Origin of the term Eisenhauer

[Jim McDougall]

This is really a good question, and it seems pretty well established that this term indeed appears on blades of mid 19th and into 20th century Germany; also that it is often mistaken for a makers name.
According to John Walter in "Sword and Bayonet Makers of Imperial Germany" blades were designated 'eisenhauerklinge' or 'iron cutter' as a declaration of quality, with similar terms in Belgium and a number of other countries.

Jean Binck had noted (2003) that it was a practice of early Passau swordsmiths to test blades by placing iron wire on a piece of wood, so its not as if the blade was to cut into iron plate. It does not seem that the term itself was used on blades until the 19th century. It is important to note that the quality of sword blades was obviously of key importance, and this implied guarantee was typically the purpose of the trade and guild markings which became so widely copied, the wolf and sickle marks among the best known.

In the latter 18th century, there was considerable competition between English swordsmiths and the imported German blades from Solingen which brought about what became known as the 'sword scandals' colloquially.
One of the main proponents for the English cause was Thomas Gill, who began marking his blades in 1788 with 'warranted never to fail', with several other makers following with variations of the phrase.

The imported German blades, aside from those marked by importer JJ Runkel, were often unmarked. The practice of these warranted phrases or the word alone seems to have carried into about the end of the Napoleonic Period on English sword blades, and by the mid 19th century the advent of proof marks took the place of these warranty notices on British swords.

It does seem quite plausible that the German use of this pronouncement of power or quality may have evolved out of the conflict mentioned, or simply as noted, a marketing device.

Other examples of pronouncing or guarantee of blade quality in terms would be that of Andrea Ferara on well known Solingen blades, typically for Scotland. It has been suggested by a number of arms writers through the years that this may be a term, 'Andrea =true, trustworthy; Ferara= iron', rather than a name..obviously the subject of ongoing dispute.

I once spent a great deal of effort having a Manchu inscription of only several characters translated (not many out there reading this from a blade on a willow leaf sabre......hoping for something meaningful, it simply expressed 'tempered steel' .......apparantly significant note of quality in the 18th century in China in this same fashion.

[Dmitry]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

It has been suggested by a number of arms writers through the years that this may be a term, 'Andrea =true, trustworthy; Ferara= iron', rather than a name..obviously the subject of ongoing dispute.

That is cool! Makes sense. I've never heard this interpretation before.

Tonight I will post a couple of photos of the Eisenhauer inscriptions on the blades that, in my opinion, date prior to the 1850s.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Dmitry

That is cool! Makes sense. I've never heard this interpretation before.

Tonight I will post a couple of photos of the Eisenhauer inscriptions on the blades that, in my opinion, date prior to the 1850s.

Thanks Dmitry!!! Looking forward to the eisenhauer inscriptions, I had never realized the placement of the term hadn't been used before mid 19th c.

[Dmitry]

Blade no.1.

This just ended on eBay. If you look really close, you will see the Eisenhauer markings on both sides of the blade.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Two things can be assumed -

1.This is indeed an 18th century Hungarian blade, with an early Eisenhauer mark.

2.This is a mid to late 1800s German-made blade in the earlier Hungarian style, decorated with a Hungarian motto, and made either for Hungary around the time of the 1848 rebellion, or a blade made specifically for the Middle-Eastern market, emulating the Hungarian style as a mark of quality. Let's not forget that Solingen was producing archaic-looking blades for Ethiopia well into the 20th century.

So, which is it?
We will find out!
As the man said, "Oh, do not ask, “What is it?” Let us go and make our visit."

Example no.2 is coming up later.

[Jim McDougall]

Looks like a well worn Bedouin sabre with the typical Syrian hilt style, the blade ? ...according to Robert Elgood (citing Burton, 1855) it is noted on p.22 ("The Arms and Armour of Arabia") that;
"...the shintayan is the common sword blade of the Badawin, in Western Arabia; it is called Majar (from the Magyars?) and is said to be of German manufacture".
Elgood notes that these were distinctive blades, often with an etched hussar, and popular from the Caucusus to South Arabia. These were usually regarded as Hungarian, though typically Solingen produced to meet demands, and known to have been Daghestani made as well. These were based on 18th to 19th century cavalry sabre blades.

