Crescent Moon Marks on Basket Hilts
Beak Nose Basket Hilt Sword
Nationality Scottish
Date Circa 1600
Maker/Retailer Blade possible by Stamm Clemens Soligen?
Overall Length 38 3/8” 97.4 cm
Blade length 32 ¾” 83.3 cm
Blade widest point 2” 5.1 cm
Hilt widest point 6 ½” 16.7 cm
Inside grip length 3 ¾” 9.7 cm
Marks, etc. Two Crescent moons back to back
Description
Early Scottish Ribbon Hilted "Beak Nose" Broad Sword. The large Iron hilt forged from broad Iron bars and Large circular plates, with deep engraved line borders and circles. Large bun shaped pommel with button top. The grip of fruit wood and cut with spiral fluting, there are some cracks in the wood. Wide blade of 2" with five narrow fullers of various lengths, halfway down the blade is the blade makers stamp attributed to Stamm Clemens of Solingen. Blade length is 32 ¾".
Mark has been attributed to Clemens Stamm Soligen 1580-1610 by the late dealer Terrance Porter who sold this sword in 2001.
References:
DUFTY, Arthur Richard EUROPEAN SWORDS AND DAGGERS IN THE TOWER OF LONDON Published Her Majesty's stationary office 1968.13cplate 107
NEUMANN, George G. SWORDS AND BLADES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION pp138-139 231.S & 232.S
I have another basket in my collection that also has the back to back crescent moons, however whilst similar in design they are not identical to this one.
I know there is a hand and a half sword in the Tower of London also bearing this mark, but I have been unable to confidently attribute either version to a particular maker and would be grateful for any other views on this subject and the opportunity to see other examples of European swords with this distinctive mark.
Cheers
Cathey and Rex
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