Arabian shamshir with Hungarian blade

[Philip]

Originally Posted by Dmitry

The blade is inscribed AUT VINCER MO HUNGARIA, which I roughly translated from Latin as VICTORY FOR MY HUNGARY, and is engraved with figures in hussar dress.

The inscription, badly spelled, should read VINCERE AUT MORI HUNGARIA -- conquer or die for Hungary. It was frequently used on northern and eastern European blades of the 17th and 18th cents. -- depending on the retail market for the blades, another country's name (frequently POLONIA) was substituted, or simply omitted. The occurrence of spelling errors may be attributed to illiterate artisans copying from pattern-books, and perhaps the general decline in the use of Latin outside of academia and the legal/medical professions in post-Reformation Europe.

[Kubur]

Originally Posted by Philip

The inscription, badly spelled, should read VINCERE AUT MORI HUNGARIA -- conquer or die for Hungary. It was frequently used on northern and eastern European blades of the 17th and 18th cents.

Ooopss I think that is an improper translation
Vincere aut mori is a latin sentence used by gladiators in the arena
its "Kill or die" (meaning), victory or death (litteraly)
its was then reused on many 18th European blades in French and Spanish too.
Another word was added a country, Patria or sometimes just the name of the king Roy or Rey... Then the moto became Nationalist...

[mariusgmioc]

Excellent example and in pretty good condition!

As far as I know there were NO blade making centers in Hungary and ALL the "Hungarian" blades were made in Solingen or other places in Germany and Austria. As far as I know... but that doesn't stretch too far.

Does anybody know of any proof there were blade making centers in Hungary?
Does anybody know of a Hungarian swordsmith?