New Acquisitions Thread II

Here's a few photos of my newest acquisitions, a French m1822 Light Cav Trooper and a Swiss m1867 Cav NCO.  


Side by side, Frenchie on top.


Here, the Swissie's integrated finger loop can be seen.


The difference in grip wire is pretty clear here.

I'm a big fan of 19C Swiss swords, as they are attractive, serious, well engineered, and meticulously constructed.  They are also generally available in excellent shape for very reasonable prices, presumably because they never played an active role in any contemporaneous wars. To be honest, I didn't even know the m1867 NCO was a thing, but I like it. The m1867 Cav Trooper is one of my favorite designs - a big broad serious saber with good handling and a well sorted hilt.  The NCO version differs from the Trooper in the delicate (thus likely decorative) double wire wrapped grip and the finger loop integrated above the ferule.  Though I haven't had a chance to compare it side-by-side with my Trooper, the blade seems identical.


The Swissie's guard bowl is much more serious than the Frenchie's plate and bars, yet the hilt doesn't feel much heavier. 

The French 1822 LC Trooper is my favorite sword model, as they are beautiful, historically influential, great in handling, and reasonably affordable.  My newest example seems identical in dimensions and handling to my somewhat older Klingenthal example, but this first-gen 1840 Chatellerault example is in better unmolested shape.  It is still nice and tight, and rings when struck.  The wire wrap looks original, and the peen is undamaged.  The finish is nice with sharp fuller transitions and no pitting or heavy patina.  I suspect it has been cleaned, as the forte counter-polish extends farther on the spine than the sides, and the blade is quite sharp.  This is now my very favorite saber in my collection, and I'm very happy to have it.


The Swissie's thumb plate works with the finger loop to give a very authoritative control over the sword.  Nonetheless, the Frenchie is still snappier and more responsive to my hand.


Possibly to compensate for the bowl's weight, the Swissie is thinner at the forte, and does not have the dramatic non-linear distal taper at the ricasso that the Frenchie features.


At the middle, the Frenchie is thicker but not as broad as the Swissie.


The Swissie has a slightly longer foible reminiscent of the Solingen copies of the Fr. 1822.  Both sport the abrupt non-linear distal taper here.

I took photos of the two together as a sort of compare & contrast effort.

Cheers.

very nice antiques and a dope kukri, i wanna get one for when i go camping

Sooooo, could you PM me info on where and how you got the 1822? I'd love to get one of the pre 1850-whatever ones that weighed a bit less than the later models. 

Also, you could DEFINITELY PM me how much you'd sell one for... thanks

I only have two 1822 LC’s.

I spent about a year searching for my first when I found one mentioned in an SBG member’s collection thread. This was several years ago. Seems like I bought a couple swords from him that he had put up for sale, then spent a couple of months gently offering to buy his 1822 if he ever wanted to sell it. When he went thru a down-sizing, he agreed to sell it to me. I’m still very appreciative of that.

I saw this latest one pop up for sale over on one of the FB threads. I check them all a few times every day, and managed to grab this one right after it was listed. It was from a guy who’s also on SBG, and I’ve bought a sword or two from him over the years. So, like before, I trusted the seller to send what was advertised. I just paid the full (reasonable) asking price immediately. He did not disappoint.

Lest you think it’s all rainbows and marshmallows over here, a few weeks ago I just *barely* missed a Swiss m1867 Cav officer over on FB. Aaaargh!!!

My personal experience has mostly been that many of the “commonly available” models don’t pop up as available very often outside of distant auction houses. I sometimes gently but privately pursue collectors to sell to me, but I try not to vex folks.

Also, given time, the SBG Want-to-Buy thread in the classifies does work. I’ve had members PM me a heads-up for an available sword thanks to a years-old WTB post.

All I can really recommend is to be patient and vigilant, and be prepared to buy at a premium upon a moment’s notice. Having said that, if I ever sell an 1822, I’ll be sure to pm you first.
🙂

Here are a few, including SBG’s FB group:

m.facebook.com/groups/47814805841/?ref=group_browse

m.facebook.com/groups/1454534811515787/?ref=group_browse

m.facebook.com/groups/140258999335255/?ref=group_browse

m.facebook.com/groups/1243498752490849/?ref=group_browse

m.facebook.com/groups/1592219660997392/?ref=group_browse

m.facebook.com/groups/767422583312753/?ref=group_browse

There are a bunch more. These are just the ones at the top of my FB Groups list. As you join and participate in a few, FB will start “suggesting” others.

it really is magical, must resist urge to lick

You know you want to...