20th September 2024, 08:22 PM | #1 |
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,221
|
Unusual Sword
I recently acquired this sword at a Gun Show. The seller stated that it had been with his family for years and that someone brought it back from Europe. The guard is silver plated ,inlayed , or onlayed (it was black when I acquired it). The blade is 37" long, with indistinguishable traces of writing on it and I believe that it is older than the accompanying hardware.To my untrained eyes it looks to be Colonial Spanish or French.
All help would be appreciated. |
20th September 2024, 08:27 PM | #2 |
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,221
|
pictures
|
20th September 2024, 10:06 PM | #3 | |
Member
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Leiden, NL
Posts: 480
|
Here is a similar hilt with the following description:
Quote:
|
|
21st September 2024, 12:30 AM | #4 |
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,221
|
WOW,THANKS,BULLSEYE!!!
|
Yesterday, 03:22 AM | #5 |
Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 256
|
Your blade seems to be from an early 1728 model Spanish cavalry sword, a Solingen export. Similar ones usually under the name Enrique Coel, circa 1750. Hilt 1860-1890, some of these likely commissioned by Mexican revolutionary officers at the Spanish city of Eibar because of damascening (Zuloaga).
|
Yesterday, 05:34 AM | #6 |
Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,221
|
Thank you for the information! Can I call this an Espada Ancha?
|
Today, 03:01 AM | #7 |
Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 256
|
The proper name is "Espada de Chinaco", being the chinacos the Mexican revolutionary commanders against Maximiliano, and also later.
There was a thread discussing them (in Spanish) here: https://www.mexicoarmado.com/cuchill...la-hoja-2.html But it seems gone. Chinacos are also considered predecessor of charros so you can find them as charro sword as well (espada charra or espada de charros). https://www.flickr.com/photos/nohuanda/16669456566 https://www.shutterstock.com/es/edit...ddle-7647211uz Espadas anchas belong to a diiferent geographical space and period, but certainly your old military blade could have been in one. These blades can be found in Moroccan nimchas too, but your sword is not a nimcha. Outside Mexico it will be rare anybody knows what are you talking about with chinaco or charro sword. In USA they will with espada ancha. Last picture from a book titled Charreria. https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=...50684475946264 You can give a look to this thread. http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=24378 Last edited by midelburgo; Today at 03:40 AM. |
Today, 01:06 PM | #8 |
Arms Historian
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
Posts: 9,915
|
The Espada Ancha
The term espada ancha as I have understood was applied to the 'bilbo' style regulation sword of c. 1728, the term meaning loosely 'large sword' but was mistakenly transposed to the short swords (machete/cutlass/hanger) used in the northern colonial regions of New Spain.
|
Today, 04:24 PM | #9 |
Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 256
|
In period Spanish fencing manuals from XVIIth century and early XVIIIth, they only distinguish between espada, estoque, and verduguillo. No rapier (or ropera). I do not remember to have read in them espada ancha. A narrow sword is a estoque, and an even narrower a verduguillo. XVIIIth century Ordenanzas only write of espadas. Estoques and verduguillos are not considered military weapons.
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|