Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Jim McDougall · 25th November 2011, 08:50 PM

While I cannot see clearly in the blade stamps, it looks like there may be a date , 1803?
While line cavalry as noted by Fernando, this hilt seems an anomaly and not surprising as around the turn of the century there was a good degree of flux in the adoption of regulation pattern forms in the Spanish cavalry. The 'birdhead' style pommel/backstrap with pronounced capstan in very much like the sheetsteel bowl guard Spanish M1799, while guard with scrolled arm seems to reflect both English 'spadroon' type guards as well as French cavalry officers swords of 1796 ( elaborate shell openwork guard). Spain was heavily influenced by the French cavalry swords in this period.
The 'To' marking is of course for Toledo, in a factory established to produce weapons for line cavalry about 1780s.....the R with crown , Rex =king and Cs IV of course Charles (Carlos) the 4th c.1800.

I would suggest this may be a Spanish cavalry officers sword for dragoons in early years 19th c. probably c. 1800-03.
As always, officers may well have specified commissions for swords to thier own specifications, perhaps this may be one of such. Though the hilt style looks familiar I cannot place where I might have seen one like it, but that it is Spanish seems quite clear as the pommel form is pretty distinct as of course is the blade.

25th November 2011, 08:50 PM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,194	While I cannot see clearly in the blade stamps, it looks like there may be a date , 1803? While line cavalry as noted by Fernando, this hilt seems an anomaly and not surprising as around the turn of the century there was a good degree of flux in the adoption of regulation pattern forms in the Spanish cavalry. The 'birdhead' style pommel/backstrap with pronounced capstan in very much like the sheetsteel bowl guard Spanish M1799, while guard with scrolled arm seems to reflect both English 'spadroon' type guards as well as French cavalry officers swords of 1796 ( elaborate shell openwork guard). Spain was heavily influenced by the French cavalry swords in this period. The 'To' marking is of course for Toledo, in a factory established to produce weapons for line cavalry about 1780s.....the R with crown , Rex =king and Cs IV of course Charles (Carlos) the 4th c.1800. I would suggest this may be a Spanish cavalry officers sword for dragoons in early years 19th c. probably c. 1800-03. As always, officers may well have specified commissions for swords to thier own specifications, perhaps this may be one of such. Though the hilt style looks familiar I cannot place where I might have seen one like it, but that it is Spanish seems quite clear as the pommel form is pretty distinct as of course is the blade.