Sword Of A Non-commissioned Officer Of The Gendarmerie. Model 1872. 3rd Republic.

SWORD OF NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICER OF THE GENDARMERIE. MODEL 1872. 3rd REPUBLIC.

("Sword of brigadier and non-commissioned officer of the gendarmerie". Reference: Memorial of the Gendarmerie. Only the Commander of the Brigade can wear it.)

Length of the blade: 82 cm
Length with the scabbard: 92 cm
Straight blade with 2 fullers per face and hollow sides.
Brass mount, guard with one branch, keyboard molded in relief.
External half-shell decorated with a bundle of four flags on which pinned a lictor's fasces.
Brass grip cast in one piece, on which alternate two garlands, one of oak, the other of laurel, separated by a small twist, the whole arranged in a helix.
Scabbard in stitched leather. Brass chape with hook. Brass cap of the same.
Intact, without repair, stitching or welding. The spring of the half-shell is firm and functional.
A beautiful regulation sword that barely needs cleaning.

N.B. The sword of a non-commissioned officer of the gendarmerie being, under the Third Republic, decorated with a lictor's fasces on six flags, it is often confused with a sword of the military justice service. However, in this service, the lictor's fasces on six flags is the exclusive attribute of senior officers, who are equipped with the common model chiseled sword. In addition, the lictor's fasces of the military justice is decorated with axe heads, which is not the case for that of the gendarmerie. This detail is not neutral: the axe heads symbolize the right to inflict the death penalty, which belongs only to justice. (Passion militaria)