December 15, 2020 Edged Weapons, Armor & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/15/2020
A slotted-hilt, short saber with stirrup-shaped guard of brass, with brass backstrap ending in a flat-capped pommel with diamond capstan for blade, and spiral-grooved, wooden grip wrapped with leather and twisted wire in the channels, commonly called “les Montmorency” form. It has a slightly-curved, 30 in. L blade with single, wide fuller most of its length and a 15 in. L narrow fuller or blood groove, centered on the blade just below the spine ending in front where the 7 in. false edge begins. This form of hilt had become popular by c. 1780, but the folding, slotted side-guard as seen on this specimen seems to have been an addition to the original form beginning c. 1785-1790. The folding-guard saber was quite popular among French infantry and naval officers during the Revolutionary and Consular period and copied by other European makers. CONDITION: the blade has moderate to heavy pitting from the tip inwards some four inches, while the folding guard is missing about ½ inch of its scallop-edged, outer bar near the counterguard; the spring-locking pin for the side-guard’s open position is now missing from the inside of the counterguard. Provenance: deaccessioned from the Anderson House Museum, The Society of the Cincinnati. JLK
Item Dimensions: L: 36"