Spanish Steel

[celtan]

Geez, what a gaffe! No wonder it didn't look exactly right. What is inscribed on the blade is actually "ENT FECIT", not "En Toledo"..!

Thanks for gentlemanly letting me realize my blunder, Jim.

: )

Gracias also for the time you took researching this blade. My suspicion is that its a Solingen job, made in the spanish style, late 17th century.

Spanish cup guards were huge affairs. This seems to be a smaller german-italian late model, just prior to the advent of the tiny-by-comparison shell-guards of small-swords. I suspect it could be Italian precisely becacuse of the intrincatedly carved quillons, albeit spanish swords of the pricier kind were also characterized by this very same feature...

Best regards

Manuel luis

[celtan]

Another two hilts with similar size characteristics.

[Jim McDougall]

It seems that Solingen from these times really has thrown us some curves! I recall how astonishing it was to realize after years of admiring those 18th century Spanish 'dragoon' broadsword blades so often seen on Spanish colonial swords, and discovering that they were Solingen products sent to the colonies for mounting. These Solingen rapier blades were also part of the inventory it seems. I have one with this same cross section with 'Jesus' on one side and 'Maria' on the other, and a spurious Toledo stamp, much in the fashion of the 'anchor' on this one.

All of these are the more fascinating to me with my deep interest in the Spanish colonial weapons. These other two rapiers you have posted are beautiful as well, I cannot ever see enough of these kinds of examples.


All the best,
Jim

[celtan]

Howdy Jim,

I'm not really sure these full-stops were anchors, although they do look similar. To me they look more like a mount topped by a cross, sometimes two, one right above the other.

Mount Calvary, perhaps?

I have read somewhere that others actually see a in it primitive dog figure, with raised tail. Which could point to the so-called "Wolf-of-Passau", also used by Solingen, but which truly was a copy of the famous 15th C. Spanish armourer "Maestro Perrillo" (Julian something) trade's mark.

In any case, this full-stop was used both in Solingen and Toledo blades. Which doesn't help pinpoint manufacture origins.

Here we have in some Museums deposits a bewildering array of precious blades mated to plain, beaten up cup-guards and hilts. Obviously a later combination, not done by the blade-smith.

Take care!

Manuel Luis

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

It seems that Solingen from these times really has thrown us some curves! I recall how astonishing it was to realize after years of admiring those 18th century Spanish 'dragoon' broadsword blades so often seen on Spanish colonial swords, and discovering that they were Solingen products sent to the colonies for mounting. These Solingen rapier blades were also part of the inventory it seems. I have one with this same cross section with 'Jesus' on one side and 'Maria' on the other, and a spurious Toledo stamp, much in the fashion of the 'anchor' on this one.

All of these are the more fascinating to me with my deep interest in the Spanish colonial weapons. These other two rapiers you have posted are beautiful as well, I cannot ever see enough of these kinds of examples.


All the best,
Jim

[Ed]

Here are a couple of pictures of a "Snail shell" hilt. The blade is etched, double edged and very worn. I don't see too many of these around.

[celtan]

Nice M1796!
: )

[Mick]

Ed

Here is another one. The blade is original the hilt has been added. I was working in Spain in 1975 and 1976 and picked up the blade in Toledo. This lead me to making up this array based on the city's Coat of
Arms.


Mick