with tapering blade of flattened-hexagonal section, formed with a short fuller on each face at the forte, rectangular ricasso formed with a continuation of the fuller and struck with the mark of Domingo Rodriguez of Toledo on each face, iron hilt of slender rounded bars, comprising a [pair of long straight quillons with moulded bud-shaped terminals, outer ring-guard interrupted in the centre by a long down-curled bar en suite with the quillons and an additional curling bar either side, each interrupted by a further baluster moulding and joining the lower ring-guard at the base, trifurcated inner guard, a pair of arms, tall near conical pommel, and moulded grip, probably early, of plaited wire between ‘Turk’s heads’ (areas of light pitting), 110.4 cm blade

Provenance

John Claypole, Gloucester

An Important English Private Collection

Literature

Eric Valentine, Rapiers: An Illustrated reference Guide to the Rapiers of the 16th and 17th Centuries and their Companions, 1968, p. 21, no. 9.

A sword with a hilt of related form is preserved in the Royal Armoury, Madrid (G54).