Naval Caribbean rapier

Jim McDougall · 17th December 2025, 04:50 AM

This really is an interesting topic, and in support of what Midelburgo suggests, toward the case of Spanish naval fleets, from William Gilkerson (1991, "Boarders Away" p.19) ,
"...fleets were commanded largely by soldiers, and its ships were equipped largely with land service small arms right into the 19th c. Hence, while the Spanish navy was hugely important to the geopolitics of the period and to the maintenance of the Spanish colonial empire, its weaponry was as obsolete as its organization. Indeed in all the vast chambers of Madrid's Museo Navale, it is difficult to find a small arm of specifically naval origin from the period of our study".

An example of the form of French hanger is found in "Swords and Blades of the American Revolution", George Neumann, 1973, p.79, 54.S.
It is captioned as c. 1725-50 brass hilt, blade 27 3/4" single or double edge straight, and for French grenadiers.

As noted, with lack of foundries for brass work and of course munitions grade arms, during the War of Spanish Succession with France allied with Castilian Spain it seems reasonable that St.Etienne weapons would be supplied.
While Nuemann suggests the 1725 as the terminus post quem for the 'pattern' it is likely these were around notably prior.

With Spanish soldiers aboard vessels, these munitions grade weapons as seen were certainly not unusual though not specifically 'naval'. The examples of rapiers typically deemed 'Caribbean; versions of the more refined Spanish cuphilts, were probably used by officers in command of these military units which were aboard these vessels. They may have been produced in the colonial ports or by armorers in the ports in the Peninsula.

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17th December 2025, 04:50 AM	#9
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,733	This really is an interesting topic, and in support of what Midelburgo suggests, toward the case of Spanish naval fleets, from William Gilkerson (1991, "Boarders Away" p.19) , "...fleets were commanded largely by soldiers, and its ships were equipped largely with land service small arms right into the 19th c. Hence, while the Spanish navy was hugely important to the geopolitics of the period and to the maintenance of the Spanish colonial empire, its weaponry was as obsolete as its organization. Indeed in all the vast chambers of Madrid's Museo Navale, it is difficult to find a small arm of specifically naval origin from the period of our study". An example of the form of French hanger is found in "Swords and Blades of the American Revolution", George Neumann, 1973, p.79, 54.S. It is captioned as c. 1725-50 brass hilt, blade 27 3/4" single or double edge straight, and for French grenadiers. As noted, with lack of foundries for brass work and of course munitions grade arms, during the War of Spanish Succession with France allied with Castilian Spain it seems reasonable that St.Etienne weapons would be supplied. While Nuemann suggests the 1725 as the terminus post quem for the 'pattern' it is likely these were around notably prior. With Spanish soldiers aboard vessels, these munitions grade weapons as seen were certainly not unusual though not specifically 'naval'. The examples of rapiers typically deemed 'Caribbean; versions of the more refined Spanish cuphilts, were probably used by officers in command of these military units which were aboard these vessels. They may have been produced in the colonial ports or by armorers in the ports in the Peninsula.