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Jim McDougall · 29th June 2020, 09:45 PM

Going further through WallaceColl., I am finding that these letter, symbol type inscriptions occur on Italian rapiers and blades c.1600 in some frequency, and repetitive letters seem to be some sort of coded phrase, invocation or slogan.

Sometimes letters had numeric value or other and were used in acrostics, but repetitive use seems to defy that.
There are blades with S S one over another, then
rosette (H) rosette (H) rosette (H)
some M O M O M and other markings.
Some have the 'sacred monogram'....IHS.

I would note here that the majescule A with center bar in drop down v was often used as a marking associated with Augsburg and other arms centers.
Here I dont see the drop down 'v' though.

On your example there are 'twig' type marks, typically Italian, enclosing the inscription. The II marks resemble 'H's seen in some Italian inscriptions.

The use of these letters, especially the S seem in degree well known on these kinds of inscriptions which seem to align with numbers of rapiers and swords from Italian examples c.1600 +
That they would be copied in S. Germany seems probable, and Mann in Wallace Coll. (op. cit.) notes German/Italian in many descriptions supporting that combination.

29th June 2020, 09:45 PM	#8
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,746	Going further through WallaceColl., I am finding that these letter, symbol type inscriptions occur on Italian rapiers and blades c.1600 in some frequency, and repetitive letters seem to be some sort of coded phrase, invocation or slogan. Sometimes letters had numeric value or other and were used in acrostics, but repetitive use seems to defy that. There are blades with S S one over another, then rosette (H) rosette (H) rosette (H) some M O M O M and other markings. Some have the 'sacred monogram'....IHS. I would note here that the majescule A with center bar in drop down v was often used as a marking associated with Augsburg and other arms centers. Here I dont see the drop down 'v' though. On your example there are 'twig' type marks, typically Italian, enclosing the inscription. The II marks resemble 'H's seen in some Italian inscriptions. The use of these letters, especially the S seem in degree well known on these kinds of inscriptions which seem to align with numbers of rapiers and swords from Italian examples c.1600 + That they would be copied in S. Germany seems probable, and Mann in Wallace Coll. (op. cit.) notes German/Italian in many descriptions supporting that combination. Last edited by Jim McDougall; 29th June 2020 at 10:24 PM.