A French Silver Hilted Small Sword date stamped for Paris 1770

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Price: £1,850

Ref: 42502514

Item Description

A very nice aristocratic French silver hilted small sword dating to the years preceding the French Revolution. It is a nicely balanced example mounted with a double shell guard hilt and a fine hollow ground triangular section blued and gilt embellished blade. The sword is an example of the high standards of design and execution required of the 18th century Parisian silversmith as well as an example of one of the most effective duelling weapons of the late 17th and 18th centuries. The double shell guard is skillfully chiselled with flowing designs in raised relief comprised of floral sprays, foliage, tendrils and pierced panels of intricate latticework.

Each of the shell guards both on the convex and concave sides is formed with a roped rim, chiselled with a foliate border, centred with a roundel containing a spray of flowers on both sides in raised relief with latticework panels on each side. The ecusson, pas d’ane rings, knuckle bow, quillon and pommel are decorated in the same sumptuous manner. The date stamp is represented by  a letter “G” with an open crown above in raised relief inside a shield on the pas d’ane ring nearest the quillon. The hilt retains minor remnants of its original gilt cover in places.

The grip consists of a wooden rectangular section baluster-shaped core spirally wrapped with bands of flat silver strip separated by contra twisted roped silver wire and mounted with silver woven “Turk’s Heads” top and bottom. The stiff blade tapers acutely to its point and is engraved with gilt enhanced panels of woven scrolls at the hilt on both sides followed by gilt embellished stands of arms on a blued background.

Condition: the sword is in good condition overall. The hilt and grip show little wear and no noticeable damage. The hilt retains its original pleasing shape,  there are no repairs or damage and the engraving is generally crisp. There is slight age staining and minor old pitting to a few small parts of the blade, which retains most of its blued and gilt cover, and which is straight and undamaged.  The sword is well balanced in hand.

The blade is just over 30.5 inches (77.5 cm) long and overall the sword is 37 inches (94 cm) long.