FRENCH INFANTRY OFFICER'S SWORD CA.1720-1750

This French infatry officer's sword with a small sword hilt and mounted with a heavy double-edged cut and thrust blade of 27"/68 cm in length is identical to the sword described in George C. Neumann's book. And I mean it when I write 'identical'! All the decorations on the hilt are exactly alike, blades are essentially the same as well. On top of that, I have another sword, identical to the one in Neumann's book, and the one being offered here, which tells us that there was a fourbisseur in France making pattern officer's swords under government contract, which is quite remarkable for the time! This is a pre-Revolutionary War example, which I would date approximately 1720-1750. Being that all three swords were purchased in the North Eastern United States, in diffent areas of New England, in a span of almost 40 years apart, indicates that they were actively used here. Stylistically, the hilts and the blades belong to the first half of 18th century, which would only make it logical to surmise that they were carried by the French infantry company officers in the Nouvelle France before and during the French and Indian War, and in the Seven Year War on the Continent. Hilt is decorated with classical figures, among them Neptune holding a trident.
This particular example is missing the knuckle bow, the quillon, and the grip wrap, and has a beautiful 250 year patina on both the hilt and the blade. This sword came from an old Rhode Island private collection.