"parishes" Reward Saber, Belonging To Gendarmerie Lieutenant René Bedouet, Restoration

REWARD SABER, KNOWN AS THE "PARISH SABER," awarded to Gendarmerie Lieutenant RENÉ BEDOUET, Model 1816, Restoration period. 32705. Silver-plated brass hilt. Three-branch guard forming a shell in the shape of a medallion, adorned with the greater Arms of France. The guard terminates in a quillon in the shape of a palmette decorated with a fleur-de-lis, bearing the mark "Versailles" and stamped below with a "B" surmounted by a star of Controller P. Bick (December 1813 - September 1818) and the hallmark "C" surmounted by a star of Director Châteaubrun. Below the medallion, the guard forms a palmette intended to support the medallion, and the two guard branches surrounding it each terminate in a finial. Short-tailed pommel. Wooden grip covered in gray shagreen and wire-wrapped with copper. Straight blade with a double fuller and a point in line with the spine. It is stamped at the ricasso with a "B" in an oval surmounted by a star, the mark of Inspector EL BORSON (August 1814 - September 1816), a "B" in a circle surrounded by a laurel wreath, the mark of First Class Controller JG BICK (1812 - May 1815), and an "L" in a circle, the mark of Inspector FL LOBSTEIN (1813 to July 1821). The back of the blade is engraved "Manufre Rle du Klingenthal Novembre 1814". Blade length 95 cm. Scarlet wool sword knot. Black varnished leather scabbard with three silver-plated mounts and rings, finished with a padded rim. The chape is engraved "Donné / Par le ROI / au Sr / Bedouet / René". Iron dart. France. Restoration period. Good condition, some wear to the silvering on the hilt, blade with oxidation from use, leather on the back scabbard, silvering on the center and bottom of the scabbard. BIOGRAPHY: RENÉ-GERVAIS BEDOUET, lieutenant of the gendarmerie in the Ménard Division of Maine-et-Loire. Born June 19, 1762 in Ste Gemmes d'Andigné (Maine-et-Loire), died July 25, 1856 in St Laurent sur Sèvre (Vendée). Son of Jean Bedouet and Jeanne Poutier. Entered La Trappe in 1820, commissioner of the Ladies of Wisdom in 1824. HISTORY: The 1816 award sabers are in fact the former sabers of the Second Company of Musketeers, model 1814, known as the "Black Musketeers". In 1816, upon the disbandment of the two Musketeer companies, it was decided to use the remaining swords of the Second Company in storage and transform them into award swords. To do this, the Musketeer cross on the hilt was removed, and a silvered copper medallion stamped with the Grand Arms of France was riveted on. The scabbard was engraved with the inscription "Given by the King to Mr…", and the blade, originally plain (without any engraving), was now engraved with "VIVE LE ROI" (Long Live the King). This explains why the back of the blade is originally engraved with the name of the manufacturer and dated 1814, the year the Second Company of Musketeers of the King's Military Household was created.