FINE EUROPEAN RAPIER C.1650-80

A fine quality example of a type which evolved about 1645 in response to changing social customs and swordsmanship and remained popular for about a generation. It has a fine 28 å?‰۝ blade of diamond section, flattened at the forte with remnants of a mark or inlay. The iron hilt is decorated in relief with flowers to the quillon terminals, quillon block and pommel faces, all with gold decoration gold scrolling tendrils to the flat surfaces. The cross guard edges and each side of the pommel ridges are embellished with fine bands of raised circles. All skillfully chiseled into the steel with the gold about 50% intact. Fine silver, brass and copper wire wrapped grip. A lovely weapon clearly intended to impress in social situations, but a match for any in the street enhanced agility. Known to collectors, as pillow swords in recent years, they were more likely known to their owners as scarf swords. Norman discusses this and the method in which they were worn in The Rapier and Smallsword 1460-1820, Norman, page 186. Its contemporaries in Northern Europe were the transitional rapiers and occasional dish hilted rapier. Somewhat smaller than either, it was able to be worn in social settings where the larger weapons were prohibited. Size, and thus weight, which in motion equates to inertia was always balanced against agility. In this weapon, the choice is for the latter.