Napoleonic Cavalry Officer's Saber, Damascus Blade

This is a beautiful sabre for a senior cavalry officer from the 1st Empire period. The blade has the so-called "Damascus steel" structure quite clearly visible, with a partly erased gilded cartouche. The mount is in gilded brass.
BLADE: it is a long blade with a wide hollow section on each side, and a counter-edge on the last 25 cm near the tip. The structure of the blade is visible. In the first third, we find a partly erased gilded cartouche with apparently oriental, or perhaps pseudo-oriental, writing. Blade length = 80 cm, width near the guard 2.9 cm, thickness near the guard = 9.5 mm
MOUNTING: The guard is in gilded brass, the quillon is straight, ending with a flower in relief, medallions in the center of the cross of the guard in the shape of almonds, decorated with an antique breastplate. The knuckle bow is decorated with a finely chiseled thistle flower. It joins the cap at the level of the lion's mouth
Cap: with a short tail, decorated with scales, it ends in a lion's head.
Leather-covered grip, surrounded by a triple overtied wire binding.
SCABBARD: it is made of brass, decorated with scales and ends with a brass dart. Between the two suspension bracelets, there is a large trophy of arms in relief. Some lights differences of colour, where the gold has been erased and shows the brass.
In summary, it is a beautiful saber, the type of decoration of which places us rather towards the beginning of the Empire. It is very decorative and deserves to find its place in a collection related to the Imperial epic.
Ref F-2568