Dating to the mid-17th century (circa 1640–1660), this rapier represents the refined twilight of the classic civilian dueling sword in Northern Italy. During this transitional era, masters of the Bolognese and Venetian schools demanded defensive blade-catching capability without sacrificing agile thrust mechanics, resulting in ornate openwork hilt architecture.

Craftsmanship & Construction

• The Guard & Hilt: Hand-chiseled pierced iron cup/shell and sweeping branches adorned with openwork filigree foliage designed to trap opposing blade points. Finished with an urn-form faceted pommel and original iron wire-wrapped grip bound with dual woven Turk’s head ferrules.

• The Blade: Stiff, diamond-cross section high-carbon steel thrusting blade with an elongated central ricasso fuller. Shows authentic tempering and battle-period balance.

• Latin Aphorism Inscription: Deeply acid-etched along the fuller and blade forte reads the famous Latin chivalric maxim:

  “FIDE SED CUI VIDE”

  (Trust, but take heed in whom you place your trust) — a cautionary motto favored by European duelists and aristocrats.

Source & Provenance (Sauce)

• Origin / School: Northern Italy (attributed to the master bladesmiths and iron chiseling workshops of Brescia or Milan, c. 1640–1660).

• Provenance: Retains an original, antique stringed collection/museum paper accession tag with handwritten archival inventory numbering and catalog ink entries.

• Preservation: Unmessed-with museum status with original surface patina, honest micro-pitting consistent with 370+ years of age, and completely stable mounts.

Availability

Available at: Armfoundry.com