A cup hilt sword ... atypical

Jim McDougall · 8th January 2016, 08:16 PM

The cuphilt was of course well known in use by officers on Portuguese and Spanish ships, and the idea of these being remounted with a heavy fighting blade seems more than likely as suggested. Swords of traditional form were of course being remounted with heavier 'arming' blades in the latter 17th into the 18th century which became the 'bilbo' type swords with fully developed rapier type hilts.

While something like this seems certainly an anomaly, it seems a most attractive and substantial weapon. If not mistaken, the inscription seems Portuguese favored .

8th January 2016, 08:16 PM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,295	The cuphilt was of course well known in use by officers on Portuguese and Spanish ships, and the idea of these being remounted with a heavy fighting blade seems more than likely as suggested. Swords of traditional form were of course being remounted with heavier 'arming' blades in the latter 17th into the 18th century which became the 'bilbo' type swords with fully developed rapier type hilts. While something like this seems certainly an anomaly, it seems a most attractive and substantial weapon. If not mistaken, the inscription seems Portuguese favored .