Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - The Ayzavilla or Crowned T Bilbos mistery solved

midelburgo · 21st September 2025, 09:34 PM

This is about a group of Spanish cavalry 1728 pattern swords that were not made in Toledo.

I will cite myself from this 2018 thread:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=ayzavilla

Up to now, I have seen 14 swords of the 1728 model with that crowned T mark or related marks. Sometimes they look like a torch. Usually, they have another of 4 different marks of what seems names, but very hard to decipher (AYZIVILLA seems one of them). Most of them have a pommel similar to yours, but all are trooper versions of the four screws variety. Yours is the first one of officer type I have seen. They have decorated shells and more sculpted knuckle bow.

I have the theory that the crowned T 1728s are the production of the first years of the Fabrica de Toledo, after 1761, when they are no dated, nor they carry the crowned R of Royal Property. The standard 1728 from Toledo start to be numbered usually in 1771, although I have seen an example claimed to be 1764, and dragoon blades from Toledo are seen from 1769.

Because many of the T crowned swords have appeared in the USA, Juan Jose Perez thinks they could have been made in a Mexican workshop. In late years I have seen quite a number surfacing in Spain and UK. Those in the USA, I think they could have participated in Galvez campaigns in Louisiana and Florida.

The T crowned 1728s follow strictly 1762 ordenanza and have the same hilt dimensions as the post-1771 variety, excepting the pommel, with that long cut on the top. These pommels I have also seen in officer 1728s of the two screws variety, but not anymore post 1771 trooper swords. Usually, officers 172s8 have pommels easily distinguishable from those of troopers, but I am not so sure that would include the present kind.

2 screws seem to be an archaic choice, especially since 1762 ordenanza insisted on 4 screws. But officers did not follow always. It is unusual to find an officer 1728 without a motto on the blade (No me saques...; Por mi rey...) or a famous swordsmith attibution (Sahagvm, Sebastian Hernandez...).

Yours could be an older officer 1728 remounted with a 1761-1770 trooper blade and pommel, but there are not enough examples to be sure of this or the opposite possibility. The grip is a typical later replacement for these swords, probably made in Spain in the first half of XXth century. Tang has been repeened and bolts on the shell look industrial.

Last four pictures are from officers 1728s.

Jim also had one of those swords, shown in this thread:

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ghlight=trubia

The first question,

What does the mark say?

The answer Is ARRIVILLAGA

The second question,

What means the Crowned T.

The answer is the city of TOLOSA, the place the family ARRIVILLAGA had his workshop, in Basque Country, not far from Plasencia, Eibar and other weapon making towns.

To know this has been possible thanks to the recent surfacing of a blade (remounted in a 1796 hilt) with a clear marking. From

https://hoploteca.blogspot.com/searc...aballer%C3%ADa

What is not yet clear is when were this swords made. This was a family business, that had started with axeheads.

There are three ARRIVILLAGA

Francisco de Arribillaga (1735-1760), José de Arribillaga (1787), Miguel Ignacio Arribillaga (1788)

To be continued...

21st September 2025, 09:34 PM	#1
midelburgo Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 269	The Ayzavilla or Crowned T Bilbos mistery solved This is about a group of Spanish cavalry 1728 pattern swords that were not made in Toledo. I will cite myself from this 2018 thread: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ight=ayzavilla Up to now, I have seen 14 swords of the 1728 model with that crowned T mark or related marks. Sometimes they look like a torch. Usually, they have another of 4 different marks of what seems names, but very hard to decipher (AYZIVILLA seems one of them). Most of them have a pommel similar to yours, but all are trooper versions of the four screws variety. Yours is the first one of officer type I have seen. They have decorated shells and more sculpted knuckle bow. I have the theory that the crowned T 1728s are the production of the first years of the Fabrica de Toledo, after 1761, when they are no dated, nor they carry the crowned R of Royal Property. The standard 1728 from Toledo start to be numbered usually in 1771, although I have seen an example claimed to be 1764, and dragoon blades from Toledo are seen from 1769. Because many of the T crowned swords have appeared in the USA, Juan Jose Perez thinks they could have been made in a Mexican workshop. In late years I have seen quite a number surfacing in Spain and UK. Those in the USA, I think they could have participated in Galvez campaigns in Louisiana and Florida. The T crowned 1728s follow strictly 1762 ordenanza and have the same hilt dimensions as the post-1771 variety, excepting the pommel, with that long cut on the top. These pommels I have also seen in officer 1728s of the two screws variety, but not anymore post 1771 trooper swords. Usually, officers 172s8 have pommels easily distinguishable from those of troopers, but I am not so sure that would include the present kind. 2 screws seem to be an archaic choice, especially since 1762 ordenanza insisted on 4 screws. But officers did not follow always. It is unusual to find an officer 1728 without a motto on the blade (No me saques...; Por mi rey...) or a famous swordsmith attibution (Sahagvm, Sebastian Hernandez...). Yours could be an older officer 1728 remounted with a 1761-1770 trooper blade and pommel, but there are not enough examples to be sure of this or the opposite possibility. The grip is a typical later replacement for these swords, probably made in Spain in the first half of XXth century. Tang has been repeened and bolts on the shell look industrial. Last four pictures are from officers 1728s. Jim also had one of those swords, shown in this thread: http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ghlight=trubia The first question, What does the mark say? The answer Is ARRIVILLAGA The second question, What means the Crowned T. The answer is the city of TOLOSA, the place the family ARRIVILLAGA had his workshop, in Basque Country, not far from Plasencia, Eibar and other weapon making towns. To know this has been possible thanks to the recent surfacing of a blade (remounted in a 1796 hilt) with a clear marking. From https://hoploteca.blogspot.com/searc...aballer%C3%ADa What is not yet clear is when were this swords made. This was a family business, that had started with axeheads. There are three ARRIVILLAGA Francisco de Arribillaga (1735-1760), José de Arribillaga (1787), Miguel Ignacio Arribillaga (1788) To be continued... Attached Images Last edited by midelburgo; 21st September 2025 at 09:49 PM.