(Source: iamafencer)

art-of-swords:

European Military Sword

Dated circa 18th Century this sword has a straight double edged blade, 34” long with triple fullers on each side and no visible makers marks.

The guard is fitted with a pair of 2 3/4” long bar languets, with a short rear quillion bent 90 degrees upward and a long front quillion/knuckleguard which almost reaches the pommel.

Grip is multicolored horn, secured with an iron bolt and German silver escutcheons, accented with three circular pewter panels on each side, and ending in a flared pommel. 

Source & Copyright: iCollector 

mrlundblade:

Development of European swords

(via rhaegartargaryen)

iamafencer:

via http://www.freelanceacademypress.com

art-of-swords:

Sword-blade with scabbard end and brooch

Materials: iron (sword); bronze-clad iron (scabbard end and brooch)

Medium: Celtic

Dated: about 400 BCE

Weight: 100oz (sword),2oz (brooch),0.5oz (scabbard end)

Pictures & Info provided by Andrew Brown in Higgins Armory Museum

(Source: iamafencer)

art-of-swords:

Hilt of a Viking Sword - Found at Hedeby, Denmark, 9th Century

art-of-swords:

Hilts of Three French Swords: Steel, c.1730, Steel and Gold, c.1760, Chiselled Steel, c.1780

chivalrykeep:

This is a pretty interesting snippet from a Talhoffer manuscript — cutting from the draw. Generally, this kind of technique is a hallmark of East Asian styles, not appearing commonly in European fencing. All the same, here it is. At the time of posting, I’ve not found any other images in any European manuscript that depict such a technique. I’m hardly an expert, though, and I’d love to see more examples or otherwise learn more.

(via art-of-swords)

toanunnery:

Princess Birgitta of Sweden learning to fence, 1959

(via art-of-swords)

modernfencing:

[ID: two men fencing foil in a courtyard. Old, black and white photo.]

“Blind Fencers” in Phare de France!

art-of-swords:

The Foil Sword

Long, slim, lighter than the usual sword, the Foil Sword seems to be a “not well fed” hybrid of of some Renaissance swords that have heavy names. In our times, the the foil sword is a type of weapon used in fencing, the sport. It is the most common weapon in terms of usage in competition, and is usually the choice for elementary classes for fencing in general.

Still, the modern foil is descended of more weapons like, the rapier and the training weapon like the small-sword, and it became the common sidearm of 18th century gentleman. You had a quarrel with another man, well then. Grab your Foil sword, find a backally and sort it out. Rapier and even longsword foils are also known to have been used, but they were very different in terms of weight and use.

The Foil sword was lighter and had the characteristic of a “longer” more powerful stilleto, very good at direct stabbing in a period in which the firearm started to replace the sharp edge weapons.

The foil was invented in France as a training weapon in order to practice fast and elegant thrust fencing. Fencers blunted the point by wrapping a foil around the blade or fastening a knob on the point (“blossom”, French fleuret).

Awesome characters that used the Foil Sword? The Three Musketeers! 

art-of-swords:

Hand-and-Half Sword

Date: about 1400–30

Culture: probably German 

Medium: Iron, copper alloy

Dimensions: H. 49 1/8 in. (124.8 cm); L. of blade 38 1/2 in. (97.8 cm); Wt. 3 lbs. 7oz. (1560 g)

~~~

This sword is an extremely well proportioned and elegant example of a type that was in use throughout Western Europe from the late 14th century through the 15th century. The steeply pointed blade, indicating that it was primarily intended for thrusting (rather than cutting), coupled with the stiffness of the blade, made it sturdy enough for its primary function, which was to pierce plate armor.

~~~

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art 

invisiblestories:

Alfred Jarry with his weapons and bicycles, in the 1890s.

(via: rerylikes)

retrobsession:

Star and Isabelle Jones do some skyscraper fencing c.1925