blade mystery

[urbanspaceman]

Originally Posted by urbanspaceman

Hello Folks.
Here is a simple question:
was Solingen producing and exporting to England SUCH A BLADE AS THIS in the early 1500s?
Further details will depend on the answer.
Thanks in anticipation... Keith.

The blade is from a Hounslow Hanger and is date-stamped 1553 which obviously must be a commemorative unless it was in existence 100 years earlier and was subsequently re-hilted a century later; this is what I am attempting to ascertain, hence my question.

1553 was the date of the Lady Jane Grey tragedy when her father-in-law (Dudley: Earl of Northumberland) manipulated her onto the throne after the death of Edward. She reigned for 9 days then was executed by her cousin Mary who took the throne. The father-in-law and his son – her husband – were also executed. She was only 16.

It is possible that the owner of the sword was related to the Dudley or Grey family and wanted to commemorate the issue when he ordered the sword in the 1630s.