Sword Blade dates? or Mysterious Gematria?

potapych · 6th September 2009, 12:40 PM

Interesting subject as always, Jim. Here's a sample to get you started; not one of your dates or necessarily a running Passau Wolf but numbers, a Latin inscription and a critter nonetheless. This is a rapier (or perhaps an espada ropera blade), 30 7/8" in length. (78.4 cm)

Looking decidedly un-wolflike and given the stocky build, brindle and pronounced blunt proboscis, I'm leaning towards an Alano Español for the critter. I have seen it engraved on both a miquelet lock and a powder horn, although it was depicted wearing a collar in both those instances. The inscription translates to: "For God and Religion" but there are some letters following that I cannot make out. As far as I can determine, nothing of world shaking import occurred in the European sphere in 1514.

(Caveat: European arms are not my bailiwick so I could be wrong about any or all of the above ;-)

Ray

6th September 2009, 12:40 PM	#4
potapych Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Left Coast, USA Posts: 14	Interesting subject as always, Jim. Here's a sample to get you started; not one of your dates or necessarily a running Passau Wolf but numbers, a Latin inscription and a critter nonetheless. This is a rapier (or perhaps an espada ropera blade), 30 7/8" in length. (78.4 cm) Looking decidedly un-wolflike and given the stocky build, brindle and pronounced blunt proboscis, I'm leaning towards an Alano Español for the critter. I have seen it engraved on both a miquelet lock and a powder horn, although it was depicted wearing a collar in both those instances. The inscription translates to: "For God and Religion" but there are some letters following that I cannot make out. As far as I can determine, nothing of world shaking import occurred in the European sphere in 1514. (Caveat: European arms are not my bailiwick so I could be wrong about any or all of the above ;-) Ray Attached Images