Rapier: HEN.M.217-1933

Maker(s)

Unknown (Uncertain)

Entities

• Rapier

Categories

• Weapons

Description

Rapier. Large, tall barrel-shaped pommel, oval in plan, with a well-shaped button. Knuckle-guard, loop-guard, double ring-guards. Branches and single rear quillon, all of a broad ribbon-section. The knuckle-guard terminates against the side of the pommel with a large open ring; at the midpoint it swells to a balustic-shaped feature below which is a flat disc, below which again the lower part of the guard swells to a second balustic-shape; thus the disc id clasped between these two elements. At this point the loop-guard in front of the hilt and the back-guard at the back spring out. Each of the ring-guards show the same feature of a flat disc clasped between the two balustic-like elements. The lower ring encloses an elegantly pierced plate. There is a flat, rectangular ecusson from the lower edge of which springs a short triangular element. The single rear quillon turns strongly towards the blade and terminates, slightly curled inward, in a disc. Each of these discs on the guards and quillon is decorated with a neatly chiselled double-trefoil rose pattern while each of the enclosing balustic forms has, similarly chiselled, a long acanthus leaf. The same motifs, in a diamond shape, are repeated on the pommel. These decorations only appear on the outside of the gilt, the inside being quite plain. The grip is of oval section, bound in a most complex manner with strands of thick and thin twisted wire. The back-guards are of three elements. The hilt retains all of its original blue colour. Long narrow blade of flat diamond section; at the forte, three well-marked fullers, the middle on extruding halfway down toward the point. The stout ricasso, a little narrower than the blade, has its faces slightly dished. In the middle of each face of the ricasso is a stamped, very clear maker's mark, a fleur-de-lis ensigned with a crown within an ecusson.
Norman hilt type 57.

Notes

History note: Probably Mr James Stewart Henderson of 'Abbotsford', Downs Road, St Helen's Park, Hastings, Sussex

Legal notes

J.S. Henderson Bequest

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1933-03-16) by Henderson, James Stewart

Dating

16th Century-17th Century#
Circa 1580 CE - 1620 CE

Note

The rapier developed in the late 16th century and remained popular for the next century. With a long, narrow, tapering blade, a hilt with bars to protect the hand and a large pommel which helped to balance the blade, it was the fighting sword par excellence and which every man worth his salt strived to master. This example is marked with a crowned fleur-de-lys within a shield.

This is an outstanding sword, in perfect condition and of the very highest quality. The mark on the ricasso is one which has a long history; first used by the late Plantagenets and the Tudors as a royal badge, it became in th 16th century a mark of denote 'appointment' of the bladesmail or cutter to a royal house, with the same meaning as have the words ESPADERO DEL REY (sword-maker to the king) engraved upon some high-quality Spanish swords.

Western European