French 19th Century Staff or Senior Officers Sword
This item is listed for historical interest only. It was listed on our site previously but has been sold and is no longer available for purchase.
Sold for: $395.00

Original era manufacture. This thing is old, but not quite sure how old. I believe it is post 1st Empire, but prior to the 2nd Empire under Napoleon III.I have looked in our own library, and online for help in identification regarding it, but to no avail. The closest example I found was on Ebay.Fr, which had a similar design, the exact clamshell guard, and blue and gilt blade. It sold without scabbard for $440 in December 2016, being described as a sword for a General, Napoleonic or Restoration era.Our example has a 30 inch diamond shaped blade, which amazingly for its age and thinness, runs fairly straight and true. There is a very nice original polish to the blade surface, with scattered areas of clouding and staining from age.The ornate clamshell guard and pommel are of gilded brass, with a good amount of the original fire gilding remaining intact. One piece carved wooden grip with a checkered design on each side. A nice bonus to this old sword, is the fact that its original, very fragile scabbard has remained unbroken, with sound stitching, and both scabbard throat and chape securely attached.   The overall patina to the guard and scabbard of this nice old sword matches perfectly, and leaves one in no doubt that they have not been together for the last 150 plus years.