First published anonymously in 1849 in Madrid,
Manual del Baratero has the distinction of being the
oldest manual on the art of Spanish knife fighting
ever published and is the only known historical text on the
subject. The rare, often cited Spanish manual, whose
original author was identified only by the initials M.d.R.,
has long been surrounded by an aura of mystery and
intrigue among aficionados of the knife fighting arts. Now
presented in both English and Spanish for the first time,
this annotated translation provides a window to the
methods of knife fighting practiced by the working class,
the criminal class, and, in particular, the Gypsies in 19th
century Spain. With original drawings supplemented by
illustrations of the period by noted artists Jose Luis
Pellicer and Gustave Dore, it offers a nostalgic glimpse into
the ways in which armas blancas cortas, or small edged
weapons, were used on the dark and grimy cobblestone
streets of the Spanish underworld.
Maestro de Armas Blancas Sevillanas James Loriega's
meticulous translation preserves for posterity a significant
component of Spain's historic martial culture to the non-
Spanish-speaking world. Western martial arts aficionados,
edged-weapons enthusiasts, and historians alike will
derive new insights from Maestro Loriega's translation and
interpretation of this long-lost manual.
