Thanks, Jim. I was lucky enough to win this one on an eBay auction quite a while back. I had never thought about the subtle nuances in the decoration to this item. The 'refinements' do stand out from others I've seen. I like your thinking that perhaps it was an officer's grade rapier! I also truly like Shayde's rough and tumble example with saltwater-corroded blade. It just screams "Spanish Main" to me!
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