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Originally Posted by Roland_M
Hi Ian,
this blade could also be from a french Model 1816 Artilery sword: "Glaive de Artillerie a pied Modell 1816".
Roland
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I agree that this espada ancha is likely a modified Glaive d'artillerie à pied modèle 1816. The pattern/placement of grooves and the fact that the French blade has less of a "waist" than its 1832 American cousin makes me think the Mexican artificer would not have had much trouble grinding it to espada form.
In either case, it is a wonderful piece--just the sort of thing I am hoping to document for a book I'm working on related to the 1861-67 French Intervention in Mexico. American, French, and British arms found their way to Mexico in great quantities as Juarez's Republicans fought Maximilian and the Mexican Conservatives/Imperialists and their French allies.
I just acquired an espada ancha made from a yataghan sword bayonet. I'm wishfully thinking that its a French M1842/59 pattern (pictured, top). But it could be a M1866 (bottom) or even an American or British bayonet. Any advice on identification would be much appreciated.
Andy Masich