Original Item: Only One Available. Cuirassiers were cavalry equipped with armor and firearms, and were also commonly called heavy cavalry. They were quite common from the 15th century, up until the late 19th century, and were heavily armored, and had swords to match.
This Model Heavy Cavalry Sword with its massive 39 inch long double fullered straight blade was first issued around 1800 during the reign of Napoleon Bonaparte. The early models had a plain pommel mount and the three bar brass guard each ended in a “ball”. After Emperor Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo in 1815, a new design was decided on known as the Model of 1822 which did away with the ball tipped cross guard bars and added a circular “crown” to the pommel. The sword remained the same for the rest of the nineteenth century.
Our example is marked Manufacture Impériale de Chatellerault Mars 1855 on the spine of the blade, indicating production in March 1855 at the great arsenal at Chatellerault. It comes with all brass mounts, brass wired covered leather grip and is complete with its original heavy steel scabbard. Interestingly it retains a three bar guard of the early first Empire circa 1800 complete with ball tips. It is also marked with serial number 926 on both the guard and scabbard hanger. The particular sword was made just too late for the Crimean War, but was just what was used in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870.
In very nice matured condition, ready to display.