Revolutionary War

Jim McDougall · 10th April 2005, 02:36 AM

Rick,
Ahah! very astute catch there!!
Actually these interesting items seem to be Spanish colonial sa'ifs which I believe to be from the Moroccan littoral in the Spanish colonies, and Mark Eley and I discussed them some time ago .The grip has the distinct nock for the little finger as seen in nimcha hilts. The striated shellguard is associated with similar symbolism and guards seen on some espada anchas of the 18th c. and certain forms of Spanish hilts. Some of these, such as one I have, carry British blades from latter 18th c. cavalry backswords, probably having arrived in Cueta or other Spanish ports as trade commodity. The British were of course in Spain during Napoleonic Wars and many surplus British blades entered this sphere then. The curious 'Berber' sabres with heavy horn flyssa like hilts that have sabre blades with the strangely profiled tips are usually surplus M1796 British light cavalry blades.

These shellguard swords, which often appear as 'Revolutionary War' or even more amusingly as 'pirate swords', are in my opinion another of the Spanish colonial anomolies which evolved in the early 19th century via the trade routes between North Africa and Spains colonial ports.

Best regards,
Jim

10th April 2005, 02:36 AM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,459	Rick, Ahah! very astute catch there!! Actually these interesting items seem to be Spanish colonial sa'ifs which I believe to be from the Moroccan littoral in the Spanish colonies, and Mark Eley and I discussed them some time ago .The grip has the distinct nock for the little finger as seen in nimcha hilts. The striated shellguard is associated with similar symbolism and guards seen on some espada anchas of the 18th c. and certain forms of Spanish hilts. Some of these, such as one I have, carry British blades from latter 18th c. cavalry backswords, probably having arrived in Cueta or other Spanish ports as trade commodity. The British were of course in Spain during Napoleonic Wars and many surplus British blades entered this sphere then. The curious 'Berber' sabres with heavy horn flyssa like hilts that have sabre blades with the strangely profiled tips are usually surplus M1796 British light cavalry blades. These shellguard swords, which often appear as 'Revolutionary War' or even more amusingly as 'pirate swords', are in my opinion another of the Spanish colonial anomolies which evolved in the early 19th century via the trade routes between North Africa and Spains colonial ports. Best regards, Jim