Carvings and Etchings on Wrought Iron Barrels, Maces and Blades, Italy, ca. 1520-40

[Matchlock]

Hi there,



I started this thread on the grounds of a recent discussion we had on a decorative 19th century cast-iron reprodroduction of a wrought-iron highly decorated iron carved Italian mace of ca. 1530.
The etchings on that item were done in a primitive way but, as the whole was in 'aged' condition, it was deceptive to the inexperienced eye.

Please see:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=18886


For comparison, attached please find an ample bandwith of genuine Italian etchings and iron carvings on barrels, maces and blades, all wrought between ca. 1520 and 1540.

Please note that originally, all these ornaments were executed in high relief, and contrasted against a blackened ground; sadly, this contrast has been cleaned off in most cases and in the course of time.


Now here we go!

The first attachment depicts
a finely echted hunting sword, ca. 1535-40,
and
a very an ingeniously made patron/catridge box, ca. 1540-50, and combining multiple functions.

Both these items are preserved in the National Museum of Italy, the Palazzo del Bargello in Florence/Firence.

For the cartrigdge box, please refer to my thread
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...artridge+boxes


The patron is of wrought iron and copper soldered, doutbtlessly Augsburg or Nürnberg made. The profuse etching depicts of a hunting scene integrating animals within a running gravine pattern. As I have pointed out recently,


http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...+bunch+trefoil

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...+bunch+trefoil



the decorative pattern including grapevine bunches is a prestage of the trefoil (German: Dreipass-Ornament) which, in its most reduced and stylized form, just consists of three dots struck representing an inverted triangle.


Best,
Michael