SOLD Antique, French, light cavalry Sword, Napoleonic Model AN XI (1803 A.D.) This Napoleonic sabre was introduced for the French, Chasseurs, Hussar regiments, and the Polish Lancers of the Vistula Legion (please see the last picture from the reference book attached in the listing) of the first Empire Napoleonic Army, and was known as a “Sabre Cavalerie Legere Modele AN XI” – Year 11 of the Revolutionary calendar. A long massive, slightly curved steel blade cut with broad full-length fuller, three-bar brass guard with downcurving qullion and elliptical langets, integral back piece with a helmet pommel and a wooden robust grip covered with leather, with halved olive brass button, with its massive heavy-duty steel scabbard with two suspension rings.

The three-bar brass hilt is well marked with several "poinçons" (inspection marks) of the Manufacture de Versailles including: knuckle bow marked on the inner side "VERSAILLES”, “C” with the star within an ellipse "poinçons" (inspection marks). Chateubrun, directeur de Juilller a Decembre 1813 and on the down-turned rear Quilon with a “LF” in ellipse. Poinçon de J.B.Le Fevre, réviseur en Juillet 1807,et Contrôleur de Janvier 1811 Décembre 1818. On the outer side of the knuckle bow are traces of an oval inspector mark.

Please see “SABRES ET DES EPEES” by Michel PETARD. TOME Premier. Page 186-187.

The knuckle bow is also stamped with the rack number "395" and engraved illegibly with some numbers.

The steel scabbard is stamped on the suspension mount with poinçons" (inspection mark) with the star (the letter is invisible) and the number “814” possibly the stock number for the year 1814. The shoe of the scabbard is stamped with a barely visible oval inspection mark.

The blade is hand engraved on the spine with The Klingenthal arsenal inscription Mfture Rale de Klingenthal Avril 1825 and stamped on the Ricasso with “D” under the star in round laurel wreath. Jean, Thomas, Dubocq Directeur of Klingenthal arsenal. November 1823-March 1830.

All of the poinçons" (inspection marks) on the hilt are from the period of Napoleonic first empire," after the fall of Napoleon. The Klingenthal arsenal has on the stock many blades made in Napoleonic era which were never supplied to the Napoleonic army, so, in 1825 Klingenthal arsenal have mounted old Napoleonic hilt and the brand new blade made in the First Empire (unmarked) which was in the stock from the First Empire and marked the blade with inspection marks on the day of the issue of the sword to the French Royal Cavalry “Avril 1825” since the inspection marks of the Klingenthal arsenal are placed on the blades on the day of inspection, prior to when the sword had been supplied to the army.

CONDITION: The sword is in remarkable condition, with signs of age and usage, two notches on the scabbard were possibly made by strikes of an enemy sword during combat.

MEASUREMENTS:

Overall length (with the scabbard): 115.5cm (45.28 inches )
Length of the sword (without the scabbard): 100.2 cm (39.45 inches)

Length of the blade: 87.4 cm (34.41 inches)

Width of the blade at the widest point: 3.7 cm (1.46 inches)

Thickness of the blade spine: 11 mm (0.39 inches)

WEIGHT: 2.210 kg (4.87 pounds).

REFERENCES:

1. SABRES ET DES EPEES TOME 1 by Michel PETARD. Page 176-177,185.

2. Napoléon Et Ses Soldats, tome 2: De Wagram à Waterloo, 1809-1815 by Paul Willing. Page:31.

Be warned, there are many, many, reproductions of the French Some XI light cavalry swords on the market, but this is a rare authentic antique sword.

We will also provide the buyer with photocopies of the pages from the mentioned references together with a certificate of authenticity.