Western Europe or North America, Spain or Mexico, Spanish Colonial Period, ca. 17th century CE. A lovely example of a forged-iron sword known as an espada ancha (literally "wide sword") with a lathe-turned wooden handle. The gently curved, single-edged blade features a pointed tip, a sharpened edge, and a thick spine running the entire length. The quillons attached to the blade shoulder and bottom of the hand guard bear a pair of tab-shaped terminals, and the openwork basket hilt has four slender tendrils attached via rivets. The primary hand guard is a narrow, C-shaped iron bar that attaches to a cylindrical pommel. Espada ancha swords like this example used to have wide blades akin to the traditional broad sword during the pre-Republic era of New Spain in modern Mexico; however, the blade width narrowed over time to facilitate hunting and ease of transport by soldiers. Size: 4.625" W x 34" H (11.7 cm x 86.4 cm); (blade): 27.5" L (69.8 cm)
Provenance: private Glorieta, New Mexico, USA collection
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#164702
Condition
Repair to lower section of longest handle tendril. Wooden handle and pommel cap are loose, with abrasions and light encrustations to basket hilt, quillons, and blade, and oxidation in scattered areas. One rivet of hand guard tendril replaced with modern metal screw. Nice patina throughout.