AN ITALIAN SWEPT-HILT RAPIER, EARLY 17TH CENTURY

AN ITALIAN SWEPT-HILT RAPIER, EARLY 17TH CENTURY with tapering blade of flattened-diamond section, rectangular ricasso, iron hilt of rounded bars, comprising a pair of straight quillons swelling slightly towards the terminals, three outer ring-guards joined at the base, the middle ring swelling in the centre and the upper joined to the knuckle-guard by a further bar, écusson fluted on the outer face, a pair of arms, trifurcated inner-guard, associated fluted barrel-shaped pommel and later grip bound with plaited wire (areas of pitting), 110.8 cm blade