Small Sword Dutch or French

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Radboud

Personally I think the reeded ivory grip lends towards English origin. There is an abundance of late 18th Century English spadroons (of the type loosely grouped as the 1786 pattern but they certainly predate this.) that have near identical grips.

Such as this one from my collection:

Very nice spadroon!
These 1786 suggested form swords typically for infantry and naval officers might indeed have evolved before that, as often the case with regulation 'patterns'.
I am curious about these reeded ivory grips and when they might have begun appearing in England. In my apparently limited exposure to British sword details, I am unaware of these type grips used on hilts until these spadroons and of course naval swords in the last quarter 18th c.

Where do you suppose the influence or inspiration for this styled ivory grip came from? As I had mentioned, I have seen this on Spanish rapier hilts but certainly not commonly.

As the English were often notably influenced by Dutch design etc. in swords (and of course many areas) is it possible that the use of ivory styled in this manner might have come via influences from Spanish Netherlands?

It seems this small sword falls into the hilt stylings of 1730s-50s, but the blade in hexagonal section recalls Spanish blades of later in the century.
The small sword blades, though favoring Colichemarde blades 1690s-1740s but the more common hollow ground three edge blades were more typical.

These are the factors notable in determination of the identification of this sword.....and has Cathey has noted in her recent post, she has found three small swords with this motto on the blade, all Italian.
While not having ivory hilts, it should be noted that many Italian states were provincially Spanish under the Bourbons, and arms and armor moved through these regions accordingly.