RAPIER

Italian, end of the 16th century.
Blackened iron hilt, pear-shaped pommel, flat rivet head, open knuckle guard. Large finger guards. All guards and braces have hammered surfaces. Grip wrapped with fine copper wire. Double-edged blade (L 101 cm), ricasso, narrow midsection.
L 118.4 cm

An attractively-designed rapier. The hammered, branch-like guards and braces match an Italian decorative technique found on rapiers at the end of the 16th century in and around Milan. Cf. Simone Picchiani: Le Spade da lato al Museo Stibbert, 2019, No. 92.