Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Jim McDougall · 4th June 2009, 04:40 AM

Hi Fernando,
I think there were a number of these types of rapier blades made in Solingen in the latter 18th century, and these turn up unmounted like this as it seems they were shipped to New Spain for mounting. I have seen these found in shipwreck remains in groupings in number.
The Solingen examples seem to usually have markings in the fuller, such as Jesus on one side and Maria the other, with Toledo type stamps. They are not on the tang as I recall, so this might be genuinely Spanish or possibly Portuguese.
Hopefully someone will recognize the marks, I'll have to dig out the usual references, as always, buried somewhere here in the bookmobile

All the best,
Jim

4th June 2009, 04:40 AM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,192	Hi Fernando, I think there were a number of these types of rapier blades made in Solingen in the latter 18th century, and these turn up unmounted like this as it seems they were shipped to New Spain for mounting. I have seen these found in shipwreck remains in groupings in number. The Solingen examples seem to usually have markings in the fuller, such as Jesus on one side and Maria the other, with Toledo type stamps. They are not on the tang as I recall, so this might be genuinely Spanish or possibly Portuguese. Hopefully someone will recognize the marks, I'll have to dig out the usual references, as always, buried somewhere here in the bookmobile All the best, Jim