I offer for sale an extremely rare and sought after, Napoleonic era, French Light Cavalry sabre, Model AN XI, the blade of which was manufactured in July, 1813, at the Klingenthal sword factory, on the French border with Germany. This type of slashing sword was issued to all Light Cavalry units of Napoleon Bonaparte's "Grand Armee" and served in all of his campaigns. It was issued to Light Cavalry troopers including Hussars; Lancers and Horse Chasseurs between 1801 - 1815.
The Arco brass, 3 bar hilt was inspected and stamped for suitability (almost certainly during 1813) by Inspecteurs and Controllers of sword production for the French Army, they being Joseph Innocent Krantz (Chef de bataillon); Jean-Georges Bick and Joseph Ambrose Bisch. Their poincon stamps are visible to the side and underside of the knuckle-guard. There is also stamped a rack number on the side of the knuckle-guard, number "62".
The classic AN XI hilt consists of three guard bars, a forward pointing quillon terminating in a knop, a brass backstrap finishing in a capstan pommel and a wooden grip covered in leather (having two brass 'olives' securing the tang of the blade), the grip leather not bound in wire. The grip leather on this example is in very good overall condition, with just some wear to the upper lefthand side.
The slightly curved, single edged blade is in very good condition with only some minimal tarnishing to it's surface and no damage or noticeable distortion. There is no movement between hilt and blade it's solid! The leather washer is just about still there. The blade measures some 89 cm long, 3.7 cm wide at it's widest point and is cut along it's length with a single, wide, fuller which runs to within the last 15cm before the tip of the blade. The blade forte is stamped with the poincon inspection stamps of the aforesaid Krantz, Bick and also by sword Inspecteur Francois Louis Lobstein. Therefore, all of the inspector's stamps point to a correct 1813 manufacture date.
The engraving on the spine of the blade is very clear and reads: "M-f ture (manufacture) Imp le (imperial) Du Klingenthal Juillet (July) 1813", which ties in perfectly with the 1813 Napoleonic date of manufacture.
The sword comes complete with it's heavy Steel scabbard which bears two suspension rings. The Drag of the scabbard bears the inspection stamp of Jean-Georges Bick and the rack number "39". The fit between sword and scabbard is good.
Altogether, a very rare and much sought after French Napoleonic light cavalry sabre and scabbard, which almost certainly saw active service.