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  Antique
French Sabre
with sheath
1800's

Description:

 This is a very old French made edged weapon that features engraved writing and the dates 1880 and 1822 on the blade. The guard is stamped with some symbols and the number(s) 853.

 Our consignor had no historical information to provide us on this piece, so we contacted an antiques dealer who specializes in swords and knives. His brief assessment is printed below. We welcome any additional information from knowledgeable e-bayers. Feel free to e-mail us.

It features a 13" curved blade with a saber style guard and hilt. The grip feels like wrapped leather, but we are not certain. The sheath is made of metal.

Dimensions:

Overall length 19.5"

Condition:

Some surface rust and black spots are evident on the blade. The grip is split. Surface rust is also present on the guard and sheath.

Other:

 An antique's dealer who is well versed in edged weapons, provided the following opinions/assessment, based on photos:
"It was once a full size sword, cut down to knife
size, probably a long time ago-perhaps by the original
owner, indicating that even broken it was a valued
possession. The sheath too was cut down to fit the new
blade.
The earlier date looks to be 1822-that would most likely
be the date of presentation to it's owner.
I Can't make out the rest of that side from the
photo's provided. The other side appears to say" Master of Arms"
and is probably the maker's name.
One can tell it's cut down because the fuller (or blood
groove ) runs all the way to the "tip"-they NEVER do that. Also, the shape of the tip is
almost samurai- sword -like (to give the new tip some
strength). Also,the single hanger ( rather than
double) on the sheath, and the tip of
the sheath are dead giveaways. Normally , the tip of a
sheath for this kind of sabre has a flared flat
additional reinforcing piece of brass or silver at the
very end. They also have 2 loops to hang the sword
nearly horizontally from belt or saddle so it does not
drag."

This is a very unique antique sword/blade that is certain to be a treasured addition to your collection. We are listing it with NO RESERVE, and encourage serious parties to bid early and with confidence. Good luck to all who participate in this auction.