A Spanish silver-mounted cup-hilt rapier of presentation quality, circa 1860-80

From the Duques de Tamames Collection

A Spanish silver-mounted cup-hilt rapier of presentation quality, circa 1860-80

with tapering blade stamped ‘AGVIR..EN..TOLEDO..’ and ‘..FORTUN..’ within a pierced slender fuller on the respective faces, silver hilt pierced cast and chased in relief, comprising deep cup-guard decorated with a garland of roses enclosing the forte and a broad panel of foliage above carrying three chased silver plaques in gilt frames, depicting Christ the redeemer, the flight into Egypt and a hunting scene in an architectural landscape, a further plaque with the coat-of-arms of the Rodríguez de las Varillas family, a pair of straight quillons chased with bands of foliage and with gilt bulbous terminals, knuckle-guard ensuite, compressed spherical pommel decorated with a dense design of flowers, fluted grip bound with plaited silver wire with a gilt collar at the top, early liner, and no provision for a guardapolovo

110.3 cm blade