Hungarian Hussar sabres and Esterhazy

[Jim McDougall]

In 1730 The French King began sword production at Klingenthal in response to dependence on foreign production.
In 1750 a regulation describes the first hussar sword designed and produced in France, but officers swords continued to come from abroad and followed Hungarian and Austrian prototypes.

This information from "The French Military Sword in Eighteenth Century"
C. Aries & M. Petard
'Gazette des Armes", #57, Feb. 1978

The hussar sabre regulated by 1752 was characteristically Hungarian.


The compelling similarity of these hussar sabres to Hungarian (and Austrian) types leads us to the notion that suspected variations of the Austro-Hungarian forms with French characteristics may indeed be these French swords noted.

Anyone with C. Aries volumes ? to compare these French types.

[corrado26]

Here I post fotos of two Esterhazy sabres of the French Esterhazy Husard Regiment. May be you like them. Both belonged to my collection but are sold meanwhile.
Regards
corrado26

[corrado26]

Second sabre

[corrado26]

next fotos

[Victrix]

Jim,

I believe it’s not entirely clear that sabres with pearl string decorations on the knuckle guard are officers’ versions from the Esterhazy Hungarian hussars. The illustration in Wagner was done from Dolloczek (see picture below) and does not claim that the pearl string decoration necessarily is connected specifically with Esterhazy. There are plenty sabres belonging to officers of the Esterhazy hussars without this decoration and there are plenty sabres with the decoration which are not connected with Esterhazy. It can’t be ruled out that this was a fashion which started at the Esterhazy hussars and was copied.

The sabre characteristics you describe do seem French as you suggest. There were many Hungarian emigrés in France who served as hussards. Some were political refugees after the failed War of Independence by Prince Rakoczi 1703-11 and ended up in the service of French king Louis XIV. Ladislas Valentin Esterhazy was born in France and served with the Bercheny hussards before raising his own regiment in 1764. These Hungarian hussards in French service obviously used equipment similar to what they used in their native country. There may have been French hussard sabres with pearl lined guards but I never saw one.

There were also Esterhazy Hungarian infantry regiments like Nikolaus or Joseph Esterhazy at this time. Infantry sabres did not have flat pommels and did have elliptical shaped langets as you described. I attach a photo of an Austro-Hungarian infantry Prima Plana sabre with pearl line knuckle guard decoration which I saw in the Imperial Armoury in Prague (don’t know if any Esterhazy connection).

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Victrix

Jim,

I believe it’s not entirely clear that sabres with pearl string decorations on the knuckle guard are officers’ versions from the Esterhazy Hungarian hussars. The illustration in Wagner was done from Dolloczek (see picture below) and does not claim that the pearl string decoration necessarily is connected specifically with Esterhazy. There are plenty sabres belonging to officers of the Esterhazy hussars without this decoration and there are plenty sabres with the decoration which are not connected with Esterhazy. It can’t be ruled out that this was a fashion which started at the Esterhazy hussars and was copied.

The sabre characteristics you describe do seem French as you suggest. There were many Hungarian emigrés in France who served as hussards. Some were political refugees after the failed War of Independence by Prince Rakoczi 1703-11 and ended up in the service of French king Louis XIV. Ladislas Valentin Esterhazy was born in France and served with the Bercheny hussards before raising his own regiment in 1764. These Hungarian hussards in French service obviously used equipment similar to what they used in their native country. There may have been French hussard sabres with pearl lined guards but I never saw one.

There were also Esterhazy Hungarian infantry regiments like Nikolaus or Joseph Esterhazy at this time. Infantry sabres did not have flat pommels and did have elliptical shaped langets as you described. I attach a photo of an Austro-Hungarian infantry Prima Plana sabre with pearl line knuckle guard decoration which I saw in the Imperial Armoury in Prague (don’t know if any Esterhazy connection).

Victrix, thank you so much for this well presented insight, and I had overlooked the profoundly well informed posts of both you and Corrado on these East European sabres in previous threads.

You are exactly right of course on the Wagner example of the Esterhazy sabre, as while it was taken from the Dolleczek reference and captioned as from the Esterhazy regiment , as you say we cannot presume that the pearl string decoration was specific to the unit. Even though we know that certainly one example (as cited) had the decoration, it seems clear that officers, who typically commissioned and obtained their own swords, would often have varying decorative elements on them.


Another thing you well clarify here is that not only were there considerable numbers of Hungarians in France, as well as of course members of royal stature and high station of these families, but they were often involved in these hussar regiments there. I did not know of the Esterhazy units in France .

I am most grateful for your this historical synopsis which truly gives the perspective in better understanding the cross influences in these sword hilts of Austro-Hungary and France in these hussar regiments.


The look into the infantry versions of these sabres is also most interesting as it seems sabres are typically regarded as a cavalry weapon, and we often forget that these officers also carried them. Great example you show of the Prima-Plana sabre withe the pearl string line!


Thank you again very much

Best regards
Jim

[Victrix]

Jim,

I wanted to post another picture of a somewhat later Hungarian hussar sabre from around 1780 on which blade it’s engraved ”Vivat Fúrst Eszerházy.” Although breathtakingly beautiful, this sabre is not decorated with a pearl line along the knuckleguard.

On the other hand, this pearl line decoration does appear on the Hungaro/Serbo/Croat sabre from around 1750 which blade is engraved with letters of Old Slavonic. Its blade is no less than 5.8cm wide (!).

Finally, on Hungarian emigrés serving abroad, they played a part in forming most countries’ new hussar forces. They even crossed the Atlantic to the U.S. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mich...ts_de_Fabriczy.

All the best,

Victrix

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by corrado26

Here I post fotos of two Esterhazy sabres of the French Esterhazy Husard Regiment. May be you like them. Both belonged to my collection but are sold meanwhile.
Regards
corrado26

Corrado, thank you so much for showing these absolutely fantastic sabres! While it must have been hard letting them go, I am so grateful you have kept such great pictures of them, thus we can still learn from them.

The first one is flamboyantly wonderful, much in the hussar spirit, and what is most intriguing is the rayskin grip and menuki (decoration mid grip) reflecting the Oriental influences popular in Eastern Europe in 18th c. The carry rings are of most unusual form as well.
What is key here is the domed pommel I was seeking for comparison. It is not quite the 'Phrygian helmet' vestige that developed later and became known on many French sabres in the 19th c. but still distinctive.

The second sabre is also amazing and though relatively simple in its rudimentary character reflects the panache of the hussar in its likeness to the well known sabres used by them. It notably has the flat pommel which seemed to prevail in East European cavalry sabres.

Thank you again for showing us these beautiful examples!

Best regards
Jim