Rare Gendarme's Sword Of The King's Guard, 1750
A very rare heavy sword of the King's Guard Gendarmes, model (circa) 1750. This heavy sword is one of the rarest weapons in the entire French regulation armament of the Ancien Régime (old Monarchy), since the number of these King's Guard Gendarmes fluctuated between 220 and 240 men, including officers, during the reign of King Louis XV. As the archives of the companies of the King's Military Household have almost entirely disappeared, the exact year of manufacture is not precisely determined, but it is estimated to be between 1748 and 1755. These swords were therefore only worn for a very short time, as the company of these Gendarmes saw its number of men reduced to 67 under Louis XVI (after 1774) and was then disbanded in 1787.
BLADE: It is single-edged and has a fuller on each side and a narrower groove along the back. Our example does not bear the cutler's name at the ricasso, but the bunch of grapes is absolutely identical to that found on the blades supplied by the cutler Maupetit, exactly as shown in the Aries notebooks. It is possible either that the cutler's mark has been erased or that it was never engraved. On each side, the inscription "GENS – D'ARMES – DE – LA – GARDE – DU – ROY" (Men of Arms of the King's Guard) is found in the hollow. Compared to the original dimensions, the blade of our example has been shortened. And the blue and gold plating is gone. Blade length = 75 cm, width at the ricasso = 2.8 cm, thickness at the ricasso = 9 mm.
HANDLE: Brass guard with an openwork palmette of 6 branches, which extend into 2 secondary branches that join the knuckle bow. The knuckle bow joins the pommel and is attached to it by a hook.
The pommel is decorated with a palmette motif and surmounted by a small, flattened button to which the blade's tang is riveted.
The grip is covered with the original silver wire wrapping, alternating between thick and thin twisted wire.
Given the sword's extreme rarity, the shortening of the blade and the loss of the original blue and gold decoration can be forgiven.
I should specify that I am selling this sword on behalf of a collector; payment should therefore be made to him.
Ref LPCMY25/2-26 Shipping costs: France €30, Europe €40
BLADE: It is single-edged and has a fuller on each side and a narrower groove along the back. Our example does not bear the cutler's name at the ricasso, but the bunch of grapes is absolutely identical to that found on the blades supplied by the cutler Maupetit, exactly as shown in the Aries notebooks. It is possible either that the cutler's mark has been erased or that it was never engraved. On each side, the inscription "GENS – D'ARMES – DE – LA – GARDE – DU – ROY" (Men of Arms of the King's Guard) is found in the hollow. Compared to the original dimensions, the blade of our example has been shortened. And the blue and gold plating is gone. Blade length = 75 cm, width at the ricasso = 2.8 cm, thickness at the ricasso = 9 mm.
HANDLE: Brass guard with an openwork palmette of 6 branches, which extend into 2 secondary branches that join the knuckle bow. The knuckle bow joins the pommel and is attached to it by a hook.
The pommel is decorated with a palmette motif and surmounted by a small, flattened button to which the blade's tang is riveted.
The grip is covered with the original silver wire wrapping, alternating between thick and thin twisted wire.
Given the sword's extreme rarity, the shortening of the blade and the loss of the original blue and gold decoration can be forgiven.
I should specify that I am selling this sword on behalf of a collector; payment should therefore be made to him.
Ref LPCMY25/2-26 Shipping costs: France €30, Europe €40
4 200 €
Period: 18th century
Style: Louis 15th - Transition
Condition: Condition of use
Material: Other
Length: 95 cm
Reference (ID): 1686295
Availability: In stock
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