A Rare English Rapier dating to circa 1625 to 1640

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Price: £4,250

Ref: 52090819

Item Description

This rare rapier is one of an exclusively English group of fine quality rapiers produced in the second quarter of the 17th century.  The hilts are complex structures fashioned from flat ribbon-like iron bars built around an upturned clam-shell guard at the base. This example is by repute from Cullen House in Scotland. It is almost identical to other contemporary English rapiers in British public collections which are encrusted with silver designs or handsomely gilded (for references see below). This rapier is finely made and in original “as found” blackened russet condition. It retains its original attractive profile and elements of its original gilt finish in parts.

The hilt conform to  Norman’s Type 86. It consists of a bold quillon block with short langets below and long vertically counter-curved quillons front and back ending in diamond shaped knopped terminals. Two ring guards strengthen the structure between the quillons and the shell guard which are joined by secondary guard bars. The knucklebow extends from the top of the front quillon supported by secondary guard bars on each side which emanate from the upper guard ring. It  terminates at the pommel with a crook shape unique to this group.

The multifaceted ovoid pommel has an integral button on top and a flared neck beneath. The wooden grip is swollen in the middle and has lost most of its wire binding. The bars of the hilt, the ridges of the clam guard radial lines and the faceted ridge lines of the pommel are delicately punched with continuous lines of tiny dots. The tapering double edged blade has a short ricasso and a broad central fuller which extends from the hilt almost to the tip.

A number of English portraits dated to between 1627 and 1635 are known with hilts of this type (see Norman page 161). Norman thought the precursor of this rapier group might be represented in a portrait of James VI/I attributed to Lord Marcus Gheeraerts II circa 1618 to 1623.

Four silver encrusted and gold damascened hilts of this type, two of which are in the Victoria & Albert Museum, and one in the Royal Armouries, are illustrated by Leslie Southwick in “English Swords, c. 1600-c. 1660, Aspects of Design, Ornament and Manufacture” published in the Spring 2017 London Park Lane Arms Fair supplement, pages 24 to 92, figs 45 to 47.

The rapier is 41.75 inches long overall and the blade is 33.75 inches long.

Provenance:  By repute the rapier was part of the contents of Cullen House in Moray in North East Scotland sold off at auction in 1970 and shortly after.