myArmoury.com - Claymores (split from Sutton Hoo thread)

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Posts: 2,160 Location: New Hampshire

Thu 15 Sep, 2005 6:03 am

Claymores (split from Sutton Hoo thread)

Jeroen Zuiderwijk wrote:

I've just visited the British Museum again as well, and took the chance to make as many photos of the Sutton Hoo finds and other early medieval finds as possible. For those interested, they can be found here:
http://1500bc.com/bronze_sword_festival_2005/...ish_museum
And there's more photos from my previous visits to the British Museum, which can be found here:
http://1500bc.com/british_museum/index.html

What .... no claymores ?????
You boys need to walk them cameras up a few centuries and smell the haggis !

;-) Seriously, nice shots Jeroen ( but do peek at them claymores when ye get the chance ;-)

Mac

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Jeroen Zuiderwijk

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Posts: 740 Location: Netherlands

Thu 15 Sep, 2005 6:38 am

Thomas McDonald wrote:

What .... no claymores ?????

Naw, I only look at the really interesting stuff <ducks and runs.....> :p

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You boys need to walk them cameras up a few centuries and smell the haggis !

;-) Seriously, nice shots Jeroen ( but do peek at them claymores when ye get the chance ;-)

Mac

Thanks! I might look at those claymores next time, but I can't promise anything :)

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Russ Thomas

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Posts: 323 Location: Telemark, Norway

Thu 15 Sep, 2005 7:41 am

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What .... no claymores ?????

Ah well, Claymore yes it is nice, but Laphroaig is nicer ! :lol:

Oh, not that Claymore......hmmmmmmmm :\ Seriously, I didn't even know that they had any in the B.M. ? They do have a rather interesting large hand and a half sword.....with a war hammer about a foot from the tip though !!

Nathan,

Did you by any chance get any pictures of the belt buckle ?? That piece is , IMO, by far the finest piece in the whole hoard, it is absolutely stunning !

Regards as ever,

Russ

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Thomas McDonald

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Posts: 2,160 Location: New Hampshire

Thu 15 Sep, 2005 8:02 am

Russ Thomas wrote:

Quote:

What .... no claymores ?????

Ah well, Claymore yes it is nice, but Laphroaig is nicer ! :lol:
Oh, not that Claymore......hmmmmmmmm :\ Seriously, I didn't even know that they had any in the B.M. ? Russ

* Photos: 1.) The Park Lane Arms Fair, (2.) <><

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David McElrea

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Posts: 438 Location: Canada

Thu 15 Sep, 2005 3:01 pm

Another one from the other day...

David

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Thomas McDonald

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Posts: 2,160 Location: New Hampshire

Fri 16 Sep, 2005 4:33 am

David McElrea wrote:

Another one from the other day... David

Ah, now were talking !
Many thanks for that one, David ..... I'd not seen a full shot of that blade before ! Cool :-) Mac

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Russ Thomas

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Posts: 323 Location: Telemark, Norway

Fri 16 Sep, 2005 6:42 am

Claymores in the B.M.

Thankyou for those pictures gents, I have never seen that claymore before , or the other weapons exhibited with it either. As you know the B.M. is a huge place and even though I have spent literally hundreds of hours there I have probably only seen a fraction of what is there. I wonder what is there that is not on show. I know from past experience how many beautiful swords the Japanese department have, and yet they have only about eight blades on show :(
Do any of you by any chance know of , or better still, have a picture of the ' war hammer ' type sword that I was talking about earlier ? It is certainly something that I have never encountered before.

BTW. The claymore is really nice, but I just love that little gem below it ! That is cute ! Isn't it strange what odd little pieces really appeal to us at times :)

Regards as ever,

Russ

PS. My apologies Nathan, we appear to have shifted track somewhat from the original topic .........sorry :blush:

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Thomas McDonald

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Posts: 2,160 Location: New Hampshire

Sat 17 Sep, 2005 5:56 am

Yes, apologies for veering off-track of the original Sutton Hoo discussion ..... but just one more question ;-)

David, do you recall what that cross mark was on the claymores blade ?
(* see attached image that shows where I mean)

Thanks, Mac

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David McElrea

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Posts: 438 Location: Canada

Sat 17 Sep, 2005 4:34 pm

Hi Thomas,

While I don't remember taking note of the mark I've attached another picture which shows a bit more detail (assuming it works). Next time I go I'll make a note of it, but it looks like an "R" to me from this pic.

