Help With Sword Blade ID

[Norman McCormick]

Hi,
This thread might be of interest http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ighlight=17thc
I bought this sword with the understanding that in all probability it was a Victorian copy but always there is the wee hope that it may be period if not in entirety then maybe some elements within its construction. This is obviously not within my area of knowledge but hopefully those in the know will chime in sooner or later.
My Regards,
Norman.

[kronckew]

The two notches on the longer one look the same, we discussed tip notching here once before, a number of blades, like that one were deliberately notched. I recall one suggestion was that a horseman might do it to enable him to hook something on the ground. I gather the majority of 'Victorian' repros were rather heavy as that's what they thought, incorrectly, they should be like. Your weights are more in keeping with real ones. If fakes, could be rather good ones.

[efrahjalt]

Originally Posted by kronckew

The two notches on the longer one look the same, we discussed tip notching here once before, a number of blades, like that one were deliberately notched. I recall one suggestion was that a horseman might do it to enable him to hook something on the ground. I gather the majority of 'Victorian' repros were rather heavy as that's what they thought, incorrectly, they should be like. Your weights are more in keeping with real ones. If fakes, could be rather good ones.

That's very interesting. I've not heard of that before. Can you point me to the thread you are referring to? I'd like to read some more on the topic.

Norman, thanks for pointing me to that post. It was a very interesting read, and the blade is a beauty!

I have attached a picture of a North Italian sword from the late 15th century that is listed in The Sword Form and Thought (Cat. 17). This sword was mentioned in an interview with Peter Johnson and I was struck by the similarities (no fuller, same guard type, same grip style, same pommel). Yet another book that I really need to get my hands on. I'd love to see more pictures of this very similar sword.

[kronckew]

Notches:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=10553

There are more...

[corrado26]

There is an explanation for these notches in the book "Les Sabres portés par l'Armée Francaise", by Jean Lhoste et Patrick Resek:

[kronckew]

Translation:

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(English)
Sometimes, near the tip and on the back of the blade, there is a small notch (fig. 15). This voluntary notch is especially present on the sabres of Hussars or Dragons whose courage was joined to a certain efficiency. Indeed, the notch allows the blade of the sabre to transform into a small harpoon by removing the sabre from the wound, the small harpoon aggravated the tears in the deep tissues ... These riders were not tender! Another hypothesis is as follows: the small harpoon could be used to hook the opposing rider and thus unseat him ...

(Deutsch)
Manchmal befindet sich in der Nähe der Spitze und auf der Rückseite der Klinge eine kleine Kerbe (Abb. 15). Diese freiwillige Kerbe ist besonders bei den Säbeln von Husaren oder Drachen vorhanden, deren Mut mit einer gewissen Effizienz verbunden war. In der Tat ermöglicht die Kerbe, dass sich die Säbelklinge in eine kleine Harpune verwandelt, indem der Säbel aus der Wunde entfernt wird. Die kleine Harpune verschlimmerte die Tränen in den tiefen Geweben ... Diese Reiter waren nicht zart! Eine andere Hypothese lautet wie folgt: Die kleine Harpune könnte verwendet werden, um den gegnerischen Reiter aufzuhängen und ihn so abzusetzen ...


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My Comment:
I doubt that anyone would want to intentionally make it MORE difficult to extract their blade, it's hard enough to remove if you thrust into your opponent during a charge as it is. I suspect if it had the effect proposed, you'd have to let go and find another sword. In a more stationary melee you don't want to have your blade stay trapped for any amount of time as another opponent can take advantage of your inactivity, or even the guy with your blade in him could give you a parting gift.

I'd suspect, never having tried it tho, it would be more useful to use it to pick up a discarded but intact lance if you lost yours, by hooking the lanyard or pennant. A lance is better if you are going to charge again, the sword /sabre is probably better in the more chaotic melee.