Historical Spanish Fencing Treatises

'Nunca has de estar fijo sobre ambos pies; el uno ha de estar pronto, y casi sin tocar en el suelo, ...' Never stand fixed over both feet; one of them must be ready, and almost w/o touching the ground (p. 29) 'Siempre has de tener la spada inquieta (restless [in motion]) (p. 29) 'Finalmente, el batallar con diferentes personas es lo principal, porque el entendimiento vence con la razo'n, y lo pra'ctico, con la ejecucio'n, obrando pies, manos y cuerpo lo que dictan las demonstraciones.' (p. 29)

'... la verdadera Destreza es una ciencia que consta de unos principios universales, y que esta no tiene patria, ni está limitada á este ó el otro pais, sino á todo el que tenga gusto y aplicación ...' [Introduction, p. 2]

'... la verdadera Destreza es una ciencia que consta de unos principios universales, y que esta no tiene patria, ni está limitada á este ó el otro pais, sino á todo el que tenga gusto y aplicación ...' [Introduction, p. 2]

FRIAS, SIM0N DE TRATADO ELEMENTAL DE LA DESTREZA DEL SABLE Mexico: En La Imprenta De Arizpe., 1809. "Compuesto por Don Simon Frias, Maestro de Todas Armas Examinado, Aprobado y Titulado por el Superior Gobierno de Nueva Espana". Covers are stained, edges darkened. . Corners rounded. Spine extremities are frayed with about 1/8" of the leather missing. . Previous owner's stamp noted in several places, the name having been erased, but the title "Maestro de Armas" preserved. Half-title is present. Text clean throughout. Illustrated with thirteen plates, bound at the end of the volume. Two of the plates are folding. Some peripheral spotting. Both fold-out plates have a 1" closed tear at bottom of fold without any paper loss. The plates show a variety of positions of attack and defensive counters, the fencers in period clothing. Two figures are placed on each page. The folding plates show proper foot positions. The final plate shows pads, gloves, and a sabre. [ (14), 201, (17), 13 plates, (1). The plates were signed by P. Patino and engraved by Manuel Araoz. This treatise is thought to be the earliest book on fencing with the sabre published in Mexico. We can find only two books sold at auction in the past 30 years. OCLC Worldcat lists ten libraries worldwide holding this title. Little is known of the author's life. He was a fencing master in New Spain. Thimm 108, Pardoel 989. Other citations: Leguina 65, Medina 10252, Palau 95016, and Dicc. Porrua. . First Edition.. Full Publisher's Sheep.. General Moderate Wear.. Small Quarto; a rdfs:Resource. http://www.vialibri.net/item_pg/3171068-1809-frias-simn-tratado-elemental-destreza-del-sable.htm FRÍAS, Simón de. Tratado elemental de la destreza del sable. Compuesto por Don Simón de Frías, maestro de todas armas examinado, aprobado y titulado por el superior gobierno de Nueva España. Mexico: En la Imprenta de Arizpe, 1809 [but 1810]. [14], 1-201 [17] pp., 13 copper-engraved plates (2 of which are folding) of fencing positions, gear, and positions, most signed: P. Patiño dib. | M. Araoz gra. or P. P. dib. | M. A. gra. Small 4to (21.2 x 15.8), contemporary full Mexican tan sheep, spine lettered and ruled in gilt, original green spine label, edges sprinkled in green. Binding fine except for a few scattered stains and scuff marks; small paper and ink library label at foot of spine. Lower hinge slightly cracked, some scattered light foxing, one leaf with light marginal staining. Front pastedown, front free endpaper, and half title with a narrow 7 cm ink mark. Some plates with light scattered foxing; plates 2 and 3 with paper tape repairs to tears (no losses); 3 plates trimmed close at right margin (no losses). Overall a very good, crisp copy. Twentieth-century book plate of Ricardo Toledo (printing theme) on front pastedown and old ink signature of Vicente Quirós on rear flyleaf; a rdfs:Resource. First edition. Garritz 362. Leguina, Bibliografía e historia de la esgrima española 65. Medina, México 10252. Palau 95016. Thimm, A Complete Bibliography of Fencing and Dueling, p. 108. Medina notes that in reality, the book was published on August 14, 1810, because of delays occasioned by engraver Araoz. The Mexican author was a master of arms in New Spain. Dicc. Porrúa notes that his birth and death dates are unknown, but he is known to have taught self defense by 1787. Of engraver Manuel Araoz, Mathes (La Ilustración en México colonial) comments: “Manuel Araoz, instructor in engraving, produced thirteen excellent plates of fencing and fighting maneuvers using the saber for Simón de Frías, Tratado elemental de la destreza del sable, Imprenta de Arizpe.” The artist, who signs his name P. Patiño or P.P., may be sculptor and artist Pedro Patiño Ixtolinque (1774-1835, see Dicc. Porrúa); a rdfs:Resource. This may be the earliest book on any form of fencing published in Mexico and is a thorough guide to the formal sport of fencing with sabers, complete with accurate, detailed illustrations. The author includes descriptions of various attacks, defenses, proper foot work, posture, and equipment, including detailed descriptions of the fencing sword. He states that his motive in writing the book is to promote the art of self defense, which he stresses is important not only for personal use, but also for other causes, such as the defense of one’s nation. ($2,500-5,000) http://www.dsloan.com/Auctions/A22/item-frias-tratado-1809.html (Cf. A map of Mexico in 1809: http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~1868~170006:-Composite-Map-of--Carte-Generale-D)

