FRENCH AN XI STYLE LIGHT CAVALRY OFFICER'S SWORD ca.1840s

This light cavalry officer's fighting sword is mounted with profusely decorated blade, nicely etched with the martial motifs and floral embellishments. Blade is 90 cm long, 33 mm wide at the ricasso. Single wide fuller runs till about 22 cm short of the point, where the blade becomes rhomboid, gradually tapering down to a spear-point. False edge is about 20 cm long. Blade is of the WIlkinson type, which helps to date the sword to the mid-1840s. Hilt is, of course, of the much earlier style, popularized by the French from 1802 onwards. Based on my discussing the sword with an experienced cavalry sword collector and consulting with Cesare Calamandrei - STORIA DELL'ARMA BIANCA ITALIANA, I now accept the possibility of this sword being fabricated for the Italian market during the years preceding the Risorgimento.