A saber of unknown origin and age

[Radboud]

Originally Posted by corrado26

The key to the solution is certainly the signature at the hilt. I can read MORSDL & Cie", the "DL" is uncertain. Maybe someone here knows this name?

Steve Langham is compiling a database of British Makers and Retailers that is available online: British Sword Markers and Retailers

But a search for MORS doesn't turn up any likely candidates, alas.

[corrado26]

After my understanding this name cannot be English, because in the English language the word "company" is written with an "y" at the end, not with an "ie" as is the case in France or Germany

[fernando]

How about "& Cº" ?; hardly, i know .
MORSDL would not make much sense ... in any language, i guess; it would be missing a vowel ... or two. Definitely the way to a right answer would be easier to find if Patrick posted a more accurate picture of the mark .

[awdaniec666]

Originally Posted by fernando

Definitely the way to a right answer would be easier to find if Patrick posted a more accurate picture of the mark .

And he will! I am still waiting for it to arrive
Exact measurements and better images will follow as soon as I hold it in my hands.

Thank you all for this interesting aspects so far!

[Bryce]

G'day Guys,
Definitely not British. My vote is European, possibly Swedish.
Cheers,
Bryce

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Bryce

G'day Guys,
Definitely not British. My vote is European, possibly Swedish.
Cheers,
Bryce

Quite likely Bryce! All of these countries cross diffused influences as well as often imported weapons. I always forget how close all these European countries are, here in Texas you drive days to leave the state.

[awdaniec666]

The sword has arrived today.
The mark is very small, no wonder pictures with common lenses fail at displaying the stamp correctly. I attach one image of my saber (better quality wasnt possible) and few of other sabers with the same mark.

It says "Morell & Co.". I have found several sabers from past auctions with that stamp and similar pipe-back blades, mostly coming from Sweden. Even one with a very similar lionhead. My quick search has not brought more informations about that maker.
Despite its look, the leather scabbard seems to be actually made for the saber. Its not too long. The only thing that doesnt match is the opening which is a bit wider than it should be for that saber in my opinion.
The hilt was abviously gilded.

Measurements in cm:
Blade lenght: 78
Curvature: 2
Broadenessat at hilt: 2, mid: 1,5, feather/yelmen max: 1,8
Hilt lenght: 11,5
Scabbard lenght: 82,5

What wonders me is the complete lack of sharpening! Even the point is not "pointy". Can it be the blade has been made, mounted on the hilt and left for sharpening elsewhere which has not been made ultimately?
Were parade sabers sharp?
It has few chips here and there but that could have been kids playing with it.

[Jim McDougall]

Most interesting discussion!
The term 'Continental' indeed does refer collectively to 'Europe' in describing the use of the lion head pommel feature, as in checking references with these on examples I found them in France, Germany, Denmark, Holland, Hungary to name several. These with flowing mane down backstrap typically were of course very much like the M1803 infantry officers sword in Great Britain.

The 'dogs head' term used for the often admittedly somewhat grotesque face on some lions heads pommels seems to have arisen during the Revolutionary War. As noted by George Neumann in "Swords and Blades of the American Revolution" (1973, p.101, 119.S); "...many of the animal headed pommels, especially American, are so crude that identification is resolved by calling them 'dogs heads".

This is noted further in "The Dog Head Sword of Succasanna", (J.Brashier, 2016, p.79); "...dog headed swords that appeared at the beginning of the war and disappeared soon after it from the long departed lions heads, and may have embodied anti British feelings. Political cartoons of the day often depicted dogs harassing Britain".

Getting back to this example:

in Wagner ("Cut and thrust Weapons", Prague, 1967) these examples illustrate both the form of 'pipe back' blade seen on the one posted. These seems to have been in use from Solingen (on M1854, Danish sgt sword Moller, 1963, p.67) and was used past the 1900 mark on various 'European' swords. These blades seem to have been used mostly in the German states however.

With the lionhead, one Prussian officers sword is shown (p.267, Wagner) but the three bar guard is more full. I would note that here it is noted to be of 'French' style.

That suggests that perhaps there was a notable possibility of French producers providing hilts. The cartouche with name in the hilt guard is very much a French tradition, and the use of a German made blade not at all unusual.

I would suspect this may be French or German produced by an unrecorded outfitter probably toward latter part 19th c. and for a unit of 'guard' or other auxiliary type . These kinds of units often had unspecified type swords and hilt patterns.

On a side note, Prosser was a London outfitter, cutler of early years of 19th c. and as with most cutlers of the time used German blades.