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 92.
COURT SWORD French, 1785
Hilt silver with faceted
borders and with inset
enamel medallions of flowers
(gold against white, inner
border of gold and green
rosettes, outer border
of blue with gold stars),
evenly studded with faceted
silver nail-heads and
stamped five-pointed stars.
Guard elliptical. Pas
d'âne non-functional.
Small grip of silver en
suite, chased with silver
bow-knots as though suspending
medallions. On pas d'âne
poinçon de Jurande of
Henri Clavel (17801789),
and Paris date letter
1785; on grip and knuckle
guard verification stamp
of law of 1803; on pommel
two unidentified marks.
(page
46)
Blade three-edged; forte
blued, gilded over etching
of rococo scrolls; at
base flowers and medallion
of fleur-de-lis against
hatched background.
Scabbard of white shagreen
over wood; double ring
suspension; silver fittings
with tooling in diaper
pattern; upper ferrule
with star in medallion;
chape missing.
26.145.313
L. 100 (84.5) Wt.
332
Plate LXIX Reubell Benefaction
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93. PRESENTATION SWORD
French, 1785
Presented by Dieppe to
King Louis XVI. Hilt entirely
of ivory, carved admirably
in low relief with medallions
of figures, scrolls, laurel
borders, against hatched
background. On guard medallions
of mounted officers. On
ricasso Bourbon arms and
intertwined L's. Grip
rectangular, bearing medallions,
the central one picturing
horsemen, the upper and
lower amorini armed; borders
with conventional bands
of olive leaves. Knuckle
guard bears medallions,
enclosing portrait busts
with helmet and wreath.
Pommel with large medallions
as on grip.
Blade three-edged; etched,
blued, and gilded entire
length. Themes include
decorative panels, flowers,
Bourbon lilies, scrolls,
trophies, Dieppe holding
sword.
26.145.294
L. 102 (85) Wt.
224.5
Frontispiece and Plate
LXX Reubell Benefaction
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 94.
COURT SWORD French, 1790
Hilt steel, chiseled in
low relief against punctate
gold background in a design
of trophies, cornucopiae,
flowers, and floral scrolls.
Large asymmetrical guard
with trophies and scroll
motifs chiseled in relief
on gold background. Small
non-functional pas
d'âne. Grip of metal
en suite, in section ovoid,
with pronounced double
taper. Knuckle guard finial
as dolphin. Pommel olive-shaped.
Blade three-edged, blued
in forte, etched with
trophies and floral scrolls,
and gilded over etching.
Scabbard of white shagreen
over wood; double ring
suspension; second ferrule
missing, first ferrule
and chape en suite.
26.145.293 L.
95 (79) Wt.
379
Plate LXXI Reubell Benefaction
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(page
47)
 95.
DRESS SWORD Russian, 1790
(?)
Hilt of russet steel,
chiseled with flowers
and grasses in Oriental
manner, flatly damascened
in gold. Guard quadrilobate,
slightly cupped. Pas
d'âne small, non-functional.
Quillons double, straight,
with tips drooping. Knuckle
guard gives space for
large hand. Grip long,
square in section with
edges rounded, bound with
two oppositely twisted
strands of wire- wound
wire, two of small braided
wire, a concave tinsel
strip, and two more of
the small braided wire.
Pommel ovoid.
Blade colechimarde, three-edged;
on left a deep groove
from end of forte which
bears traces of engraved
scrolls and trophies
26.145.337 L.
98.5 (82)
Wt. 469
Provenance : Collection
of Baron de Cosson
Plate LXXII Reubell Benefaction
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 96.
DRESS SWORD French, 1790-1800
Of a type rarely recorded;
the actual sword-knot
is here replaced by one
in steel, which while
decorative is not only
useless, but actually
impairs in great degree
the grip of the sword
in fencing. Hilt steel
carved in low relief with
bright medallions and
panoplies, and with ribbons
and bow-knots against
stippled ("fish-roe")
background, gilded. Guard
oval with eight deep scallops;
on each side four medallions
and between them crossed
swords pendent from bow-knots;
leaf motif at border and
on blade. To ricasso,
right, is attached a large
bow-knot of flat metal
with cut steel central
rosette, covering the
quillon and lower knuckle
guard. On knuckle guard
at center cut steel rosette;
near guard it thickens
and is pierced with three
larger openings above
boss and three below,
through which passes cord
of copper tinsel ending
in steel jingle. Grip
square of silver wire
and bronze tinsel: (a)
small twisted wire, (b)
(c) oppositely twisted
large silver wire, (d)
as in (a), (e) ridged,
partially oxidized silver
strip. Pommel olive-shaped,
flattened, picturing (a)
man with flag, (b) barking
dog.
Blade three-edged; blued
and gilded over etched
scrolls and figure with
trailing gown and staff.
26.145.287
L. 97 (80.5) Wt.
326
Comparisons: A second specimen
in the Haliwyl Collection,
Stockholm, recently donated
to the Swedish Crown (Catalogue,
1926, p. 197, group XXXIV,
V.b.25, ill.).
Plate LXXIII Reubell Benefaction
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This and the following
five swords mounted in
paste brilliants are not
earlier than late Louis
XVI; the latest are probably
Louis XVIII.
 97.
COURT SWORD French, 1790
Hilt silver-gilt chiseled
against stippled background
and set with paste brilliants
in spiral design. Guard
oval with jewels in radiating
spiral design. Ricasso
with brilliants in design
(page 48) of bow-knot.
Pas d'âne small
without jewels. Knuckle
guard with flowers of
brilliants at center.
Grip slender, en suite.
On knuckle guard verification
stamp of 1803.
Blade three-edged, with
etching in diaper pattern
and in scrolls.
26.145.304
L. 95 (79.5) Wt.
406
Plate LXXIV Reubell Benefaction
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