[Jim McDougall]

These references are simply compendiums of marks drawn from various sources whether museum holdings, private collections or published material including markings seen on the subject weapons.
In most cases, these are presumed from the context in which they are found, which as we know can be notably compromised, such as the case with museums in some circumstances. As always, errors are always possible with anyone, but the possibilities must be recognized.

While in most cases museums strive for accuracy and reliable notations, but no amount of effort can prevent inevitable errors. In many cases weapons that are donated or presented come as part of collected examples which may have been comingled with groups from other sources from those in which they are included.

There was considerable traffic of blades between Italy, Germany and Spain which meant that a blade found on an Italian hilt, might well have been from Germany but its context presumed it to be Italian.

In Wagner ("Cut and Thrust Weapons", 1967) for example, there is a large plate of examples of the 'Passau running wolf' which shows many variations of this stylized mark, each with a date/year.
This illustration suggests some sort of chronological development of the well known marking, which of course is patently incorrect.

These marks were applied on blades as a kind of quality imbuement which evolved from a probably somewhat talismanic representation, and the character of the applications depended on the workmen placing them.

The use of 'latten' (inlaid gold metal usually brass) was notably used by many shops in Solingen just as it had been in other centers such as Passau and others in these early centuries. Inlaid metal markings had been well known since Viking times and much earlier.
Sword blades being exported to England even in the 17th century still used latten 'wolf' marks in many cases.
As always, it was a matter of preference by shops or workers producing the blades rather than consistent practice.

The cross and orb was of course not a makers mark, but a kind of religious device which may have had significance ecclesiastically (as Victrix has noted) or perhaps even the kind of quality suggested by the endorsement of the Church, as had been practiced since medieval times with swords and chivalry. In the case of the example Victrix posted, there have been initials or a mark enclosed in the orb, and these can often indeed be attributed to a particular maker or shop.

I would note that in Spain and later Solingen, the 'anchor' was used as a device in similar manner, typically placed at the terminus of a fuller and part of the phrases etc. placed in the fuller or at blade center. These 'anchors' often had somewhat complex cross bars in varying number, and with serif type additions, which seem as if 'customized' by makers or inscribers using them. With symbolic convention, it is hard to say how much 'meaning' or significance all of this had, but tempting to consider possibilities.