[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

~ it became like a quality seal and become used by other, unrelated smiths as well. There are also many such examples in the field of Japanese swords where entire schools with activity spanning over a few centuries signed with the name of the original, founding master swordsmith.[/QUOTE]

Salaams mariusgmioc The first half of your text dealt with the likelihood that the Persian Swords in question were signed by a real person of that signature...The rest outlined above goes the other way.? It does however nicely lay out the essence of a signature as a quality seal and the analogy with a Japanese masters seal going on beyond his death for centuries is also relevant ...It should be considered however that the Persian predicament was different to the Ulfbehrt and the reasons for having these Persian dignitaries as sword signatures does not mean they were actual people ... but were honoured in Persian history, thus, if we are looking for a quality seal we have it right here.

Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.