Unknown Sword or machete

mariusgmioc · 14th March 2017, 10:21 AM

Thank you guys for the info on the 1796 model!

kronckew · 14th March 2017, 02:55 PM

there happened to be a 1796 HC sabre on auction yesterday, in excellent condition listed at 80-100 as a 'sharpe sword'. i bid for it online hoping no one else knew what it was, i dropped out early tho and it went for close to a grand. been watching it online for about a week, biuting my tongue while i posted here in this thread.

just for interest, now that the auction is over, richard sharpe, as most of you may know already, is a fictional napoleonic rifle officer set in wellington's army. he carries a 1796 HC sword, hence the 'sharpe sword' in the terse auction description. too many collector sharks swimming out there tho.

the other officers frequently refer to it as a ''butcher's blade'' unsuitable for a gentleman (sharpe was an infantry sergeant raised to lieutenant, made colonel by the time of waterloo, a 'maverick' from the ranks and considered by many other commissioned officers - who had 'purchased' their commissions - as not a proper officer.). episodes are available on dvd or youtube, well worth watching the series which covers the penninsular war, india, and waterloo. they tend to be quite accurate with uniforms and equipment, weapons from both sides.

Jim McDougall · 14th March 2017, 08:06 PM

Thanks for the detail on the 'Sharpe' series, which were pretty great military lore! and the use of this M1796 Heavy by a rifles company officer always attracted a lot of collector furor back in those great old days. Back then you could get one of these for about 100-200 bucks, the light cavs went more, usually about 250. I saw these for as little as 75-100 bucks (late 60s early 70s).
I forget the story of how Sharpe got the sword, but as he was on campaign in the Peninsula prior to Waterloo, it seems it was some sort of field arrangement.

kronckew · 14th March 2017, 09:29 PM

episode 1 started with him a redcoat being field commissioned for saving wellinton into the rifles from a trio of french cavalrymen he shot 2 off their horses & clubbed one with his rifle. he of course needed a sword. he reported to the platoon he was to command & had a barney with the irish sgt. harper who later becomes his best friend. they went on a mission with his company commander, who was badly wounded, as he lay dying, he gave his sword to sharpe, telling him that the men might respect him more if they knew the captain thought enough of him to give it to him. they never said where the captain got it from.

he carried it thru the rest of the series and sequels in india. he broke it once, snapped the blade, harper forged a new matching blade for it while sharpe lay recovering from a wound.

14th March 2017, 02:55 PM	#2
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,216	there happened to be a 1796 HC sabre on auction yesterday, in excellent condition listed at 80-100 as a 'sharpe sword'. i bid for it online hoping no one else knew what it was, i dropped out early tho and it went for close to a grand. been watching it online for about a week, biuting my tongue while i posted here in this thread. just for interest, now that the auction is over, richard sharpe, as most of you may know already, is a fictional napoleonic rifle officer set in wellington's army. he carries a 1796 HC sword, hence the 'sharpe sword' in the terse auction description. too many collector sharks swimming out there tho. the other officers frequently refer to it as a ''butcher's blade'' unsuitable for a gentleman (sharpe was an infantry sergeant raised to lieutenant, made colonel by the time of waterloo, a 'maverick' from the ranks and considered by many other commissioned officers - who had 'purchased' their commissions - as not a proper officer.). episodes are available on dvd or youtube, well worth watching the series which covers the penninsular war, india, and waterloo. they tend to be quite accurate with uniforms and equipment, weapons from both sides. Attached Images

14th March 2017, 09:29 PM	#4
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,216	episode 1 started with him a redcoat being field commissioned for saving wellinton into the rifles from a trio of french cavalrymen he shot 2 off their horses & clubbed one with his rifle. he of course needed a sword. he reported to the platoon he was to command & had a barney with the irish sgt. harper who later becomes his best friend. they went on a mission with his company commander, who was badly wounded, as he lay dying, he gave his sword to sharpe, telling him that the men might respect him more if they knew the captain thought enough of him to give it to him. they never said where the captain got it from. he carried it thru the rest of the series and sequels in india. he broke it once, snapped the blade, harper forged a new matching blade for it while sharpe lay recovering from a wound. Last edited by kronckew; 14th March 2017 at 09:52 PM.

14th March 2017, 10:21 AM	#1
mariusgmioc Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Austria Posts: 1,906	Thank you guys for the info on the 1796 model!

14th March 2017, 08:06 PM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,194	Thanks for the detail on the 'Sharpe' series, which were pretty great military lore! and the use of this M1796 Heavy by a rifles company officer always attracted a lot of collector furor back in those great old days. Back then you could get one of these for about 100-200 bucks, the light cavs went more, usually about 250. I saw these for as little as 75-100 bucks (late 60s early 70s). I forget the story of how Sharpe got the sword, but as he was on campaign in the Peninsula prior to Waterloo, it seems it was some sort of field arrangement.