sword for id
 

could identify you this sword
It measures 1.01 m long, 87 cm and 4 cm wide blade
the markings on the Russian air or?

Hussars? Polish? Nice sword- On to the experts...

specialists not ideas?

There is Austrian eagle on the blade, but alltogether the sword looks strange. Some Austrian sabres used to employ cros-shaped cossguard with poppy-heads et ends, but they were different...

The width 4 cms shows that the blade could eventually be from the "Sabre of Austrian Light Cavalry model 1768". Isn´t there inscription "Pottenstein" on back ?

the handle could be polish http://www.kismeta.com/diGrasse/images/philts.jpg

But it could equally be Russian or Austrian http://www.kismeta.com/diGrasse/imag...andlechart.jpg

Illustrations from Wojciech Zablocki "Ciecia Prawdziwa Szabla"

hi martin
non-no inscriptions on the top of the blade..

Martin why do you think this is an Hapburg eagle. The double headed eagle was Byzantine in origin and was used equally by the Austrians, Poles and Russians as a symbol?

You are true, I was agog, awaiting this question. Till now I only saw it on blades assigned to Austrian sabres from 18th century- on the other side each engraving (always on this Austrian blades/sabres - you can find it in catalogues of Austrian cold weapons) was different - once keeping pome and truncheon, once nothing, than sword and pome..... I think this is question for experts, who are still silent......

While awaiting words from the silent experts, I would just add that I am inclined to see this as most likely an Austrian sabre not for cavalry but infantry or other units officers. The absence of knuckleguard seems to disagree with most cavalry sabres of Austria, Hungary and Poland of the 18th century which this seems. The hatchet point blade is indeed very much like the cavalry sabres of those times. The double head eagle and crown is strikingly similar to one seen on an Austrian heavy cavalry sword 1769-75 (Wagner, 1, plate 13).
The backstrap fluting and brass hilt seems corroborated by other sabres of these countries in these times and the quillon terminals resemble some on Hungarian sabres. I do not have my Eastern European sources with me, so hopefully the experts will chime in.
Nice sabre, these are always most desirable and with colorful history.