The EARLY MAKERS TRADE MARKS thread... lost and partly restored.

[fernando]

Old 30th November 2007, 03:41 PM

Posted by:
fernando
Lead Moderator European Armoury

Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Portugal

Hi Gavin,
Nice excavated rapier
Say, what would be the word before DOMINI ?
If we consider the proportional space available, the phrase could be ANNO DOMINI, which is a popular Latin word "duet", but not much sensefull as a sentence for a sword ... i don't know. Just a bit of fantasy .
Fernando
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[fernando]

Old 30th November 2007, 05:02 PM
Posted by:
fernando
Lead Moderator European Armoury

Join Date: Dec 2004


Hi Jim,
While Freebooter consolidates the religious basis of the anchor symbol, may i advance a couple scans of Evans book, with references to some usually seen markings, which he presumes to be of cabalistic contents. Eventually the symbol "IN MENE", apparently so usually seen in the XVII-XVIII centuries, is conotated by Portuguese Eduardo Nobre in AS ARMAS E OS BAR�ES, struck on sword of page 47, as a symbol of fear of God.
BTW, if you browse the Net on the subject, these letters are relative to Hebrew mystic symbology.
On the other hand, Juan L. Calvo, the author of the link in posts #78 and #81( Closas, Ayalla, etc ) is of the opinnion that these are marks of a determined unknown factory, which is naturaly wrong.

MENE o MINI: La inscripci�n �IN MENE� o �IN MINI� figura inscrita en hojas de espada forjadas durante el siglo XVIII, tal vez se�alando su producci�n en una determinada �f�brica� que no he conseguido identificar.

All the best
Fernando
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[fernando]

Old 1st December 2007, 05:13 PM~

Posed by:
fernando
Lead Moderator European Armoury

Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Portugal

The problem for the layman in attributing to a determined set of figures an esoteric conotation, is a two ended stick. If you don't pay any notice, you might be missing something valuable, but if you bring the thing to the others attention, and it ends up being a fake or a nonsense , you play the role of you know what i mean .
I have posted this dagger in the UBB Forum five years ago. It had no clear classification from the members, as possibly being either a put together piece with a salvaged blade, or hardly a main gauche, maybe even a side arm, and so on. I would go for the ( civilian ) side arm myself, possibly ( possibly ) rehilted, but not certainly "rebladed", as the said looks to me having never being longer or different than how it is now. It has a losangular cross section and measures 14" ( 36 cms. ), quite long for a comon dagger.
However this time i show it for the purpose of apreciating the marks struck on both grip and guard.
Would you people say this has a mystic flavour, or was only the smith that had these punctions at hand and decided to make his own naive creation?
Fernando
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[fernando]

Old 1st December 2007, 07:13 PM

Posted by:
Jim McDougall
EAA Research Consultant

Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66

Excellent subject Fernando, and I think its good we examine that perspective here. It does seem quite probable that the application of interpretations of known marks, numbers and inscriptions would occur in instances of put together pieces or native copies etc. Naturally we know this is often the case on blades copied in Africa, India etc. and that is much of the purpose of this thread.
As you have noted, perhaps we can attempt to read too much into some of the markings or supposed symbolism, and pieces that are obviously composite leave us wondering. Perhaps the piece was assembled in period from elements available, and often individuals became thier own blacksmiths when none were available to furbish weapons, or could not afford such work. We of course realize that in such cases, there was often not a great deal of literacy in the ranks, so supersition and imitation of fabled marks or wording may have been factors in applying such motif or decoration.

Naturally I have seen many cases where what seemed an intriguing mark and was hoped to reveal the work of a certain maker or mysterious symbol turned out to be simply a proof mark or an arsenal or inventory number. While we regard the weapons often with anxious hope for historical significance of times long ago, it must be remembered that at the time, these weapons were pretty much just business, and such markings were procedural. It is the symbolic history behind many of the markings that is fascinating, and the inscriptions applied faithfully for the clients who commissioned these weapons often reveal compelling historical possibilities.

