Link from pappenheimer to boca-de-caballo hilt

[midelburgo]

And these are military cavalry swords with Brescian hilts from the second half of XVIIth century. The one with the motto has been rehilted with a blade of about 1775. The group of three is from Segovia Alcazar.

[midelburgo]

And this is a sort of German sword from where I believe the Brescian hilt evolved. Possibly c1630.

I believe next one is an early Brescia from 1640-1650.

[midelburgo]

And these are munition swords imitating the Brescian style. Possibly used in the navy and now known as colonial swords. They are usually short, for combat on foot. Cheap blades. Probably early to middle XVIIIth century.

[midelburgo]

Boca-de-caballo swords (known often as bilboes) are easier to build. Instead of a single forged piece, something difficult to make and that rarely you see in replicas even today, they have two pieces bound by screws.

Originally two screws, with the result of many hilts broken at the weakened union of the two shells. They were around before the 1728 model was defined. Later 4 screws.

Then from 1761 on the pieces with the four screws were made as a frame, much stronger. The 1728 model became completely standardized by a new ordonance that year, about the same time Toledo factory started working

Quillons are usually twisted because seated on horseback were easy to entangle in the horse furniture. Many swords have had their quillons straightened in later years by collectors.

So my Canary sword precedes the 1728 model, and it is an interesting step in its evolution. Spain lost most of its Italian territories, including Milan in 1706. Possibly Brescia weapons stopped being delivered then.

[cornelistromp]

here is another example of a Spanish 18th century cavalry bilbo, with a lion motif on the hemispherical cup. I think the rapier of post 1 has been modified a bit during its working life, guillons shortened and knuckleguard linked to the pommel.

best,

[midelburgo]

Originally Posted by cornelistromp

here is another example of a Spanish 18th century cavalry bilbo, with a lion motif on the hemispherical cup. I think the rapier of post 1 has been modified a bit during its working life, guillons shortened and knuckleguard linked to the pommel.

best,

Hello Cornelistromp.

Those hilts were typical of XVIIth century rapiers, that became obsolete in Spain after Felipe V enthroning in 1701.
The sword you show is from last third of the XVIIth century. It will not fit the Spanish 1728 military regulations, not any other after that. The 1762 engraving corresponds to the model 1728 in the last two pictures of my previous post. Notice that quillons are twisted as design.

[Jim McDougall]

I think Mark and Jasper presented a very viable suggestion thier earlier posts, that this is quite possibly a Spanish colonial version of a 'bilbo' from 18th c.. It seems quite likely that the Brescian designs may have been followed later in more a 'munitions' grade development.

In the Spanish colonies the use of obsolete equipment and the continued favor of much earlier designs was prevalent. This has been constantly noted in many references concerning these colonial times and Spanish contexts.

The M1728 was a designation for the style of arming rapier which became colloquially termed 'bilbo' by collectors, and boca de caballo by locals, as previously noted. It should be remembered that these, in variation, were probably in use for years before the regulation. In references on Spain's colonies I recall notes saying that, the administrative aspects of military regulation was notoriously slow, and commonly this type of situation occurred.

Midelburgo, thank you for the excellent notes and details in your posts on this and the swords of its type! very informative and helpful in better understanding development of these features.