French colichemarde

[urbanspaceman]

Forgive me if I am mistaken, but is this not the French infantry officer's sword Regulation 25th April 1767:

ps
A superb sword

[Radboud]

From what I’ve read the m1767 regulation hilt was silver or silver plated. They can also be identified by the faux turks head knots on the grip. It’s quite common to see them now in their base metal (a copper alloy) with the plating worn away.

My sword came from a dealer in the UK, who in turn acquired it from Matt Easton.

[Radboud]

do these photos help?

[urbanspaceman]

This is a machine rolled fuller.

Actually, the word fuller was originally the name of the tool used to hammer in the hollow. Anyway, a steel roller under huge pressure bore down on hot stock wedged into a mold cut into the anvil top producing the two upper hollows (same way as they made estocs, then later on Brown Bess triangular bayonets.
Sorry, I am editing here as it is confusing, the upper pair of hollows (with a medial ridge) are on the bottom of the hot stock. They are known as the top of the blade, even though they are below in the en guard position... I think.
It was how they could produce a hollowed smallsword blade in a single pass, as a reducing radius hollow was impossible.
As far as I am aware - hence my question regarding colichemardes - all colichemardes have the groove, a product of the machine which was chased out of Solingen due to the guild's Luddite viewpoint.
The Mohll family owned it and brought it to Shotley Bridge to produce hollow blades at a reasonable price as there were tariffs and heavy taxes on German imports.
The conclusion I recently reached was that the French would not be buying from Shotley Bridge, hence my search for French hilted colichemardes. Even George Washington's colichemardes had to come from England.
All of the dealers and collectors I have consulted agree that there are none but it is not totally impossible.
Does your sword have a groove? Also, why do you think the hilt is French?

[Radboud]

Originally Posted by urbanspaceman

Does your sword have a groove? Also, why do you think the hilt is French?

Yes, there is a groove on the underside of the blade that terminates about where the blade begins to broaden out.

My sources for why my sword is a m1767 are other collectors and Michel Petard ‘Des Sabres et Des Epees’ Volume 3 pg 67.

[Radboud]

and Jean L’Host ‘Les Epees Porters en France des Origines a nostalgic Jours’ Pg 187 & 188

[urbanspaceman]

Thank-you for your help with this issue, it is much appreciated.
There seems to have been a rather wide variety of hilt styles with this pattern: mine (shown earlier) is different again with the pronounced double quillons.
What is most unusual is to have that French hilt on a Shotley Bridge blade.
I suppose French cuttlers could have access to London merchants during that period; let's face it, business is business, regardless of all else.
Do you happen to know what Matt had to say about it?
Anyway, thanks again. Keith.