One such case is of course the mystery of Andrea Ferara. While Victorian romanticism led to many tales of this fabled Italian swordsmith having worked in Spain and even in Scotland, there is little evidence of such. In fact there is even precious little evidence of such a prolific maker in Italy, though it is noted he worked in Belluno and had a brother working as well. Eventually some of the early arms writers considered that the 'name' was actually most likely a phrase 'Andrea' (Andrew= loosely, true) 'Ferrara' (= iron, steel) and a quality warranty. On German blades, the 'Eisenhauer' often mistaken to be a maker, simply meant in German ( Eisen= iron, hauer =cutter), i.e.strong enough to cut iron. The monumental appearance of the Ferara name/phrase over continents and centuries on countless blades precludes the work of any mere mortal.

The interesting use of numerics in the gemetria application comprised within Cabalistic esoterica leads to most intriguing interpretation. It always has amazed me how many 'responsibly documented' catalogs have declared swords 'made in 1441 or 1414'! On the rapier shown by Freebooter the 'Domini' however does correspond to Anno Domini, which typically was followed by a year. I have often wondered if application of the year was for the rather mundane purpose of inventory or production numbers I have mentioned concerning commercial matters.

Aside from this, I do believe there was considerable religious as well as superstitious consideration involved in many of the marks and inscriptions, such as the 'anchor' and of course the numbers you have noted. The Hebrew connotation in the phrase you note of course would suggest the Cabalistic potential for its origin.

Returning to the arrow used as a mark in Barcelona as shown on the Closa weapon you posted earlier, it seems that the 'broad arrow' was also used in England as a mark for 'the Kings property' and was used in all manner of application.

Please forgive my 'dissertation' but as always, I have been searching for hours on end on our subject, and cant resist collecting my thoughts here. The information you keep sharing prompts very late and obsessively fascinating searches and its great to keep finding more!

With all very best regards,
Jim
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[fernando]

Old 1st December 2007, 07:43 PM

Postd by:
Jim McDougall
EAA Research Consultant

Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66

I wanted to address the piece you have posted separately Fernando (so it wouldnt get lost in the text of my previous post !

It is most interesting and seems to be assembled much in the manner of Spanish colonial pieces of late 18th to early 19th century. The guard seems to reflect the traditional downward quillons of early main gauche' and a vestigial shellguard with notched simulation.

It is workmanlike, suggesting the work of a blacksmith, and I am wondering if it might have been constructed in the Spanish colonies. The notched, shallow simulation of shellguard reminds me of hilts seen on espada ancha's of late 18th century. Weapons in these regions, especially in northern Mexico seems to have often been assembled with available components. It would not be hard to imagine an individual in the ersatz units with the Spanish military contriving a knife in the manner of one of these main gauche' to accompany one of the heavy cuphilts that still reflect the beloved rapiers of Spain.

The stamped II is hard to speculate, though the Romal numerals seen on the hilt are symmetrically applied seemingly more in a motif fashion, however they are so deliberate, they seem to imply some inherent meaning. It would be tempting to presume it might have been intended to reflect a unit number associated with the individual. On the curiously applied inscribed X's and linear zigzag under the quillons, I cannot say on the two X's, but it is interesting that the zigzag could be a crude interpretation of lightning. If this is the case, that symbol in the parlance of Spanish symbolism used in early Mexico meant death.

All best regards,
Jim
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[fernando]

Old 5th December 2007, 01:13 PM

Posted by:
Jim McDougall
EAA Research Consultant

Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66

While we continue research to keep this thread going I just wanted to bring it up to keep it active. I know there are readers and members out there who have brought out questions before on the markings and inscriptions on blades, and I encourage any of you to please bring them in here. We know that ethnographic weapons often carried European blades, even into the 20th century, in fact in the Sahara these old blades are sometimes still found.

We have made a great deal of progress here examining the history and symbolism involved in many of these markings and inscriptions. I would like to point out that there has been little work done on this topic in recent years, and I feel that the knowledge and expertise shared here on the forum by all of you provides one of the most viable avenues to advance the understanding and data concerning this important subject.

Thanks very much everyone,
All very best regards,
Jim
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[fernando]

Old 5th December 2007, 05:08 PM

Posted by:
katana
Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Kent

Excellent thread....excellent information.

I have added this Rapier bladed Firangi to this thread, at Jim's suggestion.
The blade is likely mid to late 17th C - early 18th C. and has a dot pattern, consisting of a row of 4 dots with a singular dot above the third dot. After reading Fernando's post regarding the number 14, I thought it could be a symbollic mark to this effect. I remember from a previous thread that Jim had mentioned that German armourers had used 'dot patterns' as maker's marks....and could be the case here (on the Rapier blade)
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