Scarce Portuguese Cuphilt Rapier/Broadsword, Mid-17th C

Featuring iron hemispherical cup guard with abruptly down-turned edge; the edge with double line border. Thick, straight quillons with lobed finials and turned details; knuckle guard decorated ensuite and screwed to the faceted urn-shaped pommel, with small button. Turned hardwood grip (never had wrap) with four central horizontal lines and finished with large brass ferrules top and bottom. Broad 31 5/8” (80.3 cm) blade of lens section, with central fuller stamped with “xxx MIN x SINAL x HES(?)” on one side and “xxx EL x SANTISSIMO x CRUCIFICIO xxx” on the other (MY SIGN IS THE MOST HOLY CROSS). Dark patina overall with a number of shallow edge nicks of the type commonly made from blade strikes. This exact sword is pictured and described in “TREASURES OF THE CARIBBEAN”, by Rodney Hilton Brown on page 288. Formerly in the War Museum Collection. This type of sword was typical of those used in the New World, and possibly assembled there using an imported blade. Overall length 38 3/4” (98.5 cm).

Note: The technology of blade making was a well-guarded secret, which was generally unknown to those residing in the New World, and because of this, there was an active trade of raw blades between the blade-making centers on the European Continent and the ports of the Caribbean and the Americas. The hilts were then often forged by local blacksmiths and mounted with the imported blades. The iron work of these swords tended to be heavier and less refined than their European counterparts. Such swords almost always had wood grips with no wrap, whereas most grips on European swords of this period were wrapped with twisted wire.