Saber Sword Officer Bronze Galuchat Crown 19th Century

Officer's sabre, handle in shagreen and finely chiseled bronze, decorated with a crowned monogram as well as stylized plant motifs, blade signed with a "Proved" pastille with a star, from the 19th century. This saber is in good general condition. It has no sheath. The blade was also chiselled with floral motifs, worn and less visible. Please note: traces of oxidation on the blade, wear over time, look carefully at the photos. * Shagreen, cartilaginous fish leather (ray or shark) used for a long time in cabinetmaking, sheathing, and more recently in leather goods. Halfway between leather and mineral, shagreen is covered with silica beads, making it difficult to tan. It has different appearances: grainy and shiny, or sanded: in this case it is smooth and reveals a partitioned surface of small cells. There are 2 types of stingray: small-grained stingray and large-grained stingray. The origin of the word “shagreen” dates back, in fact, to the 18th century. It is the name of the first craftsman who, in the West, knew how to work dogfish and ray leather. Jean-Claude Galluchat (with two “l”) was a master sheathmaker of King Louis XV... or rather of the Marquise de Pompadour. This craftsman made so much reference to his time by dressing the rarest objects with this fish skin (chests, trunks, sword hilts, etc.) that the proper name became synonymous with the material. Forgotten in the 19th century, shagreen resurfaced in the decorative arts in 1920, highlighted on furniture signed by great "Art Deco" creators such as Paul Iribe, André Groult or Jules Leleu. Dimensions Handle width 12 cm Total length 98.5 cm / blade 82 cm Reference: F30 242 All photos are on: www.antiques-delaval.com