Thomas Del Mar - Arms & Armour

87
A CONTINENTAL OFFICER’S SWORD, MID-18TH
CENTURY
with curved fullered blade double-edged towards the point
and struck with a King’s head mark on each side, steel
stirrup hilt including an additional outer guard formed of
two scrolling bars joining the cross-guard, and faceted
back-strap rising to a cap pommel, and the grip retaining its
copper bound leather covering
78.7cm; 31in blade
£200-250
88
A FINE AND RARE FRENCH FIRST REPUBLIC SENIOR
HUSSAR OFFICER’S SABRE OF PRESENTATION QUALITY,
CIRCA 1800
with curved blade formed with a spear point, cut with a
broad three-quarter length fuller on each face, etched and
gilt with foliage, a wreath, and a trophy-of-arms on a blued
panel on the lower portion on each side, the forte
decorated with a gilt trellis pattern of flowers (the blueing
worn on one side), and inscribed ‘Klingenthal’ on the backedge,
gilt-brass hilt in the German manner, comprising
fluted quillon with shaped terminal, fluted langets and
knuckle-guard, the former centring on a diamond-shaped
panel, cap pommel fluted en suite and decorated with a
trophy-of-arms partly enclosed by laurel (pommel retained
by a later pin), original leather-covered banded wooden
grip pierced with a pair of rivets with rosette washers, in its
original leather-covered wooden scabbard with large giltbrass
mounts comprising locket and chape each fluted en
suite with the hilt, the latter decorated with trophies-of-war,
and a pair of middle bands each decorated with trophies en
suite with the pommel cap, and a pair of brass rings for
suspension (the scabbard split along the seam beneath the
locket)
88cm; 34I in blade
Provenance:
Dr Raymond Wargnier, sold Sotheby’s Monaco, 23rd April
1990, lot 980.
A very similar sword is illustrated C. Ariès 1969, 3 fascicule,
fig. 2. For a similar blade and scabbard mounts see the
Sabre of General La Fayette in the Museé de l’Armée, Paris.
£10000-15000
88
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