Pappenheim-style Rapier Signed Jacob Brach Germany Circa 1620

This rapier with "branchs" is known as "Pappenheim" rapier because of the two perforated plates that complete the hilt at the point closest to the blade. It dates from the 17th century and its origin is certainly Germanic, since it was in Germany that the so-called "Pappenheimer" hilt appeared at the beginning of the 17th century. The blade bears the signature of Jacob Brach, a swordsmith from Solingen belonging to the famous Broch-Brach-Brock-Brogh family (various spellings). Jacob Brach is known to have made swords for King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden. A rapier bearing this signature is preserved at the Swedish State Historical Museum, dating from around 1600, and another is known to date from the early 17th century. This allows us to clarify that the Jacob Broch mentioned by Richard Bezdek as active from 1650 to 1700 is simply a descendant of the previous one, bearing the same first name.
BLADE : It is a hexagonal blade with a strong ricasso of 6 cm. On the first 19 cm of each face, there is a central groove ending with the imperial mark with a cruciform orb, partially effaced by wear. In these grooves, one can read (difficult to photograph):
On the outer face-c XX IACOB X BRACH X RHIRNH X
On the inner face XX IACOB X BRACH X RINRI NI XX
The meaning of these letters RHIRNH and RINRI NI remains obscure. At the level of the hollow of the ricasso, on the outer face, there is what appears to be a very worn remnant of a smithmark. (Difficult to photograph)
Blade length including ricasso: 99 cm, after ricasso: 92.5 cm. Width at ricasso: 1.9 cm. Thickness at ricasso: 6.4 mm. Balance point: 2.5 cm from the ricasso, giving the weapon excellent balance when held.
Oxidation, slightly more pronounced at the tip.
GUARD: It is a multi-branch guard with two wide, straight, cylindricalonical quillons ending in trumpets. The guard branch rises in an arc towards the pommel, near which it stops, forming a hook ending in a trumpet shape. Hand guard plates, pierced, characteristic of the so-called "Pappenheimer" hilt. POMMEL: It is mushroom-shaped. The tang of the blade is directly riveted to this pommel. HANDLE: It is twisted and covered with a complex wire wrapping of twisted iron. The braided ferrules, known as "Turkish heads," are present and in very good condition. An interesting weapon that would be a welcome addition to a collection of 16th and 17th-century firearms. Shipping costs: La Poste = France €40, Europe €60 // UPS = France €60, Europe €80 Ref H-26-34