British Napoleonic period Mameluke-hilted cavalry officers sabers are quite rare. This one has been reused as a very large fighting or a hunting knife, blade refashioned, after it was broken. Perhaps an officer wanted to keep a memento of his adventures in the war with France.
Blade is 45 cm. long, 3.5 cm. wide, and retains remnants of original engraved decorations - George III monogram GR, the Royal crest, florals, military trophies and talismanic symbols. Sword is 58 cm. long.
Fighting quality Mameluke-hilted shamshirs became fashionable for a short time among a certain caste of British cavalry officers who served in the Egyptian Campaign of 1801-1802 and those who were stationed in India in the late 1700s-early 1800s. Wellington himself preferred a mameluke, after his years in India, just before returning to the Continent to lead in the Peninsular War.
The blade of this sword is marked J.J.RUNKEL SOLINGEN, a name that needs no introduction.
Grip is of bone or antler, nicely patinated, pommel is brass, with the eye for a knot. Shaped to hand grip is a rarely-seen feature on the European Mameluke swords of that vintage.
A very interesting, expressive English relic of the Napoleonic wars.