FRENCH M1833 NAVAL BOARDING CUTLASS

This massive French M1833 sabre d'abordage shows the scars of age. Iron hilt retains most of its black paint, 67 cm-long blade has darkened with age, and has scattered shallow pitting, but no active rust. The cup was cut down to save space in a locker on board ship; similar modifications sometimes surface [no pun intended] . There are two well-worn inspector's poincons on the obverse ricasso. This is a n old veteran of the decades of the French colonial expansion of the 1800s.