A German French Whatzit First Empire (?) Sabre

[Glen C.]

A recent adoption I'm working on. Sometimes the offer is for less than one would bid. The blade is about 33 1/2" long. The etching goes right up the length of the fuller to the end. The hilt is really nicely done fire gilt. There is one of the many Solingen squigglies on the spine of the blade. It is not the flower one. I don't know if anyone has done a chart of these spine marks. It is way down on my lists of things to do but I must have several now in my
photo archives.


There was/is a lot of hard dirt on the blade and hilt. The blade will take some time to lift the dirt while leaving the faded bluing and gold.

A couple of quick snaps that reveal I still have more work to do. Alas no scabbard. The blade is only 1" wide at the ricasso. I had watched a French looking sword 20 years ago that had a really similar blade profile but a less fancy hilt and less etching. That one had a sound leather scabbard, so maybe this one as well had such when new.



I look forward to thoughts and maybe confirmation of a Napoleonic First Empire sword.

Cheers
GC

[Will Mathieson]

Glen that's a very nice sword. I once had a French sword similar and it had the swirl that ended in a thin curved tip. Your swords blade appears longer probably because of it being slim and having a good curve to it. I like the round grip and pommel, many have flat grip plates.

[Richard Schenk]

The etching motifs are similar to those used on Schimmelbusch & Kirschbaum "Honour and My Country"-produced sabers during French occupation of Solingen 1807 - 1813. (Examples from an eagle head and an AN X1 saber):

[Bryce D]

G'day Glen,
I haven't seen a hilt like that before, but these are the three variations of the Solingen spine mark that I have seen on French first empire period swords.
Cheers,
Bryce

[Richard Schenk]

G'day Glen,
I haven't seen a hilt like that before, but these are the three variations of the Solingen spine mark that I have seen on French first empire period swords.
Cheers,
Bryce

Here is one from as S&K AN X1 "Honour and My Country" blade":

[Will Mathieson]

Richard that is very interesting that there is good information regarding the etchings. What reference can this be found in? I have the two Petard books of French cavalry swords but not reading French I have not translated the information on more than a few swords. Is there an app. for an IPhone that can translate type? I know it works for bar codes.

[Glen C.]

Thanks for the spine marks. Here is a quick spine snapshot of mine (light challenged)



I know we see them on later swords. I wish there was a way to link them all to the maker or forge. The etchings seem more universal though and I'm sure there were guilds involved, so it may be the same b&g artists working with several other cutlers and forges.

Cheers
GC