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A Very Rare French Directoire Period Sabre De Recompense For Les Quatre Cent Braves image 1
A Very Rare French Directoire Period Sabre De Recompense For Les Quatre Cent Braves image 2
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Lot 56

A Very Rare French Directoire Period Sabre De Recompense For Les Quatre Cent Braves
By Boutet, Manufacture A Versailles, Circa 1800

24 November 2010, 11:00 GMT
London, Knightsbridge

Sold for £14,400 inc. premium

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A Very Rare French Directoire Period Sabre De Recompense For Les Quatre Cent Braves
By Boutet, Manufacture A Versailles, Circa 1800

With slightly curved fullered blade double-edged towards the point and etched 'Klingenthal' along the back at the forte, the forte etched on both sides with a victor's laurel above a martial trophy, both between foliated strapwork and above a square panel of diagonal lines retaining some original gilding, characteristic brass hilt comprising shield-shaped langets, one engraved 'Le Ministre De La Guerre à la 3e Compe de la 19e ½ Brige' and on the other 'Manufacture A Versailles' between Boutet's maker's marks, slightly downbent faceted rear quillon with button finial, dovetailed faceted knuckle-guard swelling at the centre and linked to the pommel by a scroll, slightly hollowed ovoidal pommel with hinged loop for a sword-knot and extending down the back of the grip, ribbed fishskin-covered grip bound with twisted copper wire, and retaining faint traces of original gilding, in original black leather scabbard with brass locket and chape, the former with shield-shaped frog-button
65 cm. blade

Footnotes

Napoleon's campaign in Egypt started on 1 July 1798 and in spite of the destruction of the French fleet a month later at the Battle of the Nile he had more success on land. In April 1799 he was informed that a large body of horsemen was about to cross the Jordan. He dispatched General Junot with three hundred infantry and one hundred and sixty cavalry to reconnoiter the area around Nazareth. Junot found himself surrounded by approximately four thousand of the enemy and in spite of repeated attacks his troops carried the day. The Mamlukes lost between five hundred and six hundred men and five colours, the French losses were just sixty. In recognition of this brave action, Napoleon decreed that the troops involved should each be rewarded with a sabre. The action is commemorated in a painting by Antoine-Jean Gros, now in the Museé des Beaux Arts, Nantes

See Christian Aries, Armes Blanche Militaires Françaises, vol. XVII, 1970

Additional information

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