Maximilian Marked Swords With Flower Langets

Hotspur · 1st May 2011, 01:32 AM

A couple of months ago a sword popped up on the bay and some of the characteristics of decoration became a fascination that caused me to recently buy this piece. Without the further floral blossom decoration, I probably wouldn't have even given it a second look. However, I have now see a few other examples of the floral langet, albeit I see no others with the bloom on the blade themselves. Some are attributed to the earlier Ludwig I, while others are marked to his son Maximilian II(I am assuming).

I am actually a bit dizzy in trying to understand the associations myself but before looking at the 1848 politics I had come to realize that the flower blossom actually belongs to the explorer Maximilian zu Wied-Neuwied, with the flower representing the sunflower named after him. So, here we have a Maximilian II marked sword with the Prinz zu Wied represented in the langet and displayed at the base of this blade.
http://faculty.evansville.edu/ck6/bstud/princemax.html

Other variants have also been of the 1837 infantry type (if we can really call that a generalized model for all) while one appeared during my wondering that has a gothic basket arrangement with the sunflower on the basket.

So, my real curiousity now is if these flower decorated langets (and in this one case on the blade) a propriety trait of the Neuwied area or whether it was common throughout Bavaria? One other balde decoration amy cause some pause but might simply have been more generic is a liberty cap atop a pole as we see so often. Could that relate also to Neuwied and an association back to the French revolution?

Anyway, a couple of overall pictures from the sale, a couple of blade displays of the flower and monogram. Also shots of the basket variety with the sunflower emblem on what looks like a later blade (I have no date at all for that one but this 1837 type marked to Max would fall into the 1848-1864 timeline).

Part of my interests are related to other explorers of the west as well as some paternal association in ancestry of the Westerwald (Beck). So, alot of little timely associations that added to a larger picture I am woefully ignorant of during the histories of Bavaria.

The hilt is nickel plated brass and the blade may have been trimmed a bit, maybe in dulling it after use, repaired or purposefully shortened a smidge. The edges at the point are flatter than the rest of the grind.

Thoughts?

GC

1st May 2011, 01:32 AM	#1
Hotspur Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Nipmuc USA Posts: 489	Maximilian Marked Swords With Flower Langets A couple of months ago a sword popped up on the bay and some of the characteristics of decoration became a fascination that caused me to recently buy this piece. Without the further floral blossom decoration, I probably wouldn't have even given it a second look. However, I have now see a few other examples of the floral langet, albeit I see no others with the bloom on the blade themselves. Some are attributed to the earlier Ludwig I, while others are marked to his son Maximilian II(I am assuming). I am actually a bit dizzy in trying to understand the associations myself but before looking at the 1848 politics I had come to realize that the flower blossom actually belongs to the explorer Maximilian zu Wied-Neuwied, with the flower representing the sunflower named after him. So, here we have a Maximilian II marked sword with the Prinz zu Wied represented in the langet and displayed at the base of this blade. http://faculty.evansville.edu/ck6/bstud/princemax.html Other variants have also been of the 1837 infantry type (if we can really call that a generalized model for all) while one appeared during my wondering that has a gothic basket arrangement with the sunflower on the basket. So, my real curiousity now is if these flower decorated langets (and in this one case on the blade) a propriety trait of the Neuwied area or whether it was common throughout Bavaria? One other balde decoration amy cause some pause but might simply have been more generic is a liberty cap atop a pole as we see so often. Could that relate also to Neuwied and an association back to the French revolution? Anyway, a couple of overall pictures from the sale, a couple of blade displays of the flower and monogram. Also shots of the basket variety with the sunflower emblem on what looks like a later blade (I have no date at all for that one but this 1837 type marked to Max would fall into the 1848-1864 timeline). Part of my interests are related to other explorers of the west as well as some paternal association in ancestry of the Westerwald (Beck). So, alot of little timely associations that added to a larger picture I am woefully ignorant of during the histories of Bavaria. The hilt is nickel plated brass and the blade may have been trimmed a bit, maybe in dulling it after use, repaired or purposefully shortened a smidge. The edges at the point are flatter than the rest of the grind. Thoughts? GC Attached Images