Printed from Woolley & Wallis

Description

A good French Consulate or early Napoleonic era officer's sword, slender curved blade 32 in., double edged for the last 9 in., two deep fullers to each side, the forte with blue and gilt decoration incorporating the manufacturing details 'M:fture Nationale du Klingenthal' and 'Coulaux Freres'; steel hilt with navette shaped langets, angular knucklebow incorporating an openwork lyre device at the junction with the stepped flat pommel, diagonally reeded horn grips; steel scabbard; 1801-1806

The Coulaux brothers attained the position of Entrepreneurs at the Klingenthal factory in 1801. In 1806, following the establishment of Napoleon Bonaparte's Empire in 1804 the word 'Nationale' was replaced with 'Imperial' in state arsenal markings and in 1810 the name of the Entrepreneurs was omitted, allowing us to date this sword to the period prior to Waterloo.