FRINGIA

Jeff D · 10th November 2009, 03:22 AM

Hi Jim et al,

Unfortunately I can’t add much to the above except to place a number of quotes I have found.

“Hungarian blade production, if it existed at all, must have been very limited, for seventeenth-century records tell of blade purchase in mass from Styrian and Italian manufacturies, and the great majority of surviving Hungarian sabers have Styrian or Genovese blades, often marked with crescent moons and the inscription <<GENOA>>, <<FRINGIA>>, <<FRANCIA>>, probably regarded as indications of quality in the East.” Jan Ostrowski, Wojciech Bochnak “Polish Sabers ;Their Origins and Evolution”, Arts, and Armour: Held. Pg. 226

…”Also this type often had blades bearing maker’s marks called “sickles” and associated with Genoa, as well as inscriptions reading “Genoa”, “Fringia” or similar ones. This is linked with the lively activities of the north-Italian centers which at that time exported blades to Hungary and also to the countries of the Islamic East. Both the “sickle” marks and the inscriptions were soon adopted by the Styrian centers which first of all met the demands of the Hapsburg monarchy. A view is current that the Polish workshops, notably those in Gdansk, acted similarly." Nadolski, “Polish Arms-Side Arms”, Pg 35

I am note sure where the picture of Buendia came from, but a reproduction is found in Askhabov, ”Chechen Arms” Pg.68 to illustrate the “Gurda” mark. I can’t tell where the original is from, but, I would guess Astvatsaturyan. I would check if I could but I am still waiting for the English version

.

All the Best
Jeff

10th November 2009, 03:22 AM	#10
Jeff D Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: B.C. Canada Posts: 473	Hi Jim et al, Unfortunately I can’t add much to the above except to place a number of quotes I have found. “Hungarian blade production, if it existed at all, must have been very limited, for seventeenth-century records tell of blade purchase in mass from Styrian and Italian manufacturies, and the great majority of surviving Hungarian sabers have Styrian or Genovese blades, often marked with crescent moons and the inscription <<GENOA>>, <<FRINGIA>>, <<FRANCIA>>, probably regarded as indications of quality in the East.” Jan Ostrowski, Wojciech Bochnak “Polish Sabers ;Their Origins and Evolution”, Arts, and Armour: Held. Pg. 226 …”Also this type often had blades bearing maker’s marks called “sickles” and associated with Genoa, as well as inscriptions reading “Genoa”, “Fringia” or similar ones. This is linked with the lively activities of the north-Italian centers which at that time exported blades to Hungary and also to the countries of the Islamic East. Both the “sickle” marks and the inscriptions were soon adopted by the Styrian centers which first of all met the demands of the Hapsburg monarchy. A view is current that the Polish workshops, notably those in Gdansk, acted similarly." Nadolski, “Polish Arms-Side Arms”, Pg 35 I am note sure where the picture of Buendia came from, but a reproduction is found in Askhabov, ”Chechen Arms” Pg.68 to illustrate the “Gurda” mark. I can’t tell where the original is from, but, I would guess Astvatsaturyan. I would check if I could but I am still waiting for the English version . All the Best Jeff Attached Images