An Fine and Intriguing French Style Silver Hilted Small Sword by William Reason of London with London hallmarks for 1767 / 1768
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Price: £2,150
Ref: 52060506
Item Description
A very nice aristocratic French style 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 and robust hollow ground triangular section Colichemarde blade. The sword is intriguing because most usually silver hilted swords of French type are stamped with French marks, often for Paris, but this example is fully London hallmarked for 1767 / 1768 on the pas d’ane rings with the assay mark of the leopard’s head, lion passant royal standard mark, date stamp and maker’s stamp for the London maker William Reason. The pommel collar is also stamped with a second lion. The sword may have been made in London in the French style by William Reason for a London based French nobleman or other Frenchman of high social standing.
The sword is a fine example of the high standards of design and execution required of the 18th century cosmopolitan silversmith as well as an example of one of the most effective duelling weapons of the late 17th and 18th centuries. The shell guard, ricasso, knuckle bow and pommel are skillfully chiselled with an intricate lattice of conjoined flowerheads which attest to the homogeneity of the hilt parts. The shells have a thickened defensive reeded rim with a design of knotted cloth chiselled on each side at the ricasso.
The grip consists of a wooden rounded rectangular section baluster-shaped core spirally wrapped with bands of flat silver riband separated by contra twisted ropes of silver wire flanked by narrower lengths. The stiff markedly “Colichemarde” hollow ground triangular section blade tapers acutely to its point.
Condition: the sword is in fine condition overall. The hilt and grip show little wear and no noticeable damage. The hilt retains its original pleasing shape. There are no repairs the chiselling is crisp. There is slight blackened age staining to a few small parts of the blade, which is straight and undamaged. The sword is well balanced in hand.
The blade is just over 32.25 inches (82 cm) long and overall the sword is 38.75 inches (98.5 cm) long.
