Posts: 268 Location: Metro D.C.
Mon 22 Mar, 2010 8:19 am
Ok, a bit rough... didn't do the research for a couple of terms and my German needs a little bit of work... here is what I got...
Two Hunting Knives with Sheath
arround 1350
The flat grips of the Knife pair have bone and horn strips glued on that are with colorful, part inlaid as paste Vierpass ?, chess board and flowers for example rank designs decorated in red, green and black. Point designs for example as little crosses inlaid silver pieces elaborate the décor. The wide, flat blades both end in a point and are marked with a 12 leafed signature and master mark of the unknown blade smith.
The no longer complete sheath is composed of black, pressed and cut leather. Located in the middle on the front is a crest crowned with a
great helm. A dragon and three cornered palmetto above as well as a late roman Blattranken? Below fill the decorated area. The back is covered in a simple Gratmuster? Has two now narrow empty cut vacancies in the style of Futteralen that could have been used for a Pfriem, a sharpening steel or a small by knife.
This hunting set, probably the earliest example that has survived has the crest of the familie Wartensee which died out in 1372. In 1351 Zurich joined the Confederation of the four forest cities. In August, Prince Albrecht II of Austria appeared in Brugg. He was given gifts by the city of Zurich to appease him to which this hunting set probably also belonged which was attributed to the donation of the cathedral of Zurich by Rudolf of Wartensee. This was obviously for naught as Zurich was besieged three times in the following years.