Original French Napoleonic First Empire Cuirassier Sword made by Barisoni of Milan Italy- Circa 1810 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. Here is a totally original French cuirassier’s cavalry sword with a great history. On March 17th , 1805 Napoleon Bonaparte, virtual dictator of France, annexed for himself a Kingdom, known as the Kingdom of Northern Italy. This Kingdom included; Milan, Mantua, Modena, Novara, parts of Venice and parts of Romagna. Assuming the title of King Napoleon the First, he made his Stepson, Eugene de Beauharnais his Viceroy. This “Kingdom” only survived until Napoleon’s downfall in 1814 when Northern Italy was annexed to the Austrian Empire.

While Napoleon enjoyed his Italian possessions he commissioned the Italian arms makers to manufacture swords as well as all other military supplies according to French specification. Milan’s premier sword maker, BARISONI, made this classic double fullered French Cuirassier Sword. The fine blade bears the Barison maker’s mark. An uncommon encounter, this is only the second such sword we’ve seen in more than 40 years collecting.

This particular sword started life circa 1810 and was mounted in the regulation hilt of the period which, like so much else, was abandoned in 1816 once Napoleon was finally gone. Today it has the later 1816 pattern brass hilt assembly, however, the blade certainly predates 1814 and must have seen service during the First Empire.

The Sword, almost 48 inches overall comes with heavy four bar brass basket, brass wire bound leather grip and is complete with the all steel scabbard that, correctly, retains two hanging rings. One of the largest Cavalry Swords ever made, the French Cuirassiers were regarded as the most terrifying horse mounted troops in the world.