A Small Sword for Comments (Sister to Napoleon's Sword?)

[efrahjalt]

This is a small sword I picked up a while ago. I found a few interesting leads that could point to it's origin/maker, but nothing solid. Thought I would share here for those interested, and would love to hear any comments you may have.

I assume it is a late 18th or early 19th century court sword. This assumption is based on several swords of similar hilt and blade design in the Met and other museum collections. The blade is marked S-H on the ricasso. Samuel Harvey was a cutler in Birmingham from 1748-1778 and his son and grandson also worked in the business until 1810. He and his posterity signed their blades with an S-H. I don't have a positive ID since the mark is slightly different but it's a possibility from the right time. The tang is marked with H4 (it almost looks like #4, but upon closer inspection I now can see it is an H), and the guard is marked with an AB stamp and BES (could be RES) (see pictures). I also ran across a very very similar sword that was apparently owned by Napoleon and currently resides in the Museo Oro del in Peru. The fittings for these two must have come from the same artist or at least someone working in the same shop. The sword in the Museo Oro del has silver bars on the grip. I can see silver rubbed into the grooves on the grip of this piece were there would have been silver bars. Unfrotunately they have been removed.

I originally bought this thinking it was a well done reproduction with the threaded pommel nut and all, but after I started looking into it I now believe this piece is original. The workmanship is very good and although threaded pommel nuts were less common they were used at that time from what I understand.

The AB mark on the guard is quite distinct and seems like something that would be searchable, but I haven't had luck. I often wish that there was as good documentation on European swordsmiths as there is on Japanese sword craftsmen. Any thoughts on this one are wlcome.

Here are a few pictures of the piece and the marks. There is also a picture of Napoleon's sword from the Museo Oro del.

[awdaniec666]

Remarkable! As you said, this is certainly not a reproduction. The crown on the pommel looks very much like a british variant. Maybe somebody here recognizes it.
On your place I would be very tempted to remove the brass patina, how do you see it?

[corrado26]

I think it is a French item, the eagles on a "cigar" are typical during the 1. empire.

[Interested Party]

I would love to see the whole piece

[fernando]

Originally Posted by Interested Party

I would love to see the whole piece

Yes ... please do !

[efrahjalt]

Originally Posted by awdaniec666

On your place I would be very tempted to remove the brass patina, how do you see it?

I typically reluctant to do much cleaning on pieces. In this case it looks like there may have been some cleaning in the past. In a few places I can see the hilt was originally gold plated, but much of that is gone now. It could probably benefit from a light cleaning though.

Originally Posted by Interested Party

I would love to see the whole piece

Thank you for the reminder. No sword discussion is complete without a shot of the whole thing. Looking back I see that my pictures are not the greatest. I was too focused on getting the marks in the shot. Here are a few slightly betting shots. The fineness of the carving still does not come though it the pictures. There are fine textures to the leaves and scrolls that are almost invisible in the pictures, but I hope it gives an idea.

Again, comments are welcome.

[Jim McDougall]

Interesting smallsword Efrahjalt, and nicely done tentative research, thank you for sharing those details with us and for posting this.

Samuel Harvey and his sons of Birmingham were key in the advance of British swordmaking in the mid 18th century, but they were engaged in the production of munitions grade military swords. While later Birmingham makers such as Gill, Osborne and Wooley did produce swords in accord with the military patterns beginning in unofficially in 1788, they were never producers of smallswords as far as I am aware.

The production of smallswords was typically by cutlers in London and several other locations, many of these cutlers were also jewellers (check Southwick).
The hilt was likely quite likely gilt, and cutlers typically used hall marks on such hilts (again Southwick).

The H4 was probably administrative stock number or of that sort.

I am pleased to see you do not tamper with patination, which in my opinion should be left as is (my historian position) and cleaning, especially overcleaning which compromises the integrity of the piece (again my opinion).

I think this very well may be a commemorative sword celebrating the victory at Waterloo, which was a practice in Great Britain post Napoleonic campaigns. I once had M1803 infantry officers lionhead, which instead of the flowing mane, had one with a sphinx like headdress.

Here I would note that the eagle from the standard of the French 45th Regt. captured by Sgt. Ewart of Royal Scots Greys at Waterloo would have been an unsurprising theme on a sword for a British officer. The blade has similar etched motif to British officers swords, and the hilt form is of court sword style of the period.

"London Silver Hilted Swords", Leslie Southwick, 2001

[efrahjalt]

Originally Posted by corrado26

I think it is a French item, the eagles on a "cigar" are typical during the 1. empire.

Corrado,

The last picture is Napoleon's sword from the Museo Oro del. Mine doesn’t have the eagle.