17th Century Spanish Rapier Signed Heinrich Coel In Solingen

This rapier is a typical Spanish model. The blade dates from the 17th century, it is the work of the famous and prestigious Enrique Coel / Coll, or Heinrich Coel /Kohl (several spellings exist) who was an armorer from Solingen but who also supplied the court of the King of Spain. He was entitled to the title of armorer to the King, (espadero del Rey) and according to some authors would also have worked in Toledo. The blades of this armorer had an excellent reputation. The mount is a military mount for an officer around 1700
BLADE: It is a strong blade of hexagonal section, particularly solid, with a groove at the level of the first 16 centimeters near the guard. At the end of the groove, we find on each face the small engraving called "evergreen shape" or "pine needle" typical of Solingen manufactures in the 17th century.
On the outer face, we find the inscription "X EN XX SOLINGEN X" and on the inner face "X HEINRICH XX COEL X " Note that the letters "E" are engraved in the very particular manner of the blades of Toledo. On the outer face of the ricasso, small punch mark partly erased by wear.
Length of the blade = from the cross = 99.5 cm, from the "barquilla" 94 cm width at the ricasso = 2 cm, thickness at the ricasso 9.2 mm. Balance point = 13 cm from the guard which is logical for a rider's rapier.
GUARD : This is the model called in Spanish "de barquilla", that is to say in the shape of a small boat, where one of the quillons passes through the arc of the guard branch. Wide straight quillons, the upper quillon being doubled by a finger ring or "donkey's step" whose end is attached to the shell by means of a screw. The knuckle bow is attached to the pommel by a hook.
POMMEL : This is the typically Spanish flattened bulbous pommel.
GRIP : It is covered with the original twisted copper wire binding and has fan-shaped iron ferrules at its ends.

This rapier is therefore a typically Spanish model, in very good original condition, and never restored. It is a must-have model in a rapier collection.
Ref AM-25/2-10