This is a fighting sword which portends the lighter small swords which followed but is firmly rooted in the mid 17th century. The pierced and chiseled steel hilt is related to a group of dish hilt rapiers generally identified as Solingen, C.1635-45. They are decorated with the same bold chiseled foliage and incorporate a repeated motif of either a cornucopia or flower basket. An example of the former is #A508 of the Wallace Collection, and of the latter, #252 of our Catalog 59. This example incorporates the flower basket with a single blossom. Its large guards are closer in scale to the dish hilt rapiers than the small-swords which followed, as is its exceptionally long thrusting blade. 37” length blade.