1775 Rapier

1775) AN ELEGANT ETCHED, CHISELED, AND SILVER INLAID RAPIER CIRCA 1620: In mint museum condition.

Introduction: The earlier representation of this sword appears in a painting of Commandant Ditter Holok of the Danish fortress Kronborg dated 1596 by Danish painter Geert Corneliszen of Steensgaard Denmark. This typology of sword dates from the 1580s to the 1620s. We have dated this example under discussion to 1620 because of the length of the blade.

Description: Constructed with a Norman typology 76 hilt (see page 260 in my book) with horizontal quillons and expanding tips to a wheel shape with a finial at the center tip. Knuckle guard, loop guards, and pommel decorated en suite with floral patterns intertwined by circular piercings in relief. Silver wire grip with Turk’s heads. The double blade fuller is inscribed with

ESPADERO EN ALEMANIA SOLINGEN ( sword maker in Solingen, Germany), and above it ME SXXXX ES EL CAVISCO ( my XXXX is the cavisco) followed by a group of talismanic symbols. The blade is constructed of a stiff diamond section tapering to a point with a rectangular ricasso and was made in Solingen by a Spanish bladesmith. Total approximate length: 46.75 inches.

Discussion: In a day and age lacking appropriate policing, the private citizen was forced to protect himself from society‚ criminal dregs. The weapon of choice was the rapier from the middle of the 16th to the end of the 17th century. 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.

The rapier is almost undeniably of Spanish origin and is probably Spain‚ 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 statues is from an English Royal Proclamation on March 17, 1557.

The French adopted the phrase “espee rapiere” by 1475, which later was shortened to simply “rapiere,” the English in 1505 spelled it “rappyer.” The Giles Duwes English/ French dictionary of 1532/3 adopted the rapiers definition as “Spannyshe sworde” By 1550, the term rapier had been adopted to describe a slender, sharply pointed sword designed for thrusting, cutting, and slashing attacks.

Comments: You may be asking yourself……… How did a Spaniard make a blade in Solingen, Germany, only to have it added to a Danish hilt?” Swords during the Medieval and Renaissance periods were made much the same as manufacturing is done today. Most swordsmiths would buy in mass quantities from blade makers, 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.

Comparables:

-Stockholm Army Museum Inv. No. 16735.

-Schweizerisches Landsmuseum Zurich Inv. No. LM21816.

Conclusion: Danish arms and Armor are somewhat rare because they are difficult to identify since they copied German and Italian fashions. This inability to identify and differentiate Arms and armor from these centers occurred in the 15th century to 17th century. As a result of these centers mirroring the Italian and German fashions, many surviving pieces of armor from these centers have likely been misattributed to Germany or Italy, see page 126 in my book. This is a great opportunity to acquire a truly identifiable Danish rapier. This elegantly decorated sword in very good condition would make a great addition to any museum or collection. It’s priced to sell today!!!*