EARLY 17TH CENTURY BROADSWORD for discussion

[Cerjak]

Originally Posted by cornelistromp

Jean-Luc,

thanks for the link!
No unfortunately there is no link to Willem van Oranje or to my country.

although on the blade is written that it is made in Germany, I am assuming that the sword is of Italian Origen.

also the blade. despite the references to Germany:
ALAMANIA ME FECIT
PETER BERE(Behre) is a German name, as well as the 'orb and cross' mark above the fuller, used by the bladesmiths of Solingen in Germany.
AVILLEM, I read as A VILLE M, in the town M.
AVILLEM ALAMANIA MEFECIT= in the town M Germany Iam made.

this was done more often, blades from Germany had a good reputation because they were of high quality, a link to Germany was in Spain and Italy seen as a quality indication, vice versa happened also.

This type of sword is specific "Italian" as detailed in Armi Bianche Italiane.
characterized by the wide fullered blade and cutout for the index finger
popular in Italy at the end of the 16th century.

(Almost) all of the marks in these sword blades can be traced back to Italian workshops.
attached pipctures of an Italian Storta I had in my collection, from the Carl Beck collection Sursee Switserland, with an almost indentical pommel as the sword under discussion and blade similarities.




best,
Jasper

Hi Jasper,
Thank you for the pictures , beautiful storta ,also the globular pommel is very similar.
Best

Jean-Luc