FRANCE, époque Consulat - Premier Empire Saber... Lot 330

FRANCE, époque Consulat - Premier Empire Saber of senior officer of Infantry, Staff or Aide de Camp (?). Gilded brass guard with a flattened olive branch with twisted flutes, asymmetrical pelte shield decorated with a martial trophy on a background of oak branches, curved quillon in the form of a shell, cut-out ferrule decorated with fleurons and short-tailed cap engraved with palmettes, pommel in melon wedges. The spindle is made of ebony, squared and molded. Slightly curved, single-edged blade with a hollow side, a gutter and a flat back, with gilded and blued decoration on the first third, and the initials of the forger A.S.B. on the heel. Black leather scabbard, with two gilded brass trimmings engraved with fillets, fleurons, laurel leaf friezes or long leaves with spearhead, button stinger. Knob of chape in palmette. Blade length : 72.4 cm - Total length : 89.2 cm. Wear and scratches to the gilding and decoration; some shocks; some oxidation, notably to the blade and its heel; two cracks and small chips to the spindle, with white deposit [gilding cleaner?]; wear to the leather and to the stitching of the scabbard, play under the fittings; scabbard not holding on the blade. Provenance: Family of General Henry Eugene Alexandre COTTRET (1818-1881), who participated in the Mexican campaign, under Napoleon III.