CIRCA 1640

Details

AN ENGLISH RAPIER
Circa 1640
The long tapering blade of flattened diamond section with central fuller on each face of the forte indistinctly stamped 'Francisco Ruiz In Toledo', the iron hilt comprising saucer-shaped shell, arms and slender knuckle-guard of flat rectangular section, the arms with shaped oval terminals matching a feature in the centre of the knuckle-guard, and fig-shaped pommel, chiselled in low relief throughout with a design of close-set repeated billets, the wooden grip retaining some of its original silver basketwork binding (mostly missing, some rust-patination and scattered pitting)
35in. (89cm.) blade

Special notice

VAT rate of 5% is payable on hammer price plus buyer's premium

Lot Essay

This relates to a group of rapiers discussed by Norman under his type 96 hilt. The woven grip-binding is of a type found on a number of mid-17th century English hangers

See A.V.B. Norman The Rapier and Small-Sword, 1460-1820, pp. 170-171; David Blackmore, Arms & Armour of the English Civil Wars, p. 32

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