Sword for identification

Gavin Nugent · 6th September 2010, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GIO

Anybody can identify this sword ?
The Toledo blade is 77 cms. long.
Is it possible to find a suitable hilt ?

Marc has provided you with ID for sure and even looking at the blurring images and seeing the fine form of the entire blade and the cleaned but pitted tang, my money is on it being a period blade.
As for the hilt, patience, communication with many and lots of scouring of box lots and old swords with blades in bad condition at auctions will eventually reveal what it is you need to complete the task, then comes the refit, a job in itself.
Not being my main field of interest, I would first suggest you find the hilt style that was commonly seen on blades of this nature and start your quest.

Gav

Jim McDougall · 7th September 2010, 01:04 AM

This is an interesting blade, and quite honestly in the most remarkable condition I have ever seen for one of these, which as Marc notes, is a Solingen made blade intended for Spanish export.
It seems these were made around the first part of the 18th century for export to the colonies where traditional colonial gentlemen still favored the well known cuphilt rapiers. I have seen numbers of these that were found in shipwrecks in the America's and all were unmounted, so clearly intended for local furbishing. The same was the case later in the century with the blades with the 'Spanish motto' and were hexagon sectioned military blades for mounting in the colonies. These are known to have been found often in bundles (Scollard collection 1970s) and were also Solingen made in the same manner.

The scabbard here is incredibly crisp and seems military from early 19th century....better photos would help on the blade also. It looks like there is pitting on the tang, and unusually crisp 'anchor' marking.

All best regards,
Jim

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7th September 2010, 01:04 AM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,850	This is an interesting blade, and quite honestly in the most remarkable condition I have ever seen for one of these, which as Marc notes, is a Solingen made blade intended for Spanish export. It seems these were made around the first part of the 18th century for export to the colonies where traditional colonial gentlemen still favored the well known cuphilt rapiers. I have seen numbers of these that were found in shipwrecks in the America's and all were unmounted, so clearly intended for local furbishing. The same was the case later in the century with the blades with the 'Spanish motto' and were hexagon sectioned military blades for mounting in the colonies. These are known to have been found often in bundles (Scollard collection 1970s) and were also Solingen made in the same manner. The scabbard here is incredibly crisp and seems military from early 19th century....better photos would help on the blade also. It looks like there is pitting on the tang, and unusually crisp 'anchor' marking. All best regards, Jim