This superb and rare, early 17th century rapier has formed part of a top UK collection and is in what can only be described as beautiful 'museum condition'.
With a long, slender, flattened diamond section blade measuring 40 ½ inches (103 cm) incised with the name of the famous German sword cutler - 'CASPAR MAINS HOFER' (17th century Hounslow Sword Factory, London, cutler) within the fuller on both sides of the blade.
Iron guard of strongly fluted bars, hollow-ground flared quillons with button terminals, vestiges of a leather cover to the ricasso, hollow-ground D shaped knuckle guard, shallow dish-guard having a scalloped rim and pierced with numerous small lining points, the outer surface embossed and incised with a radiating scale pattern, later wire bound grip with 'Turk's heads' and a reeded/fluted, droplet ovoid iron pommel. Collection disc number 28.
Provenance:
Ex-collection of Clive Madgin.
Ex-Christies 2014
Ex-Sotherbys 2004
Price: £3,750 plus posting costs