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Patrick Kelly

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Posts: 5,739 Location: Wichita, Kansas

Sat 17 Sep, 2005 4:43 pm

I've split this off from the Sutton Hoo thread since it's hijacking a thread that deals with a quite different topic.

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Thomas McDonald

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Posts: 2,160 Location: New Hampshire

Sun 18 Sep, 2005 7:00 am

Thanks, Patrick .... sorry for the trouble !

David, thank you again !
Any future detailed closeups on this piece will be very appreciated !

I've attached a few cropped images of that mark, flipping the original view in different directions ......

Hmm, I dunno ...... maybe Vince noted what it is ? I'll have to ask him tonite !

Slàinte, Mac

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Patrick Kelly

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Posts: 5,739 Location: Wichita, Kansas

Sun 18 Sep, 2005 7:08 am

Looks like it could be the Passau/Solingen running wolf mark.

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Thomas McDonald

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Posts: 2,160 Location: New Hampshire

Sun 18 Sep, 2005 7:58 am

Patrick Kelly wrote:

Looks like it could be the Passau/Solingen running wolf mark.

Hi Patrick

Ya know 'ol buddy, you could just be right on about that wolf mark !

At first I didn't consider the 'running wolf' mark as this design seemed quite different than the ones I usually see, but you got me rethinking this .....

Most examples tend to have those quick straight lines engraved but this one, if indeed it was the famous wolf, features a curled back tail & a leg joint !

I pulled out my copy of Dufty's 'European Swords & Daggers in the Tower of London' and low & behold I found this version of the wolf mark which appears quite similar to the one were discussing here !
* drawn from a 16th century Scottish Lowland claymore no less, (Plate 9 b.) IX-943.

So this could be our boy, Mac

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Last edited by Thomas McDonald on Sun 18 Sep, 2005 12:53 pm; edited 2 times in total

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Russ Thomas

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Posts: 323 Location: Telemark, Norway

Sun 18 Sep, 2005 8:23 am

If this is indeed a 'running wolf ' mark, albeit a rather styleised version, then what period are we talking about ? All those that I can recall are fairly similar and are not so styleised as this version ? It is indeed an interesting possibility though.

Regards as ever,

Russ

Incidently Mac.... I have to come clean about this , but many, many , many years ago two members of my family from Wales, married into a certain Scottish clan...................................The Campbells ! Sorry ,but of all the possiblities I have to be descended from a group of traitors ................................ :\ Mind you I am only part Welsh / Scottish.....the rest is mostly Danish ! :lol:

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Thomas McDonald

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Posts: 2,160 Location: New Hampshire

Sun 18 Sep, 2005 10:10 am

Russ Thomas wrote:

If this is indeed a 'running wolf ' mark, albeit a rather styleised version, then what period are we talking about ? All those that I can recall are fairly similar and are not so styleised as this version ? It is indeed an interesting possibility though. Regards as ever, Russ

Incidently Mac.... I have to come clean about this , but many, many , many years ago two members of my family from Wales, married into a certain Scottish clan...................................The Campbells ! Sorry ,but of all the possiblities I have to be descended from a group of traitors ................................ :\ Mind you I am only part Welsh / Scottish.....the rest is mostly Danish ! :lol:

Hi Russ

No problemo on the clanCampbell connection ..... It were but a few, and I suspect they've all paid dearly for that one long ago !
Aye, but should we ever find ourselves sharing accommodations .... I'll just be sure to sleep with one eye open, dirk under my pillow, right next to me broadsword ;-)

The sword that wolf mark came off of is a late 16th century Scottish 'Lowland' two-hander !
I'd imagine the blade to be contemporary with the hilt, German made, as the book gave no indication otherwise, but that is as much as I know !

Here are some other 'Running Wolf' designs .... , Mac

Photos: 'European Swords & Daggers in the Tower of London', by Dufty .

1.) From a mid-16th century Landsknecht sword, German.
2.) German Bastard sword, c. 1500.
3.) left: Scottish claymore, early 17th c., right: Mid-17th c. Italian sword, Brecia area.
4.) Mid-17th c. swords
5.) English hanger, c. 1650
6.) 18th c. Running Fox designs of Shotley Bridge factory

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