Quote:
Originally Posted by Teisani
So I remembered that there is an older source in regarding these swords. "Buletinul Comisiunii Monumentelor Istorice 1935 anul XXVIII" contains the article "Odoare romăneşti la Stambul" by Emil Vārtosu.
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Great! Helpful photos for comparison. So much information to find in old articles - thanks for sharing. Probably the most comprehensive piece in English is David Alexander's two-part "European swords in the collections of Istanbul", in
Waffen- und Kostümkunde (1985 and 1987). I do not think it is available online. I can share some images but the quality is not good.
Here are photos of the four-crosses mark on three of the four Moldavian swords. I think a common origin can be safely assumed.
No. 2639 has a type XXb blade, while the hilt has stereotypical Hungarian features: recurved quillons and squarish pommel. The marks on it are a little different: two thick crosses, and between them what seems to be an Italianate "twig" or knot mark. This
thread is useful for comparison. Later I will share some examples that have more clearly Italian markings.
No. 2643 has the same type of hilt and is of more typical proportions. I will add also no. 2634, which appears to be another XXb, but the style of hilt is one very common in Germany at this time. The guards of both of these are covered in silver foil, which seems to be a Hungarian/Transylvanian trend. These and a number of other similar and contemporary swords are generally assumed to have been taken from Hungary by the Ottomans after the Battle of Mohacs (1526).
- Mark