| Author |
Message |
Keith Larman
Industry Professional
Location: Sunny Southern California Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Posts: 237
|
 Posted: Fri 01 Apr, 2005 10:51 am Post subject: Another "what is it" thread |
 |
|
I'll start posting photos as I edit them in photoshop. Yet another from a fine lady I know who is trying to sell off the "decorations" in her house.
Notice the writing in the groove. I haven't done anything about rust on this yet and I hesitate to. But out in the Southern California sunshine I could start to make out what looks like the beginnings of roman numerals on both sides.
 Attachment: 10.02 KB
Attachment: 20.93 KB
Attachment: 40.55 KB
Keith Larman
http://www.summerchild.com
|
|
    |
 |
Keith Larman
Industry Professional
Location: Sunny Southern California Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Posts: 237
|
| Posted: Fri 01 Apr, 2005 10:55 am Post subject: |
|
|
More...
Attachment: 47.16 KB
Attachment: 37.86 KB
Attachment: 50.68 KB
Attachment: 29.69 KB
Keith Larman
http://www.summerchild.com
|
|
|
|
|
Keith Larman
Industry Professional
Location: Sunny Southern California Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Posts: 237
|
| Posted: Fri 01 Apr, 2005 10:57 am Post subject: |
|
|
And the last few... Measurements to come.
Attachment: 39.15 KB
Attachment: 51.2 KB
Keith Larman
http://www.summerchild.com
|
|
|
|
|
Nate C.
|
| Posted: Fri 01 Apr, 2005 11:48 am Post subject: |
|
|
Interesting...
Here's my 2 cents.
It's a cut steel smallsword (or just in that style?). I won't guess at the date, I'll leave that to Stephen. Looks very rusty but salvagable. Careful cleaning and oiling to get rid of the active rust (be careful cleaning the fullers to avoid losing the engraving). It also looks as though the tip was broken off? Grip wrapped in alternating steel/iron and copper(bronze?) wire over a leather spiral wrap.
A maker's mark would be helpful in determining more as would the engraving.
This should be a fun one 
Cheers,
Nate C.
Sapere Aude
"If you are going to kill the man, at least give him a decent salute." - A. Blansitt
If they ever come up with a Swashbuckling School, I think one of the courses should be Laughing, then Jumping Off Something. --Jack Handy
|
|
|
|
|
Alex Oster
Location: Washington and Yokohama Joined: 01 Mar 2004
Posts: 410
|
| Posted: Fri 01 Apr, 2005 12:16 pm Post subject: |
|
|
well its obviously a small sword, but more to who and when is going to be interesting as it gets cleadned up.
Cute though, plan on selling once done?
The pen is mightier than the sword, especially since it can get past security and be stabbed it into a jugular.
This site would be better if everytime I clicked submit... I got to hear a whip crack!
My collection: Various Blades & Conan related
|
|
 |
|
Keith Larman
Industry Professional
Location: Sunny Southern California Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Posts: 237
|
| Posted: Fri 01 Apr, 2005 12:58 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Alex Oster wrote: | well its obviously a small sword, but more to who and when is going to be interesting as it gets cleadned up.
Cute though, plan on selling once done? |
Yup, just trying to get some idea of the provenance of this little guy before I do. I hate putting stuff up on ebay just to say "I don't have a clue what this is...". Besides, the major reason I work in the sword world is because I find it fascinating learning more about history, how things came about, etc. I don't really need to own stuff myself, I just like looking, handling and learning.
I love the piercing work on this one. Hadn't really noticed the engraving until I looked very closely under sunlight. Gotta get some of that rust loose and neutralized so I can see a bit closer... Project for this afternoon...
Keith Larman
http://www.summerchild.com
|
|
|
|
|
Stephen A. Fisher
Location: Kentucky USA Joined: 17 Oct 2003
Posts: 455
|
| Posted: Fri 01 Apr, 2005 1:44 pm Post subject: |
|
|
That must have been a beauty when it was new. There is a feature that helps identify your smallsword, the blade. It is 'clearly' visible that the blade is marked X TOLEDO XX in your second picture. In the 18th century, many Italian & Spainsh smallswords retained a blade similar to that found on cup-hilt rapiers (but shorter), the blade being thin in width, & thick, containing a short fuller which terminates, making the rest of the blade have a diamond cross section. These blades are often stamped with their country of origin, ex. "Toledo" or "Solingen." Judging by the pommel shape & general decoration of the hilt, I would place this smallsword somewhere in the second half of the 18th century.
Attachment: 44.9 KB
blades samples
|
|
|
|
|
Keith Larman
Industry Professional
Location: Sunny Southern California Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Posts: 237
|
| Posted: Fri 01 Apr, 2005 2:45 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Stephen A. Fisher wrote: | | That must have been a beauty when it was new. There is a feature that helps identify your smallsword, the blade. It is 'clearly' visible that the blade is marked X TOLEDO XX in your second picture. In the 18th century, many Italian & Spainsh smallswords retained a blade similar to that found on cup-hilt rapiers (but shorter), the blade being thin in width, & thick, containing a short fuller which terminates, making the rest of the blade have a diamond cross section. These blades are often stamped with their country of origin, ex. "Toledo" or "Solingen." Judging by the pommel shape & general decoration of the hilt, I would place this smallsword somewhere in the second half of the 18th century. |
Aw, man, very cool. Geez, I see it (the Toledo) now. Interesting bit of psychology, ain't it. You can't see it unless you know what to look for. Once someone points it out, bam, obvious as the nose on your face. Love it.
Thank you very much for the info.
Hey, Nathan, if you're lurking, that's why I sent it...  Bloody good information.
Now to clean up the blade a bit. I'm going to leave the rest to the future owner. But now I want to see that inscription more clearly. And to look for more marks.
Cool, cool, cool...
Keith Larman
http://www.summerchild.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
E.B. Erickson
Industry Professional
|
| Posted: Sat 02 Apr, 2005 4:52 am Post subject: |
|
|
Hi Keith,
Neat smallsword, and it looks like it has the original grip, although missing one of the ferrules. The green-tinted wire could be copper or brass, the wide band may be silver, although I'd expect a darker, blacker color to it if it was, so maybe it's steel or iron.
--ElJay
|
|
|
|
|
Keith Larman
Industry Professional
Location: Sunny Southern California Joined: 21 Aug 2003
Posts: 237
|
| Posted: Sun 03 Apr, 2005 7:21 am Post subject: |
|
|
Thanks for the feedback, guys. I think I'd like to clean the blade portion up a bit to try to show the inscription better. I'll routinely use Noxon (a liquid ammonia based oxide neutralizing stuff) to help remove the outer layer of gunk. Is that okay on something like this? I don't know the "protocols" for working on non-Japanese stuff so I'd rather not do any damage.
The guard and handle on this, however, I"ll leave for someone else. Talk about elaborate work... That's going to be a bear to clean up for someone.
Keith Larman
http://www.summerchild.com
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This is a standard topic