1st half 18th c. gentleman -- myArmoury.com

Peter Bosman · Posted: Mon 29 Oct, 2007 11:12 am Post subject: 1st half 18th c. gentleman

..again

The strong euro has brought the ggg swords within my budget and the shipping costs get 'reduced' in the same manner.

I wás looking at the smallsword but..... that is not realy something for a ríder. Also I find it far to refined to match with my short flintlock 'boar gun'.
A bit of a shock realy because I was all in for a smallsword Blush

I am looking at the two hunting swords now. Would you?

peter

Jonathan Hopkins · Posted: Mon 29 Oct, 2007 2:27 pm Post subject:

Yes. Where else can one find a replica of an 18th century hunting sword at that price? The only other alternatives I can think of are a custom sword from a maker like Old Dominion Forge or an antique, both of which will cost more than $215.

Jonathan

Peter Bosman · Posted: Mon 29 Oct, 2007 3:08 pm Post subject:

Yes, price/quality is attractive.
The offering presents me with a luxury 'problem'. My 'character' Gaspard de Saunier has two swords illustrated in his book. The smallsword 'epee de court' and the hanger 'sabre' with both huntings swords fitting the role too.

The hunting thingies match the gun but the other two are actually depicted Blush

Now, in a world of less limited resources.... Nah, I am lucky enough as it is

peter

Jonathan Hopkins · Posted: Mon 29 Oct, 2007 3:34 pm Post subject:

Do you have a photo of this character?

Thank you,
Jonathan

Peter Bosman · Posted: Mon 29 Oct, 2007 3:57 pm Post subject:

No he died in 1748. Some time before fotography Wink

I do have his book. This is a cheap reprint http://cgi.ebay.fr/L'ART-DE-LA-CAVALERIE-DE-G...dZViewItem

Also a novel based on his incrédibly adventurous life 'Gaspard des Chevaux'.

He was practically born with a bit in his mouth as his father was the horse vet of the Versailles stables.
He was said to be an honouable man but had to flee France twice after killing his opponent in a duel.
The second time permanently as it was the husband of a courtiere of Louis XV....

After another scandal that almost ended in him duelling in The Hague he ended up as the ecuyer of the university riding school of Leyden after his name was cleared of evertything and then some. The riders depicted in his book are reputed to be dutch royalty.

A truely unique character!

peter

Peter Bosman · Posted: Mon 29 Oct, 2007 4:01 pm Post subject:

peter

Jonathan Hopkins · Posted: Mon 29 Oct, 2007 4:04 pm Post subject:

A depiction, then... Big Grin

Sounds very interesting. I could not find the novel on Amazon.com, do you know if there is an English translation?

Jonathan

Jonathan Hopkins · Posted: Mon 29 Oct, 2007 4:08 pm Post subject:

Thank you for the images, Peter. The sabre/hanger looks a little fanciful, like the artist was forced to depict something other than a small sword! I am not sure where you could find a reproduction that would look like the one in the print. The Godwin hunting sword would work just fine for a civilian sword.

Jonathan

Peter Bosman · Posted: Mon 29 Oct, 2007 4:17 pm Post subject:

Peter Bosman · Posted: Mon 29 Oct, 2007 4:29 pm Post subject:

This Gaspar de Saunier is amázing.
The guy lived from 1663 to 1748 and was 'in horses' all his life.
He lived at the court of Louis XiV and XV, fought war all over europe and became in my view thé renaissance ecuyer. His works is a dimension beyond Robichon de la Guèriniére because you notice that De Saunier not only had the same master and experience at Versailles but álso first hand experience in battles. Quite a differance and you can réad that.
Mindcurling to realise the guy writing those wise words experienced historically crucial wars, fought duels, led a REAL life more adventurous than the three and four musketeers combined!

peter

Jonathan Hopkins · Posted: Mon 29 Oct, 2007 4:50 pm Post subject:

Peter Bosman · Posted: Tue 30 Oct, 2007 1:37 am Post subject:

For me personally the interest is complex or simple depending on how you look at it.

