CIRCA 1610-20

Details

AN ITALIAN SILVER-ENCRUSTED SWEPT-HILT RAPIER
circa 1610-20
With slender blade of hollow-diamond section tapering to a long very narrow point (rivelled towards the point), recessed ricasso, the latter of hollow-rectangular section and struck with two bladesmith's marks, one 'TO', a simplified coronet above (the other indistinguishable), iron hilt of rounded slender bars (previously blued), decorated over its principal surfaces with symmetrical arrangements of encrusted silver lozenges and pellets enclosing recessed ovals filled with vacant brass panels (previously gilt), all set between silver segmental lines and the salient areas of decoration set against a contrasting pounced ground, and with later spirally moulded grip bound with brass wire and 'Turk's heads' (small pieces of linear inlay missing, the pommel an expert replacement).
43½in (110.5cm) blade

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 15% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

For an example of a comparable hilt also involving recessed vacant panels within an encrusted scheme see Alfred Geibig, Gefährlich und Schön, Eine Auswahl historischer Waffen aus den Beständen der Kunstsammlungen der Veste Coberg,1996, cat.no.27 (Inv.no.II.A.62).

More from Fine Antique Arms and Armour Including the Collection of Dr. Robert Amalric

View All