Transitional rapier 3

The rapier was the popular choice of civilian sidearm throughout the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. This rapier is stamped with the date '1621' on the ricasso of the hilt.   The rapier was designed for cut-and-thrust fencing of progressively complex techniques, the sword is characterized by a double-edged blade medium-length blade with an acute point and a silver encrusted simplistic hilt with chiselled foliate designs on pommel and quillons.   The 1600's saw the movement away from the long bladed rapier towards a 'transitional' rapier, made up of a more lightweight blade and simplified designed hilt.   Looking towards the top of the blade close to the hilt, it is delicately etched on both sides in Latin surrounded with smaller foliate detailing.