An important rapier dating: circa 1600 provenance: North Italy Straight, double-edged blade, with a central groove, with the inscription 'SAHAGON' on both sides of the forte, hexagonal at the center and then ribbed, the ricasso outlined at the borders; extraordinary and completely-developed iron hilt; cross-hilt with straight and slightly raising quillons provided with branches at the base, the guard is anchored to the pommel, with a bridge, a side ring and the counter-guard; the hilt and the pommel with very fine silver and gold inlays alternated with bands engraved in bas-relief with floral and geometrical motifs; spiral wooden grip covered with wire-binding and iron-thread Moor's heads. It's been a long time since such a good-quality rapier could be found on the market, both for its fine filigree decoration of the mounts and for the combination of the inlaid parts with the sculpted ones, as well as for its designs and materials. Exhibition: 'Czerny's - All'Italiana', Fortezza Firmafede, Sarzana, Italy (August 8th-23rd, 2009). See a series of valuable rapiers in 'Armi bianche Italiane' by Boccia/Coelho, Bramante publishing house, Milan 1975; the swords number 408, 483, 551 and 562, belonging to the world's most prestigious collections, feature the same decorative elements as the one presented here. length 119.5 cm.