I’m half way through the second term of classes in Italian Duelling Sword that I’ve been offering at Stoccata Drummoyne. I’m actually loving the chance to teach this material, because it’s me putting into practice my Instructor at Arms certification from Sonoma State University.

Italian Duelling sword is just a fancy description for Classical Fencing, which is not generally understood by the public. Rather than trying to explain what it is everytime, I’m finding people get it straight away when I call it Italian duelling sword! It also happens to be the description used by one of the 19th Century authors, so I feel like I’m on solid ground here. We’re working on the thrusting sword material to begin with (fioretto & spada) and I’m aiming to work into the sabre material in future terms.

So this post is mostly for my students who wanted to know the sources for what I teach. So here’s the list of text I’m working from.

Thrusting sword:

• William M. Gaugler, The Science of Fencing: A Comprehensive Training Manual for Master and Student: Including Lesson Plans for Foil, Sabre and Epee Instruction, Laureate Press; Revised edition, June, 2004
  – this is the foundation text I use for planning lessons etc, and where most of the terminology comes from.
• Masaniello Parise, The Roman-Neapolitan School of Fencing, (Christopher Holzman trans.) Lulu, June 2015 (http://www.lulu.com/shop/christopher-holzman/the-roman-neapolitan-school-of-fencing/paperback/product-22225765.html)
  – This is the source of the guard names I actually use in class, and the basis for the more extended guard I teach compared to Gaugler’s material.
• Luigi Barbasetti, The Art of the Foil, E.P. Dutton & Co., Inc (reprinted 1998)

Sabre:

• William M. Gaugler, The Science of Fencing: A Comprehensive Training Manual for Master and Student: Including Lesson Plans for Foil, Sabre and Epee Instruction, Laureate Press; Revised edition, June, 2004
• Luigi Barbasetti, The Art of the Sabre and the Epee, 1936
• Giuseppe Radaelli, The Art of the Dueling Sabre, (Christopher Holzman trans.), SKA Swordplay Books, 2011 (http://shop.swordplaybooks.com/product.sc?productId=12&categoryId=15)

So in summary, if you can find a copy, get Gaugler. Regardless, buy a copy of Chris’ translation of Parise and that will cover you for thrusting sword. For sabre, the Barbasetti manual is online, just have a dig for it. Again Chris’ translation of Radaelli is really good and well worth buying as well.