Good Continental Swept Hilt Rapier Circa 1600

37.75 inch blade with short single fuller the right side engraved with the legendary “Running Wolf” of Solingen. The flat ricasso stamped with the blade smith’s mark a circle with two arrows. Tapering blade is 1 and 1/8th inch wide at forte. Blade is cleaned in the European manner and shows the delimitation of a genuine late 16th or early 17th century blade.

Complex swept hilt showing strong traces of original fire gilding throughput. Finely wrapped twisted steel  wire grip with “Turks Heads”. Lovely ovoid steel pommel chiseled with two bands of leaves. 47 inches overall.

This is a most attractive period fighting rapier with substantial gilding still remaining and balances precisely where all real rapiers do.