De Saunier set up a HighSchool near my town of birth, 30 miles only. The riding hall and stables still exist albeit as university restaurant and computer hall. Both are still called ´riding hall´ and ´stables´ locally Laughing Out Loud

I have quite a bit of info on the man as he is the most horsewise of the renaissance ecuyers.

He was right at the héart of french cavalry of thé renaissance heydays. Both as a horse master and as cavalry ´officer´. His story of changing loyalties and fortunes brings home that the nobility at that time were practically indipendant entities in the armies.

Oh, he gave riding lessons to King William III, the William of Orange and his Mary Eek!

I cannot think of any real person who was more at the heart of that complex time during, 85 years of it to.
His roots at the ecurie of Versailles of Louis XIV and his third age at the hofschool of Orange.

I realy should talk myself into both the epee ánd the sabre Razz

Anyway, first let me talk to my neighbor about boar hunting. he has killed 6 this year so maybe I will be able to úse my gun and a sword. So actually I nééd the three don´t I?! Laughing Out Loud

peter

Hugh Fuller · Posted: Tue 30 Oct, 2007 11:48 am Post subject:

Peter, I have no idea how "finished" it might be, but that American Officer's Sword just above the Colichemarde Small Sword bears an uncanny resemblance to the Hunting Sword illustrated in your post. You might exchange some emails with G. Gedney to find out just how wewll "finished" it might be, given that it is supposed to look like it was cobbled together by a local blacksmith. If the finish is up to the level of what you seek, it would do you perfectly.

BTW, are you looking at that colichemarde? I love that sword and, had I not just spent my budget for Tinker's cinquedea, I might think of getting one. I think that the colichemarde blade is the best looking of the smallswords.

Peter Bosman · Posted: Tue 30 Oct, 2007 12:39 pm Post subject:

Well, I am considering to ask wether they can get the ´1751 hanger´ match the colichemarde in finish. Even if only the scabbard.

The epee is beautifull but..., the hanger has rough charm and the hunting sword might even be practical.

Maybe I will end up flipping a coin Laughing Out Loud

Meanwhile the euro remains strong so the things get cheaper as I write Wink

peter

Hugh Fuller · Posted: Tue 30 Oct, 2007 1:04 pm Post subject:

[quote=Peter Bosman]Meanwhile the euro remains strong so the things get cheaper as I write Happy

[/quote]
Yeah, tell me about it. THe dollar price of my sword from Patrick Barta keeps going ever upwards! Mad

Peter Bosman · Posted: Tue 30 Oct, 2007 2:01 pm Post subject:

Peter Bosman · Posted: Wed 31 Oct, 2007 5:43 am Post subject:

Sometimes a stroke of insight hits you to make you realise how daft you are Laughing Out Loud

To cut or thrust is the question Wink

This morning my 5 y.o. son was 'harassing' the obliging cats with both his epee (a modified dressage whip) and his sabre (a sort of platic pirate hanger). Instinctively he is poking with the whip and striking with the pirate thingy.

As the book of De Saunier is a traíning manual it becomes logical to depict an epee and a sabre and not a cut&thrust sword.
The text is very short on it as he refers to other manuals for dancing and skills at arms as to how ' those should be used to most advantage'.
It would be safe to assume these depected swords wére used by mounted gentlemen but not at all proof of them using nothing else like a cut&thrust such as p.e. the also at that time popular hunting type or other swords. Rather their importance to De Saunier for training distinct action.

peter

Hugh Fuller · Posted: Wed 31 Oct, 2007 6:25 am Post subject:

Peter Bosman · Posted: Wed 31 Oct, 2007 9:47 am Post subject:

Even without a falling dollar-problem his special work is going to be more costly than all three GGG-swords together Laughing Out Loud

peter

Peter Bosman · Posted: Wed 31 Oct, 2007 2:57 pm Post subject:

The latest reprint as neat as they come as chea as they come: http://cgi.ebay.fr/ART-DE-LA-CAVALERIE-GASPAR...dZViewItem

Peter