Recently Acquired Espada Ancha for Comment

[M ELEY]

I must also thank you, David, for posting these! I have always found these colonial Spanish weapons both fascinating and historically relevant. Many approach the bounds of 'folk art' in my opinion!

Jim, you indeed are an expert when it comes to these amazing pieces! Living in the South West and assisting museums out that way undoubtedly contributed to your endless knowledge on the subject!

The second piece intrigues me, as I have seen espada where another guard or hilt is superimposed over another to create this double effect. The first one I ever saw I assumed to be a makeshift one-ff piece, but since then, it was definitely a repeated form. Frederick's Swords catalog had one years ago with a dish guard followed by up/down facing quillons before the blade. Interestingly, he listed it as 'possible Spanish pirate??', which is why I remember it so keenly! Always great to see these types of weapons, where the bladesmith used what he had in outposts limited for supplies...

[drac2k]

Thanks for the kind words;Spanish Pirate Sword, I think I like that !

[M ELEY]

Well, it's not TOO much of a stretch when you think about it. Aside from the Golden Age of Piracy (1600-1718), the next largest profusion of piracy came to the Spanish Main during the fights for independence among the Central and South American countries as well as Mexico. During this era (1800-1820), piracy once again shot up to huge numbers, with an estimated 4,000 or so Hispanic pirates/privateers swarming around the Indies. Some were true patrons of independence for their country, while others were blood-thirsty murderers and madmen. Espada were, of course, used throughout the Spanish colonies (Brincherhoff's book on Spanish colonial weapons for example shows Cuban espada ancha circa 1810-20 that could easily have fit the bill). As you might know, there was no such thing as a pirate-pattern sword. Sea rovers carried the more typical types of short hangers that their fellow naval men used, along with whatever weapon they could get their hands on. We've discussed how even infantry type swords and hunting hangers went to sea. Annis proved as much in his monumental 'Swords for Sea Service'. My whole point is that I believe some espada probably went to sea. Jim McDoudall and I have discussed this topic ceaselessly and I've insisted that those massive Brazilian cutlasses would have made a fine pirate weapon! Of course, without provenance it is all just speculation, but it stands to reason that because espada were found throughout the Spanish colonies in the Americas, were short bladed and ideal for crowded situations and were easy to construct, some undoubtedly ended up aboard the scalawags!

[machinist]

These are some very interesting and desirable swords, the finger ringed dirk is pretty typical, if a bit nicer than most but the other two have so many unusual characteristics.
On espada ancha you expect a certain uniqueness with each sword but not this much. The blades are pretty nice with both having such wide ricassos, looking nothing like the blacksmith made blades I usually see.

The spiky rivets on the branch hilt and the extra cross guard out front are features sometimes seen but not common and the provision for a folding guard on the stirrup hilt is something I have not seen on one of these in my limited experience.

The branch hilt having the same style of grip as the dirk is interesting, I saw a Caribbean cup hilt with that same kind of grip and assumed it was a replacement as it was so atypical for that sword. These seem like real outliers.
Were they purchased from the same source?
They really fill me with more questions than answers.

[drac2k]

Thank you gentlemen for your insightful comments.The swords were purchased from different vendors over a 3 year period.

[Jim McDougall]

Mark,
Thank you for your always kind and generous comments. This genre of swords and weapons of Spain's colonies is one of the most fascinating and exciting fields of collecting in my thinking. In my younger years in California I was intrigued by the Spanish influences and perhaps too many Zorro movies but never forgot an incredible sword I had once. Years later after it was gone I found it was an espada ancha, and never stopped trying to replace it.

The history of Mexico, and these obviously powerful Spanish influences reflect the rugged frontier charm of so many of these weapons. These were largely from remote and distant outposts in New Spain known as presidios which evolved into towns and cities just as many did from the missions.

In these places throughout Mexico, and in similar cases elsewhere in Spains colonies, the profound desire to keep Spanish tradition alive in status and officialdom hierarchy often led to creative weapon forms recalling the forms of others. These are these often odd and redundant types which are comprised of features such as crossguards under cup guards etc.

I had one amalgamation like this which had the hilt of a briquette, three bar guard, and cut down dragoon blade of 18th c While an ungainly and odd looking piece, this may well have been fabricated by a blacksmith in one of these frontier places creating a repurposed sword of old components.

I have seen numbers of swords with the strange crossguard under a cup hilt and the multiple bars, workmanlike construction with heavy bolt type fixtures in such creative mixes. It has seemed these odd swords are often labelled 'old pirate' swords in equally creative descriptions.

As Mark has well noted, piracy far exceeded the boundaries of Hollywood and literature in their wonderfully romanticized tales, and the vast networks of the Spanish Main carried influences in weapons far and wide. That to me is the fascinating allure and intrigue of these often rugged and odd arms.

[M ELEY]

Thanks, Jim! These pieces make me want to go and and buy one! Definitely as you described when you say they reflect the 'ruggedness' based on the territories they came from. If they could only talk, what tales they might have!