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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (July 17, 1904)
Solingen the Toledo and Sheffield of Germany i. iJ. if'' ' ' -- GENERAL, VIEW OF SOLINGEN, TAKEN FROM THE FIELDS OUTSIDE THE CITY.-From a Photo by Merlins & Co., Berlin. 3J HE queen of all weapon with which the Hermans fought thcl. battles was unquestionably thu one dedicuied to the god of bat tles. Thor. namely the sword. A word could be found hunting ' over the couch, at birth; whin a youth reached tho age of munhood he was girded with a word; when he became a husband a sword was considered the best wedding present, and when he died hU sword was placed at bis right. Holy vows were made by placlnf the hand on the sword blade or kissing the same. It whs the chief present of bonor for distinguished guests, generals and warriors, and an exchange of sword was considered a lusting tie of friend hip. The custom for tho vanquished to grasp the point of a sword and hand th hilt to tho victor is in vogue to this day. The sword was considered a symbol of Justice, strength and might, as well as of dominion, far back Into the middle ages. Each sword had Its particular ring by which It was known as man by his Voice. The sword occupying a place of honor with heroes and peoples of ancient times. It hi natural that also the producer was highly respected, particularly as the manu facture of swords was not carried on on a large scale or in factories, and the whole technical port of the art of making swords was lurgely a secret. Many stories and fables were circulated in olden times with reference to sworda and the making of 'same,' which is also true as to the origin of aword blade making in Sollnaen. Soma chronologlsts claim that the first sword makers came with the returning crusaders from Damascus, and that the name So lingen Is derived from the village of Soli on the Isle of Cyprus; others that Steyer marker Introduced the muklng of swords, or that It originated with weapon smiths who immigrated during the Italian wars 013-1173) from Armata and Bergano. Still others consider Solingen as a branch of old Toledo or ascribe a co-operation In the origin of the Bollngen Industry to Shef field, Toledo, Sara gonna, Damascus and othir olden tfme places. For all of this, however, no foundation can be found. That In all probability the Solingen Industry originated on the pot without the assistance of outsldo help Is generally overlooked. In evidence of the latter proposition It may be stated that the Teutons understood the' manipulating of metals and were active In mining, even If In a primitive way, for centuries back. In Westphalia iron was found In the neigh borhood of Maraburg and Ludenscheld In prs-chronologlcal times, and miners' tools, stone lamps, wooden shovels and picks with Iron points found near BenBbnrg. In the . city of Dulsburg coal was mined as far back as 1129. If in addition to facts like these we con sider the many fables and legends of West phalia, and Rhelnland in particular, which tell us of giant black men with slouch hats'and forge hammer and sword-making dwarfs, etc., who dwelt in the mountain hollows along the river Wupper, there is surely sufficient evidence that the Ger mans were masters In the art of forging, and considering the fact of their being ngaged in lbs mining of ore for centuries i ,r -'.J, ' ' '... : L ' . ' - - y n iz " T- ufr si ' ' . - : - - OS t .... VIEW OF THE FACTORY OF J. A. HENCKLES, SOLINGEN. back, in connection herewith. It seems plaimllile that the origin of the German cutlery Industry was among the Germans themselves. Places ?f note where sword smltbles first originated In Germany were PasKati, Rfgonsburc Augahuig and Nurenherg. an In the latter place a guild of sword smiths wns formed In the year VXi. Above all, however, it was Solingen which outdid all other j'.uee. even Toledo of Spain, Armata and Mllm of Italy and Damascus of Syria, and Is holding the Arnt place to this day. ' ' "Cologne swords" were already men- -tloned In the early middle ages, but In all probability the greater pM-t of these were made at Solingen, which place already ex-, slstod In the year 1GO0 and was always in very ' close business connection with Co logne, which, being a large bunineti center, " no doubt the market for Solingen arti cles. The first creditable mention of the Solin gen sword blade Industry dates from the year 1310. At this time grinding mills were already in existence, while "grinders" were apoken of a few jears later. The blade In dustry was protected and favored by the duke of Eerg at this time and given rpe clnl privileges, which were constantly In creased by his successors. In 1401 the "grinders" and "hardeners" were given the privilege of forming a guild. In H12 sword cuilirs and finishers were given the same privilege. The chief object for giving these roncernlona was to preserve and confine the industry to their district, each mem ber.' of the Solingen guild, for instance, being obliged, to make oath that he would rentaln In. Solingen and never leave the country. . ,' ' ; ' The entire body of laborers divided Itself a Into three distinct guilds,' via, sword smiths, harueners and grinders, finishers and polishers, and no member of one could become a member of the other also, that Is to say, a sword smith forger could never be a grinder nor a grinder a forger or fin isher; to become a member It was neces sary to be the legitimate son of a member of the guild. Furthermore, a member of the guild was only allowed to teach his "respective art" to his son, which seems to be an unwritten law up to the preaent time. To have a uniform income the amount - of the daily production was limited a word smith, for instance, was not allowed to make more than four swords per day. .,'Ksth master was also obliged to stamp -ffyety. blade he made with his particular "mark" and after the same was thoroughly Inspected the general Solingen trademark was affixed by the city drawing master. . No sword was permitted to be shipped . that was not marked, so that any inferior make could readily be traced to the manu facturer. One of the oldest trademarks Is (Continued on Page Eleven.) ' r- i r 4 11 i V. i III mi ,yi i a - ' V I i . . ! A- - -A Tlil-- ,, . : ml ORINDING RAZORS IN TUB FACTORT OF DAN HO. PKRES, SOLING JCN-troit. Photo Made for This ArUels, , - .' ...i MAKING POCKET KNIVES IN THE FACTORY OF DANIEL PKRES, BOLIKGKN, , From a Plipto Made for Tbjs Article.