Dilemma on a bilbo

[midelburgo]

Just to show the point of shields at the cross.

Officers swords (and Guardias de Corps) have often a shield with a lyra like form. Troopers and some officers swords have just semicircles.

[midelburgo]

Some older 1728s.

[Dmitry]

I see what you are saying.
The junction/quillon block where the pas de ane and quillons emanate is too perfectly round in the area I circled. It was probably cast, while some of the other examples you posted were wrought.
If F.ca de Toledo did have this particular sword in their catalog, they must've made more than a few. Although, to be fair, the catalog sword isn't the same as the one you bought. The shell is more shallow on the catalog sword, the grip is different, the knuckle bow does not reach the pommel.

The second sword you posted, the unaged one, is the twin of the one you bought.

[midelburgo]

The thing with Toledo replicas is that they made very few a year but they lasted for something over 40 years. So it is to expect that some differences were introduced along. The shells can be more open and they will look flater on the side picture. The grip could be made with and without the barretes and knuclebow brought higher, just as real period swords.

Before c1905 all Toledo products were dated, and they carried the Fabrica de Toledo mark. After c1930 they changed the stamp to FNT and a logo. In between, marking was fuzzier, and probably easier to erase.

As you say, quillons (I was writing langlets, sorry) and the cross block could be cast. The only way to be sure would be to handle the sword. I have contacted the auction house, that has a 14 day period to reject the piece (after arrival) and it is perfectly possible to cancel also before even payment. I have forwarded them my opinions on the sword being a replica and asked for cancellation. So it seems I will not handle it. Probably it will be on the market again.

[werecow]

I just happened to stumble onto this thread just now, but I recognize the sword under discussion as I bid on it last year as well (I recognize the bright patches near the guard)! A good humility check to find out a year later that I was bidding on a reproduction!

I ended up buying this one instead (although not at that auction and from the looks of it after it had undergone a bit of cleaning, so I guess a reseller; pictures attached from the auction site as mine are all blurry due to bad camera).

Now all of a sudden, of course, I'm really hoping there's no 1910 Toledo reproduction with a silver wire grip and facetted pommel marked Sebastian Hernan[d]ez.
Although, either way, it handles like a dream.

[midelburgo]

Hello.
I do not think that is a repro but a very nice officer version. The octogonal pommel and the striated guardapolvo at the bottom of the cup are typical. You can find them as well in royal Guardia de Corps troopers.
Take the Sebastián Hernández inscription as apocriphal until you can compare with well known examples. Madrid royal armory ones for example, or the one that belonged to Alvaro DE Bazan in the naval museum.

[werecow]

Originally Posted by midelburgo

Hello.
I do not think that is a repro but a very nice officer version. The octogonal pommel and the striated guardapolvo at the bottom of the cup are typical. You can find them as well in royal Guardia de Corps troopers.
Take the Sebastián Hernández inscription as apocriphal until you can compare with well known examples. Madrid royal armory ones for example, or the one that belonged to Alvaro DE Bazan in the naval museum.

Thanks, for your thoughts. }|:o) Indeed, I found some quite similar specimens online, like this one and this one. Otherwise I probably wouldn't have felt comfortable buying it! Still, it's good to hear that you agree.

And yes, I took the Hernan[d]ez name as more of a tribute or an attempt at marketing/boasting than it being an original blade by that maker (not in the least because the name is misspelled).