New Rapier
 

Morning all.

This has just arrived after crawling across the globe and being stuck in UK customs hell (backlog of goods to clear).

Seller thought it was northern German but I have no other information.
Blade is 36" (91cm) long including the ricasso, is 1/2" (12.7mm) thick and 1" (25.4mm) wide at the ricasso and overall it weighs 1270g (2.8lbs). It's certainly a beefy blade compared to my other (English) rapiers.

Blade is marked on the ricasso ANTON (then goes under the quillon block) and the other side PICININO, with a crowned shield shaped stamp, which is not unlike his mark.
There are letters in both of the deep fullers which I haven't yet had a go at deciphering, plus the familiar anchor stamped at the end of the fuller. There are traces of alloy in the grooves on the quillon block.

Anyone any idea of the original source and dating? I had a look through AVB Norman, the Wallace Collection catalogue and others last night and drew a blank.

it is a bit short for a rapier, cf JP puype lenght should be 112cm+ in total.

your sword is a Dutch broadsword for the cavalry, 1620-1630. Norman hilt 62 or subtype 62.
as I see the empty slots on top of the hilt, it looks to me that the guard plates are missing. These plates were fixed in different ways, with lock, soldered or screwed on the hilt. The blade may be an original blade made by Antonio picinino, in addition to the tower, Antonio uses his stamped mark. see example rapier from my collection for tower and copy book for stamped mark.

hope it helps
best,
Jasper

Thanks Cornelis.

Yes, the grooves struck me as odd. Is this a 'pattern' weapon for Dutch cavalry? I'm aware of some shell guard weapons being specified in the 1590s, but that's it.

Any info gratefully received.

although they were ordered in numbers, I think real standardization came later, with the epee wallonne. it could be that there were some kind of rough regulations for example that the type of rapier and blade length is prescribed, I have no proof for this, I should check that with JP puype.

best, Jasper