Dating to the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars. Blued hilt with faceted grip, pommel and knuckle bow. Scalloped edge oval guard. Very minor oxidation with much original blue, mostly faded to brown. Mounted with a 31 7/8” heirloom rapier blade by TOMAS AIALIA EN TOLEDO and so marked in the fullers. Thomas Alaya was one of Spain’s most esteemed blade makers, represented in virtually every major collection of antique-edged weapons. Alaya (there are various spellings) produced blades in the last quarter of the 16th and first quarter of the 17th centuries. This blade would have originally been mounted to a heavier rapier which passed through the family and was remounted on this sword making it a capable combat weapon. If mounted with a conventional triangular section blade of the period, it would be effective only against another sword so mounted. The pressure of the Revolution and Napoleonic wars produced this battle ready version of a normally, dress sword
