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Originally Posted by Jim McDougall
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It is always tempting to think of these incongruent combinations of blade and mounts as having been the blade captured in battle.
Whatever the case, the result is a most attractive and exotic sabre probably worn proudly by an officer, who very well might have been French.
As we know, they were quite enamored by Ottoman style hilts after the Napoleonic Egyptian campaigns and the Mamluks, and their officers often wore these style sabres.
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Like Jim I don't believe here that the blade was a trophee or captured.
I think that the French blade comes from the Morea expedition.
About the French expedition
" A transport fleet protected by warships was organised; sixty ships sailed in all. Equipment, victuals, munitions and 1,300 horses had to be brought over, as well as arms, munitions and money for the Greek provisional government of John Capodistria."
The French came with arms, maybe guns maybe swords...
I don't believe that the sword was made for a French officier.
Because the French and the Brits liked Mamluk blades like those brought from Egypt.
And its very unlikely that French or Brits will use their own blades with Ottoman mounts, scabbard and hilts.
For me it's a Greek sword "a la turc" with a French blade.
Just look at Elgood's book to see that Greek swords were similar to the Ottoman Turkish ones...
Hopefully I was clear enough this time...