Italian Rapier Leonello with swept hilt, 16th cen.

Very nice replica of an Italian rapier hilt with curved from the 16th cen. By changing the fighting technique, the blades were longer and narrower with the output of the mid-Laters. Thus, the conventional sword was replaced by the more elegant rapier. In the Renaissance period the wearing of rapiers was also a symbol of social status for noble men. Higher nobles, such as counts and barons wore longer blade, lower nobles had to make do with shorter arms. More information...