A RECENTLY ACQUIRED CUP HILT SWORD FOR COMMENTS

midelburgo · 6th July 2022, 03:30 PM

Hello Fernando. I believe the Hortuño sword is artistically not in the style of early XVIIth century but rather c1650. The 1900 catalogue of Real Armeria is plagued with errors and legends.

Norman cites two portraits of Felipe IV with a cup hilt:

- Kunsthistorisches of Wien, dated 1632. (moustache).

- NY Metropolitan, dated 1623. But the sword is just a metallic reflection.

There is another portrait at Escorial with the future Felipe IV as a child, in 1612 by Bartolome Gonzalez.

Carlos II as a sickly child shall be about 1669.
It is a pity there is nothing as clear as Carreño de Miranda portrait of the Duke of Pastrana (c1679).

The "orejas" is what Luis Pacheco de Narvaez calls them in his work about Spanish Destreza "Nueva Ciencia" from 1642. "Patillas" sounds to me as XIXth century.
Actually I do not say Flambergue but Flamigera.
I have seen so many clues towards Portugal on those swords, specially when they have langlets finishing in balls and faceted pear shape pommels, that I think you are right. With the caveat that as Solingen made, they will sell them to any comer.
Burton book shall be easy to find as a pdf on internet. IIRC he planned a 3 volume work but he only finished the first one, with generalities and antiquity. A real pity.

6th July 2022, 03:30 PM	#9
midelburgo Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 248	Hello Fernando. I believe the Hortuño sword is artistically not in the style of early XVIIth century but rather c1650. The 1900 catalogue of Real Armeria is plagued with errors and legends. Norman cites two portraits of Felipe IV with a cup hilt: - Kunsthistorisches of Wien, dated 1632. (moustache). - NY Metropolitan, dated 1623. But the sword is just a metallic reflection. There is another portrait at Escorial with the future Felipe IV as a child, in 1612 by Bartolome Gonzalez. Carlos II as a sickly child shall be about 1669. It is a pity there is nothing as clear as Carreño de Miranda portrait of the Duke of Pastrana (c1679). The "orejas" is what Luis Pacheco de Narvaez calls them in his work about Spanish Destreza "Nueva Ciencia" from 1642. "Patillas" sounds to me as XIXth century. Actually I do not say Flambergue but Flamigera. I have seen so many clues towards Portugal on those swords, specially when they have langlets finishing in balls and faceted pear shape pommels, that I think you are right. With the caveat that as Solingen made, they will sell them to any comer. Burton book shall be easy to find as a pdf on internet. IIRC he planned a 3 volume work but he only finished the first one, with generalities and antiquity. A real pity. Attached Images Last edited by midelburgo; 6th July 2022 at 03:55 PM.