Martial Arts Illustrated magazine, based in the UK but also available internationally, is to run an editorial feature on Bartitsu in its February 2010 edition, on sale 14th January.
The article, written by Nick Collins, will cover the history and the expected revival of interest in Bartitsu in light of the upcoming action-oriented Sherlock Holmes movie.
Part one of a planned two-part article series on Bartitsu for the Chicago Martial Arts Examiner online journal, by freelance journalist and martial artist Meredith Lyons.
Allen Reed of the Gallowglass Academy will be presenting a talk on Bartitsu at the Victorian-style Centuries and Sleuths book store in Forest Park, IL at 2.00 p.m. on Sunday January 17, 2010. Sounds like a great afternoon’s retreat from the Chicago snow …
Freelance journalist and martial artist Nick Mamatas has produced a tongue-in-cheek article on Bartitsu for issue #39 of Clarkesworld Magazine.
As well as historical research, Mamatas attended a Bartitsu class hosted by the Botta Secreta Productions historical fencing school in San Francisco, who have adopted the apt motto, “the recreation of Bartitsu is its re-creation”.
Advance notice of SWASH 2010, the flagship conference event of the British Federation for Historical Swordplay. The 2010 conference will take place on February 20 and 21 and will be held at the magnificent Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, UK. The programme includes a significant emphasis upon the “antagonistics” (martial arts and combat sports) of the Edwardian period, as well as classes in the swordsmanship of the Medieval, Renaissance and Regency eras.
The Saturday schedule includes a lecture by Bethan Jenkins entitled Apaches, garrotters and roughs, oh my! – Ruffianism panics and their relation to historical defensive arts.
This will be followed by A caution to the gentleman about town – a demonstration of various dastardly night attacks, in which Dr. Milo Thurston, Ian MacIntyre and James Marwood will present various techniques of robbery attributed to the Apaches (Parisian gangsters), based upon the writing of French self defence author Emile Andre.
This presentation will followed by A brief introduction to Edwardian antagonistics – cane, savate, pugilism and ju-jitsu presented by Dr. Milo Thurston, Ian MacIntyre and James Marwood.
On Sunday Mark Donnelly will present a lecture entitled Kernoozers and Antiquarian Antagonistics being an informative discourse regarding Hutton, Castle, Burton, Allanson-Winn, Barton-Wright and the Victorian foundations of contemporary researches.
Surely a conclave not to be missed!
Some pictures from David McCormick’s Bartitsu seminar at the Academie Duello, a full-time historical Western martial arts training facility in Vancouver, Canada.
“Bartitsu Club Russia” is a new initiative to promote the study of both canonical and neo-Bartitsu. Based in St. Petersburg, B.C.R. is a collaboration between:
Mishenev Sergey Victorovich (President of the Sergey Mishenev Art of Fencing School)
Chernova Galina Nikolaevna (Vice-President of the Sergey Mishenev Art of Fencing School, fencing teacher)
Ran Arthur Braun (Stage Director & Fight Choreographer)
Nikolai Prokopiev (School Director and Bartitsu Club Administrator)
The first event on the B.C.R. calendar was a Bartitsu seminar hosted by the Mishenev Fencing School, which is one of the leading HEMA (historical European martial arts) and stage combat academies in Russia. The seminar was led by Ran Braun and attracted an enthusiastic group of 14 participants, who were introduced to Bartitsu unarmed combat and stick fighting techniques.
A feature article on Bartitsu has been published in the Kalashnikov Magazine and plans are underway to arrange further Bartitsu seminars in Russia.
Click on the images to see larger versions (in Russian, of course!)
The Sherlock Holmes Handbook: the Methods and Mysteries of the World’s Greatest Detective is a new book in the “cleverly themed how-to” genre. Taking its inspiration from the adventures of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s iconic investigator, the book offers hints and tips on “How to Use Deductive Reasoning”, “How to Master a Dozen Disguises” and, of course, “How to Defend Yourself”.
The latter section includes a quick summary of Bartitsu lore, correctly identifying Holmes’ “baritsu” primarily with Japanese unarmed combat, although not clarifying that Bartitsu actually included boxing, savate, wrestling and stick fighting as well. However, further items in the self defence section refer to Holmes’ abilities as a boxer, fencer and singlestick fighter, and offer very basic instruction in each of these areas.
A great Christmas gift for Holmes/Bartitsu aficionados, and a great companion piece to “the Art of Manliness” (see previous post).
In 2008 the popular Art of Manliness website featured an extensive article on Bartitsu. An expanded version of that article appears in the new Art of Manliness book, available from Amazon.com.
Generation X and Y is a generation of Lost Boys. We live in a Never-Never-Land where boys stay boys and never become men. More and more males today are putting off college, family, and adult responsibilities in order to play video games and do keg stands. The Art of Manliness is dedicated to helping men uncover what manliness means in the 21st century. What skills and knowledge should a 21st century man acquire? What traits should they develop? This book will have the answers.
Recommended …
Mystery novelist and longtime Bartitsu enthusiast Will Thomas during his interview for the upcoming Bartitsu documentary.
Will Thomas demonstrates a “bayonette” thrust with the umbrella for fight director and martial artist Erick Wolfe.
Linkage, Movie, Pop culture | Bartitsu Society Thursday, 10th December 2009 | 
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