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17th-Century Ring-Hilt Rapier

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles / Autographs Start Price:NA Estimated At:3,000.00 - 4,000.00 USD
17th-Century Ring-Hilt Rapier

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Auction Date:2016 Aug 10 @ 18:00 (UTC-5 : EST/CDT)
Location:236 Commercial St., Suite 100, Boston, Massachusetts, 02109, United States
ALS - Autograph Letter Signed
ANS - Autograph Note Signed
AQS - Autograph Quotation Signed
AMQS - Autograph Musical Quotation Signed
DS - Document Signed
FDC - First Day Cover
Inscribed - “Personalized”
ISP - Inscribed Signed Photograph
LS - Letter Signed
SP - Signed Photograph
TLS - Typed Letter Signed
Handsome and imposing 17th-century ring-hilt rapier, possibly German, measuring 47 3/8? overall with a 38 1/2? straight, double-edged blade having narrow central fullers. The blade has an overall dark gray patina mottled with spots of dark freckling throughout along with a few small nicks along either edge. The blade transitions to an elongated pas d’ane flanked by symmetrical scallop shell guards and an elaborate guard composed of two sets of five offset rings that sweep into a gracefully curved knucklebow, and ’S’ type swept quillons. The scallop shell guards are original but held in place by fairly modern slot-head screws. The grip has an intact, but slightly loose, braided wire wrap, and terminates in a bulbous pommel with exposed capstan rivet. The pommel is also slightly loose and rotates easily around the tang. This sword is a hybrid style that combines some of the design elements of the earlier swept-hilt rapier with the later cup-hilt version. There are no maker markings present on the blade, but it is very similar to period examples known to have been made in what is now Germany.