FRIAS, SIM0N DE TRATADO ELEMENTAL DE LA DESTREZA DEL SABLE Mexico: En La Imprenta De Arizpe., 1809. "Compuesto por Don Simon Frias, Maestro de Todas Armas Examinado, Aprobado y Titulado por el Superior Gobierno de Nueva Espana". Covers are stained, edges darkened. . Corners rounded. Spine extremities are frayed with about 1/8" of the leather missing. . Previous owner's stamp noted in several places, the name having been erased, but the title "Maestro de Armas" preserved. Half-title is present. Text clean throughout. Illustrated with thirteen plates, bound at the end of the volume. Two of the plates are folding. Some peripheral spotting. Both fold-out plates have a 1" closed tear at bottom of fold without any paper loss. The plates show a variety of positions of attack and defensive counters, the fencers in period clothing. Two figures are placed on each page. The folding plates show proper foot positions. The final plate shows pads, gloves, and a sabre. [ (14), 201, (17), 13 plates, (1). The plates were signed by P. Patino and engraved by Manuel Araoz. This treatise is thought to be the earliest book on fencing with the sabre published in Mexico. We can find only two books sold at auction in the past 30 years. OCLC Worldcat lists ten libraries worldwide holding this title. Little is known of the author's life. He was a fencing master in New Spain. Thimm 108, Pardoel 989. Other citations: Leguina 65, Medina 10252, Palau 95016, and Dicc. Porrua. . First Edition.. Full Publisher's Sheep.. General Moderate Wear.. Small Quarto. http://www.vialibri.net/item_pg/3171068-1809-frias-simn-tratado-elemental-destreza-del-sable.htm FRÍAS, Simón de. Tratado elemental de la destreza del sable. Compuesto por Don Simón de Frías, maestro de todas armas examinado, aprobado y titulado por el superior gobierno de Nueva España. Mexico: En la Imprenta de Arizpe, 1809 [but 1810]. [14], 1-201 [17] pp., 13 copper-engraved plates (2 of which are folding) of fencing positions, gear, and positions, most signed: P. Patiño dib. | M. Araoz gra. or P. P. dib. | M. A. gra. Small 4to (21.2 x 15.8), contemporary full Mexican tan sheep, spine lettered and ruled in gilt, original green spine label, edges sprinkled in green. Binding fine except for a few scattered stains and scuff marks; small paper and ink library label at foot of spine. Lower hinge slightly cracked, some scattered light foxing, one leaf with light marginal staining. Front pastedown, front free endpaper, and half title with a narrow 7 cm ink mark. Some plates with light scattered foxing; plates 2 and 3 with paper tape repairs to tears (no losses); 3 plates trimmed close at right margin (no losses). Overall a very good, crisp copy. Twentieth-century book plate of Ricardo Toledo (printing theme) on front pastedown and old ink signature of Vicente Quirós on rear flyleaf. First edition. Garritz 362. Leguina, Bibliografía e historia de la esgrima española 65. Medina, México 10252. Palau 95016. Thimm, A Complete Bibliography of Fencing and Dueling, p. 108. Medina notes that in reality, the book was published on August 14, 1810, because of delays occasioned by engraver Araoz. The Mexican author was a master of arms in New Spain. Dicc. Porrúa notes that his birth and death dates are unknown, but he is known to have taught self defense by 1787. Of engraver Manuel Araoz, Mathes (La Ilustración en México colonial) comments: “Manuel Araoz, instructor in engraving, produced thirteen excellent plates of fencing and fighting maneuvers using the saber for Simón de Frías, Tratado elemental de la destreza del sable, Imprenta de Arizpe.” The artist, who signs his name P. Patiño or P.P., may be sculptor and artist Pedro Patiño Ixtolinque (1774-1835, see Dicc. Porrúa). This may be the earliest book on any form of fencing published in Mexico and is a thorough guide to the formal sport of fencing with sabers, complete with accurate, detailed illustrations. The author includes descriptions of various attacks, defenses, proper foot work, posture, and equipment, including detailed descriptions of the fencing sword. He states that his motive in writing the book is to promote the art of self defense, which he stresses is important not only for personal use, but also for other causes, such as the defense of one’s nation. ($2,500-5,000) http://www.dsloan.com/Auctions/A22/item-frias-tratado-1809.html (Cf. A map of Mexico in 1809: http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~1868~170006:-Composite-Map-of--Carte-Generale-D)

