Transitional rapier 1

By the late 17th century, the popularity of the rapier was beginning to wane, and the small sword was rising as the sword of choice for fashionable civilian gentlemen. In the intermitting period between one's fall and the other's rise, transitional rapiers reflected the shift in preferences with dish guards, shorter quillons, and lighter, medium-length blades being the characteristics of swords that fill the gap between 'true' small sword and the traditional rapier.   This transitional rapier is decorated with a finely chiseled equine motif, with a design of cavalry in charge on the fig-shaped pommel and dish guard, and a female figure on the knuckle guard.