Art Institute of Chicago

Transitional Rapier

Northern European, probably English

Date

c. 1660

Medium

Steel, iron, silver, copper, wood

Culture

Northern Europe

Department

Applied Arts of Europe

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

Transitioning from the long-bladed rapier, the reduced blade length and smaller guard size of this sword anticipate later smallswords. Like the contemporary cup-hilted rapiers displayed to the left, this sword was designed for a fencing style that relied almost entirely on the point. Its blackened iron hilt is finely encrusted with silver portraits of ancient Roman emperors.

The authoritative record is held by Art Institute of Chicago. LinkedCulture surfaces this object and its connections; it does not alter institutional metadata.