Shotley Bridge swordmakers

urbanspaceman · 1st December 2017, 11:08 PM

During my endless searches for examples of SB blades I occasionally come across interesting examples and such was the case this evening.
The first is a Scottish (long) dirk dating to c.1720 according to the dealer made from a cut-down backsword blade.
(Apparently, after swords were banned in Scotland following the 1715 rebellion, attempts were made to lengthen the dirk to give a degree of decent protection; hence this example.)
So-far, so well-known, amongst the cognoscenti; the curiosity is the marking on the blade: see image.
The second is described by the dealer as a late 17th C. Shotley Bridge Smallsword with 'TLE xx on one side and Bridg xx on the other plus a running fox; see image.

1st December 2017, 11:08 PM	#26
urbanspaceman Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Tyneside. North-East England Posts: 653	endless search During my endless searches for examples of SB blades I occasionally come across interesting examples and such was the case this evening. The first is a Scottish (long) dirk dating to c.1720 according to the dealer made from a cut-down backsword blade. (Apparently, after swords were banned in Scotland following the 1715 rebellion, attempts were made to lengthen the dirk to give a degree of decent protection; hence this example.) So-far, so well-known, amongst the cognoscenti; the curiosity is the marking on the blade: see image. The second is described by the dealer as a late 17th C. Shotley Bridge Smallsword with 'TLE xx on one side and Bridg xx on the other plus a running fox; see image. Attached Images