I have never owned one of these and so can not add much to the discussion although I have found it confusing as to where they fit into the cutlass world.
They are often offered for sale as British Cutlass or French cutlass but are not covered in the British or French literature on the official patterns. In Le Sabre D'abordage, Petard describes a few brass hilted cutlasses from the end of the 18th century but not the briquet.
Of course that does not preclude them from sea service in the private sector or other associated naval units as well as land based use as already mentioned.
What puzzles me is the common pattern attributed to several different countries. Were they made and sold to any buyer like Solingen blades or just copied?
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