myArmoury.com - What is this Sword?

Posts: 2 Location: United States

Thu 20 Sep, 2012 2:47 pm

What is this Sword?

I have had this for many years. I got it out of a friends attic. I have no idea what it is or where or when it was used. On the blade it says: F. Horster Solingen..Can anyone help me here & is it worth anything? Thanks Bob

Is there any value to this or is it junk ?

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Last edited by Robert Deibert on Fri 21 Sep, 2012 5:53 am; edited 1 time in total

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Jeffrey Faulk

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Posts: 578 Location: Georgia

Thu 20 Sep, 2012 3:02 pm

Judging from the grip which appears to be some sort of checkered plastic under the brass, I'd take a stab at a fairly recent (no earlier than the 50s) dress/ceremonial sword of some sort, possibly European. Are there any other markings or etchings upon the blade or grip? And have you cleaned it (the brass looks rather bright)?

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Gottfried P. Doerler

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Posts: 229 Location: Tyrol, Austria

Thu 20 Sep, 2012 3:28 pm

i think its from the turn of the century or early 1900`s.
the plastic material possibly is bakelite.
i don`t know where its from, if i had to guess i`d say it feels spanish/portugiese.

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Glen A Cleeton

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Posts: 1,973 Location: Nipmuc USA

Thu 20 Sep, 2012 3:37 pm

Jeffrey Faulk wrote:

Judging from the grip which appears to be some sort of checkered plastic under the brass, I'd take a stab at a fairly recent (no earlier than the 50s) dress/ceremonial sword of some sort, possibly European. Are there any other markings or etchings upon the blade or grip? And have you cleaned it (the brass looks rather bright)?

Looks like Italian navy mid to third quarter 19th century.

Germany Solingen Horster, Fredrich the Elder 1800 1850
Germany Solingen Horster, Fredrich the Younger 1825 1875
Germany Solingen Horster, E & F & Company 1850 1974

From the www.oldswords.com site showing an example of this sword

Overall length in scabbard 37 Overall length in scabbard 31 1/4 Blade. Naval Bronze Fittings & Hilt. Black Hand Carved Horn Grip......This sword is Italian M.1848 for "sottuficiliali della Regia Marina" Navy sub-officers. c.1850 (Information courtesy of Enrique FermÃƒÂn)

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It is hard to say from the picture what the grip material is but keep in mind that plastcs development begain mid 19th century. The Old Swords example is more chewed up but is this item we are looking at.

I have an unidentified E&F Horster naval sword I blame on Romania but the same Horster eagle pommel and backstrap show up on a number of swords from several countries.

Welcome To myArmoury Robert

Cheers

GC

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Marik C.S.

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Posts: 163 Location: Germany

Thu 20 Sep, 2012 3:46 pm

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Founded as F. Horster in 1850.

Became E. & F. Horster in 1870.

Bankrupt in 1996.

I can't vouch for the correctness of these facts, I just found them with a quick Google search, but if it is really F Horster not E&F Hörster that would at least give a reasonable timespan for the blade.

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Ozsváth Árpád-István

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Posts: 131 Location: Romania

Thu 20 Sep, 2012 9:39 pm

Feels like early 20th century. Ebonite was available since the 1860s, but plastic grips on swords were used only from the WWI period. It might be an earlier pattern manufactured later.

@Glen: Can you please post some pictures with your Romanian sword?

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Glen A Cleeton

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Posts: 1,973 Location: Nipmuc USA

Thu 20 Sep, 2012 10:20 pm

Ozsváth Árpád-István wrote:

Feels like early 20th century. Ebonite was available since the 1860s, but plastic grips on swords were used only from the WWI period. It might be an earlier pattern manufactured later.

@Glen: Can you please post some pictures with your Romanian sword?

Actually, the sword pictured is very much and exacting as described in my earlier post. Checkered horn was used quite a bit even back into the 18th century and I am rather surprised some will insist they see plastic vs horn.

As to my E&F Horster naval piece, it is also possible it was a mix of parts post WWII but I somehow think not, This sword is in pretty rough shape and missing its decorative nut, which I replaced with a simple cutlery nut as one sees on German fixed blades and others. The Italians (in this case) use a lion and not the eagles we see on the air force swords. As I say, I blame it on Romania, as there are cavalry officer eagles as well. There are South American use examples of this Horster eagle pommel and backstrap as well but this is the only naval example I have found over the years.

Cheers

GC

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Ozsváth Árpád-István

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Posts: 131 Location: Romania

Fri 21 Sep, 2012 12:12 pm

Back than most of the blades were Solingen-made. The early 20th century romanian swords have etched blades ,the etching containing the royal cypher (Ferdinand, Carol I and II, Michael) and "SOLINGEN" or "TOLEDO" inscription. Strangely "TOLEDO" marked blades were also German-made (Alex Coppel, W.K.C., EuF Horster).

Here's an example of a typical romanian sword:
http://arch6.okr.ro/auctions.v3/700_700/2010/...00_700.jpg

The Serbs had same eagle-head design, but it also can be an U.S. presentation sword.

http://www.myArmoury.com/talk/viewtopic.php?p...ht=#254422

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