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Originally Posted by fernando
Thank you Gene 
By style you mean the wired grip with the locking bars? This is one of the typical grips from the period. I also have a cuphilt rapier with one of these.
 It doesn't look so to me; i will check when it arrives.
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Hi Nando,
I actually meant the round bar Quillions and knuckle bow with the button ends.
As you say, it would be have been a bit of a truism to comment on the grips being similar.
I like the 'hood and bow' guard. Very interesting.
If you look at the evidence of previous oxidisation on the blade and guard, then compare it to the grip bars and wire, they look very clean.
I've always found that the fact that the grip is by its nature the most handled part of the weapon, it gets grubby.
I would expect the steel grip bars to be as oxidised as the inside of the guard or even slightly more so.
The wire looks to be steel wire, not silver, is that your conclusion?
There looks to be no grime worked into it or any oxidisation present. That would be unique in my experience on a weapon of this age where the rest of the metal shows clear signs of previous oxidisation.
One of the things I look for when appraising this type of 'all steel' weapon is a consistant patina. Where the inside of the guard shows lots of signs of oxidisation I would expect the grip/hilt parts and pommel to show similar patination.
Grip wiring is a trap for dirt, oxidisation, old polish residue and eveything else. They are never clean and shiny unless they are new (in my experience).
Even if they are silver the silver oxidises and traps all kind of crud in the recesses. Look at the grip on my rapier. Filthy!
Sorry mate, hopefully I'm just seeing things that arent there.
Obviously a picture can be decieving, what do you think?