Your thoughts on this rapier?

[ulfberth]

Originally Posted by cornelistromp

What a coincidence, Iam from Leiden and I was bidding on this rapier yesterday afternoon, bought a hunting sword so we can combine shipping :-)
I stopped at a certain point because I was not sure if there was a crack at the quilon near the ricasso block, It may be ok, it was not clear on the photos

nevertheless concrats the rapier is beautiful, early and rare.


The Rapier is Italian 1540-1560, Norman Type 32, if you have the book have a look at plate 21. there are similar examples in the Met , the wallace collection and stibbert museum.


@ Fernando yes I came also to PEDRO DEL.........AGARETA

best,
jasper

It is indeed mid 16th c and very rare as it is, its even more rare to find it in a condition like this uncleaned and unmolested . For rapiers or swords this rare the condition matters less than items you can find in better condition.
I mean if one would decide to wait untill a better one come's along that is also for sale and all original like this one , it could be you would need to wait longer than the swords age itself.
kind regards
Ulfberth

[ulfberth]

After some carefull cleaning I can confirm it is indeed PEDRO DEL GARAETA.
The condition is good enough for me condsidering its age.
More important its complete not missing anything and the blade is still at full lenght, including original gripwire. There are not that many of these around either.
kind regards
Ulfberth

[werecow]

Very nice piece ulfberth. Congrats! I should've known someone from this message board got it. Very jealous.

Is that indeed a green man on the pommel?

[ulfberth]

Thank you for you'r kind words Werecow !
Yes I believe it is " the green man" although a bit with a brownish black tan.
Now that you mention it, I have not seen this type of pommel with the green man on it before. Although it's not an uncommon type of decoration, it appears hilts to and suits of armour from the same period.
I did no know there was a collector who collects rapier this period in Leiden either. Here is a better picture taken in daylight, im not a good photographer certainly not with an 80 dollar cam.
Kind regards
Ulfbert

[CSinTX]

Congrats Dirk!

You might try outside pictures. In the shade if the sun is super bright. I'll be happy to edit your pics for you also.

Can someone educate us on the history of "the green man"?

[toaster5sqn]

The Green Man is a human face, or sometimes a full figure with leaves for hair and often wrapped in vines and foliage. It's very common in church carvings from the middle ages and a Victorian era author used it as the basis for a theory of hidden pagan cults hiding within the medieval church. The truth is we have no idea what it symbolized to people of that time.

Robert

[werecow]

By sheer coincidence I was watching this youtube clip and noticed a rapier with an almost identical hilt in the display case:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjDVE06x_A0

[werecow]

Originally Posted by ulfberth

Thank you for you'r kind words Werecow !
Yes I believe it is " the green man" although a bit with a brownish black tan.

All my plants eventually do that, so it's fitting.

Originally Posted by ulfberth

Now that you mention it, I have not seen this type of pommel with the green man on it before. Although it's not an uncommon type of decoration, it appears hilts to and suits of armour from the same period.

Yeah, I've mainly seen it on mortuary hilt guards.

Originally Posted by ulfberth

I did no know there was a collector who collects rapier this period in Leiden either. Here is a better picture taken in daylight, im not a good photographer certainly not with an 80 dollar cam.
Kind regards
Ulfbert

And as it turns out we already met. Microscopic world!

[Merenti]

hey Dirk, congratulations on the beautiful rapier. From this point of view it is really a beautiful old and rare piece.

Markus

[AHorsa]

What a beauty and very nice cleaned!! Congrats also from my site!!

Kind regards
Andreas

[Merenti]

Originally Posted by ulfberth

After some carefull cleaning I can confirm it is indeed PEDRO DEL GARAETA.
The condition is good enough for me condsidering its age.
More important its complete not missing anything and the blade is still at full lenght, including original gripwire. There are not that many of these around either.
kind regards
Ulfberth

hey Dirk, congratulations on the beautiful rapier. From this point of view it is really a beautiful old and rare piece.

Markus