Vintage Fencing equipment

[Jim McDougall]

I have always had an interest in fencing and swordsmanship in studying the history of the sword lifelong, and have fond memories of my limited foray into this many, many years ago.

Several years ago I found a foil, European and believed latter 19th c. and recently found a vintage fencing mask with bib, said to be French and I presume early 20th, 1920s-30s?.

Can anyone offer observations estimating more detail?

[werecow]

Matt Easton has done a few videos on historical fencing foils that may be of interest:

The historical fencing foil, pt1 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8RoVh0bnZM)
Historical Fencing Equipment And Training Methods (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyY3k_9fVxQ)
Fencing Foils Compared to Smallswords & Épée (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wYgWrGHIVg)

He probably has more of them (just search his channel for "foil" I suppose).

[Jim McDougall]

Thank you so much!!!
Looks like the mask is older, 19th c. as was indicated when I acquired it, but may be more to turn of century. As Matt Easton notes, in these periods of fencing face and head were not permitted target. As I recall, when I was involved that was clearly not the case.