Excellent information Udo! You are always the master of the markings, cyphers and esoterica on European arms. As I am not particularly familiar with French swords, this information on the Klingenthal marking of the flaming bomb as for grenadiers is valuable to know.
However, as noted in OP, this device is on the face of the blade, along with the word grenadier as seen in the image shown, but the device I was referring to is on the blade spine.
If I might share the reason behind my suggestion:
While I am not well versed in French swords per se', I have studied much of the esoterica of blade markings and motif that seems to have prevailed in much of Europe particularly in the 18th century. Much of this has to do with the magic and occult symbolism which evolved in Eastern Europe during late 17th c. using cosmological symbols familiar in astrology such as moon, stars and sun, as well the oriental themes such as turbaned figures.
These types of symbolism expanded across Europe on blade decoration, and with the growing interest in mysterious esoterica including Enochian following and Martinism in France, involving angelic communication, these types of symbolism began incorporating into these themes.
In France in the 18th century, as Masonic systems were developing , the nobility became insatiably intrigued by magic and mysterious exotica, thus the evolution of these various blade decoration themes, with Nantes being a key location for these blades.
As this curious marking is on the blade spine, and corresponds to some of the marking devices seen in plates in Buigne, which are remarkably similar to others using arrows and these types of occult motif, it seemed possible this was a variation.
In the symbolism, in my opinion, the arrow in various arrangements might represent the cherbim, whose weapon is a bow and arrow, and might align with the angelic lore and mystery favored in the 18th century, especially in France.
While many of course will regard these suggestions, and of course the actual practice of so marking these blades, these notions and beliefs were very real in these times. I believe it is not necessary to believe in these things personally, but it is important to understand what people placing these symbolic motif on blades believed to understand what is represented.
I hope my as usual drawn out explanation will not be seen as a lecture, but simply support for my theory. I have indeed seen other 'bow and arrow' variations in these 'Nantes' type motif. Hopefully I can find some illustrations and even better if anyone out there has an example with such markings.
I would note, this is an excellent example of grenadiers saber, and with these markings, all the more intriguing.
|