Splendid Homogenous Chiseled Continental Dish Hilt Rapier In Fine Original Condition Throughout Circa 1625

43 and 3/8 inch long slender diamond shaped blade with central spine engraved on each side “FIDELE EST DEII” “GOD IS FAITHFUL". Dish hilt guard chiseled with shells and intertwining guilloche of exemplary design and quality. Reeded quillons end in chiseled spheres again of unusually fine quality. D-guard reeded ensuite with quillons and further chiseled with a faceted mid-section ensuite with the quillon ends. The hilt forte chiseled with guilloche ensuite with the dish. Wood grip finely wrapped with steel wire heightened with twisted wire and fine “Turk’s Heads”. Relief chiseled urn pommel decorated with reeding recapitulating the reeding on the hilt, as well as the guilloche.

The quality and finer features of this rapier are far above the average and place it in the museum category. The rapier has never been dismounted and is truly homogenous in every respect. 51 and 3/4 inches overall and balances perfectly. This lovely rapier doubtless graced the side of a particularly adept nobleman in the early part of the 17th century with exquisite taste in fine blades.