Mexican Presentation Sword?

kronckew · 7th November 2008, 07:12 PM

Found this odd looking mexican sword on ebay

anyone have any idea what it is? billed as a vintage (pre-1970 in ebay-isch) mexican presentation sword.

hilt looks well made, blade etchings look well executed, but the odd yelmanesque forward section
and rounded tip, aside from the implications it is designed for the cut, is one i have not seen before.

only measurement is blade length 26 in.

Blade etching

Grip

leather under the wire wrap is billed as reptile skin.

Ricasso markings

i can make out the lower 'MADE IN MEXICO' but not the upper one.

i will have better info when it arrives and i can examine and measure in it more detail.
better pics to come after it gets here.

Atlantia · 8th November 2008, 03:33 AM

LOL, you do find the goodies!
Why when I look on ebay do I never see any good deals?
This is an interesting piece for sure.
I have absolutely no idea about this one, but it is well cute!
I find myself wondering if the silvering is original?
Where I live there is a long established chrome plating works close by, and it's bizarre the amount of things that I've seen over the years that are thickly coated with chrome. Fire axes, swords, daggers, loads of bayonets, seems like it was the thing to do in the 70s and 80s.
Your mexican sword looks like its had a silver dip on all the metal parts?
I might be showing my ignorancce of Mexican parade swords here of course.
And the odd bolo blade totally threw me!
Hopefully some of our members a little more geographically close to that area will be able to tell the whole backstory on this one as I for one will also be very interested to learn more about it!

M ELEY · 8th November 2008, 03:57 AM

Bolo-style blades on Mexican/S American swords and bayonets seemed to have started around the turn of the century. The Argintine bolo-blade bayonet circa WWII comes to mind. Indeed, a nice find, but I'm inclined to believe that it's tourist (but higher grade than most). When you see "Made in...", its post 20th century. The fact that these words are in English seems to support tourist as well. Interestingly, you do see a lot of roosters/chicken hilted swords from down this way (A Brazilian police sword I used to own had a side image of a crowing rooster on the pommel)...BUT then again, is this hilt a parrot? I always found these bolo blades fascinating and they kind of remind me of fascine knives from the American Revolution onward, kind of "lumpy" blades.

celtan · 8th November 2008, 10:58 PM

It's certainly touristy.

Probably from Veracruz.

Bolos descend from the pre-roman spanish falcatas and greek-carthagininan kopis. The Argentinian Bolo follows the tradition of the 1898 Spanish bayonets. used way too effectively by the Legion in Spanish Marruecos.

BTW Eley, ...turn of last (XX) century, or 19th?

: )

Sorry, couldn't resist! just kiddin'.

Time doth passes...

Best

M

Quote:

Originally Posted by M ELEY

Bolo-style blades on Mexican/S American swords and bayonets seemed to have started around the turn of the century. The Argintine bolo-blade bayonet circa WWII comes to mind. Indeed, a nice find, but I'm inclined to believe that it's tourist (but higher grade than most). When you see "Made in...", its post 20th century. The fact that these words are in English seems to support tourist as well. Interestingly, you do see a lot of roosters/chicken hilted swords from down this way (A Brazilian police sword I used to own had a side image of a crowing rooster on the pommel)...BUT then again, is this hilt a parrot? I always found these bolo blades fascinating and they kind of remind me of fascine knives from the American Revolution onward, kind of "lumpy" blades.

