Help me identify this french rapier.
Dec 24, 2010 12:57:35 GMT
Post by Bushido on Dec 24, 2010 12:57:35 GMT
Hi everyone!
I didn't really know what part of the forum to put this thread in... So if anyone feels that it has been misplaced, feel free to move it.
I got myself a sword for christmas, an antique french rapier! I don't really know much about it (more than it being french), so I thought perhaps you guys could help me fill in the blanks?
Some specs and detils:
It's a very light piece, the sword and scabbard together weigh in at just over 600g. The sword alone weighs about 400g.
The sword measures about 95 cm from tip to the back of the hilt, and the blade itself is about 81 cm long from tip to guard.
The blade is sort of triangular with with concave sides and blunt edges. A weapon meant for stabbing.
The blade is stamped on all three sides, very close to the guard. On the two thin sides, it is stamped lengthwise and says "Coirier á Paris" (I think) and "Boulevart des Italiens" plus some strange letter that looks like a mixture of J and H. For the third side (the base of the triangle so to speak), see pics below.
Point of balance is about 7 cm from the guard, and the sword handles very nicely. Swift and flexible in swings, yet steady and precise in thrusts. The blade flexes very nicely and regains its original shape instantly when you let it go. Feels like a quality blade.
The "white" part of the handle could very well be natural (ivory), otherwise it's a fairly good imitation material. It presents regular and very discrete lines throughout, and I'm therefore led to believe that they could be schreger lines from a length cut piece of ivory.
Have a look at these pics:
s916.photobucket.com/albums/ad7/ ... %20Rapier/
I find it very beautiful to look at, it's rather simplistic (which I like very much). What do you guys think?
Cheers, and merry christmas to all!
I didn't really know what part of the forum to put this thread in... So if anyone feels that it has been misplaced, feel free to move it.
I got myself a sword for christmas, an antique french rapier! I don't really know much about it (more than it being french), so I thought perhaps you guys could help me fill in the blanks?
Some specs and detils:
It's a very light piece, the sword and scabbard together weigh in at just over 600g. The sword alone weighs about 400g.
The sword measures about 95 cm from tip to the back of the hilt, and the blade itself is about 81 cm long from tip to guard.
The blade is sort of triangular with with concave sides and blunt edges. A weapon meant for stabbing.
The blade is stamped on all three sides, very close to the guard. On the two thin sides, it is stamped lengthwise and says "Coirier á Paris" (I think) and "Boulevart des Italiens" plus some strange letter that looks like a mixture of J and H. For the third side (the base of the triangle so to speak), see pics below.
Point of balance is about 7 cm from the guard, and the sword handles very nicely. Swift and flexible in swings, yet steady and precise in thrusts. The blade flexes very nicely and regains its original shape instantly when you let it go. Feels like a quality blade.
The "white" part of the handle could very well be natural (ivory), otherwise it's a fairly good imitation material. It presents regular and very discrete lines throughout, and I'm therefore led to believe that they could be schreger lines from a length cut piece of ivory.
Have a look at these pics:
s916.photobucket.com/albums/ad7/ ... %20Rapier/
I find it very beautiful to look at, it's rather simplistic (which I like very much). What do you guys think?
Cheers, and merry christmas to all!
