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Jim McDougall · 13th March 2019, 06:39 AM

Thank you Ed for the link to Stephens post which described the Pallme reference, key to these markings of lion and cross and orb.
Ignatius Pallme, a German traveler, explored Kordofan in 1837-39 and his book "Travels in Kordofan" was published in 1844. In this reference he draws a picture of the cross and orb and states that Austrian blades brought in had this and a lion on the blades.

This sets a date of c. 1837 for this marking combination, and the blades said to be rounded off at the point. It would seem that these blades, while of course rehilted numerous times, must have come into Sudan around this time.

In later times during the Mahdiyya, it was noted that the Mahdi himself had a blade with the double headed eagle of the Holy Roman Empire on a sword he had. Obviously this would indirectly support the idea that Austrian blades were coming into Sudanese regions in years before just as Pallme (1844) had noted.

I think this brings an important perspective on the vintage of these blades with the lion and cross and orb, and that they were likely from Austria.
Now if we could just find a maker using these marks in this manner, perhaps Styrian?

13th March 2019, 06:39 AM	#20
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,742	Thank you Ed for the link to Stephens post which described the Pallme reference, key to these markings of lion and cross and orb. Ignatius Pallme, a German traveler, explored Kordofan in 1837-39 and his book "Travels in Kordofan" was published in 1844. In this reference he draws a picture of the cross and orb and states that Austrian blades brought in had this and a lion on the blades. This sets a date of c. 1837 for this marking combination, and the blades said to be rounded off at the point. It would seem that these blades, while of course rehilted numerous times, must have come into Sudan around this time. In later times during the Mahdiyya, it was noted that the Mahdi himself had a blade with the double headed eagle of the Holy Roman Empire on a sword he had. Obviously this would indirectly support the idea that Austrian blades were coming into Sudanese regions in years before just as Pallme (1844) had noted. I think this brings an important perspective on the vintage of these blades with the lion and cross and orb, and that they were likely from Austria. Now if we could just find a maker using these marks in this manner, perhaps Styrian? Last edited by Jim McDougall; 13th March 2019 at 02:44 PM.