At first looking like an inexpensive gentleman's small sword, this is in fact a military issue infantryman's sword, worn by battalion company soldiers along with their bayonets. A hanger modeled on a small sword with a musketeer hilt became the prevalent sword for French infantry enlisted men in the mid-1600s and the only type in evidence by the 1670s. According to Chartrand, it usually had a brass guard featuring a narrow knuckle bow, quillon, a pas d'ane, a cast brass grip, or a wooden one covered with brass wire and a shell guard. The iron blade was narrow and sharp on both sides. Blade length varied. A few examples that were measured had blades that went from 69 to 78 cm long. (26 to 30 inches.)

A half-shell guard, pontat simple, was introduced in the 1740s, but as late as 1760, there were many still in use that were the older style, although wire-covered grips may have been more popular than previously.

Neumann illustrates one with the same hilt and blade featuring a typical abrupt point as 25.SS in Battle Weapons. This one is 33 inches overall; 26 inch double edge blade, a shallow diamond in cross-section; correct abrupt point.

Blade and hilt cleaned some time ago but now toning down. Blade is smooth metal, steel gray with darker gray areas. Just a spackle of light pitting about 12 inches from the guard on either side of the top edge and one shallow edge chip about 9 I also notice a little uneveness to the lower edge about 4 inches from the guard, probably from an old cleaning, and one very shallow edge chip 9 inches from guard. Good tip and edge. Brass hilt has a medium patina. Excellent restoration to quillon and wire, only a very slight silver solder line shows it. Hilt, wire, grip and blade are tight.

I show Neumann's listing and an illustration from Montcalm's Army showing a fusilier's sword and bayonet on the waistbelt.

$795. Shipping $25. NY addresses add sales tax.