Naval Caribbean rapier

[Jim McDougall]

I very much look forward to the articles!!! as I am busily (and totally) revamping my notes!!!

To that I would ask, on the familiar 'Spanish motto' blades, I had long thought that these were decidedly Solingen products and from c. 1750s, typically of course on the 'dragoon' blades ('1728') which remained in production well through to later in the century. I had no idea of the French capturing these and remounting them.

What book by Toledo?

[midelburgo]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

I very much look forward to the articles!!! as I am busily (and totally) revamping my notes!!!

To that I would ask, on the familiar 'Spanish motto' blades, I had long thought that these were decidedly Solingen products and from c. 1750s, typically of course on the 'dragoon' blades ('1728') which remained in production well through to later in the century. I had no idea of the French capturing these and remounting them.

What book by Toledo?

Until this year I thought mottoes were a thing from Solingen all the way. I am still trying to understand the order of appearition in straight blades, but for sabers, Barcelona started and Solingen copied. I have a couple of swords, I have not shown yet, that are a good proof.

At Tolosa, as they were also making armors, they had both engravers and gilders. I suspect I have identified a group of 4 blades, all with the same motto that could come from there, late XVIIth century.

I wrote previous post thinking in "POR MY LEY Y POR MY REY". It appears in several blades in Brinckerhof, which I believe are prior 1767 and marked as from Barcelona.

But this motto has been described as a liberal (against Carlist faction) because it puts law first and the king in second position. Sometime around 1820-1850.

The oldest blades with "NO ME SAQUES" I have seen are Italian and XVIth century. The first Solingen versions I believe are XVIIIth century and by the same people who where making fake markings of ENRIQUE COEL and GIO KNEGT. Because there are blades marked ENRIQUE COEL and GIO KNEGT in XVIIth century, but there were several batches/rounds of faking them later. This is when you find the same blade (lenticular, broad channel, 1/3 of length) being inscribed ENRIQUE COEL or GIO KNEGT or NO ME SAQUES, depending of the fancy that day in the Solingen workshop.

[Pertinax]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

I very much look forward to the articles!!! as I am busily (and totally) revamping my notes!!!

To that I would ask, on the familiar 'Spanish motto' blades, I had long thought that these were decidedly Solingen products and from c. 1750s, typically of course on the 'dragoon' blades ('1728') which remained in production well through to later in the century. I had no idea of the French capturing these and remounting them.

What book by Toledo?

Hi Jim!
Look here:
https://vicentetoledo.es/es/espadas\

[Jim McDougall]

Hi Yuri! Thank you so much!!!

Midelburgo, you MUST write a book........articles will slide away into the ether.
There is nothing on Spanish swords in English since the Brinckerhoff & Chamberlain in 1972. I knew Chamberlain personally, who was a great deal of help as I flailed in the cloudy notes and notions of those times trying to learn. I recall imploring him to write a revision back in 80s....he wryly chuckled and said he was out of this area, and suggested 'I' should write it (?) LOL!

That was clearly tongue in cheek. However 2 years ago I did write on the espada ancha (published by Livrustkammeren in Stockholm) . I put together everything I had gathered since the 70s, and thought it came out well.
To my dismay, it was met with resounding silence and absolutely no notice, literally none.

Disappointed, I thought there cannot be this little interest in these areas, but now I am wondering if my observations ( which clearly had gaps) led to mistakes and the silence kindly placed.
Thanks to these new perspectives, it seems clear the field of Spanish colonial edged weapons needs a bit of rethinking.

I hope you will pursue this Midelburgo....count me first in line if there is a book!!!

All the best,
Jim