Blade- Italian Storta ?

Radboud · 26th February 2023, 02:51 AM

Jim, the origin of the Andrea Ferrara blades has been traced back to Italy. There exists a paper record of an order for X number of blades to be shipped to England each month

If you have a spare hour, this video is well worth the watch:
Would the Real Andrea Ferrara Please Stand up

Jim McDougall · 26th February 2023, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radboud

Jim, the origin of the Andrea Ferrara blades has been traced back to Italy. There exists a paper record of an order for X number of blades to be shipped to England each month

If you have a spare hour, this video is well worth the watch:
Would the Real Andrea Ferrara Please Stand up

True, the Ferrara brothers ,Zandona (Donato) and Andrea working in a shop in Fisterre from c.1566, and in Dec.1578 were visited by men from London to sign an agreement to supply bi monthly boxes of swords for a ten year period.
They seem to have had a notoriety as they were mentioned in an important treatise of 1567 by Cigogna concerning warfare and weaponry.
Andrea died in 1612.

It is unclear how much of this apparent contract ever realized, but clearly the Andrea Ferara name was well known in England, later in Scotland of course. While these blades were ubiquitous on Scottish basket hilts from second half of 17th century into 18th, I have a mortuary sword (believed Hounslow) from c.1640s with ANDREA FERARA blade.

Though blades with this famed name are found in many countries, it seems they derive primarily from Solingen shops where they found their way to these other places via trade networks.

See: "Master Swordsmiths of Feltre and Belluno". by Michele Vello & Fabriio Tonin, 2017.

aspalathos · 26th February 2023, 08:48 AM

https://www.rockislandauction.com/de...ket-hilt-sabre

Same length

Victrix · 26th February 2023, 10:10 AM

Elsewhere in Ivan Kovac’s book ”Ubojite Ostrice” (Gornja Stubica, 2003) is a similar blade #168 (middle in the picture) on what is described as an end of 17thC Hungarian hussar sabre with overall length 94cm. The blade is marked with serrated bows and on the ricasso there’s a mark of a serrated wheel. The blade has the three fullers running along the back of the blade although it doesn’t have the Andrea Ferrara mark. Interestingly the tang is straight and not curved in the Hungarian or oriental style. I think this hilt type is the bridging version between 16-17thC straight cross guard (like the other two sabres in the picture) and 18thC stirrup type knuckle guard of later hussar sabres.

This supports Jim’s argument that the blade is for a cavalry sword and most likely produced in the Austrian region of Styria for the East European market. As Jim mentioned the Italian Stortas had shorter and sturdier blades. The Stortas pictured in post #10 are shorter in overall length of 85cm, with #49 at only 76cm (shortened tip?).

Teisani · 26th February 2023, 02:32 PM

My doubt that this blade was for a E-European sabre is due to the tang shape. E-European sabres tend to have riveted handles not peened. This one has a tang destined for a peened handle. Nimcha or storta seem more plausible to me.

Radboud · 26th February 2023, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aspalathos

https://www.rockislandauction.com/de...ket-hilt-sabre

Same length

This is a difficult topic. There remains a significant amount of uncertainty around these basket-hilted sabres. Even the description in the auction is unclear as to its authenticity, stating clearly that the blade has been reassembled for repair.

26th February 2023, 02:51 AM	#1
Radboud Member Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: New Zealand Posts: 285	Jim, the origin of the Andrea Ferrara blades has been traced back to Italy. There exists a paper record of an order for X number of blades to be shipped to England each month If you have a spare hour, this video is well worth the watch: Would the Real Andrea Ferrara Please Stand up

26th February 2023, 08:48 AM	#3
aspalathos Member Join Date: Nov 2019 Posts: 101	https://www.rockislandauction.com/de...ket-hilt-sabre Same length

26th February 2023, 10:10 AM	#4
Victrix Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Sweden Posts: 755	Elsewhere in Ivan Kovac’s book ”Ubojite Ostrice” (Gornja Stubica, 2003) is a similar blade #168 (middle in the picture) on what is described as an end of 17thC Hungarian hussar sabre with overall length 94cm. The blade is marked with serrated bows and on the ricasso there’s a mark of a serrated wheel. The blade has the three fullers running along the back of the blade although it doesn’t have the Andrea Ferrara mark. Interestingly the tang is straight and not curved in the Hungarian or oriental style. I think this hilt type is the bridging version between 16-17thC straight cross guard (like the other two sabres in the picture) and 18thC stirrup type knuckle guard of later hussar sabres. This supports Jim’s argument that the blade is for a cavalry sword and most likely produced in the Austrian region of Styria for the East European market. As Jim mentioned the Italian Stortas had shorter and sturdier blades. The Stortas pictured in post #10 are shorter in overall length of 85cm, with #49 at only 76cm (shortened tip?). Attached Images

26th February 2023, 02:32 PM	#5
Teisani Member Join Date: Oct 2022 Location: Romania Posts: 314	My doubt that this blade was for a E-European sabre is due to the tang shape. E-European sabres tend to have riveted handles not peened. This one has a tang destined for a peened handle. Nimcha or storta seem more plausible to me.