Henry de Silva (1933-2024) was a fencing coach who, in 1987,...

Hammer

£60

Henry de Silva (1933-2024) was a fencing coach who, in 1987, founded the veterans’ fencing movement, which has grown to become one of the most successful ventures in world fencing, with European championships now approaching 2000 entries across all weapons at age groups from 40-49 up to 75+, world championships for qualified fencers over 50 and 4-yearly Commonwealth championships. This is a selection of items from his personal collection.


From the Henry De Silva Collection 

A collection of Prints to include:

1765: Copperplate engraving from Diderot & d'Alembert’s Encyclopédie des Sciences (32 x 21 cm) by Benoit-Louis Prévost (1735-1804), mounted. 

1783: Copperplate engraving from Angelo’s The School of Fencing (22 x 11.5 cm). 

1787: The Assaut, or Fencing Match, which took place at Carlton House, on the 9th of April 1787, between Mademoiselle La Chevaliere D’Eon De Beaumont and Monsieur De Saint George: copperplate engraving (36 x 32 cm) by James Gillray. [This print is one of the restrikes (identified by the No. 375, shown in the top right-hand corner) issued by Henry Bohn in 1851 in which Gillray’s name was erased.] 

1791: Photographic reproduction of a coloured copperplate engraving of Angelo’s Academy (33 x 26 cm) by Thomas Rowlandson, mounted. [Thomas Rowlandson (1757-1827) was a close friend of the fencing master Henry Angelo. This is the first print to show a mask, being tied on to a beginner’s head.]