Rare photo

  Roughly since 2009 I have been collecting information about encounters between European and Asian fencers in sparring situations, which could be categorized as sport fencing encounters, fought in protecting equipment and with non-lethal swords. Several posts about the subject – Kendó (2016), Versus (2018), West vs East (2018), Castello (2020) – were written on this blog.

 This year in August the Second Hungarian HEMA-symposium called Symposium Stellare was held in Budapest, where in his presentation Előd Somogyi mentioned my name and showed two photos from this blog. It was a pleasant surprise indeed! 

 After having reread the above-mentioned posts I decided to check the net if some new materials on the subject have been uploaded somewhere. First a rather standard Castello „Conte Coma” Google-search has been performed with no interesting outcome. Then a second one – Castello Cuba kendo – has resulted in digging out this rare photo.

From a 1979 fencing catalog of Castello & Co.

 I couldn't believe my luck!

 A dated photo, stating the name of participants and also the exact location.

 Completely amazing!!!

 In the picture we can see Castello with a sabre (presumably) against Maeda in kendo equipment and with a shinai. It is worth noting the wide fencing stance of the European sabreur and his elbow protection. Based on the artifacts in the room we could say that this is a classical fencing salle. Taking into account the amount of protective equipment we can be sure that an assault could have been fought in 1911, between Castello and Maeda. Naturally the fencer should have been careful with his thrusts because the tip of his sword could easily have passed between thick wires of men (kendo helmet).

 It is rather nice to have a visual confirmation of Martinez's words: „I do know that in 1911 in Havana (Cuba) Maestro Julio Martinez Castello faced kendo master named Conde Cano (Kano?), I believe. And he used his saber against master's shinai, and I believe that Castello was victorious in that encounter.” The only small correction must be made: Mitsuyo Maeda was not a kendo master, he was mainly judoka and prizefigther.

___________________________

Staggering!

 Something completely unbelievable is going on: the figures speak for themselves (see the graph below). Earlier the average monthly views were a couple of thousand, then last year I saw the first serious record: the number of views broke through 10 thousand limit in June (10260 views). 

 At that time I felt very excited and really thought about writing a post regarding this great „success”. But naturally this isn't my success, just an influencer with a lot of followers has mentioned this blog and as a result I have got this staggering amount of views, at least by Hungarian standards (and taking into account the topic of this blog: let's be honest the fencing isn't the most popular pastime).

 So it would be interesting hear from the people who have followed the link and seen a Hungarian blog about fencing, swords and related things. It is possible to write an anonymous comment below this post, where you could ask questions without disclosing your identity. Or you might explain the great mystery: How on earth you got here?

 Anyway many thanks for the visit!

 Have a good day!

Grundvívó oklevél

 

 Nagy örömömre szolgál, hogy ezt a jelképes, virtuális oklevelet átnyújthatóm Iski Ákosnak, a Miskolci Egyetem volt hallgatójának, aki évek óta rendszeres résztvevője az egyetemi grundvívásnak. 

 

 Mindig élvezet vele vívni! 

 Gratulálok a vívói fejlődéséhez, további szép sikereket kívánok neki mindenben, és azt, hogy idővel tapasztalja meg a fém vívóeszközökkel, HEMA-védőfelszerelésben folytatott szabadvívás minden örömet.

            Őszinte vívói üdvözlettel,

            Barta Emil, 

            a grundvívás ötletgazdája (és az egyetemi vívások szervezője)