Rapier With" Branch Guard" Decorated With Fleurs De Lys, 17th Century

Beautiful rapier, with a particularly elegant mount, dating from the first half of the 17th century. The pierced plates (shells)  at the base of the guard are typical of the period. Their main decoration features a central fleur-de-lis, which according to some authors corresponds to a wear by a gentleman of the Maison du Roy, under Louis XIII of France. This attribution is plausible but precise documentation is lacking, since the swords of the members of the Maison Militaire du Roy were not regulated until much later. The branches of the guard join the main ring with elegant figures representing hunting dog heads.
BLADE:  After a 4 cm ricasso, it takes on a hexagonal section, with a thin central fuller which continues almost to the point. On the external face of the ricasso we find the mark of the swordsmith which is an undulating serpent. This mark is found on other weapons of the period early 17th, but it has not been possible to attribute it to a specific smith, although an origin from Solingen is the most probable. (see  Hieb-und Stichwaffen page 212)
On the other side of the ricasso, very worn, illegible hallmark. Length of the blade with the ricasso = 103.5 cm, without the ricasso 99.5 cm Width at the ricasso = 2 cm, thickness at the ricasso 7.4 mm. Balance point 9 cm from the guard.
QUILLONS and GUARD BRANCHES : The quillons are thin, counter-curved. There is an old, barely visible repair at the middle part of each quillon. The guard branches are thin, and after crossing, join the main ring at the level of the dog's heads mentioned. Small accident at the joint with the lower dog's head, external face, which could, if desired, very easily be welded.
The two guard plates are finely openworked and chiseled and their decoration is organized around a central fleur-de-lis. POMMEL : It is in the shape of an elongated olive, and has multiple grooves. It is topped with a small mushroom-shaped button on which the tang of the blade is riveted.
GRIP : it is in the shape of a coil and covered with a complex wire binding of twisted iron. The ferrules made of crowns of braided twisted binding called "Turk's heads" are present and in perfect condition.
This elegant rapier is a rarely encountered model.
Contribution to shipping costs = France €30, Western Europe €50
Ref AMC -25/2-14