Sabre Phantasie d'Officier Zouave.
May 28, 2015 21:07:00 GMT
Post by Uhlan on May 28, 2015 21:07:00 GMT
To compensate for the Russian disaster : sbg-sword-forum.forums.net/thread/44724/russian-dragoon-pallash-m1839-flaming, I have here, so I hope, something more solid, as in French, which is really not solid at all, as you can see if you read some more.
The steel basket is in the Gothic style, like the other Zouave sword I have, reviewed here:https://sbg-sword-forum.forums.net/thread/42905/new-french-sabres , with an emblem depicting Athena's helmet and flags and other encoutrements of military lore.
Normally the Zouave emblem would sit here, but as you can see, there is nothing normal about this one.
What about the lion head pommel cum backstrap? What about the little things that turn up in the 1882 Infantry sword, Colonial Army version, like the mounting point for the sword knot? What about the two ringed scabbard? Is this sword really predating the M1882? Or had the Officers in the French Colonial Army so much room for what Mr. Kelly calls ,, Officers creep '', that they, or this Officer at least, could ignore the regulations to such an extend that they could order their scabbards the way they liked? The lion head pommel harkens back to days long gone and is a very old military symbol, a very old tradition. What is it doing on a Zouave sword?
And as far as I can see ( these are pictures from the seller), the blade looks like it is not a standard M1882 one too. L'Hoste is no help here either.
So I call this a ,, Sabre Phantasie '' until more info comes in. One thing is for sure. Whatever it may turn out to be, I sure like it a lot. Even in the pictures I get the impression of a well made, solid sabre. I think it is beautiful, really.
Cheers.
The steel basket is in the Gothic style, like the other Zouave sword I have, reviewed here:https://sbg-sword-forum.forums.net/thread/42905/new-french-sabres , with an emblem depicting Athena's helmet and flags and other encoutrements of military lore.
Normally the Zouave emblem would sit here, but as you can see, there is nothing normal about this one.
What about the lion head pommel cum backstrap? What about the little things that turn up in the 1882 Infantry sword, Colonial Army version, like the mounting point for the sword knot? What about the two ringed scabbard? Is this sword really predating the M1882? Or had the Officers in the French Colonial Army so much room for what Mr. Kelly calls ,, Officers creep '', that they, or this Officer at least, could ignore the regulations to such an extend that they could order their scabbards the way they liked? The lion head pommel harkens back to days long gone and is a very old military symbol, a very old tradition. What is it doing on a Zouave sword?
And as far as I can see ( these are pictures from the seller), the blade looks like it is not a standard M1882 one too. L'Hoste is no help here either.
So I call this a ,, Sabre Phantasie '' until more info comes in. One thing is for sure. Whatever it may turn out to be, I sure like it a lot. Even in the pictures I get the impression of a well made, solid sabre. I think it is beautiful, really.
Cheers.