Lot 1302
A significant German rapier with chiselled décor, circa 1610
Arms & Armour, and Antique Firearms | A106aw | Live auction | 581 Lots
Hammer price € 19,000
Show related lotsDescription
Sturdy double-edged blade of flattened diamond section. The upper third on both sides with triple fullers and apotropaic inscription with the names of the twelve apostles. Slightly tapered ricasso with brass-lined horseman mark struck on each side. Blackened iron swept hilt with rich, three-dimensional décor. Depiction of a group of fighting horsemen. One arm of the quillons with well-executed repair at the base. Grip with elaborate iron wire wrap and large Turks’ heads. Large, slightly tapered barrel-shaped pommel with surrounding décor in three-quarter relief, partly with deep undercut. Length 120 cm. Rapiers with comparable chiselled hilts were manufactured both in Germany and in Italy. The style of the hilt, however, seems to point to a German workshop, presumably Solingen. Comparable chiselled hilts can be found in many international collections, for example, in the Metropolitan Museum in New York or in the Dresden Armoury.Condition: II + Questions about the lot?
