[Jim McDougall]

Well noted points,
The blade is of 'clipped point' style as I have mentioned. It is a type of point which evolved around mid 18th century. It appears in Gerhard Seifert's 1962 "Schwert Degen Sabel" in a panel of blade drawings with it termed "pandour point'. This is quite frankly the only time I have seen the term used to describe this particular type of blade point.
This refers to the auxiliary troops of the Austrian army c.1750s who were mostly from the Balkans and Hungary and wore exotic Oriental style dress as well as edged weapons and were termed 'pandours'.

As mentioned also, this feature on blades was notably used in Solingen blades of that time period, and Solingen (Germany) furnished many if not most British blades up until the end of the 18th century. At this time by c. 1800, England was developing official sword patterns (M1796) and officers though still having carte blanche in their chosen styles, were favoring other blade forms such as the quill back, and expanded point (yelman).

That is not to say that officers did not have this type of point, as there was an affinity for Continental styles, however, by 1800 it would be unusual in my opinion.

France however, had been using later versions of the 'pandour' units in their army at this time, and as I had noted, French artisans creating elaborate hilt designs and mounts seemed to produce this type of work on the saber posted.

As Victrix has noted, there seems to be unusual foliage included in the motif which may correspond to some of the colonial regions where the French were situated, which would include Egypt. As Richard notes, the cat without mane is as likely a lioness as a leopard, and variations of these type zoomorphic heads are indeed known in the Orient, primarily Ceylon (the kastane swords have was is known as a grotesque lions head, quite different from this).

I remain inclined to see this saber as probably French, made obviously for an officer, perhaps with motif celebrating the Egyptian campaigns as noted with other such swords described.

I do not have the necessary references to try to locate a possible match or similar example such as the lexicon of volumes by Christian Aries, but it is quite possibly found there. There is a magazine in France (or was) called "Le Hussard", and that may be a source.

The attached are first, a British horsemans saber c. 1755-60
Note the clipped point, the blade is German but mounted by British cutler.
Next is what is termed (loosely) a M1780 cavalry sword, again, the blade is with clipped point (style) but from Solingen.

While these are not of course the exact profile of the saber discussed, you can see the general effect.


With regard to this possibly being a British 'honor' saber, naturally that is possible. However it must be remembered how much cross influence between England and France there was, despite the fact that they were nominally 'at war' even when 'not actively on campaign' from 1790s until after Waterloo. The British officers sword of 1780s known as a spadroon with five ball hilt, was copied by the French in the opening years of the 19th century and termed ' l'Anglaise'. Officers swords were often artistically made often by commission or as presentation swords as the 'honor' sabers.............these are a most esoteric field with far more detailed research needed.