Spanish transitional officer sword

An interesting transitional sword with a rapier-style blade, forged by the Basque swordsmith Pedro Lezama, also recorded as Lecama, who was active in Toledo and Seville during the first half of the 17th century. Lezama is listed in the Palomares Register under number 84 and is associated with blades marked ‘Spadaro della Rey’, referring to his position as swordsmith or armorer to the king. The blade is mounted with a later gilded copper hilt of a form typical for the mid-18th century. The hilt is decorated with a copper fillet, while the pommel and guard are secured by a screw construction. This combination of an earlier Spanish blade with a later officer-type hilt makes the sword a fine example of a transitional weapon, most likely intended for use by a high-ranking Spanish officer.