[Glen A Cleeton]

From page seven over at www.faganarms.com


I'd love to see the whole thing.

Cheers

GC

[Stephen A. Fisher]

"ENGLISH OFFICER'S SPADROON C.1790-NAPOLEONIC PERIOD BY FAMED MAKER FRANCIS THURKLE. Brass hilt with straight cross guard, large loop side guard with inset pierced diamond tapered knuckle bow and "cushion form" pommel. One piece ribbed ivory grip. 32" straight s.e. blade etched with foliage, trophies of arms, etc. Uniform aging throughout, the hilt with traces of gilt in protected areas. Grip shows rich patina with single age check. Blade mostly smooth lustrous patina, the first few inches pitted from scabbard condensation. Under side of guard struck with the FT mark. That method of marking favored by Thurkle and not encountered elsewhere in our experience. Francis Thurkle was especially prolific in the production of naval dirks and it seems likely that this sword was intended for naval use."

Hi Glen,

The blade on this "pillow" pommel spadroon is typical of British & American spadroons of the period, and is one of a few variations than can be found. To give you an idea, it would look like this:

[Stephen A. Fisher]

...

[Glen A Cleeton]

Thanks for the pics Stephan.
One of the wonders I have about the Fagan piece is age.

The Five Ball (pearled ) hilts seem pretty common by the date listed for the Thurkle piece. I'm sure both styles must have co-existed but the Fagan (Thurkle) piece somehow speaks older than the estimate. I dunno how much earlier but I'm thinking 20 to 30 years earlier.

I guess what really makes me think it is not just a later, plainer piece is the reeded grip. Why go to the trouble and not include the latest fashion (five ball)?

I missed the last class (thread) on spadroons here and am wondering when the stlye began. It really seems an in between, with shell gaurds re-appearing in the 19th century for military use (although they also coexisted)

Cheers

GC

[E.B. Erickson]

Hi Glen,
I think Fagan's got the timeframe right. The "spadroon" hilt style didn't appear until the mid 1780s or so, and while the 5-ball style didn't seem to show up until around 1790, the 5-ball and plain versions coexisted possibly until a little after 1800. Other stylistic variations of this hilt include scrolled side branches, the knucklebow decorated as if it were from a Scottish baskethilt, faceted urn shaped pommels, and at least one with a lion's head pommel.

--ElJay

[Glen A Cleeton]

Thanks for the timline E.B.,

I tend to get carried away with hunches sometimes and as a neophyte to the genre, find myself judging patina by sparse practical knowledge (and too few online resources).

While we have you here, could we get a brief timline on Thurkle's industry? I know he died shortly after the turn of the century and his son(s?) carried on. When did he emerge as a cutlerer and are there good pictures of his early work?

The pictures Stephen posted do show a great variety of differently shaped knuckle-bows and I think it is the bow of the Fagan piece that has me wondering the most.

I also have to wonder about the use of chain on sideswords/small swords (instead of solid bows) and if it was purely a matter of carrying comfort (ease of wear, whatever).

Thanks for the reply

GC