[Jim McDougall]

That is a most impressive grouping of swords Jacques, and you are clearly a most discerning collector! This rapier is intriguing despite its obvious disparancies as it represents times in which earlier traditions were interacting with dramatic changes in swordsmanship, trade and colonial situations. In the Spanish colonies many traditions and arms considered antiquated prevailed through the 18th century and even into the 19th.

While this rapier clearly represents 17th century Spanish forms of the beloved cuphilt so well known, there are variables which I think do place it in the 18th century. I agree that the pommel, though very similar to the flattened sphere types typically seen on 17th century examples, seems somewhat apart. Clearly the screw attachment to the pommel is not characteristic of 17th century Spanish rapiers, though seems to have become used in the 18th century on some of the Spanish military forms.

The blade most interestingly recalls blades of this type which although 17th century in form were produced in Solingen using of course prominent Spanish names. One apparant shipment of these was found on a shipwreck off Panama (about 40 blades) with some of the blades using the JESUS MARIA commonly used by Tomas Ayala of Toledo and the punzone of Toledo.
It is known that Ayala was one of the favored names spuriously used by Solingen smiths in the 18th century. The fact that these narrow blades, which had been superceded by heavier 'arming' blades even on some cuphilts of earlier style, were being sent to the colonies suggesting that there the colonials were still holding to earlier styles and traditions.These blades were likely to repair the fragile and often substandard blades of German make in this same standard.
It is important to note that Toledo as a swordmaking center, had actually been in decline through the 17th century, and by the 18th was virtually ceased. Most of the original and often famed smiths had by then either left or ceased and foreign makers in degree had come in, most likely of course from Solingen. This is the reason so many 'Toledo' blades are actually German produced, particularly in the 18th century. King Carlos III tried to revitalize the Toledo enterprise in 1780, but never returned to its original glory.

During these 18th century times it would seem that these kind of anomalies were somewhat well established, especially in colonial settings, where earlier forms and traditions continued apart from modern styles and forms in the Continental fashions.
I would say the wide 'collared' ferrules, the bare wood grip, fabricated pommel and unusually writhen guard and quillons using 18th century pegging to pommel screwed on are all indicators of this kind of plausible scenario for this piece. The lobated taza corresponds to highly pierced examples in Italy with this same feature c.1650s (Boccia & Coelho, #677/679) and Norman hilt type #103 shown c.1630s . The interpretive form of this cupguard suggests this may be a revival of earlier traditional style.

I would add that the apparant 'magical glyphs' and symbols within the inscriptions stamped and syntax seem to suggest German applications on 18th century blades.






All the best,
Jim