Apr 13, 2020
Apr 26, 2007
Apr 26, 2007

Rapier

Rapier

c. 1620–30

Clemens Horn

(German, 1586–1617)

Steel, blued and gilded

Overall: 111.1 cm (43 3/4 in.); Blade: 89.2 cm (35 1/8 in.); Quillions: 21.3 cm (8 3/8 in.)

Weight: 1.34 kg (2.95 lbs.)

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance 1916.697

Did you know?

The "Pappenheimer" hilt seen here is named after Count Pappenheimer (1594-1632) who popularized the style which offered more protection to the hand with its large pierced plates.

Description

This weapon has an especially handsome configuration of hilt, pommel, quillons, and guard. The blade is also very finely wrought and bears the mark (a unicorn head) of the German swordsmith, Clemens Horn, of Solingen, a town near Düsseldorf. The Latin inscription on the blade reads in translation: "Neither without cause, nor fearfully/Between arms and silent law/ Prize truth and the fight for one's country."

See also

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.