basket hilts, these had been coming to Great Britain much earlier in the century.
I have a 'mortuary' which is of Hounslow c. 1640 with Andrea Ferara blade. Also, here is one of the 'ribbon hilt' the forerunner of the 'traditional' form hilts in Glasgow, also with ANDREA FERARA blade. While these hilts are typically conservatively placed third quarter 17th c., more recent literature has suggested they were from earlier, perhaps 1640s, as would be supported by this comparison.
First three pics of Keiths Glasgow c. 1700 w/Shotley blade 1680s BTF
Next, the ribbon hilt mid 17th ANDREA FERARA blade..., Note the 'S' shape in hilt
Next, Mortuary, 1640 Hounslow, ANDREA FERARA blade, sorry for incomplete image, will rephoto.
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