Spanish / Italian Smallsword

Radboud · 14th June 2022, 10:35 PM

I have added another sword to my collection that I am puzzling over. I believe the sword to be of Spanish or Italian origin, probably late 18th or early 19th Century and I've seen similar described as duelling swords.

In Spain and Southern Italy, the use of the rapier continued longer than in Northern Europe and those areas more influenced by the French, where the smallsword gained in popularity.

This sword is an interesting mix of both styles. The pierced blade is 880mm long, while the overall length is 1060mm. The point of balance is about 60mm from the cup and it has a good weight to it and has the typically Spanish hexagonal crosssection. At the end of the short fuller, there is the Toledo-style anchor mark. The grip is a single piece of bronze or gunmetal decorated to look like wire binding and there is plenty of room to comfortably hook the index finger over the crossbar.

The last photo is not from my collection but shows other swords of a similar style. Does anyone have anymore information on this type?

14th June 2022, 10:35 PM	#1
Radboud Member Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: New Zealand Posts: 226	Spanish / Italian Smallsword I have added another sword to my collection that I am puzzling over. I believe the sword to be of Spanish or Italian origin, probably late 18th or early 19th Century and I've seen similar described as duelling swords. In Spain and Southern Italy, the use of the rapier continued longer than in Northern Europe and those areas more influenced by the French, where the smallsword gained in popularity. This sword is an interesting mix of both styles. The pierced blade is 880mm long, while the overall length is 1060mm. The point of balance is about 60mm from the cup and it has a good weight to it and has the typically Spanish hexagonal crosssection. At the end of the short fuller, there is the Toledo-style anchor mark. The grip is a single piece of bronze or gunmetal decorated to look like wire binding and there is plenty of room to comfortably hook the index finger over the crossbar. The last photo is not from my collection but shows other swords of a similar style. Does anyone have anymore information on this type? Attached Images