An Extremely Rare Italian Short-Sword Or Dagger (Cinquedea) In Original Cuir-Boulli Scabbard

Late 15th/Early 16th Century

With broad triangular double-edged bright blade (minor areas of scattered light pitting) cut with two shallow fullers forming a low medial ridge over each side, the left fuller on both sides struck with a bladesmith's mark, a small star, the forte on both sides etched and gilt with panels of scrolling foliage issuing from cornucopiae on one side and from a vase on the other, all against hatched grounds, and divided by a flattened tapering panel etched and gilt in Latin 'FIDELITAS ET AMOR' against a hatched ground on one side, and 'ANTE ME VENTURA' on the other, hilt comprising flat arched tapering iron quillons etched and gilt with flowering foliage along both sides, one side centred on a male profile portrait medallion, and along the upper surfaces with overlapping scales, flat arched pommel (pommel-cap missing) and grip formed of two dark horn scales (minor insect damage, one with old split beneath the pommel) each against a brass shim and inset with four roundels of Gothic tracery in iron filigree, the grip with bevelled edges drawn-out to a central point on both sides, gilt-bronze grip strap (incomplete) embossed along each side 'DACES FOTRTUAT [UM?]', and retaining much of its original gilding, in exceptionally rare original cuir-boulli scabbard (open at the tip) tooled along the outside with two symmetrical panels of acanthus between double line borders and against finely stippled grounds, and at the top with two pairs of vertical lines and central pocket for a by-knife (missing) tooled en suite, the inner side cut with tabs for suspension
54.8 cm. blade, 68 cm. overall