Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

RhysMichael · 19th November 2006, 09:58 PM

Like the others I look forward to what Jim would say here and I wish Eljay ( E.B. Erickson ) posted here as well both of them know a great deal about this type of sword. Here is a little on the Ferrara markings that I can add ( I got lazy and cut and pasted some of this from another post of mine at another place on these)

"Andrea Ferara" ( I have seen several spellings different spellings including Ferrara, Ferarra, Feraro) was a bladesmith from 16th century Italy ( though I have also seen it written he was from Spain) . Some swords not made by him were later made with his name on them. I have seen it on styles from baskethilts to saifs ( nimcha ) and kaskara

I found this on this site http://www.historichighlanders.com/wapensh4.htm

"Solingen makers of the 17th century were Iohannes Hoppe, Theill Keveler, and Peter Henckles; the latter's mark was stag antlers. All these, and not a few more, also used the inscription Andrea Ferara (no matter how spelt) on their blades as a selling point to their Scottish customers, to whom it was like a spell or talisman to have on a blade. A little background on this Andrea Ferara: We know that he and his brother Giovan Donato Ferara had their workshop in Belluno in Venetia in the second half of the 16th century, where their blades were renowned for their superb temper. We know from Mr. Wendelin Boheim, the learned custodian of the Imperial Collection of Armour in Vienna, that Andrea was born in 1530 and died sometime after 1583, when he and his brother are recorded in Cigogna's Trattato Militare, published in 1583, where he specially mentions the brothers as celebrated blade makers"

Here is an oxford journal October 3 1891
http://nq.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/iss...s7-XII/301.pdf
It cites notes from Royal Archaeological Institute by the Baron de Cosson, F.S.A.
it states
"" It is also certain that, common as blades bearing the signature Andrea Ferara are in this country, scarcely any of them are the work of Maestro Andrea de i Ferari, who gained such renown for the superb temper of the blades which he produced in his workshop at Bellunoin Venetia in the second half of the sixteenth century, where he worked with his brother Giovan Donate de i Ferari, some of whose blades, signed Zandona, still exist. Nearly all the bladescommonly attributed to Andrea Ferara are manifestly of seventeenth century make, and Boheim states that Andrea was born in 1530 and died abont 1583. It is possible that a few of the finest blades existing in Scotland and England bearing the name Andrea Ferara. may be his work, but as yet I know very few which 1 can positively attribute to the master or even to the epoch when he lived; and it is curious that the italian collections possess very few even bearing big name. What is certain is that for nearly fifty yean after his death Solingen turned out hundreds of blades bearing his name, for exportation to those countries where a true Ferara was held in high repute, just aa it supplied false Toledo blades to those where a rapier preferred to a broad sword."

This mark is also mentioned here
http://www.myarmoury.com/feature_engswords.html

As noted above the passau running wolf mark was used by the German family of Shotley swordmakers before it was used by Solingen.
Another link on this
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/make/hd_make.htm

It looks like it also has the "eyelash" marks discussed before.

I hope this helps and it is a wonderful find.

19th November 2006, 09:58 PM	#7
RhysMichael Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Virginia Posts: 520	Like the others I look forward to what Jim would say here and I wish Eljay ( E.B. Erickson ) posted here as well both of them know a great deal about this type of sword. Here is a little on the Ferrara markings that I can add ( I got lazy and cut and pasted some of this from another post of mine at another place on these) "Andrea Ferara" ( I have seen several spellings different spellings including Ferrara, Ferarra, Feraro) was a bladesmith from 16th century Italy ( though I have also seen it written he was from Spain) . Some swords not made by him were later made with his name on them. I have seen it on styles from baskethilts to saifs ( nimcha ) and kaskara I found this on this site http://www.historichighlanders.com/wapensh4.htm "Solingen makers of the 17th century were Iohannes Hoppe, Theill Keveler, and Peter Henckles; the latter's mark was stag antlers. All these, and not a few more, also used the inscription Andrea Ferara (no matter how spelt) on their blades as a selling point to their Scottish customers, to whom it was like a spell or talisman to have on a blade. A little background on this Andrea Ferara: We know that he and his brother Giovan Donato Ferara had their workshop in Belluno in Venetia in the second half of the 16th century, where their blades were renowned for their superb temper. We know from Mr. Wendelin Boheim, the learned custodian of the Imperial Collection of Armour in Vienna, that Andrea was born in 1530 and died sometime after 1583, when he and his brother are recorded in Cigogna's Trattato Militare, published in 1583, where he specially mentions the brothers as celebrated blade makers" Here is an oxford journal October 3 1891 http://nq.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/iss...s7-XII/301.pdf It cites notes from Royal Archaeological Institute by the Baron de Cosson, F.S.A. it states "" It is also certain that, common as blades bearing the signature Andrea Ferara are in this country, scarcely any of them are the work of Maestro Andrea de i Ferari, who gained such renown for the superb temper of the blades which he produced in his workshop at Bellunoin Venetia in the second half of the sixteenth century, where he worked with his brother Giovan Donate de i Ferari, some of whose blades, signed Zandona, still exist. Nearly all the bladescommonly attributed to Andrea Ferara are manifestly of seventeenth century make, and Boheim states that Andrea was born in 1530 and died abont 1583. It is possible that a few of the finest blades existing in Scotland and England bearing the name Andrea Ferara. may be his work, but as yet I know very few which 1 can positively attribute to the master or even to the epoch when he lived; and it is curious that the italian collections possess very few even bearing big name. What is certain is that for nearly fifty yean after his death Solingen turned out hundreds of blades bearing his name, for exportation to those countries where a true Ferara was held in high repute, just aa it supplied false Toledo blades to those where a rapier preferred to a broad sword." This mark is also mentioned here http://www.myarmoury.com/feature_engswords.html As noted above the passau running wolf mark was used by the German family of Shotley swordmakers before it was used by Solingen. Another link on this http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/make/hd_make.htm It looks like it also has the "eyelash" marks discussed before. I hope this helps and it is a wonderful find. Last edited by RhysMichael; 19th November 2006 at 10:24 PM.