FRENCH NAPOLEONIC OFFICER'S SWORD, CA.1800

This wonderful Napoleonic officer's dress sword bears an elegant 84 cm. long tri-fold blade, blued and gilded for half its length and inscribed in French NO ME TIREZ PAS SANS RAISON NO ME REMETTEZ POINT SANS HONNEUR, which translates as DO NOT UNSHEATHE ME WITHOUT REASON DO NOT PUT ME BACK WITHOUT HONOR. Variant of this inscription was used in Spain from the 17th century onwards, and the French variant of this inscription is rarely seen on the French officers blades of the Ancien Regime and Napoleonic periods. The hilt is a variant of the French Vendemiare AN XII style, with the pommel in the shape of the Roman helm.
The blade retains most of its decoration, and is straight and true. The inner lobe of the guard was permanently folded up by the maker for the ease of wear [an unusual original feature] , the hilt was either cast in one piece, or had the knuckle guard brazed into the pommel for stability. The fire gilding of the hilt is almost entirely intact. The wooden grip has shrunk over time, and is now loose, as is the silver wire and silver tape combination. the quillon is somewhat bent and has a small stress fracture