One of my earliest collected sabres was presented as an 18th c. Hungarian hussars sabre, and had similar etched motto (not Eisenhauer) on the blade, while the hilt was of Ottoman pistol grip type. The quillons were remarkably stubby as I recall. It was not until years later that I learned this was actually a Bedouin sabre and of the 19th century. I later saw a number of sabres with Syrian hilts and Hungarian inscribed blades being hawked again as Hungarian 'patriotic sabres'. ...again clearly Arab swords.

In my impression this is a Solingen trade blade, and the Eisenhauer being a quality term as discussed, probably in the 19th century period, I do not recall seeing this term on the other sabres I described.

All best regards,
Jim

[Dmitry]

This is great and very useful information, Jim. Thanks.
I'll be ordering that book presently.

Example no.2.

The theme of the decorations on the blade is the same as the example no.1, but executed differently.
After reading what you wrote regarding the Majar blades, it's probable that both of these blades are from the mid to late 1800s. My assertion that the term Eisenhauer may pre-date mid-1800s is beginning to crumble. Knowledge is a dangerous thing!

I am certain that the explanation and origins of Eisenhauer are to be found in the German language books on the subject. One day it'll come up.

[Jim McDougall]

I'm glad to be able to add some information on this great topic, and think you are right, there has to be some kind of information on the use of this term in the warranty or guarantee sense. It would be great to know where Jean Binck got the information on the iron wire cutting test used in early Passau, but he's been notably out of touch for some time. Bezdek (p.10) suggests rather aprocryphally that the 'eisenhauerklinge' (iron cutting blade) was a process of hardening the edge learned from Islamic swordsmiths by German crusaders. While there is a degree of truth in the metalworking secrets of the smiths of Moorish Spain being carried to the Frankish smiths, it is known conversely that Frankish blades were also much in demand in Moorish Spain.
Regardless, the use of the term remains unclear in these earlier times.

The use of the term is seen in characteristic Victorian literature, in an 1884 reference on antiquities; "...the sword before us is the mael or hringmael, so called from its cutting the ring of the hauberk in twain, as the modern German 'eisenhauer' hews through the iron of the foe".

I agree that the term probably was emplaced in recalling this type of strength to the blade, and likely came about the time of the commercial conflicts between German and English swordsmiths c.1788-1810 where the 'warranted never to fail' type inscriptions were used on British blades.
Before this time, the guild marks or other symbolic marks were presumed to carry this quality guarantee without being worded.

Sabre #2 here is an even nicer example of these Arab sabres with these Majar blades. As mentioned these blades seem to have been Solingen products, and Bezdek also mentions that typically Austrian blades were made in Germany (the few Austrian makers typically marked thier name on thier work). At the end of the 18th century, this was the case with the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and it is noted in Wagner (plate 42) that the figure of the crowned, recumbent lion was characteristic of blades produced c.1791. This was the time when Leopold II was crowned king of Bohemia.

The deep channeled fullers on these seem to correspond to sabres of these East European regions around the turn of the century into 1820s. By the mid 19th century Solingen was more typically using the hollow ground type blades seen on cavalry sabres through the 19th century.

You're right, knowledge can sometimes prove disappointing when following a certain theory and it becomes disproven, but I still think your idea of the earlier use of this term may be well placed. I have checked all the references I can and cannot find evidence of a maker with this name, though we know of course it has become a surname. The period of the recumbent lion is noted earlier, and the term is on an earlier type blade, on two examples.
I think thus far, these two sabres plausibly suggest earlier use as you have observed.....sure would like to hear of other examples or references from others out there too!

Thanks for the excellent examples and discussion Dmitry!!!!

All the best,
Jim