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Highland Swordsmanship: Techniques of the Scottish Sword Masters | 
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| Author: William Hope
Creators: Mark Rector Mcbane, Mark Rector
Publisher: Chivalry Bookshelf
Category: Book
List Price: $29.95
Buy New: $19.59
You Save: $10.36 (35%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 195173
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 208
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 10.8 x 8.4 x 0.4
ISBN: 1891448153
Dewey Decimal Number: 796.86094115
EAN: 9781891448157
ASIN: 1891448153
Publication Date: November 15, 2001
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Condition: Brand New Book! Delivered direct from our US warehouse in 3-6 days (Expedited) or 10-14 days (Standard). Expedited shipping recommended for speedy delivery. Over 1 million satisfied customers.
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Book Description
A Compendium of the redoubtable Soldier, fencing master, and prize fighter DONALD McBANE's Expert Sword-Man's Companion, late Deputy-Governour of Edinburgh Castle and celebrated Sword-man Sir WILLIAM HOPE's New Method ofFencing, and PAUL WAGNER's fine essay GAELIC SWORDSMANSHIP. The Scottish Highlander has been romanticized in poetry, song and legend, immortalized in the figures of Bonnie Prince Charlie and Rob Roy. His reputationas a fierce fighter and deadly swordsman was more than a myth however: a proud tradition of Scottish fencing masters taught the use of the backsword, smallsword, target and dirk in the 17th-19th centuries. From the 'Anglicized' upper-class Sir William Hope to the bawdy soldier-turned-fencing master Donald McBane, who ran his fencing salon out of his wife's brothel, these masters were as colorful and diverse as the Scottish people themselves. In this omnibus edition, Mark Rector presents these classic manuals of Scottish swordsmanship from the days of Culloden. MARK RECTOR is a founder of the Chicago Swordplay Guild and an Associate Director of the Swordplay Symposium International. Contributors: PAUL WAGNER is a founding member of the Stoccata School of Defence in Sydney, Australia; PAUL MACDONALD is founder and Director of the British Federation for Historical Swordplay; MILO THURSTON is the founder of the Linacre School of Defence.
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| Customer Reviews:
 No WAY This Terrific Book Deserves Two Stars!!! April 13, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
To help counterbalance the misleading review from October, 2005, this is a terrific book on swordsmanship. The costuming might not be completely accurate, but that's hardly the point of the book.
One would be hard-pressed to argue against the text of the manuals themselves, as they were written in period, at least one of them by a man (Donald MacBane) who had to rely repeatedly for his very life upon the skills set forth in the manual. The interpretations of the authors seem spot on with the text. Overall, I would say that this is an excellent introduction to the ways in which the basket-hilted broad- and backswords were actually used in mortal combat.
I hardly think the editors were unaware that a "Highlander" was a "Scottish Gael." The simple fact is that the manuals contained in this book were written by lowland scots, and the "Highland" in the title is used for marketing. If you own or are thinking of getting a baskethilt, chances are you've either already purchased or are planning to purchase the kilt to go with it; simply put, "Highlanders" sell nowadays (if you need help deciding what sort of kilt would be most appropriate, the review I've mentioned lists several good sources for info). "Lowland Swordsmanship" just doesn't have the same ring to it.
The fact that these were lowland scots also explains the quotes in scots sprinkled throughout the book. That these passages are in scots and not gaelic is hardly an "omission;" they're as gaelic as the authors of the period texts they're printed with. Which is to say, not at all.
To fault this book because it doesen't contain little snippets in the language most common to the geography of the title, or because the reenactors wear the wrong clothing, is as absurd as faulting a cookbook filled with good recipes because the china patterns in the pictures aren't right. Is it an accurate observation? Sure. But it has absolutely nothing to do with the purpose of the book. It's a book on swordsmanship, not linguistics or costuming, and as a book on swordsmanship, it's quite good.
"Highland Swordsmanship" is well worth both purchasing and studying, as is the sequel, "Highland Broadsword," and I hope there are more volumes by these folks in the works. I'd give it six stars if I could.
Excelent work March 20, 2007
This book is a wonderful representation of two old Scottish sword manuals. The information is abundant and clear. These works deal primarily with the small sword, the most commonly carried sword at that time; however, many of the Scottish weapons are represented.
Well written with good illustrations, I highly recomend this book.
 Omitted October 12, 2005
2 out of 24 found this review helpful
I have two problems with this book however meritorious the descriptions of swordsmanship.
The enactors are frequently pictured wearing a 'little kilt' (feileadh beag) with knife-edge pleats to portray Highland dress of the mid-eighteenth century. During the period of the 1745 rebellion, the 'big kilt' (feileadh-mor) was essentially a large blanket rolled about the body and belted in the middle. There was no flat apron in the front and the kilt didn't necessarily open on right side. The standardization of the modern kilt is due to regulations of Highland regiments in the 19th/20th centuries.
I suggest anyone interested in the topic read:
Hugh Cheape's 'Tartan',
J.Telfer Dunbar's 'History of Highland Dress,
Christian Hesketh's 'Tartans', or
McClintock' & Dunbar's 'Old Irish and Highland Dress'.
The editor seems to be unaware that 'Highlander' is synonymous with
'Scottish Gael'; that is, the first language of Highlanders is Gaelic, not Scots English.
The book would have been enriched with quotes from J.L. Campbell's 'Highland Songs of the Forty-Five', contemporary Jacobite songs in the original Gaelic with English translations, or Ronald Black's 'An Lasair', also bilingual.
A very interesting resource for writers October 13, 2003
8 out of 10 found this review helpful
This books is a wonderful resource for writers or reinactors. It pays ode to the romanticising of Scottish fighters such as Rob Roy, Wallace, The Bruce and Bonnie Prince Charlie, but goes past these legendary images to show you the reasons for certain practices. It covers the basics of offence and defence,especially in the fencing techniques of the 17th through 19th centuries. I do wish I would have covered the medieval aspects of Highland swordsmanship: The Claymore. The movements for using the longest two handed sword is wonderful to see in action, so I had hoped this book would cover that.Lots of diagrams and photos so the non fencer can follow precisely what they are demonstrating. Very detailed in who did what in duels, the protocol and history. All in all a very good work.
A good book! June 20, 2002
15 out of 16 found this review helpful
Mark Rector has put together an interesting volume that serves both as a historical reference to old Scottish swordplay, and a guide to those individuals interested in the recreation of old styles of sword combat. Happily, it is also easy to read, and nicely illustrated. As the author of "THE ART AND SCIENCE OF FENCING," "THE INNER GAME OF FENCING," and "THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE SWORD," and the editor/publisher of "FENCERS QUARTERLY MAGAZINE," I recommend this book.
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