Rapier: M.13 & A-1946

Maker(s)

Production: Unknown (Possibly)

Entities

• Rapier
• Scabbard

Categories

• Weapons

Description

Rapier. Small button-like pommel, with a large well-formed tang-button. Wire-bound grip of oval section swelling slightly in the middle with plain steel collars top and bottom. Strongly arched knuckle-guard of circular section, the top end fashioned as a button-shaped knob of the same form as the pommel; at the midpoint are two opposed flat button-shaped elements with sharp ridges on either side. Long straight quillons, also of circular section, the tips finished en suite with the knuckle-guard. Deep cup-guard, decorated with a circular pattern of scrolling leaves around the bottom of the half-globe, where the blade enters the cup. This cup-guard is fastened to the branches with a screw on either side of the hole through which the blade passes. This hole is rectangular, with one each of the longer sides (in the plane of the blade) a small cutout to accommodate a long narrow steel spike protruding from the top of the scabbard. Inside the cup is a finely-wrought garda polvo, in the form of a solid circular plate with a pattern of scrolling leaves chiselled in relief, edged with a kind of frill of lace-like elements pressed à jour. Instead of true branches, a narrow steel rib runs upward from the Garda Polvo to the point where the quillons cross the top of the cup. The ribs are chiselled in a zig-zag pattern and terminate in circular shell-like plates above trefoils. Blade of very strong triangular section with a deep narrow fuller at the forte. This is inscribed, on the obverse XX MI SINNAL X SANTISMO X CRUCIFICIO XX' followed by a small mark, and on the reverse 'XX ENRIQUE COLL X ESPADERO X IN X ALAMANIA X.'
Scabbard of wood covered with leather. At the top, a steel locket underneath the leather covering with a tubular fitment on the side to take a belt-hanger of steel. This consists of a D-shaped element with a long rod of circular section parallel with and below the upright of the D, which fits into the tube on the scabbard. Pivoted to the midpoint of the D is a short arm ending in a circular buckle. Small chape of plain steel finished with a double moulding and a knot.
Norman hilt type 100.

Notes

History note: Ximenes d’Aragena sale, Florence, 1902, No. 305; Baron C.A. de Cosson; sold Sotheby's, May 23 1946, Catalogue of Armour and Weapons from the Collection of the late Baron C.A. de Cosson, Sold by order of C.A. de Cosson, Esq. . . ., p. 13, lot 154; bought for the Fitzwilliam Museum

Legal notes

Given by the Friends of the Fitzwilliam Museum

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1946-12-23) by The Friends of the Fitzwilliam Museum

Dating

18th Century, Early
Production date: circa AD 1700

Note

Although quite plain, this is an exceptionally good example of its type; the hilt-hanger is very rarely found, and is an example of the way in which these cup-hilted Spanish/Italian rapiers were fastened to the waist-belt.

Spanish or Southern Italy