Hi Jim
,
thank you for the 'book bashing' and the info
greatly appreciated...
The "lion headed" is certainly missing its knucklebow ....the end of which would have 'terminated' in the lion's mouth. The opposite quillion is indeed broken and appears to be slightly bent forward ...how or why I don't know ...but am certain it was originally straight. The remaining 'crossguard', pommel and backstrap are heavily oxidised brass. So it certainly fits your description of the Austrian Infantry Sabre
As to the other sword.....further examination confirms a very hard, dry, close grained wood with some age (under magnification it almost looks 'petrified' ...and I don't mean 'fearful'
) This sword also is missing the finial from the upper most quillion and the knucklebow ...which would have terminated in a hole at the 'base' of the pommel . Remaining 'crossguard' is steel and would assume that the knucklebow and finial would have been the same.
These 2 swords came from the same source ....and its very strange that both have almost the identical damage/lost parts. Whether, it was a previous owners whim to do this (
) or was legitimate modification or damage I have no idea. The patina/oxidation on the fractured ends of the brass 'crossguard' is very old ....so the loss of the knucklebow/finial was some time ago....perhaps genuine 'battle damage'
The seller bought these from an antique dealer some 60 years ago.....they were 'paired' together when originally bought by the antique dealer....so they have been 'brothers' for some time. It would be extremely exciting to find out that these both may be 'bring backs" from the Napoleonic wars....Austerlitz..Waterloo ...and all that .......imagination and hope, the bane of being a collector
All the best
David