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Belgian Marine Officer's Court Smallsword


Data

Period1 19th Century
Min/Max date1 1830-07-21 - 1834-12-31 Location(cntry)1 Belgium
Origin1 Belgium Location(detail)1 ex author's collection
Sword type1 Smallsword Displayed at1 --
Corps1 Marine Reference1 --
Outfit1 --
Owner1 Author
Guard type1 1 bar Provenance1
Quillions1 2 Provenance(detail)1 May 15 2016
Hilt type1 Single shell Original owner1 --
Grip form1 Elliptical
Pommmel type1 Coat of arms and crown Condition1 Very good
Blade type1 Straight
Edge1 Triple edged
Fuller1 3 Information date 2016-05-16
Information source 1 Author 2 Source
Sword Blade Scabbard
Max length(cm/In)1 96.0 37.80 80.8 31.81 0.0 0.00
Max width(cm/In)1 11.40 4.49 1.95 0.77 0.00 0.00
Max thickness(cm/In)1 5.60 2.20 0.84 0.33 0.00 0.00
Curvature(cm/In)1 0.0 0.00 0.0 0.00 0.0 0.00
Width at 10 cm(cm/In)1 -- -- 0.76 0.30 0.00 0.00
Thickness at 10 cm(cm/In)1 -- -- 0.42 0.17 0.00 0.00
Width at 50 cm(cm/In)1 -- -- 1.25 0.49 0.00 0.00
Thickness at 50 cm(cm/In)1 -- -- 0.59 0.23 0.00 0.00
Section at 10 cm(cm/In)1 -- -- Triangle
Section at 50 cm(cm/In)1 -- -- Triangle
Weight(kg/lb+oz)1 0.54 1lb 3oz -- -- 0.00 0lb 0oz
Information source 1 Author
Hilt Blade Scabbard
Materials1 Mother of pearl Steel --
Bronze Nickel coating --
Gilding -- --
-- -- --
Features1 Lion 1/3rd blued and gilt --
Broken chains Floral design --
Floral design Trophy of arms --
Tassel Cannon --
Horned monster heads 7 mm ricasso --
Shell -- --
Marks1 -- -- --
-- -- --
-- -- --
-- -- --
Hilt inscription1 --
Blade inscription1 --
Scabbard inscription1 --
Information source 1 Author
This sword has the very same shell as the sword given to Major chevalier Brunin by the officers of the second battalion of the Brussels Civic mobile guard on march 15th 1832. It is therefore a very early example of Belgian sword, the independence of the country dating back to 1830.

Major Brunin's sword is described in L.Leconte's article "Armes d'honneur conservees au musee communal de Tournai" in "Les carnets de la Fourragere" nb 1 of December 1924. It can now be seen in the Musee de l'Armee in Brussels. This chevalier Brunin had been, during the September uprising of 1830, commander of the volunteer fireman's brigade of Tournai.

The lion on the shell is inspired from Eugene Verboeckhoven's 1830's drawing "Le lion belge brisant ses chaines".

Eugene Verboeckhoven Le lion belge brisant ses chaines_1830

Pictures

S000073_Belgian_Smallsword_Full_Left_Side S000073_Belgian_Smallsword_Full_Reverse_ S000073_Belgian_Smallsword_Full_Right_Side S000073_Belgian_Smallsword_Full_Obverse_
S000073_Belgian_Smallsword_Hilt_Left_Side S000073_Belgian_Smallsword_Hilt_Obverse_ S000073_Belgian_Smallsword_Hilt_Reverse_ S000073_Belgian_Smallsword_Hilt_Right_Side
S000073_Belgian_Smallsword_Detail_Shell_Obverse S000073_Belgian_Smallsword_Detail_Hilt_Pommel S000073_Belgian_Smallsword_Detail_Hilt_Quillion



S000073_Belgian_Smallsword_Detail_Blade_Reverse

S000073_Belgian_Smallsword_Detail_Blade_Obverse

S000073_Belgian_Smallsword_Detail_Blade_Left_Side

S000073_Belgian_Smallsword_Detail_Blade_Right_Side