Spanish colonial, Malay pirate or...

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by M ELEY

Well, not perfect, as I myself had seen, but an interesting collection of artifacts none-the-less. The espada I referenced has the said "rattle" quillon and is of a pattern earlier the mid-century(19th), I think...

Manolo, it was awhile back as I remember it. You had just mentioned to Jim and I that "true cup-hilt rapiers" as many would define them went out of style prior to 1700 and that the bowl-hilt and bilobed guard bilbos and such were vestigial patterns of their former selves. At least I thought it was you! I'm getting old-

Mark and Zorro ( er, Manolo!!!
OK OK no movie title jokes!!!

The espada ancha is indeed of probably Sonoran regions c.1830s, and as noted earlier, the rattler device seems quite associated to the obvious metaphor...I wish I could find the phrase on the blade of a dagger I believe citing the bite of the snake. Also it important to recall the rattlesnake as with the eagle being the emblem of the Mexican Republic. Like many of the catalog items, it is an outstanding example!!!!!

I too recall the discussion on the cuphilts, in which Manolo well pointed out their periods of use, and other notes on the development of these swords, but cant exactly place when it was.....Im the old one around here!!!

Manolo, thank you for remembering my quest for the quera!!! I did see this one and added it to my notes, I really appreciate you remembering. Actually that was the item I was focused on in my review of this catalog months ago.

All the best guys,
Jim