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#1 |
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Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Tyneside. North-East England
Posts: 526
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Hello Folks.
Attached, is a transcribed page from the 1703 contract that the German swordmakers in Shotley Bridge signed for the Company: it lists all the possible blades they must be prepared to supply and, in particular, 'at what cost'. The names and details require much modern interpretation, and anyone so-inclined is encouraged to oblige... thank-you. 'Latsons' ? English Rapiers with 'Lottors' ? However, down at the bottom of the list, and highlighted, are the specifications for what I must assume are rapier blades, as the name Cutts is also a mystery to me. More to the point (oops!) are the dimensions: 40 to 48 inches! I have read about excessive fashion peccadilloes producing in-feasibly long rapier blades and, in fact, royal pronouncements as to acceptable dimensions; can anyone expound on this issue? All in all, I thought this list might appeal to some of you folks out there. |
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#2 |
Lead Moderator European Armoury
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Portugal
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Swords "off mark" (fora de marca) were those with more than 5 spans (palmos) with 43" full length, as per law published by King Dom Joćo III in 1539. It is known that swords with a longer length abounded; some where up to 7 spans (over 60"), a length that became famous in those days.
If you deduct the guard+pommel to this, you get your four foot. (3 Rapiers courtesy Algredo Nobre; Dom Joćo III law collection Rainer Daehnhardt). . Last edited by fernando; 21st November 2021 at 11:54 AM. |
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#3 |
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Join Date: Sep 2017
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Thank-you Fernando. I am not surprised you rise to the occasion.
I am a little unclear when you talk about deducting the tang: was it customary for forgers to measure their blades including the tang ? It seems reasonable I suppose. Did they really carry rapiers with 5 foot blades ? Definitely puts you at an advantage reach-wise, but surely unwieldy to all but the biggest and strongest gentlemen. |
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#4 |
Lead Moderator European Armoury
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Precisely ... the reach is the issue. The laws legislate on how far you can reach (your foe) with a whole sword and not how long is the blade. Blades may be short and hilts may be long; it is the whole thing that counts for the legislator.
Let me show ou a 'growing' rapier, one in that when in its 'normal' version does not challenge the law but, when you stretch it, it extends up to a seven span sword. FYI, even Kings (secretly) had them, as you may read in the (left side) caption ![]() . |
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#5 |
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Thank-you Fernandez: fascinating.
I was in the armoury down on the riverside in Lisbon a couple of years back (3 actually, now I think about it) and was not overwhelmed by the number of swords on display. Some interesting items definitely but I expected far, far more. Did I visit the wrong place? |
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#6 |
Lead Moderator European Armoury
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#7 | |
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Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: Bristol
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#8 |
Lead Moderator European Armoury
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