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Julien M
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 Posted: Sat 31 Mar, 2012 2:04 am Post subject: An Italian XVII century sword - park lane arms fair |
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I got to handle this very elegant sword at the London Park Lane arms fair and was quiet taken by it.
Feather like in hand, beautifully crafted all around, especially the even and faultless double fueller blade. It's most likely Italian (the shape of the pommel) and I'd say early XVII century. The blade was very stiff yet light, solid due to its thick section, and likely to withstand trust or cuts against reasonably armored opponents (so maybe a military weapon as opposed to a civilian blade). I think this one is a good example of these "sword rapier" or "rapier swords" described by Oakeshott in European Weapons and Armour (meaning by that a stout sword blade as opposed to a slender and fragile rapier blade, but mounted in a typical rapier fashion).
Does anyone have more information/pictures, book references on such swords?
Last edited by Julien M on Sat 31 Mar, 2012 4:55 am; edited 1 time in total
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Glennan Carnie
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| Posted: Sat 31 Mar, 2012 4:25 am Post subject: |
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Hi Julien,
That's a nice sword. Good to see someone else enjoying complex hilt swords.
I've had a look through Norman's The Rapier and Small Sword 1460 - 1820. The hilt doesn't have an exact match to Norman's typology. It's similar to a Type 70, but without the forward side ring.
Norman places hilts of this type to around the first quarter of the seventeenth century.
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Julien M
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| Posted: Sat 31 Mar, 2012 5:06 am Post subject: |
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| Glennan Carnie wrote: |
I've had a look through Norman's The Rapier and Small Sword 1460 - 1820. The hilt doesn't have an exact match to Norman's typology. It's similar to a Type 70, but without the forward side ring.
Norman places hilts of this type to around the first quarter of the seventeenth century. |
Hey Glen!
Thanks for the reference (damn another hard to find and very very pricy book). My taste are definitely shifting towards later period weapons after years of interest focused solely on the high & late medieval sword. I must have a cut and trust/ side sword on the workbench soon! You are absolutely right, early seventeen century of course, not early 16th... (I realized my typo above and corrected it).
I also find myself lusting over the cavalier rapier from Arms and Armor...something is definitely at works here 
Cheers,
J
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Glennan Carnie
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| Posted: Sat 31 Mar, 2012 6:44 am Post subject: |
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| Julien M wrote: |
I also find myself lusting over the cavalier rapier from Arms and Armor...something is definitely at works here
Cheers,
J |
Julien,
I know what you mean!
I feel the need to have an A&A Town Guard sword in my collection. But not this year.
I got my copy of Norman as a re-print; but for the life of me I can't remember where from. It wasn't very expensive. Definitely worth seeking out.
GBC
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This is a standard topic