Officers sword pattern 1796 for Light Cavalry?

Calien · 5th March 2022, 03:15 PM

Reviving this older thread with this amazing sample I got last night off a French website. Having a little trouble getting a hit on the crest but the model is fantastic. Samuel Brunn was around from 1797 to 1820 making top end guns and sabers (On par with Prusser) after the war he hit hard times and ended up bankrupt. As far as the crest goes I have not gotten any hits, clearly this officer was a freemason so that's one clue, and I'm not 100% sure but I think a crown is also not very common. If anyone recognizes it please let me know. Thank you and enjoy.

Radboud · 5th March 2022, 11:30 PM

Wonderful quality on the etching, I wonder if it wasn't an export sword. I've seen an example of a Dutch naval officer's sword by Prosser, so it is possible that Brunn exported as well.

Radboud · 6th March 2022, 12:15 AM

Another sword in this 'fashion style.'

I don't think that we can conclusively call these swords 1796 Pattern light cavalry sabres. There are too many variations (the 1796 LC is a pattern after all) and a lot of specific examples that can be attributed to a regimental pattern.

This sword is very light and has a short un-fullered blade. It could be a flank officer's or a light cavalry officer's dress sword or just having belonged to a militia officer. There are too many options to ever be sure.

Weight (sans scabbard) 530 grams
LOA: 865 mm
Blade length 745 mm

Calien · 6th March 2022, 08:56 AM

I got one very similar Radbound but its a flak officers. I wonder if there is a link.

Radboud · 6th March 2022, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calien

I got one very similar Radbound but its a flak officers. I wonder if there is a link.

I’ve asked that very question on another forum using your sword plus another as examples that might suggest a link. Unfortunately the consensus was that it was likely to be fashion rather than any regimental design.

One of my other swords has the same wave pattern etched up the blade edges as well but has triple fullers and etching without the guilding.

Bryce · 6th March 2022, 08:56 PM

G'day Calien,
I can't help you with the crest, but I do have a couple of swords with similar blade decoration including the "all seeing eye". Originally I thought this style of blade decoration may be regimental, but have since found blades marked to the 12th LD, 7th Hussars and 82nd Regiment of foot. They also come from several different makers. Like you I think that the common link may be Freemasonry, or simply fashion. Do you have a shot showing the whole blade decoration?

Brunn and Prosser marked swords are often very similar if not identical. As the two were neighbours I have often wondered if the swords came out of the same workshop.
Cheers,
Bryce

5th March 2022, 03:15 PM	#1
Calien Member Join Date: Feb 2020 Posts: 33	Reviving this older thread with this amazing sample I got last night off a French website. Having a little trouble getting a hit on the crest but the model is fantastic. Samuel Brunn was around from 1797 to 1820 making top end guns and sabers (On par with Prusser) after the war he hit hard times and ended up bankrupt. As far as the crest goes I have not gotten any hits, clearly this officer was a freemason so that's one clue, and I'm not 100% sure but I think a crown is also not very common. If anyone recognizes it please let me know. Thank you and enjoy. Attached Images

6th March 2022, 12:15 AM	#3
Radboud Member Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: New Zealand Posts: 244	Another sword in this 'fashion style.' I don't think that we can conclusively call these swords 1796 Pattern light cavalry sabres. There are too many variations (the 1796 LC is a pattern after all) and a lot of specific examples that can be attributed to a regimental pattern. This sword is very light and has a short un-fullered blade. It could be a flank officer's or a light cavalry officer's dress sword or just having belonged to a militia officer. There are too many options to ever be sure. Weight (sans scabbard) 530 grams LOA: 865 mm Blade length 745 mm Attached Images

6th March 2022, 08:56 AM	#4
Calien Member Join Date: Feb 2020 Posts: 33	I got one very similar Radbound but its a flak officers. I wonder if there is a link. Attached Images

6th March 2022, 08:56 PM	#6
Bryce Member Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: North Queensland, Australia Posts: 178	G'day Calien, I can't help you with the crest, but I do have a couple of swords with similar blade decoration including the "all seeing eye". Originally I thought this style of blade decoration may be regimental, but have since found blades marked to the 12th LD, 7th Hussars and 82nd Regiment of foot. They also come from several different makers. Like you I think that the common link may be Freemasonry, or simply fashion. Do you have a shot showing the whole blade decoration? Brunn and Prosser marked swords are often very similar if not identical. As the two were neighbours I have often wondered if the swords came out of the same workshop. Cheers, Bryce Attached Images Last edited by Bryce; 6th March 2022 at 09:29 PM.

5th March 2022, 11:30 PM	#2
Radboud Member Join Date: Sep 2021 Location: New Zealand Posts: 244	Wonderful quality on the etching, I wonder if it wasn't an export sword. I've seen an example of a Dutch naval officer's sword by Prosser, so it is possible that Brunn exported as well.