The lowly (?) briquet, a story of resolution

[kronckew]

Originally Posted by fernando

Dear Mark, i thought that by now you wouldn't easily take Wine's baits .
We are talking about French Briquets with the anchor; not whatever items you find out there with the 'morbid' intent to muddy the waters (SIC).
You can find the anchor in a zillion things, from hallmarks to American weapons, in which the anchor has metaphoric means.

The only 'wine' I drink now is Port. - as sailor's say, usually at anchor, on shore leave, "Any port in a storm".

We appear to be talking about briquets from many nations, you even mentioned Denmark! Let's not forget that many nations were (Forcefully) incorporated into the Empire and supplied troops to the French. with very slight differences, briquets were made by many nations under french control to supply their needs as well as the french. Briquet hilts appear on a variety of blade styles too.

After trafalgar, there was very little need for French naval sailors and Marines, or naval cutlasses, so Nappy took advantage of them by incorporating them into the Imperial Guard as artillerymen, at which service they served well. I could see some briquets being accepted into 'naval' service by these Imperial Guards and used exclusively onshore, using their own 'naval' acceptance stamps instead of the less elite 'army' ones.


Guarde Imperiale

The Marines of the Imperial Guard (French: marins de la Garde Imperiale) and sailors formed a naval unit within the Imperial Guard of Napoleon I. The men of the unit not only operated as naval infantrymen but as gunners (after the training they had received in naval gunnery), sailors and engineers. Napoleon himself stated "They were good sailors, then they were the best soldiers. And they did everything - they were soldiers, gunners, sappers, everything!"

They were decimated in the Peninsular wars, and the Rusiian campain, but still there at waterloo, covering the retreat, and accompanying Nappy to St. Helena. Their Officers retained their naval, rather than army, ranks. Officers wore their distinctive sabres as in the wiki link's images, see below. Not a wild strech to think the newer recruits at the end may have carried briquets.

[fernando]

My apologies for the misspell, Waine .

[kronckew]

Originally Posted by fernando

My apologies for the misspell, Waine .

Almost there...

Best Regards,
WAYNE

p.s. - I do actually own a Frenchy Briquet. Not my favourite hanger tho. Bit heavy.

[fernando]

Originally Posted by kronckew

... Almost there...

No can do. We seldom use the 'ipsilon' over here, so such key got stuck in my keyboard. We have to do with the ' i ' for the mean time; it sounds the same, anyhow .

Originally Posted by kronckew

...p.s. - I do actually own a Frenchy Briquet. Not my favourite hanger tho. Bit heavy.

I too had a briquet long ago; but i let it go, as it didn't meet my demands, collection wise.
By the way, is it my eyes or the blade of your briquet looks as not being the right one ?

PS
I can see dozens of Frenchies being sent to hell for their lies.

SABRE BRIQUET DES TROUPES DE MARINE MODELE DE L'AN IX
Ce modèle à 36 cannelures sur la poignée, quillon en forme de trompette croisière avec poiçon à lancre.

La lame est plus longue que celle de l'infanterie et mesure 63,5 cm poinçons à l'ancre et "B" ; "M" surmonté d'une rous crantée.


.

[kronckew]

Originally Posted by fernando

...

By the way, is it my eyes or the blade of your briquet looks as not being the right one ?

...

.

As far as I recall it's a German blade, for a French Model AN XI Infantry Sabre Briquet, from around 1830. Curved but Bit straighter than most. Artillery version or Faschinenmesser?

[fernando]

Mine was a very regular one, i believe AN IX, bought locally, naturally left on the battle field by the Napoleonic forces during the invasions. A couple poinçons on the guard and an ilegible name in the blade ... but no anchor, though .