I offer for sale a very nice, Napoleonic, circa 1810, lion's head, German light cavalry sabre complete with it's brass scabbard, (which is named at the throat locket to a German cavalry officer "W. Westhof").
The slightly curved blade measures 34inches in length and is cut with a broad single fuller which runs to within 6 inches of the blade tip. The upper third of the blade is nicely blued and gilded with stands of arms, flags, floral swags, a cartouche with a leaf inside and initials at the blade forte read "G.W." (which could be for Gebruder Weyersberg who were active in sword making in Solingen, Germany at this time). There is a 'Solingen swirl' motif engraved and gilded to the back of the blade at the ricasso. There is some corrosion to the ricasso area and the blueing and gilding have faded and been well abraded. One side of the blade is clear and unblemished, the other side has a series of small black dots from oxidization running along it, which is to be expected over the past 210 years.
The hilt is made of brass, and consists of a broad stirrup knuckle-guard, a flat counter-guard which runs into an upturned rear quillon bar and scrolled flat finial. The grip leather is nicely intact and is bound with brass wire wraps. The ferrule has a fracture to the rear of it, that allows the tiniest of movement to the brass backstrap, grip and blade, but nothing much to write home about (hardly noticable). The Pommel is typical Napoleonic German, with it's grotesque, grinning, squat lionshead, the flowing mane of which continues onto the backstrap. The tang is peened onto a pronounced pommel button and is untouched and intact.
The sword comes complete with it's lovely brass scabbard, which is suspended from two free rings. The ring mounts have been nicely engraved with leaf decoration, a touch of high quality. The scabbard has the most wonderful, large lyre-shaped steel drag, again quality.
It would be fascinating to discover where German light cavalry officer W. Westhof served and what he experienced. This sabre is a wonderful surviving German napoleonic part of history, to a named officer.