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Julien M
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 Posted: Wed 19 Mar, 2014 3:09 pm Post subject: Bavarian sawfish two handed sword |
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That's definitely worth a look! I would have never guessed such blades had been mounted on a European renaissance hilt.
Late XVII century apparently.
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Victor R.
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| Posted: Wed 19 Mar, 2014 4:21 pm Post subject: |
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Good Lord, that is massive! Do you have any additional information on the dimensions & weight? It's bound to have been ceremonial or a presentation piece. Or, just maybe, an awesome proto-wallhanger. 
Kind of reminds me when I was a kid, and thought it would be a great idea to put a hilt on the beak of the sailfish hanging in my grandma's dining room. No, I didn't; but I sure thought about it! 
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Kai Lawson
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| Posted: Wed 19 Mar, 2014 5:57 pm Post subject: |
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It's ENORMOUS!
"And they crossed swords."
--William Goldman, alias S. Morgenstern
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Phil D.
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| Posted: Wed 19 Mar, 2014 6:10 pm Post subject: |
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I actually love that piece. It does not seem to be one of a kind...I have this old picture of a very similar sword.I don't currently recall where I found it but I do remember it being listed as a "German Renaissance Parade Sword".
"A bottle of wine contains more philosophy than all the books in the world." -- Louis Pasteur
"A gentleman should never leave the house without a sharp knife, a good watch, and great hat."
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Phil D.
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| Posted: Wed 19 Mar, 2014 6:17 pm Post subject: |
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Here is a better pic and I remembered where I found it:
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=16408
And here is the actual Museum page.There are better pics,etc...even stats for said sword.
http://www.dhm.de/datenbank/dhm.php?seite=5&fld_0=AK204085
Production
1551/1600 (Gefäß)
Measurements
Width: 42 (Parierstange) cm
Length: 169,3 cm
Length: 114,5 (Klinge) cm
"A bottle of wine contains more philosophy than all the books in the world." -- Louis Pasteur
"A gentleman should never leave the house without a sharp knife, a good watch, and great hat."
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Chuck D.
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| Posted: Wed 19 Mar, 2014 6:42 pm Post subject: |
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Only in Bayern! I love my ancestors!
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William P
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| Posted: Wed 19 Mar, 2014 10:05 pm Post subject: |
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when i posted this thread to facebook, i got a comment saying that these fish are native to australian waters, how are we finding these things in bavaria then, when are these swords dated to???
side note, even if it wouldnt be too good at parrying, i REALLY would not want to hae that thing swung at me, it's frankly more terrifying than a steel blade could ever be...
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Tobias Capwell
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| Posted: Wed 19 Mar, 2014 11:38 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Guys,
I think the caption on that image is wrong. I saw that sword in the Berlin stores about ten years ago and I'm pretty sure that the saw-fish saw comprises the scabbard of the weapon, not the blade. I also seem to recall that inside is a fairly typical steel blade. I don't think this thing is unique either...
T
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Kai Lawson
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| Posted: Thu 20 Mar, 2014 8:27 am Post subject: |
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The sword in the original post and the sword in the 5th post (and others) are NOT the same weapon. Right there, we have evidence for two swords like this, which matches up with what Tobias Capwell just said. I have no idea how you'd hollow out a swordfish nose (unless it is naturally hollow?) without making the teeth loose as well, but the idea of it as a scabbard seems pretty reasonable to me.
"And they crossed swords."
--William Goldman, alias S. Morgenstern
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Daniel Wallace
Location: Pennsylvania USA Joined: 07 Aug 2011
Posts: 580
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| Posted: Thu 20 Mar, 2014 9:16 am Post subject: |
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| Tobias Capwell wrote: | Hi Guys,
I think the caption on that image is wrong. I saw that sword in the Berlin stores about ten years ago and I'm pretty sure that the saw-fish saw comprises the scabbard of the weapon, not the blade. I also seem to recall that inside is a fairly typical steel blade. I don't think this thing is unique either...
T |
just by the photos this looks true to me as well. seems unlikely that a sword maker would be contracted to make something without its blade. even by the size of the hilt, and its decoration I would want to say the first posted pic looks more like a bearing sword. I'm no expert, I've been looking through 2 handed swords for a while, but I look at it and think its something Victorian however, I've been wrong about things before.
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Ozsváth Árpád-István
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| Posted: Thu 20 Mar, 2014 10:31 am Post subject: |
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That sword is in the German Historical Museum in Berlin. There's a lot of good stuff there, it worth visiting. though I had only one day to see the city.
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Shahril Dzulkifli
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| Posted: Fri 21 Mar, 2014 7:43 am Post subject: Bavarian Sawfish Two-handed Sword |
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Wow! That's a huge sword! I've never seen sawfish bills that big.
Some trivia: In Germany there are no sawfishes and the animal's bill could have been imported elsewhere. Sawfishes, however, inhabit tropical waters.
“You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength”
- Marcus Aurelius
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Radovan Geist
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| Posted: Fri 21 Mar, 2014 8:12 am Post subject: |
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I´m sorry for being a bit off-topic, but this is a very intriguing question:
| William P wrote: | when i posted this thread to facebook, i got a comment saying that these fish are native to australian waters, how are we finding these things in bavaria then, when are these swords dated to???
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by chance I was researching some stuff on trade in exotic naturalia in early modern Europe; if you are interested, see some interesting information in this study by Claudia Swan: http://www.arthistory.northwestern.edu/facult...hTrade.pdf
btw, European notables were not the only ones attracted by exotic plants and birds. Some interesting info on Mughal emperor Jahanghir: http://resobscura.blogspot.sk/2011/02/jahangi...odern.html
and sorry again if it´s too off-topic...
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J. Abernethy
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| Posted: Fri 21 Mar, 2014 10:16 am Post subject: |
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Thank you Julien for starting this thread and posting that first image. It is so unbelievably ingenious and insidious looking. I may have to find a Saw Fish bill for my German Two Hander now! You begin to realize how far behind modern fantasy movies and television are from historical creativity, design, ingenuity and beauty.
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Michael Harley
Location: Melbourne, Australia Joined: 12 Apr 2006
Posts: 94
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| Posted: Fri 21 Mar, 2014 11:04 pm Post subject: |
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Here's another with no more information than 16th. century. The close-up of this one would suggest that the saw is in fact in place of the blade.
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Information is not knowledge, Knowledge is not wisdom, Wisdom is not truth - Frank Zappa
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This is a standard topic
