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16th January 2023, 11:04 PM | #1 |
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18th January 2023, 09:01 AM | #2 |
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Thank you guys. Most certainly the scabbard is not the original one, shortened to fit the new blade lenght, but one arranged for the purpose. This because the present one suspends with a button and the previously longer sword must have suspended with rings.
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18th January 2023, 09:59 AM | #3 | |
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Quote:
In fact almost all my swords with leather scabbards have a frog studd, even if they have suspension loops as well. Having both options offered the retailer flexibility in who the sword was sold to. For the ones that don’t have the studd, a strong case can be made that they belonged to cavalry officers. |
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18th January 2023, 10:18 AM | #4 |
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Duly noted, thank you .
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18th January 2023, 05:44 PM | #5 |
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Most interesting saber. The stirrup hilt which became well known in this form with the British M1796 light cavalry saber, was well known in good number of other countries as well. The scabbard with brass fittings and frog stud seem of course of Georgian British period, but such scabbards of leather with these kinds of fittings were widely used through other times and with other types of sabers such as pioneer, sapper etc.
As this blade is shortened as it appears per other observations, it is likely the scabbard could easily have been fashioned accordingly using donor mounts. This blade has me intrigued, and does not seem Solingen, though the seemingly astral symbols are of the type seen on their blades. However this blade and the unusual fullers seem Eastern European, and the symbols atypical. Any chance of better pics of the symbols? |
18th January 2023, 05:57 PM | #6 | |
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It seems that often these studs were a fixture on these leather brass mounted scabbards in addition to suspension rings as you note. I am wondering if perhaps flank company officers, who like infantry officers, were typically mounted might have preferred the option for both. Will's suggestion of possibly India for this compellingly British hilt might be well placed as the unusually flamboyant character of the mounts. The idea of a colonial setting for this seems possible, and British officers were known for propensity for 'exotic' sword hybrids and trophy blades. |
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18th January 2023, 06:56 PM | #7 | |
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Quote:
...Until rifles became more prevalent on the battlefield, especially with skirmishers, who were rather fond of shooting officers, easily distinguished by being mounted. This also signalled the death-knell of infantry officers carrying swords in WW1. Maybe they still mounted for parades. |
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18th January 2023, 10:43 PM | #8 | |
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19th January 2023, 01:14 AM | #9 |
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Only the more senior officers were allowed to ride horses, the more junior ones would have marched with their men. Being mounted would have impeded the officers’ ability to guide their men, be it in the Line companies or the ‘Flank’ Companies i.e. Grenadiers and Light Infantry.
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19th January 2023, 10:58 AM | #10 |
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Thanks again, Gentlemen. That was the only picture my friend had from the dealer. Now he got a few more.
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19th January 2023, 11:18 AM | #11 |
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The engraving is very similar to what is on one of my French swords by Cassaignard in Nantes where he worked as a furbisher from 1774 to 1812. From what I have read, it is believed he used Solingen made blades, but the sword, sun and face in the moon images are common on his sword. I’d be curious to hear if there is any writing under the langets.
The scabbard as noted earlier looks more French than English, but the drag should be in steel not copper like this and mine, a sure sign that it’s a new replacement. The hilt on the other hand looks to be 100% English, esp with the little detailing inside the top corner of the knuckle bow. However the grip leather and wire are too new in relation to the rest of the sword. My thought is that this is a composite sword made out of a cut down blade. |
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