Smallsword Info (named Sebastian Ernandes)

Jim McDougall · 4th January 2024, 10:08 PM

Fernando, thank you for always furnishing references from Palomares, which is such a valuable resource, and noting the Hernandez father and son. I have always wondered about the '3' which has been suggested (inconclusively) this might be a cursive 'Z' for Zaragoza, where some Toledo makers also worked.

This very attractive small sword is Georgian, hilted in the faceted 'cut steel' manner of Boulton, late 18th century London.
The use of spurious Spanish names and marks on sword blades was very much standard practice in Germany, especially Solingen, who of course was a primary source for English cutlers.

The use of SEBASTIAN (often without the surname) was not necessarily common, but relatively frequent on blades through the 17th century, so this blade is of course surely from much earlier period. Most likely it might have been a heirloom blade remounted into a more fashionable hilt of later time.

In analogy:
Attached is a Scottish basket hilt of Glasgow form mounted about end of 17th c. with a quite early Solingen blade (see Wirsberg mark c. 1620s?) and with the name SEBASTIAN in large letters. This of course alludes to the Hernandez as discussed, but the lettering of course unusual....the reversed S sometimes may have nuanced connection to 'magic' symbols. The familiar 'anchor' was another somewhat nuanced device from Spain spuriously used by Solingen artisans decorating blades.

The 'arches' mentioned are the pas d'ane rings, which were typically vestigial, that is somewhat flatter, in this late period.

4th January 2024, 10:08 PM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,194	Fernando, thank you for always furnishing references from Palomares, which is such a valuable resource, and noting the Hernandez father and son. I have always wondered about the '3' which has been suggested (inconclusively) this might be a cursive 'Z' for Zaragoza, where some Toledo makers also worked. This very attractive small sword is Georgian, hilted in the faceted 'cut steel' manner of Boulton, late 18th century London. The use of spurious Spanish names and marks on sword blades was very much standard practice in Germany, especially Solingen, who of course was a primary source for English cutlers. The use of SEBASTIAN (often without the surname) was not necessarily common, but relatively frequent on blades through the 17th century, so this blade is of course surely from much earlier period. Most likely it might have been a heirloom blade remounted into a more fashionable hilt of later time. In analogy: Attached is a Scottish basket hilt of Glasgow form mounted about end of 17th c. with a quite early Solingen blade (see Wirsberg mark c. 1620s?) and with the name SEBASTIAN in large letters. This of course alludes to the Hernandez as discussed, but the lettering of course unusual....the reversed S sometimes may have nuanced connection to 'magic' symbols. The familiar 'anchor' was another somewhat nuanced device from Spain spuriously used by Solingen artisans decorating blades. The 'arches' mentioned are the pas d'ane rings, which were typically vestigial, that is somewhat flatter, in this late period. Attached Images