1730 Rapier or a Victorian 'Copy' .........any ideas?

Jim McDougall · 26th November 2006, 04:41 PM

[QUOTE=katana]

.
I'm wondering whether the author may have made assumptions..... perhaps swords of a seemingly functional nature but of lower quality were grouped as 'too good for a wall hanger....not good enough for a swordsmith'. I'm actually thinking that 'theatrical' swords may have entered this catagory......few would associate swords and thespians.......unless you are a Romantic........eh Jim

Spot on , Katana!!!!

Grrr! Blasted cape caught in the door again!!

Best,
Jim

VANDOO · 26th November 2006, 05:43 PM

AS JIM MENTIONED THE LEGNTH OF RAPIERS WAS RESTRICTED BY ORDER OF THE QUEEN. I CAN PICTURE A MONTY PYTHON LIKE SITUATION AT COURT, I CAN IMAGINE PEOPLE GETTING TRIPPED AND WHACKED WHEN THE GENTELMEN TURNED OR POKED IN THE EYE OR GOOSED WHEN THE GENTELMEN BOWED TO SOMEONE. PERHAPS THE QUEEN HERSELF WAS A VICTIM OF THE DEADLY GOOSE SO BANNED LONG SWORDS IN HER COURT.

IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO BEHAVE IN A PROPER DIGNIFIED ENGLISH MANNER IN SHUCH A SETTING. THUS COURT SWORDS WERE MADE AND BECAME THE RAGE.

Robert · 27th November 2006, 01:17 AM

Here is a sword that I have that fits into the "what is it" category. This sword was covered in layer after layer of aluminium paint when I bought it. The woman who owned it had let her children and grand children carry it around on Halloween. The wooden grip was so dried out that I put a wood preservative on it (I hope this was not a mistake) to help keep it from getting any worse. Her story was that this was brought back from the Philippines after the Spanish American War with other edged weapons (including one with a long wavy blade as she described it) by her uncle but she had already sold the others when I bought this one. There is engraving on the ferrels and the pommel that look a lot like the engraving on the silver hilted dagger that I posted on the forum. The blade is what I would describe as hollow ground. The blade is 39-5/8 inches long, 3/8 inches thick at its thickest point and 1-13/16 inches wide at its widest point. The hilt is 9-1/2 inches long. I was even told by someone else that it was probably made by Ernst Schmidt. If anyone has any thoughts on this piece please post them as I have been trying to identify it for a couple of years with little luck. The blade is not shiny like it looks in the pictures.

27th November 2006, 01:17 AM	#3
Robert EAAF Staff Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Centerville, Kansas Posts: 2,196	Here is a sword that I have that fits into the "what is it" category. This sword was covered in layer after layer of aluminium paint when I bought it. The woman who owned it had let her children and grand children carry it around on Halloween. The wooden grip was so dried out that I put a wood preservative on it (I hope this was not a mistake) to help keep it from getting any worse. Her story was that this was brought back from the Philippines after the Spanish American War with other edged weapons (including one with a long wavy blade as she described it) by her uncle but she had already sold the others when I bought this one. There is engraving on the ferrels and the pommel that look a lot like the engraving on the silver hilted dagger that I posted on the forum. The blade is what I would describe as hollow ground. The blade is 39-5/8 inches long, 3/8 inches thick at its thickest point and 1-13/16 inches wide at its widest point. The hilt is 9-1/2 inches long. I was even told by someone else that it was probably made by Ernst Schmidt. If anyone has any thoughts on this piece please post them as I have been trying to identify it for a couple of years with little luck. The blade is not shiny like it looks in the pictures. Attached Images

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26th November 2006, 04:41 PM	#1
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,461	[QUOTE=katana] . I'm wondering whether the author may have made assumptions..... perhaps swords of a seemingly functional nature but of lower quality were grouped as 'too good for a wall hanger....not good enough for a swordsmith'. I'm actually thinking that 'theatrical' swords may have entered this catagory......few would associate swords and thespians.......unless you are a Romantic........eh Jim Spot on , Katana!!!! Grrr! Blasted cape caught in the door again!! Best, Jim

26th November 2006, 05:43 PM	#2
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	AS JIM MENTIONED THE LEGNTH OF RAPIERS WAS RESTRICTED BY ORDER OF THE QUEEN. I CAN PICTURE A MONTY PYTHON LIKE SITUATION AT COURT, I CAN IMAGINE PEOPLE GETTING TRIPPED AND WHACKED WHEN THE GENTELMEN TURNED OR POKED IN THE EYE OR GOOSED WHEN THE GENTELMEN BOWED TO SOMEONE. PERHAPS THE QUEEN HERSELF WAS A VICTIM OF THE DEADLY GOOSE SO BANNED LONG SWORDS IN HER COURT. IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO BEHAVE IN A PROPER DIGNIFIED ENGLISH MANNER IN SHUCH A SETTING. THUS COURT SWORDS WERE MADE AND BECAME THE RAGE.