Cash and Carry: Why fencing masters prefer payment in advance since 1815

The Fashionable Debtor: Le maitre can’t believe it!

The Franco-German Pragmatist: Johann Schalch’s ExercierBüchlein provides a glimpse at utilitarian swordsmanship around 1680

A recent find supplements our understanding of late 17th-century fencing practice in the Franco-Germanic cultural sphere.

—by J. Christoph Amberger

The identity of the author, Lieut. Johann(es) Schalch, remains elusive: While he may be related to the 18th-century Swiss painter by the same name, thus far, no additional biographical information has been located to properly place him in a more detailed historical context.

Epee fencing; France, 1908

 

 

 

This puts the "eh la!" into élan

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neither the place nor the time for becoming unbalanced…

Epee master; France, 1899

 

Marseillais Maitre

 

Not an imposing figure, but…

 

Epee Lesson by Louis Anquetin; France, c. 1890

   

Nice to see artists taking an interest…

Bet they don’t have that at the Louvre…

Foil Fencers; France, 1904

Maitre Kirchhoffer in Action

Two French foil maters demonstrating a corps-a-corps…

Epee; France, c. 1880

Greek Helmet Pommel

Never mind classic technique… but épées sure used to look nicer…

Foil fencing; France, c. 1910

 

An exhibition match

According to modern mythology, fencing matches drew large crowds before electrical scoring was introduced…

Baton; France, 1929

Salute before a match at staff

The staff fencing of the Compagnons appear to have survived until the 1920’s…