Original Item: Only One Available. Sword making at Klingenthal was started under King Louis XV, the French having relied previously most heavily on the sword makers of Solingen in Germany. Klinganthal swords were supplied throughout the Wars with England after the Revolution and then through the Napoleonic Wars along with those of Chattelerault the other great sword making center in France.
Unfortunately Klingenthal was in the Eastern area of France and that territory was lost to the lost to the Prussians after France’s dreadful defeat in 1871. The area was not recovered by France until the Treaty of Versailles in 1919.
This sword Model 1822 Light Cavalry Saber is marked on the spine of the blade:
Maufre de Klingenthal Coulaux & Cie
It is also proof marked with crown over D and a B indicating that it was made in 1850 and used in the Crimea or the American Civil War a few years later. For reference see this link http://klingenthal.chez/marquages_coulaux.htm
The brass mounts are embossed with decoration and the grip is bound by brass twilled wire. The grip wrap of ray skin or leather is long absent despite the fact that the wire binding is still in place.
This sword comes with two attaching rings on the all steel scabbard. This model sword was used by both Union and Confederate cavalry during the American Civil War so much so that the U.S. Army adopted a very similar design as the M1860 Light Cavalry Saber which saw great use in the Civil War and afterwards.
A fine example of the French Officer Light Cavalry Saber used up until the Franco Prussian War after which the great Arsenal at Klingenthal fell into Prussian hands for almost 50 years.