Jeff and GAC, thank you very much for the kind words!!
On the possibilities for the Confederate blade, I doubt that the Solingen, if that is what the marking reads, would have been added to the blade to enhance value. Truth is most German blades for trade were quite anonymous in earlier times, and such an addition would have been superfluous. Ironically when the first U.S. M1840 cavalry sabre was proposed, I believe the first ones were actually manufactured in Germany. Ames of course took up the contract shortly after. Many German trade blades of the 19th c. were unmarked.As has been noted, the use of markings and phrases to appeal to intended markets were used as described.
The note on expatriated German swordsmiths is also interesting. Actually the first German swordsmiths in England were brought there by King Charles I and Sir William Heydon in 1629 ("Further Notes on London and Hounslow Swordsmiths" Clement Milward, Apollo XXXXV, 1942, p.93). In the same article, Milward notes that 'Facit London' was added to blades by of one of these workers after he returned to Solingen "...to increase thier saleability in England". It seems that the blades of Hounslow, and later Shotley Bridge, where most of these German smiths were concentrated, typically marked thier blades as made in Hounslow or London. Most of them Anglicized thier own names as well, one of them being Herman Mohl, descendant of the famed Mole,who produced so many military swords in the 19th century for England, and whose firm was eventually absorbed by Wilkinson.
While ME FECIT SALINGEN seems an unusual spelling, it cannot be discounted as incorrect as spellings certainly do vary, of course in accordance with the literacy of the maker, or possibly this could be a regional spelling ? I do not recall having seen that particular spelling though. The four repititions seems to have certain significance as I have seen blades from Germany which have this same numeric, which is cabalistically associated. Often phrases are punctuated with four crosses, and the four is a very positive number (the 1414 and 1441 'dates' are such numeric combinations and not actually dates at all).
On the Scottish use of German blades, especially 'ANDREA FERARA',
In "Scottish Swords and Dirks" (John Wallace, Stackpole, 1970), the author notes, "...although there was a Ferrara working near Venice in the 16th c. truth is that 99% of Ferrara blades are clearly of 17th or 18th c. date, and are certainly from German workshops- where the name held by the Scots to be an indication of quality was considered good business." p.25
Research and speculation done earlier in the 20th c. also has suggested that there was a Ferrara working in Spain, however this remains legend. My comment on the Scots favor toward Spanish blades finds support in the authors statement on the same page, "...certainly the Gaelic bards used to eulogize on 'Spanish' blades, setting them higher than those produced by clan armourers working under primitive conditions".
This statement suggests the term 'Spanish' as a type of sword rather than actual provenance, and further that these were German blades marked with 'ANDREA FERARA'. It has been suggested as well that this may not be a name at all, but a term suggesting 'good iron (Andrew= possibily 'trustworthy' and Ferara= ferrum, iron). Similarly on later German blades, Eisenhauer =iron cutting.
Looking at this book and the swords in it really makes me jealous of that beauty you got there Jeff!!!!!
GAC, the Custer topic has long been one of my favorites. Actually the Frost book was tucked in a corner of my library I havent visited for a long time...thanks for the wake up call!!
All the best,
Jim