M ELEY · 9th November 2008, 05:44 AM

Arrr! You got me there, Celtan. Keep forgetting we're in the 21st now. Definately getting old!
Even though its a tourist piece, this sword does kind of grow on you, particularly the parrot? hilt. Interesting that the decoration seems to depict a more S. American scene. Are those llamas?

kronckew · 9th November 2008, 06:28 AM

i initially passed on this item due to the english 'made in' marking, but it grew on me, the hilt & guard especially looked better made than most tourista junk (that looped lower guard was familiar somehow, but i can't place it), so i risked a small bid, about an hours pay & won it... i'll either consign it to the OOPS drawer or not depending on the blade dimensions and detailing when it arrives. i'll also bill my client an extra hour for working on an email they sent me yesterday

a number of interesting example illustrations i found googling for mexican weapons:

Billed as found near a well known east texas battle that occurred in 1836...

this style may be earlier than prev. mentioned. for scale, this has a 27 in. blade, an inch longer than mine. the perspective of the photo makes it look longer than it appears.

from the forum:

from therion for illustration:

i note that this was described as a 'duck-billed' blade style.

7th November 2008, 07:12 PM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,172	Mexican Presentation Sword? Found this odd looking mexican sword on ebay anyone have any idea what it is? billed as a vintage (pre-1970 in ebay-isch) mexican presentation sword. hilt looks well made, blade etchings look well executed, but the odd yelmanesque forward section and rounded tip, aside from the implications it is designed for the cut, is one i have not seen before. only measurement is blade length 26 in. Blade etching Grip leather under the wire wrap is billed as reptile skin. Ricasso markings i can make out the lower 'MADE IN MEXICO' but not the upper one. i will have better info when it arrives and i can examine and measure in it more detail. better pics to come after it gets here.

9th November 2008, 06:28 AM	#6
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,172	i initially passed on this item due to the english 'made in' marking, but it grew on me, the hilt & guard especially looked better made than most tourista junk (that looped lower guard was familiar somehow, but i can't place it), so i risked a small bid, about an hours pay & won it... i'll either consign it to the OOPS drawer or not depending on the blade dimensions and detailing when it arrives. i'll also bill my client an extra hour for working on an email they sent me yesterday a number of interesting example illustrations i found googling for mexican weapons: Billed as found near a well known east texas battle that occurred in 1836... this style may be earlier than prev. mentioned. for scale, this has a 27 in. blade, an inch longer than mine. the perspective of the photo makes it look longer than it appears. from the forum: from therion for illustration: i note that this was described as a 'duck-billed' blade style. Last edited by kronckew; 9th November 2008 at 06:44 AM.

8th November 2008, 03:33 AM	#2
Atlantia Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: The Sharp end Posts: 2,928	LOL, you do find the goodies! Why when I look on ebay do I never see any good deals? This is an interesting piece for sure. I have absolutely no idea about this one, but it is well cute! I find myself wondering if the silvering is original? Where I live there is a long established chrome plating works close by, and it's bizarre the amount of things that I've seen over the years that are thickly coated with chrome. Fire axes, swords, daggers, loads of bayonets, seems like it was the thing to do in the 70s and 80s. Your mexican sword looks like its had a silver dip on all the metal parts? I might be showing my ignorancce of Mexican parade swords here of course. And the odd bolo blade totally threw me! Hopefully some of our members a little more geographically close to that area will be able to tell the whole backstory on this one as I for one will also be very interested to learn more about it!

8th November 2008, 03:57 AM	#3
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,088	Bolo-style blades on Mexican/S American swords and bayonets seemed to have started around the turn of the century. The Argintine bolo-blade bayonet circa WWII comes to mind. Indeed, a nice find, but I'm inclined to believe that it's tourist (but higher grade than most). When you see "Made in...", its post 20th century. The fact that these words are in English seems to support tourist as well. Interestingly, you do see a lot of roosters/chicken hilted swords from down this way (A Brazilian police sword I used to own had a side image of a crowing rooster on the pommel)...BUT then again, is this hilt a parrot? I always found these bolo blades fascinating and they kind of remind me of fascine knives from the American Revolution onward, kind of "lumpy" blades.

9th November 2008, 05:44 AM	#5
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,088	Arrr! You got me there, Celtan. Keep forgetting we're in the 21st now. Definately getting old! Even though its a tourist piece, this sword does kind of grow on you, particularly the parrot? hilt. Interesting that the decoration seems to depict a more S. American scene. Are those llamas?