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Post by declein on Jun 2, 2020 16:44:55 GMT
Hello everyone, First let me apologies for any issues with my English or for posting in the wrong forum section, but I would need your expertise:
I'm facing my first sword purchase, a French 1882 model and the makers mark is giving me some second thoughts - it is (according to the seller) a st etienne made sword and it's in very good condition, however the mark is not similar with other swords of this type (no hilt stamp, no writing or etching on the blade - the sword itself looks to be a 1882 from what I can tell, though this is based on pictures)
This is the only mark, maybe you can help?
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Uhlan
Member
Posts: 3,121
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Post by Uhlan on Jun 3, 2020 9:20:21 GMT
The stamp in the first picture is from Balp et Fils. See ,,Armes Blanches'' page 177. No problems. Balp was based at St. Etienne. Balp made a lot of the later M1882 production too. Looks like a standard Infantry Officer sword as far as I can see.
Cheers.
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Post by declein on Jun 10, 2020 10:53:25 GMT
Thank you Uhlan, Sword just arrived and it's in great condition One thing that's surprising for me,as a total beginner who never held on, is that the guard is solid steel from what I can tell and quite heavy. Attachments:
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Post by pellius on Jun 10, 2020 11:57:09 GMT
Declein - welcome to the forum. Also, congratulations on a nice sword.
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Uhlan
Member
Posts: 3,121
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Post by Uhlan on Jun 13, 2020 11:09:25 GMT
Congratulations on your first antique.
M1882 hilts were made from iron, brass, brass + nickel plate, copper and many, if not most, were made from ,,white metal'' meaning German silver ( copper with lead and tin, NOT silver, it just looks like silver) that could be nickel or silver plated or just left as is. If a magnet sticks you have an iron hilt.
Matt here seems to really like it:
Cheers.
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Post by Dave Kelly on Jun 13, 2020 12:27:52 GMT
Thank you Uhlan, Sword just arrived and it's in great condition One thing that's surprising for me,as a total beginner who never held on, is that the guard is solid steel from what I can tell and quite heavy. St Etienne has a long staggered history of state production of swords. The 1882 infantry sword is exceptional as one of a handful of French issue troop swords with a iron/steel hilt and an elliptical blade. Most issue military hilts were arcolite brass. France was not a major steel producer and stuck with brass. It held up fairly well in use and was exceptionally easier to clean. Steel swords appear to have gained popularity in the Corps D'Afrique. French Colonial forces had a bit of a maverick view on style and steel fantasy swords stood out. End of the 19th Century was a crisis period for swords in most major military. There was an increasing movement to get rid of them as useless appliances in an environment full of ever improving missile weapons. Welcome to the the den of addicts.
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Uhlan
Member
Posts: 3,121
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Post by Uhlan on Jun 13, 2020 14:58:23 GMT
Yep. Welcome to your future.
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Post by pellius on Jun 13, 2020 17:44:47 GMT
Dave - very impressive displays! As always!
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pgandy
Moderator
Senior Forumite
Posts: 10,296
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Post by pgandy on Jun 13, 2020 17:58:40 GMT
Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your first. You got a good one.
And again Dave, let me know when you decide to go on holiday and I'll be more than happy to come and 'take care' of your collection. I'll treat them as my own, at no charge to you. I'll even take care of the air fare myself so what do you have to lose? š
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Post by tsmspace on Jun 27, 2020 9:57:08 GMT
Thank you Uhlan, Sword just arrived and it's in great condition One thing that's surprising for me,as a total beginner who never held on, is that the guard is solid steel from what I can tell and quite heavy. St Etienne has a long staggered history of state production of swords. The 1882 infantry sword is exceptional as one of a handful of French issue troop swords with a iron/steel hilt and an elliptical blade. Most issue military hilts were arcolite brass. France was not a major steel producer and stuck with brass. It held up fairly well in use and was exceptionally easier to clean. Steel swords appear to have gained popularity in the Corps D'Afrique. French Colonial forces had a bit of a maverick view on style and steel fantasy swords stood out. End of the 19th Century was a crisis period for swords in most major military. There was an increasing movement to get rid of them as useless appliances in an environment full of ever improving missile weapons. Welcome to the the den of addicts. have you ever considered collecting swords??
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Post by lightasafeather on Aug 19, 2020 12:58:46 GMT
Hi all, Iām relatively new on forum so there is a lot to catch up. Iām HEMA practitioner and fencing enthusiast. I would like to get you opinion because I see some difference from standard model 1882. Regarding 1882 model, recently I had opportunity to buy French infantry sword but there are some differences compared to sword Matt Easton has reviewed on his channel. First of all there is an engraving with a year of production (1916) and blade model 1882. Blade is oval, shiny, without sharp edges. It has a single offset fuller on each side (on left side is closer to the true edge, on the right is closer to false edge) and spear pointed tip. Why the blade doesnāt have sharpened edges? (Iām wondering). What differs is the guard. Itās a brass guard with knuckle bow and 3 rings on the right side, it resembles on 1822 French cavalry saber but with additional ring on the left side.
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Post by lightasafeather on Aug 19, 2020 13:05:22 GMT
Just to add some more pic. It also has engraved initials in Cyrillic, probably sword owner. Seller told me that these are from Serbian officer who bought it in Paris.
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