'La lanza es el arma que más terror infunde por su longitud á los profanos en los conocimientos de la esgrima, pero manejada con una mano, es en su punta la más débil de todas y la mas embarazosa y desproporcionada para ofender y defenderse.' p. 81, para. 200. This isn't a work of La Verdadera Destreza

Also of interest is the Manual de esgrima en que se trata de la esgrima de la espada, espada y daga, del sable, y del florete, ("Manual of Fencing that Treats on the Fencing of Sword, Sword and Dagger, Saber and Foil") by Don Antonio Heraud y Clavijo De Soria, first published in 1864 in Paris and reprinted in Paris and Mexico in an expanded form in 1877, 1892, and 1905. Although this work is also of a mixed system—showing the Bourbon influence in Spain—the foundations of destreza are clearly strongly based on Carranza’s theories. Of even greater importance is that this work shows that la destreza, and systems derived from it, continued to be taught and practiced, surviving through the 19th and into the 20th centuries. Maestro Ramón Martínez, in "Jeronimo de Carranza's 'Philosophy' of Arms" http://www.martinez-destreza.com/articles/carranza.htm

On p. 12 he mentions tacto as being one necessary requirement in fencing. La Verdadera Destreza terminology begins on p. 14. On p. 17 he adds the 'Uñas afuera irregular, es cuando desde uñas arriba volvemos la mano más hácia la derecha.'

Figures 17a and 18a on the penultimate plate are nice complements to the discussion in Brea (1805), pp. 15-16, and the accompanying late, L.7, but Dueñas labels his diagrams directly.

Figures 17a and 18a on the penultimate plate are nice complements to the discussion in Brea (1805), pp. 15-16, and the accompanying late, L.7, but Dueñas labels his diagrams directly.