Scottish basket hilts and edged weapons

Jim McDougall · 18th February 2008, 06:28 PM

Hi Paul,
I found the Loch Voil reference in a google reference while trying to locate data on Rob Roys actual sword. I will try to renavigate and get more detail to you (there was monumental volume of more popular and modern aspects of Scottish material

which though intriguing typically defies the more applicable historic data ). It seems most of the varying makers of the reproduction items apply a wide range of historical versions of many of the legendary tales).

I am unfortunately nearing the age where many of my stories of years ago weave into a bit of blur in recalling events that most probably have been embellished in my own mind

Combining this well established 'grandfather malady' ( I have 5 grandkids!) in stories being recounted to an imaginative and most creative romantic writer such as Sir Walter Scott, would certainly lend well to magnificent tales, but do little for actual history!
This sort of situation in well established here in the U.S. in the 'wild west' (where I have been travelling the past 6 months) in the hugely distorted stories of the gunfighters particularly. Much of this legend was created by the sensationalizing of writers....wonderful stories...but rather shallow in the true history in most cases. Despite this, in most cases, the figures themselves were outstanding in thier own right, often without the embellished stories.

Norman, very well done ! Thank you for adding the captioned detail so we can see the variations in these great examples noted. It does seem that the Scots returning from campaigns in regions from Northern Europe to Eastern Europe certainly would have brought back weapons such as the basket hilt dusagge, especially if , as earlier noted in my Sinclair post, they were often supplied with weapons by the principles who retained them. I just came across an example of 17th c. dusagge from Germany with the large panel in the hilt that carried pierced heart shapes, much as this shape appears in many basket hilt saltire plates. Since Germany was the predominant source for the blades on Scottish swords, we may presume that this established relationship resulted from the equally predominant association militarily with Germany.

All best regards,
Jim

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18th February 2008, 06:28 PM	#23
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,193	Hi Paul, I found the Loch Voil reference in a google reference while trying to locate data on Rob Roys actual sword. I will try to renavigate and get more detail to you (there was monumental volume of more popular and modern aspects of Scottish material which though intriguing typically defies the more applicable historic data ). It seems most of the varying makers of the reproduction items apply a wide range of historical versions of many of the legendary tales). I am unfortunately nearing the age where many of my stories of years ago weave into a bit of blur in recalling events that most probably have been embellished in my own mind Combining this well established 'grandfather malady' ( I have 5 grandkids!) in stories being recounted to an imaginative and most creative romantic writer such as Sir Walter Scott, would certainly lend well to magnificent tales, but do little for actual history! This sort of situation in well established here in the U.S. in the 'wild west' (where I have been travelling the past 6 months) in the hugely distorted stories of the gunfighters particularly. Much of this legend was created by the sensationalizing of writers....wonderful stories...but rather shallow in the true history in most cases. Despite this, in most cases, the figures themselves were outstanding in thier own right, often without the embellished stories. Norman, very well done ! Thank you for adding the captioned detail so we can see the variations in these great examples noted. It does seem that the Scots returning from campaigns in regions from Northern Europe to Eastern Europe certainly would have brought back weapons such as the basket hilt dusagge, especially if , as earlier noted in my Sinclair post, they were often supplied with weapons by the principles who retained them. I just came across an example of 17th c. dusagge from Germany with the large panel in the hilt that carried pierced heart shapes, much as this shape appears in many basket hilt saltire plates. Since Germany was the predominant source for the blades on Scottish swords, we may presume that this established relationship resulted from the equally predominant association militarily with Germany. All best regards, Jim