Arms collecting and nostalgia

[Jim McDougall]

Among the many old films I loved watching were the Errol Flynn swashbucklers, notably "Captain Blood" (1935).
I was captivated by the amazing cup hilt rapiers!! and dashing sword fights.
Years later I took fencing for a short time, and much of the course had to do with 'stage combat'. I recall my dad as I told him I was taking this...."GREAT Jim! something you can always use!" he groused.

Naturally the cost of a genuine rapier was pretty far out of reach, but one day through amazing luck, I was able to get one! The Spanish cup hilt c. 1650s and I had literally found my way back to those wonderful films as I held it!
I would have not made it as a pirate...........who cares about doubloons and treasure? check out this cuphilt!

While rewatching this and other pirate movies of those times, technically many of the swords in the scenes were not cuphilts, but close enough for a wide eyed kid, and some scenes DID have the distinctive cuphilts.

Just added a letter from movie studio official re: Errol Flynns rapier used in the movie "Against All Flags"......found this in a post by our late colleague Fernando, who truly knew these weapons. A rapier thread came to life with his input.