German Transitional Rapier/Smallsword, Late 17th C

Description

Chiseled steel hilt featuring reverse quillon with scroll finial, pas d’ ane attached to
symmetrical kidney-shaped guard. Knucklebow attached to the ovoid pommel with button;
chiseled ensuite with foliage and stands of arms in low relief; the guard bars ribbed. Grip
with twisted copper wire wrap and Turks heads (top one slightly damaged). Slender earlier
rapier blade of lens-section with 8 1/2″ central fuller deeply stamped “IOHANNIS MOUM”
flanked by seeing eye marks on both sides. Johannes Moum was active in Solingen during
the first half of the 17th C. Overall length 37″. These early smallswords clearly show the
transition from the earlier rapier, featuring shorter rapier-style blades and generally finer
quality workmanship than most of the later smallswords.