Why Did Italian Sword Makers Die Out?

Victrix · 1st October 2019, 06:17 PM

Yes it’s sad that some of these venerable Italian sword smiths disappeared despite the high quality of their work. As was previously suggested, the fragmentation of the states on the Italian peninsula probably did not help. The Austrians ruled the Veneto region and were probably not keen to promote arms industries in that potential hotbed. Instead domestic Austrian arms industries in Wiener Neustadt and elsewhere were supported by government contracts which helped them to build economies of scale. The Italian smiths were probably also limited in terms of who they could export to. Austria subsequently fought against Italy in a number of wars. Solingen with its proximity of Cologne could reach scale by supplying the German lands and then add more by exporting. Klingenthal got the government contracts to supply the French army, etc.

Philip · 1st October 2019, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Victrix

. The Austrians ruled the Veneto region and were probably not keen to promote arms industries in that potential hotbed. .

Back in the 1970s there was an exhibition of traditional Balkan arms and I recall the catalog mentioning that Habsburg-administered areas like Bosnia suffered restrictions on the local manufacture of weapons, even the wearing of yataghans and other blades, in the 19th cent.

Victrix · 2nd October 2019, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philip

Back in the 1970s there was an exhibition of traditional Balkan arms and I recall the catalog mentioning that Habsburg-administered areas like Bosnia suffered restrictions on the local manufacture of weapons, even the wearing of yataghans and other blades, in the 19th cent.

Yes as part of the Divide et Impera policy where the Habsburgs ruled over ethnically diverse lands through a personal mandate, I think it made sense to discourage the access of arms which could be potentially used against the Royal and Imperial Army (K.u.K.). In Bosnia’s particular case this was futile as demonstrated by the tragic assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife in Sarajevo in 1914.

The Royal and Imperial Habsburg Army fought the Italians in the revolutions of 1848, the Risorgimento, and WWI. So made sense to not encourage arms industries in those lands under their control. Even Hungary was quite prone to rebellion although there was sword manufacturing allowed in Slovakia (then part of the Hungarian Kingdom).

MForde · 3rd October 2019, 01:06 PM

I think suppression by the Austrians is a most valid point and one that I hadn't considered.

The reason I ask this is because I'm cataloging the Italian regulation swords in the 1800s and there really isn't much written in English about it all and I'm rather chained to Google Translate at the moment as my Italian is sadly limited to ordering coffee.

I've just finished translating cherry-picked sections from L'Armamento Individuale dell'Esercito dal 1861 al 1943 and it is one of the first works (of many I've translated) that touched on the manufacturing capabilities of the various states. Interestingly, just after Unification, the three main centres of production at the Royal Factory of Turin near Valdocco, the Brescia factory and that of Torre Annunziata were happily churning out rifles and bayonets but not sword blades. I think, as has been suggested, this is partly due to the waning of the sword's importance.

I would love to know who were producing the hilts!

1st October 2019, 06:17 PM	#1
Victrix Member Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Sweden Posts: 755	Yes it’s sad that some of these venerable Italian sword smiths disappeared despite the high quality of their work. As was previously suggested, the fragmentation of the states on the Italian peninsula probably did not help. The Austrians ruled the Veneto region and were probably not keen to promote arms industries in that potential hotbed. Instead domestic Austrian arms industries in Wiener Neustadt and elsewhere were supported by government contracts which helped them to build economies of scale. The Italian smiths were probably also limited in terms of who they could export to. Austria subsequently fought against Italy in a number of wars. Solingen with its proximity of Cologne could reach scale by supplying the German lands and then add more by exporting. Klingenthal got the government contracts to supply the French army, etc.

3rd October 2019, 01:06 PM	#4
MForde Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: UK Posts: 36	I think suppression by the Austrians is a most valid point and one that I hadn't considered. The reason I ask this is because I'm cataloging the Italian regulation swords in the 1800s and there really isn't much written in English about it all and I'm rather chained to Google Translate at the moment as my Italian is sadly limited to ordering coffee. I've just finished translating cherry-picked sections from L'Armamento Individuale dell'Esercito dal 1861 al 1943 and it is one of the first works (of many I've translated) that touched on the manufacturing capabilities of the various states. Interestingly, just after Unification, the three main centres of production at the Royal Factory of Turin near Valdocco, the Brescia factory and that of Torre Annunziata were happily churning out rifles and bayonets but not sword blades. I think, as has been suggested, this is partly due to the waning of the sword's importance. I would love to know who were producing the hilts!