King's Bodyguard Saber, First Model 1814, Special Blade

This king's bodyguard sabre of the 1st type (1814) has the particularity of being mounted with a so-called "commercial" blade, that is to say a blade which was indeed a manufacture of the Klingenthal Manufacture, controlled, but sold outside the circuits of contracts with the state. The "D" hallmark corresponds to these commercial sales. The marking "Mfture Imple du Klingenthal Coulaux frères" corresponds according to the Klingenthal archives to a manufacture between 1806 and 1811 for private orders, or between 1806 and 1814 for state contracts.
Obviously the presence of the marking "Manufacture Impériale" preserved on a sabre of the king's bodyguard is surprising, but corresponds to the use of a blade manufactured previously. Indeed the blades of the sabre of the mounted grenadier of the imperial guard are identical to those of the sabres of the King's bodyguard. We can therefore assume that certain blades which were in stock and already marked on the back were engraved and mounted on bodyguard mounts, without worrying about the marking on the back of the blade...
The scabbard of this sabre is indisputable: the leather is original, the brass mounts are authentic and stamped in accordance with the regulations with the starred B of Inspector Borson, (August 1814- September 1816) and the B between laurels of Inspector 1st class Bick (1812-May 1815).
Likewise, the handle is well mounted with the grip covered with roussette (shark skin) and the back of the fleur-de-lys is punched with a B (which is however a little coarser than the marks found on the scabbard).
BLADE: This is the blade with a flat back and wide hollow side typical of the model. On the back of the blade, we find the inscription "Mfture Imple du Klingenthal Coulaux frères" whose letter M for Manufacture is partly erased by punch marks and polishing. Perhaps an attempt to remove the marking, which stopped at the first letter?
On the external face, Hallmark "D" of the commercial productions of Klingenthal, Then trophy of arms, Then between two large fleurs-de-lys: "GARDE DU CORPS DU ROI"
On the internal face, trophy of arms, great arms of France crowned and radiant sun with face in the sun, which could not be absent from a weapon of the King's House.
Length of the blade = 92.5 cm, width near the guard 2.9 cm, thickness near the guard = 9.6 mm, traces of oxidation polished near the guard.
GUARD: In gilded brass with a main branch and 3 secondary branches, which join the great arms of France, crowned. The cap has a long tail, underlined by 2 fillets. The GRIP is covered with sharkskin, with silver wire binding in chevrons. The rivet of the tang of the blade is old
SCABBARD: it is in black leather sewn with scabbard entry, intermediate piece and rivet in gilded brass. All these parts bear the regulatory punches with the starred "B" and the "B" in a laurel wreath. The stitching is intact and original.
We therefore have in summary a sabre of the King's bodyguard, troop version, of the first model, (which is clearly rarer than that of the 2nd model), whose scabbard, guard and handle conform to the regulatory model, and whose blade is a use of an earlier blade intended for trade.
Ref FX-2466