Blade for identification

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by ulfberth

Hello Kmaddock,

That is a fine blade you have there, the clipped blade tip has nothing to do with its origin although this was in vogue
during the Napoleonic wars and after.
This is the blade of a high ranked officer, its a blade of a luxe saber circa 1800.
The end tang was never traditionally peened, but fixed with a bolt a technique used more often on luxe sabers because over the bolt came the pommel cap so you could not see were the sword was peened.
Blades with this type of etching and tip were very popular again in expensive saber's around 1830 and after.
So I would place this blade between 1800 and not later than 1850, probably from the Napoleonic era , it could be French but also any other involved country of that period that was inspired by the French type of saber's.

Could you take a picture of the first 5 CM of the blade from both sides ?
Perhaps remove the rust a bit with steel wool first.


kind regards

Ulfberth

Absolutely superb description Ulfberth!!! I totally agree, and the Napoleonic period was a monumentally key period in the diffusion of European influences on arms, fashions, tactics and the basis of historical development for so many things for years to come.

The 'clipped tip' was an interesting blade feature which seems to have been primarily one which seems to evolved in German blades early in the 18th century. It is not clear whether the innovation took place there, but it is certain that Solingen had used it in their blades by then. I have seen English dragoon swords of c. 1750s with them (of course the blades were likely German).

The interesting use of acid etching on this blade, not only revealing these commemorative features of the figure depicted, but begs the question, just how early was acid etching used in adding such motif. We know that it was well in use in Europe by the Napoleonic period...but how much further back?