A North European Pappenheim Rapier
A North European ‘Pappenheim’ Rapier, Circa 1630. With slender tapering double edged blade of flattened diamond section, cut with a shallow fuller on each side, stamped, ‘I E S U S’ in one and, ‘V A L E N C I A’ on the other, the ricasso of rectangular section stamped three times on each face with blade smiths marks, iron hilt with rounded bars of circular section, comprising two ring-guards on each sidelined by a short moulded bar, the bottom guards each framing a plate pierced with numerous stars and circles, the upper guards joined to the knuckle-guard by a swept-up bar downcurved are, recurved quills with globular tips, knuckle guard with matching globular terminal, large rounded pommel with button, and original grip with twisted silver wire between Turk’s heads.
