The Espada Ancha

Jim McDougall · 3rd May 2024, 02:36 AM

Capn,
In accord with post #14, it appears this shell guard hilt style is English c.1750 as per Nuemann (1973, p.83, 64.S).
It would seem this is virtually the same hilt form which likely circulated for some time, and seems favored for refurbishing cutlasses as might well be the case in supplying privateers and private merchant vessels.

While the shell is well known on many espada anchas, the theme is of course widely used on European hangers, including those regarded as cutlasses.
I have started a new thread with this cutlass today.

Jim McDougall · 8th July 2024, 12:58 PM

Attached is the PDF for the paper:
"The Espada Ancha or Machete of Northern Mexican Frontiers and Spanish Southwest from 18th Through 19th Centuries".
This was published last year in the Swedish Arms Society in Stockholm in their centennial yearbook, and is republished here through kind permission of Staffan Kinman, director, as well as the painstaking work of Lee Jones in reformatting.

I sincerely hope this article (which now appears along with Lee Jones' outstanding article on these in our archives), will encourage interest in the history of these intriguing swords as well as bringing forth examples for further study and discussion. The variations on these are boundless as they were virtually created by local blacksmiths using often many components and blades from many sources, as well as their own decorative creativity.

As always, I welcome your valuable critique and comments, with hopes of advancing our collective knowledge of these swords. While I have collected and studied them for over four decades, I am profoundly still learning, which is what makes them such an exciting field of study.

I would add here my apologies regarding the original posting of this article in the manner of presentation, and the rather off putting copyright notices on pages illustrated from a draft, and the other notices. Here the PDF is fully downloadable, and in the manner of presentation originally intended, and not in the commercialized demeanor which came across.

3rd May 2024, 02:36 AM	#1
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,189	Capn, In accord with post #14, it appears this shell guard hilt style is English c.1750 as per Nuemann (1973, p.83, 64.S). It would seem this is virtually the same hilt form which likely circulated for some time, and seems favored for refurbishing cutlasses as might well be the case in supplying privateers and private merchant vessels. While the shell is well known on many espada anchas, the theme is of course widely used on European hangers, including those regarded as cutlasses. I have started a new thread with this cutlass today.