Rapier or smallsword PIERCED blade for comment

[Atlantia]

Originally Posted by Valjhun

Without the wooden hilt.

Well, I hoped that the blade contiued into the hilt... obviously not.. is that an original tang or just a soldered piece? I would vote for the second option, I'm not sure thou.

Hi Valjhun

My best guess would be that this blade started out life in a configuration more akin to the one's I've shown above and in the link I sent you.
I suspect that it has been shortened from the hilt end (as well as having lost a little from the tip).
If you take the proportions of the childs small sword that I have with this type of blade then the overall length is 65cm (with possibly a tiny loss from the tip) with the single pierced 'in and out' fuller starting 10.5cm from the hilt and ending 23.5cm down the blade (from the hilt).
The full sized one has a blade length of just over 76cm long with similar relative proportions for the fuller and area above.

So, if you assume that your blade was once 76cm long and of the same configuration as the one I propose, then there would be around 12cm of blade from where the fuller started and the original hilt.
Looking at the top of the blade on yours I can't see any evidence of shoulders or widening, which would also lend credence to the theory that it's been modified at that end.
So if we deduct 12cm from 76cm we come up with 64cm, the tip looks like it's been recut so that could well account for the other 4.5cm 'missing' which gives us the remaining 59.5cm that you have now.

The tang as it is now looks like it might have had metal added in (as you rightly pointed out).
You could clean it up and there might be more 'evidence' to be seen. There looks to be signs of working on the upper part of the blade and the tang as it is now certainly doesn't look like it was originally made that way.

I would suggest that this current configuration lacks the 'finesse' of a sword made for fighting and simply doesn't fit into any of the scenarios that I can imagine. Frankly I also imagine that the balance would be somewhat 'lacking' with the wooden hilt and huge cruciform guard.

However there is perhaps another possibility.

The size makes me think childs sword. The shape makes me think of a crude version of a bowless Matadors sword.
I imagine that ghastly as it is, some children aspire to be bullfighters. Why not a 'first real' sword for a poor aspiring Matador?
Of course any theory on it's 'second life' is just guesswork pure and simple.

Here's a close-up of the upper section of the childs smallsword for you to examine.

Best
Gene

[Valjhun]

Thank you, friends for your help.

I ruined the wooden hilt during the process and it is constructed from spruce wood and not older than 20 years as it is very very clear and fresh looking. (it looks older in the pics as it is darkly laquered). Someone found this broken sword blade and has put it toghether to his best knowledge and tried to sell it as a complete piece, I guess.

I agree that the grotesque guard is also modern and it seems machine made, and poorly made, so I will remove it also I think.

The question is what should I do with it? It is a nice blade overall and I think to rehilt it in some manner so I can put it in my collection. I really like the blade and composite would be better that nothing I guess.

Any thoughts of where I can find some period dagger hilt with pommel or so?

[Atlantia]

How wide is the blade at the hilt now? Perhaps it's narrow enough to be a swordstick?

[pappa-karlo]

Here pictures of my sword (blade 81 cm) and a seller`s - he describes the sword as the end of 17. Danish or German transitional rapier

[fernando]

Beautiful

[Atlantia]

Originally Posted by pappa-karlo

Here pictures of my sword (blade 81 cm) and a seller`s - he describes the sword as the end of 17. Danish or German transitional rapier

Edit: Karlo, we aren't allowed to discuss items currently offered for sale. You should remove the pictures of that sword as it is easily identifyable with your description.

[pappa-karlo]

OK, no problem. Delited.

[Atlantia]

Hi Karlo,

It seems that your sword and mine have almost the same blade. What do you make of the brass inlays?

Regards
Gene

[pappa-karlo]

My blade is much closer to the one shown in the deleted photos - same brass pattern, two pairs of short longitudinal grooves, then 6-coals section change to the rhomboids.