[Seamus Taylor]

Andrea Ferrara was reputedly a maker of high-quality sword-blades in the late 16th century. (There are also dirk blades with this name, although these are obviously cut-down from swords which were broken or worn out.) The mark was especially esteemed in Scotland in the late 16th through the 18th centuries.

Theories about who the "real" Andrea Ferrara was, when he lived, where he worked, and how to identify a "real" Ferrara blade are legion - but most of these have problems.

The name is found on a number of blades, and is generally supposed to be derived from this maker, but there is little solid information on him, and the name and associated markings are found in a variety of forms.

There seems good reason to suppose that there was once a maker of this name, and possibly even a family of sword-smiths of the name, beginning in the 16th century.

The earliest blade this writer is aware of with this mark and known provenance is in the possession of Donald Cameron of Lochiel, 27th chief of the clan Cameron. The sword is a well-balanced two-handed sword of the "Lowland" style with curving quillons and "clamshell" guards, which belonged to Lochiel's ancestor Allan, the 16th Chief. It is marked "Andrea Ferrara" and "Allan Camron of Lochell" with the date "1585." (See p. 141 of "The Highland Clans" by Sir Iain Moncrieffe of that Ilk, Bramhall House, London and NY, 1968.)

A later example (ca. 1700 - 1720) from this writer's own collection is marked on both sides "xx Andria xx / xx Farara xx" in the double fullered blade, the first name being in the top fuller and the last in the bottom fuller, one above the other. No other marks are visible.)

Name variants include "Andria Farara" "Andreia Farara" and various combinations thereof. (The latter spelling of the first name is found on swords 1.28 and 1.29 pp. 35-6 of the book "Culloden: The Swords and the Sorrows".)

The varying forms of the name are accompanied with equally varying marks such as the "Orb and Cross"; "Running Wolf"; "Crown"; "Hail Marys" etc.

There is a great deal more to convey, but I haven't time just now.

As to the later hilt, contrary to a number of comments, it was not at all uncommon to re-hilt an early blade with a later hilt. The writer is aware of several quite well authenticated examples among Highland swords, including one that belonged to the late Martin Lindsay of Dowhill, which had been his grandfather's weapon in the Peninsular campaigns, and which he re-hilted with a regulation M1831 and a specially made scabbard. The story is engraved on a side-guard panel left unpierced. It was stolen in 1963, but purchased and magnanimously returned by the buyer (Mr. Robert Erlandson of Towson, MD) to the descendant regiment of the Seaforths, the Highlanders (comprised of the Camerons, Seaforths, and Gordons) as Lindsay of Dowhill had belonged to this regiment.

(BTW, there never was a M1821 Highland hilt. The standardized models were 1798, 1828, and 1863 [often miscalled 1831] - the last and current model.)

As to Japanese swords - I am aware of several ancient blades by famed makers that were likewise rehilted in military issue style during WW II. The owner of one such item captured it in the Pacific theater in close personal ground combat from the owner, a young Japanese officer who he killed. Years later, he became interested in the sword's background when a collector friend told him it looked valuable. Disassembling it, they found the maker's mark , a famous smith (I don't recall it at the moment), and the collector friend was thus able to trace the sword to the family who had owned it.

When they found that the family was still alive, the owner called them, and arranged to return it. The family offered to pay for his fare and for the sword, but he would accept nothing, and flew to Japan at his own expense. He was met by his adversary's family, and many Japanese who had heard the story. He presented the sword to the family, and received the low bow from them and the hundreds of Japanese who had gathered to see the return.

This is not to say that all such swords touted by dealers or others are authentic- but in fact, the notion that all or even most such swords are not authentic, or deliberate fakes is equally invalid. Still, the caveat emptor warning is always good.