Rapier ID

[SwordLover79]

Hello Gang: I recently purchased this rapier at an auction in LA. 40 inch blade and 49.25 inches overall. The hilt is coated with silver and silver dots. It was simply described as European. I am thinking English hilt - circa 1600? The writing/symbols on the blade and ricasso are hard to decipher. Any ideas regarding country and date of origin are welcome.

[Reventlov]

The style of decoration, with many small studs covering almost every surface, goes back much earlier in the 16th century. It can be seen in a number of Spanish, Italian, and French portraits - below is Don Carlos, the ill-fated son of Philip II, painted in 1564. The style of the guard is much later of course, probably others here can tell you more about than I can.

[werecow]

My layman's guess would also go to English cavalier hilt, maybe British civil war era? Would be good to see a closeup of the writing in the fuller.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by werecow

... Would be good to see a closeup of the writing in the fuller ...

Yes, a good idea.

[SwordLover79]

my best attempt to photograph the marks in the fullers...thanks for your help!!!

[fernando]

Really a hard job to figure out. Looks like both pictures are from the same side; maybe the other side shows different lettering. Also looks like these two are upside down .


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[Reventlov]

It looks to me there are only three letters (M, A or V, and..?) that repeat in semi-regular order, not an actual word or name. There are other examples like this - I have seen several recently, but now I can only remember this one, marked CAINO, with on either side the letters:

N S R N S R N S G

https://www.rct.uk/collection/search...3/rapier-blade

[Jim McDougall]

These letter groupings are acrostics, well known to have been used in these Brescian regions of Italy on their blades in 16th-17th c. They are often first letters of phrases, mottos, or invocations however in these repeated letter forms may have other arcane significance.
As noted, CAINO was one of the key proponents of this fashion.

[werecow]

Is it me or does that say "MAMA"?

[Reventlov]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

These letter groupings are acrostics, well known to have been used in these Brescian regions of Italy on their blades in 16th-17th c. They are often first letters of phrases, mottos, or invocations however in these repeated letter forms may have other arcane significance.
As noted, CAINO was one of the key proponents of this fashion.

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

Sir James Mann (Wallace Coll. 1962, various entries) describes numerous rapiers, all with CAINO blades, various marks and typically dated c.1610 (one as early as 1580) on Flemish, German hilts, one on a Spanish cuphilt c. 1625.
The letter combinations are the same sequencing, using various letters, often reversed on the opposing blade face.
i.e. RSNRSNRSND , one side SRNSRNSRND other. The same three letters repeated three times then with a separate terminating letter.

Thanks Jim for reminding me of these! Do you know if anyone has attempted to decipher any of these acrostics? The RSN/SRN sequence has commonalities with much older medieval inscriptions, can't help but wonder if this is more than coincidence...