French Sabre for I.D.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Jean B.

It is indeed a French An XI light cavalry sword. The blade was made in Solingen during the French control period by Kirschbaum, Schimmelbush and Company, and it was hilted in Klingenthal - see the stamp of Krantz (K under star), Bick Jean-Georges (B with laurels) and cursive B for Bisch Joseph Ambroise.

The letters LG on the hilt probably means "Leib Garde" (garde du corps - body guards in German). The swords was probably made for the guard unit of one of the German states of the Rhine Confederacy (1806-1813). These states were allies of Napoleon until the German uprising of 1813.
Krantz was the military Inspector of Klingenthal from 1812 to 1814, this allows to date your sword during the period 1812-1813.

Nice sword.

Jean

Jean,
Thank you so much for this perfectly detailed assessment! These are truly beautiful sabres, and with this detailed history, a verifiably important Napoleonic piece.

All very best regards,
Jim