Extendable Rapiers

[Cathey]

Extendable Rapiers

Hi Guys

I am looking for information on Extendable Rapiers (with a stretchable sword blade) and hopefully pictures of actual examples. I have heard that there are examples of these in some European museums, however being in Australia unless they are on the internet I will never know.

I know I have read about them having been introduced to get around a law governing Rapier blade length, however I would really like to learn more about them if they actually existed. In particular how the hilt was designed and what mechanisms where employed to allow the blade to retract presumable to legal length and then be extended.

Can anyone help thanks?

Cathey