Italian Cup Hilt Rapier

A rapier with a very refined cut, dating from the first half of the 17th century, around 1630-1640. The openwork hilt is richly decorated with floral and vegetal motifs, punctuated by cartouches depicting royal portraits, mythological figures, satyrs, and Renaissance-style masquerade scenes. The pommel is fashioned like a masquerade mask, while the grip is sheathed in finely twisted copper wire. Both guards, as well as the handguard, are forged in an elegant twisted form. The cut is attached to the hilt by two screws.

The double-edged blade has a flat ricasso, with a fuller extending approximately 20 cm towards the point. This type of rapier is traditionally attributed to Italy. However, the significant movement of artisans, soldiers, and officers during the Eighty Years' War and the Thirty Years' War complicates precise regional attribution. This particular example bears the mark of Gio Antonio Ginammi on the blade and most likely originates from Northern Italy.

This rapier is illustrated and described in Jean Lhoste's book *Les Épées portes en France des origines à nos jours* (p. 107), where it is presented as a "taza of Germanic origin." However, a Northern Italian origin is more probable.

The sword comes from an inheritance within a Dutch private collection, and unfortunately, its acquisition history remains unknown.

Overall, the rapier is in very good condition and represents one of the finest examples of this type that I have acquired to date.