Author Archives: BartitsuSociety

Bartitsu at the Vacheron Constantin FiftySix Launch Event

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Thursday, 11th October 2018 Instructor James Garvey (right, above) demonstrates Bartitsu during a recent London media event launching the Vacheron Constantin FiftySix collection, a range of luxury watches. The three-day event drew more than 100 international … Continue reading

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Bartitsu at the Savile Club

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Thursday, 11th October 2018 Instructors Tommy Joe Moore (left) and James Marwood (right) demonstrate Bartitsu during a recent private black-tie function at the Savile Club, a gentlemen’s club in Mayfair, London.

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Mary Russell, the “Flying Duchess”

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Sunday, 7th October 2018 Emily (Diana) Watts‘ 1905 book The Fine Art of Jujutsu is historically significant as the first Japanese unarmed combat manual to have been written by a woman, and also the first … Continue reading

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“Jiu-jitsu Against Boxing” (1906)

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Tuesday, 2nd October 2018 Victor Breyer’s rather intricate article from La Vie au Grand Air of January 12, 1906 illustrates some of the puzzles faced by European fighters in adapting to Japanese jiujitsu.   … Continue reading

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An Exhibition of Old-School Fisticuffs

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Tuesday, 7th August 2018 Bartitsu instructor Alex Kiermayer (in black pants) and his colleague Christoph Reinberger perform an exhibition of bare-knuckle pugilism at the Coburg Zeitreise 2018. Although this is clearly a friendly demonstration rather … Continue reading

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Yukio Tani vs. the Cornish Wrestlers (Western Morning News, 12/11/1926)

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Tuesday, 7th August 2018 There follows a detailed account of three encounters between former Bartitsu Club instructor Yukio Tani and a trio of Cornish wrestling champions. Although the rules aren’t entirely clear, they … Continue reading

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“The Perfect Lady’s Weapon”

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Monday, 6th August 2018 Writing in The Sketch of December 1st, 1958, journalist Marjory Whitelaw looks back to the Edwardian era, when “perfect ladies” carried concealed pistols and knew just where to point them. THE first … Continue reading

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Brutal Cane Fighting in Assassin’s Creed Syndicate

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on July 10th, 2018

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Boxe Française Historique: a Reconstruction of Classical Savate Sparring

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Thursday, 24th May 2018 The recent HEMAC historical martial arts conference in Dijon, France included this fascinating reconstruction of 19th century Boxe Française – Savate sparring by members of the Fédération Française des Arts Martiaux Historiques Européens. … Continue reading

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“The Man They Cannot Hang” vs. Sadakazu Uyenishi

Originally published on the Bartitsu.org site on Saturday, 19th May 2018 In common with most athlete/showmen of his time and place, John Clempert (1878-1940) was not averse to spinning some tall tales about his past exploits. He claimed, among other … Continue reading

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