1768) EMBOSSED, CHISELED, PIERCED AND DATED 1626 RAPIER: Superb museum condition and very inexpensively priced to sell today!
Introduction: In a day and age lacking appropriate policing, the private citizen was forced to protect himself from society‚ criminal dregs. From the middle of the 16th to the end of the 17th century, the weapon of choice was the rapier. The rapier is a simple but highly effective sword against the non-armored. The rapier was primarily a thrusting weapon that could inflict serious injury to an adversary‚ vital organs with minimal effort. It was also an exceptional slashing and cutting weapon; however, the slash was not as lethal as the thrust. The slash was used more as a feint to set up a finishing thrust. The slash was also a dire warning to a would-be assailant of the horrors to quickly follow if he chose not to acquiesce.
Discussion: The rapier is almost undeniably of Spanish origin and is probably Spain’s most significant contribution to the Renaissance arms race. A highly expensive, ornate rapier was the equivalent of a person in our day and age making a fashion or opulence statement by wearing very expensive jewelry, such as a Rolex or Audemars Piguet watch. Because fencing is more of a thrusting art, it became commonplace throughout Europe to have as long a blade as possible to obtain an advantage. This extravagance in length reached the point that municipalities passed statutes regarding the allowable lengths of blades. Those in violation had the misfortune of having their rapier‚ blades cropped at the tip at the city gate to comply. One example of these statutes is from an English Royal Proclamation on March 17, 1557 — 1558.
Provenance: From an Italian collection started after WWII.
Description: Under the Norman typology, this is a modified HILT 81 used from 1620-1640. The convex shell hilt (side ring) is decorated with an embossed face on each side of a grotesque bearded man’s face and the opposite a horned demon. Both are further decoratively augmented with designs of fruit and foliage. The decoration is very similar to the triple comb embossed burgonet for the GUARD OF PIER LUIGI FARNESE, DUKE OF PARMA AND PIACENZA ( see page 165 in my book) and highlighted in silver—the cross guard with downward-turning quillons, hollow, expanding skeletal tear drop shape with button tip. Struts support the side ring. The two side rings are linked by supporting bars—a long chevron-shaped quillon block having six fluted lines decorated in silver. A Norman Pommel 15 chiseled with designs of fruit and foliage, decorated en suite with silver. The twisting grip of metal mesh with Turk’s heads at each extremity supported by a wooden core, a diamond-shaped slowly tapering blade to a sharp tip, Chiseled on the blade under the quillon block “TOLEDO 1626”.
Length: approximately 42 inches.
So you may be asking if this is an Italian sword, why was the blade made in Spain, the birthplace of the rapier?
Swords during the Medieval and Renaissance period were made much the same as manufacturing is done today. Most swordsmiths would buy in mass quantities from blademakers who usually were located next to a river to facilitate the delivery of iron ore and to power their automatic hammers. These blade specialists could manufacture blades at a much lower cost.
Making a sword as inexpensively as possible and of the best quality required three different types of specialists. In addition to the blademaker, the hilt maker had the most challenging task, requiring ingenuity, taste, and skill. The least experienced craftsman was given the task of assembling the sword from the hilt parts and the blade.
Just because a certain maker or guild signed a blade does not mean they made it. During the Medieval and Renaissance periods, there were no copyright infringements. As a result, blades were copied by others in mass quantities, just the same way expensive purses and watches are illegally copied today by unscrupulous people, usually in Asia.
Additionally, the sword maker did not tell the bladesmith what to put on his blade. He bought blades in quantity from whoever gave him the best price. He knew that his clients wanted a good brand name. So that is what the bladesmiths gave him. Let’s look at an example:
There was briefly a sword-making company at Hounslow (near present-day Heathrow). In many cases, swords signed “HOVNSLOE” have been taken apart, and their tangs are often found to be struck with the marks of Solingen makers. • In northeast England, a factory was set up at Shotley Bridge. However, the legal records of the time show that by dead of night, they were shipping in hundreds of Solingen blades, which they then signed “Shotley Bridge.” Some of the most faked blades are Scottish 18th-century swords with Solingen marked blades inscribed ANDREA FERRARA. Andrea Ferrara was born in Fonzaso in Italy. He was brought to Scotland in the late 16th century by James II to instruct the Scots in manufacturing swords. Sir Walter Scott is quoted as saying that the name of Andrea de Ferrara was inscribed “on all the Scottish broadswords that are accounted for peculiar excellence.” The inscription ANDREA FERRARA on a Scottish sword cannot be seen as evidence that the sword was made in Italy in the 16th century. Blades were not only faked at manufacture but also after the fact. Maker’s marks were added after manufacture by etching.
Please see page 231 in my book for a complete explanation.
Conclusion: A very elegant cup hilt in superb condition and an exceptionally well-made blade. The sword was probably given a good conservation over 100 years ago. Because of the importance of the rapier in Renaissance Europe, all collections should have at least one rapier. This is an exquisite, inexpensive addition to any collection in museum condition with elegant decoration. Priced to sell immediately at under $5K, ACT-NOW !!!!*