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Military Arms and Memorabilia

Thursday 30 March 2023, 10:00 AM • Sarzana

8

A senior officer's small sword, Second quarter of the 19th Century

Estimate

€ 300 - 500

Sold

€ 475

The price includes buyer's premium

Information

Italia
length 92 cm
Straight blade of hexagonal section, blued at the forte and engraved with small trophies and floral motifs featuring remains of gilding. A small segment with a light pitting at the base. Gilded tang. The silver hilt in the style of the typical Parma official's swords but of a higher quality manufacture, the shell-guard is pierced and worked with garlands, helmets and weapons in relief around vermeil wreath surmounted by a silver eagle. With a lion's head at the tops of the shell-guard. Guard with floral decoration and a lion's head in vermeil at the centre. Pommel worked en suite. The guard consisting of two separate elements held by a screw. Smooth, mother-of-pearl grip scales. Earlier leather scabbard, apparently without repairs (!) Silver mounts. Rare. See a very similar model in 'Storia dell'Arma Bianca Italiana' (Ed. Olimpia, 1999) that Cesare Calamandrei attributes to the Duchy of Modena (p. 405) because of the eagle. It is true that both the shape and the manufacture resemble the Parmesan dignitary swords.