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Source Description
The rapier was a sword worn with civilian dress and used in duels. The term rapier derives from a 16th-century French word <em>rapière</em>, which in turn derived from the Spanish <em>espada ropera</em>, or “dress sword.” The rapier was a light weapon with a straight double-edged and pointed blade that, with the development of the art of fencing in the 1500s and 1600s, gradually became narrower and lighter, and thus suitable for thrusts only. With the new technique of swordplay emphasizing the point of the blade, sword guards became more complex to protect the duelist’s unarmored hand. These elaborate guards were frequently decorated by various techniques—chiseling, bluing, russeting, and damascening.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
97052
label
Cup-Hilted Rapier
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
97052
contentType
object
title
Cup-Hilted Rapier
description
The rapier was a sword worn with civilian dress and used in duels. The term rapier derives from a 16th-century French word <em>rapière</em>, which in turn derived from the Spanish <em>espada ropera</em>, or “dress sword.” The rapier was a light weapon with a straight double-edged and pointed blade that, with the development of the art of fencing in the 1500s and 1600s, gradually became narrower and lighter, and thus suitable for thrusts only. With the new technique of swordplay emphasizing the point of the blade, sword guards became more complex to protect the duelist’s unarmored hand. These elaborate guards were frequently decorated by various techniques—chiseling, bluing, russeting, and damascening.
date
c.1610–30
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q60739905
genreSpecific
Arms and Armor
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Overall: 123.2 cm (48 1/2 in.); Blade: 100.9 cm (39 3/4 in.); Quillions: 25.2 cm (9 15/16 in.); Grip: 11.8 cm (4 5/8 in.)
cul
Italy, Milan?, 17th century
accession
1916.706
Source extras
tec
steel, pierced, chased and chiseled; wire ferrules on leather-covered wood grip
tombstone
Cup-Hilted Rapier, c.1610–30. Italy, Milan?, 17th century. Steel, pierced, chased and chiseled; wire ferrules on leather-covered wood grip; overall: 123.2 cm (48 1/2 in.); blade: 100.9 cm (39 3/4 in.); quillions: 25.2 cm (9 15/16 in.); grip: 11.8 cm (4 5/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance, 1916.706
supportMaterials
description
pierced and chased cup
collection
MED - Arms & Armor
inscriptions
inscription
inscribed on blade: FPNDRITH (on one face) RDFTPHNI (on the other)
didYouKnow
Over time the blade of a rapier became longer, based on a belief that a longer blade made it easier to hit one's adversary and, at the same time stay beyond the reach of his weapon.
citations
citation
Christie, Manson & Woods, London. <em>Works of art, from the Byzantine period to that of Louis Seize.</em> Mar 5-Apr 30, 1855.
page_number
Mentioned: p. 213, lot 2453
citation
<em>Catalogue of Arms and Armour.</em> Vol. 2, <em>16th century. </em>[Boston, Massachusetts]: [Frank Gair Macomber], [1900-1915].
page_number
Mentioned and Reproduced: No. (90) 92
citation
Gilchrist, Helen Ives. <em>A Catalogue of the Collection of Arms & Armor Presented to the Cleveland Museum of Art by Mr. and Mrs. John Long Severance; 1916-1923</em>. Cleveland: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1924.
page_number
Mentioned: p. 117-118, E72; Reproduced: Plate XXXI, E72
citation
Fliegel, Stephen N. <em>Arms and Armor: The Cleveland Museum of Art.</em> [Cleveland, Ohio]: The Museum, 1998.
page_number
pp. 113, 169; cat. no. 137
citation
Fliegel, Stephen N.<em> Arms & Armor: The Cleveland Museum of Art.</em> [Cleveland, Ohio]: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2007.
page_number
cat. no. 180, p. 191
creditline
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. John L. Severance
updatedAt
2026-05-29 05:13:48.178000
sourceId
97052
dept
Medieval Art
coll
MED - Arms & Armor
med
steel, pierced, chased and chiseled; wire ferrules on leather-covered wood grip
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
e09cafb71817cb6c