Rapier

Radboud · 18th April 2025, 09:06 PM

Hi, not a rapier but a mid to late 19th Century British 'cut steel' court sword. I can't see from the photos but it may be missing the knuckle guard.

Neat sword.

kronckew · 18th April 2025, 09:59 PM

my 'cut steel' (aka 'mourning sword') has additional cross gusrd and non-functional finger rings. Instead of a knuckle guard it has a loop on the cross guard and on the pommel for a chain.

Norman McCormick · 19th April 2025, 01:49 PM

Hi,
This is possibly the cutler. https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/c-...-button-maker/

Regards,
Norman.

Jim McDougall · 25th April 2025, 03:17 AM

Amazing Norman! Goes to show we never know what venues we end up finding answers. Clearly this sword could date well into 19th c. as the 1868 end for this outfit shows.

Ive always thought the 'mourning sword' factor was kinda intriguing, just due to being rather unusual aspect of the sword as a fashion element.

These cut steel hilts are fascinating as they seem rather 'steam punk' or to that effect. They seem to have evolved in the shop of Matthew Boulton and Joseph Wedgewood about 1790 in Birmingham.
Seems the fashion hung around for a while.

Years back I found an unusual sword that falls sort of into this unusual category, which was classified as a 'corpse carriers' sword (?) and according to details from Austria c. 1880s + Honestly Ive never seen another like this nor listed as a corpse carrier etc. presumably pall bearers.

A most esoteric area of sword fashion.

18th April 2025, 09:59 PM	#2
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,259	my 'cut steel' (aka 'mourning sword') has additional cross gusrd and non-functional finger rings. Instead of a knuckle guard it has a loop on the cross guard and on the pommel for a chain. Attached Images

25th April 2025, 03:17 AM	#4
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,660	Amazing Norman! Goes to show we never know what venues we end up finding answers. Clearly this sword could date well into 19th c. as the 1868 end for this outfit shows. Ive always thought the 'mourning sword' factor was kinda intriguing, just due to being rather unusual aspect of the sword as a fashion element. These cut steel hilts are fascinating as they seem rather 'steam punk' or to that effect. They seem to have evolved in the shop of Matthew Boulton and Joseph Wedgewood about 1790 in Birmingham. Seems the fashion hung around for a while. Years back I found an unusual sword that falls sort of into this unusual category, which was classified as a 'corpse carriers' sword (?) and according to details from Austria c. 1880s + Honestly Ive never seen another like this nor listed as a corpse carrier etc. presumably pall bearers. A most esoteric area of sword fashion. Attached Images

18th April 2025, 09:06 PM	#1
Radboud Member Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: New Zealand Posts: 298	Hi, not a rapier but a mid to late 19th Century British 'cut steel' court sword. I can't see from the photos but it may be missing the knuckle guard. Neat sword.

19th April 2025, 01:49 PM	#3
Norman McCormick Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,646	Hi, This is possibly the cutler. https://www.britishbadgeforum.com/c-...-button-maker/ Regards, Norman.