A cup hilted sword rapier for coments

[fernando]

Hi Jim,

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

... Concerning whether the 'cuphilt' was civilian or military, or both, this is addressed in degree in "The Rapier and Smallsword 1460-1820" by A.V.B.Norman, 1980, "...since the cuphilt is apparantly confined to Spain and lands under Spanish influence, that is southern Italy and the Spanish Netherlands ...

I hate to think that a scholar like Mr. Norman is includable in that sort of people who thinks that Portugal was/is one more province of the Spanish Kingdom, therefore not worth to mention as also a country under Spanish domain at the period in question (1580-1640). This omission, together with that of not mentioning that cuphilts were also largely used in Portugal, both in this period as also long afterwards, denote a considerable gap in his work ... says i, within my ignorance .

End of catharsis
Fernando