The Academie Duello museum is proud to announce that we have acquired a new swept hilt rapier from around 1600. This beautiful sword is quite long yet beautifully balanced. The blade is 48" from the quillons, which was typical of many rapiers pictured in historical manuals of the time. Ridolfo Capo Ferro (1610) recommended that the entire length of a rapier be such that when standing erect the sword would measure from the ground to your arm pit. This rapier will fit that measurement for many wielders.
One thing that is not well reproduced in modern rapiers is the thickness of the steel. This blade is 3/4” thick at its base with a strong distal taper along its length (most modern reproductions are 1/2” or less). This means the blade can be quite strong and resistant to undue flex, particular in the strong (lower half) of the blade.
You can read the entire story of how Director Devon Boorman came upon this sword and purchased it while he was teaching in Los Angeles on the Path of the Sword Blog.
Come and visit the Academie Duello Arms and Armour museum and discovery centre for an opportunity to see this beautiful antique sword amongst many other antiques and reproductions.
Devon Boorman is the Co-Founder and Director of Academie Duello Centre for Swordplay, which has been active in Vancouver, Canada since 2004. Devon’s expertise centres on the Italian swordplay tradition including the arts of the Renaissance Italian rapier, sidesword, and longsword, as well as knife and unarmed techniques. Read more from Devon Boorman.