My first smallsword

[Yvain]

Hi all!


After some years collecting only extra-european weapons, I'm venturing back to my home continent. Indeed, I recently gained an interest for smallswords, and managed to win this one in a small auction.


From my initial research, I think it might be French, around 1770.


I find it interesting that it doesn't have the usual pas d'âne and shell guard, but instead a simple loop hilt ; it seems to have been a somewhat popular style at the end of the 18th century. While smallswords are usually associated with a lavish ornamentation, I really like this more simple cut steel style.


Here is a somewhat similar sword from the Royal Armouries collections : https://royalarmouries.org/collectio...t/object-49937

[urbanspaceman]

Definitely a bit more interesting than the standard 1700s smallsword, so a good choice for starters.
I'm not deriding the classic smallsword and the multitude of variations on that theme, where you rarely see an exact match, but your curious shell and complete lack of 'branches' is a wide step away.
You don't show the design of the blade: does it feature a groove or a hollow on the underside?
More utilitarian examples often feature a groove, as it was easier, and faster, and consequently cheaper, to produce.
What makes you think it is French?

[Jim McDougall]

I agree with Keith, an outstanding choice, and in very historic times.
The Royal Armouries link is interesting , thank you for attaching this, and the example they hold with provenance to Prince Octavius, son of George III.
Most intriguing is that the example shown, indeed like yours, attributed to the Prince, who was only 4 yrs old when he died.

Clearly this was a traditional gesture (he was the 8th son of 13 children), George was a busy guy, despite his health issues.

The design seems to have been among the patterns of Matthew Boulton, who was a most prominent British inventor, and sword cutler. ...in his c.1775 catalog, according to the very informative Royal Armouries description.

While the design seems to have been in this British context, I wonder if the prevalent contact between the courts of France and England in these times, despite the otherwise guarded attitude overall, possibly the French influences might have been at hand.

By this time in the 18th century, the era of the smallsword was waning, and hilt features such as the pas d'ane had become entirely vestigial. Maybe this design was to bypass them altogether.

As Keith notes, the basic smallsword style and character was pretty ubiquitous and hard to tell those of one country versus another, so something a bit different is most interesting.

[Yvain]

Thanks to both of you!


I won't have it in my hands before Christmas, so I don't have much more details to share here.


To me, it seems that the blade is triangular and hollow-ground on all faces, but I'll see that better when I get it.



Regarding the attribution, French or British, it will definitely need more research. Though the sword in the Royal Armouries collection is described as French, as well as this one : https://www.pop.culture.gouv.fr/noti...45ab7cb1bca%22 . Maybe I should try to find Norman's book on smallswords?

[urbanspaceman]

I looked in Norman and also in Aylward but didn't see anything.
Actually, Norman is predominantly rapiers and early transitions.
Looking closely at the hilt it is, as Jim Suggests very Matthew Boulton; considering it's age also suggests Boulton.
The example you link is definitely similar however.

[Raf]

[QUOTE=urbanspaceman;286395]I Matthew Boulton; considering it's age also suggests Boulton.

Perhaps in passing we should mention bright cut steel.When new this faceted style of decoration was cut and polished to such a degree of fineness that it actually resists corrosion. Whether this was due to the quality of the steel or the the polishing is another technique lost to history