Lot n° 226
Estimation :
500000 - 700000
EUR
Gold and diamond ceremonial sword of the last King of Poland - Lot 226
Gold and diamond ceremonial sword of the last King of Poland: Stanislas II Auguste Poniatowski, 1764-1795.
Mounting and all scabbard fittings in four colors of gold (yellow, pink, green and white), hilt enriched with diamonds.
Single-branch guard, typical of 18th-century European light cavalry units. The flat hilt is chased and openworked with a frieze of flowered ovals. The right angle of the guard arm and its large scrolled quillon are applied with large acanthus leaves in finely chased gold. Its two gold auricles are in the form of a cross applied on either side of the right hilt; the ends of the vertical arms are chased with a fleuron. At the center of each mounts a tondo with an amatized background, chased with a relief motif featuring, on the outside, a helmeted warrior's bust dressed "à l'antique" (Mars) and, on the inside, a trophy of bow and quiver on laurel branches. Two rose-cut diamonds are set on either side of the horizontal cruise of the outer auricle. A rose-cut diamond is set in a chased finial on the upper part of the inner tondo. Under the guard, an oval gold cap with a guilloche border is fitted over the top of the cap.
Gold cap with long, rounded tail, chased with foliage in relief on an amati background, the edges finely engraved with a pearl molding. The fully chased handle simulates a plain filigree, bordered by a branch of acanthus leaves.
Both sides are adorned with a large oval reserve, decorated in relief on a gold amati background with a trophy of arms: armor, empanached helmet and bundle of flags on the outside; shield, glaive and bundle of flags on the inside.
European damascus steel blade, slightly curved, with flat back and grooves. It bears gold lettering on the hollow right side. At the heel, reading point upwards, is inlaid the royal monogram under a crown: S A (Stanislas Augustus). Reading from heel to toe, cutting upwards, an inscription in Arabic cursive characters is inlaid in raised gold: this saying (la tashabni illa fi mahall al-darur[a] wa la taj'alni fi makani illa b'il-'izz wa'l-takrim) can be translated into French as "Ne me dégaine pas sans raison, ne me rengaine pas sans gloire ni honneur".
Wooden scabbard covered in black chagrin. The scabbard features three gold trimmings, finely cut and chased with symmetrical decoration on both sides, "en suite" with the decoration on the handle. Rectangular reserves with indented corners are chased in relief with military trophies on an amatized background. The chape and bracelet each feature a faceted gold hoop. The long bouterolle, with a button dart, is widely openwork and features a large shell at its lower end.
Poland, circa 1770-1775.
Owl hallmark on the handle and upper part of the scabbard.
L. 96 cm
Gross weight: 1092 gr.
Poland.
18th century, circa 1770-1775
Perfect condition
Ceremonial sabre in gold and diamonds from the last King of Poland, Stanislas II Augustus Poniatowski, 1764-1795.
The hilt and all the scabbard fittings are made of four-colored gold (yellow, pink, green, and white), with the guard enriched with diamonds.
The guard is of a single branch, characteristic of 18th-century European light cavalry units, with a flat, chiselled, and pierced frieze of flowered ovals. The right angle of the guard's branch and its large quillon, with a winding, are adorned with finely chiselled large acanthus leaves in gold. The two knuckle guards are in the form of a cross, applied on either side of the right-angled guard; the vertical arms are chiselled with a fleur-de-lis. Each knuckle guard features a central tondo with an amati background, decorated in relief: on the external face, a bust of a helmeted warrior dressed "in the antique style" (Mars); on the internal face, a trophy of an arc and quiver on laurel branches. Two rose-cut diamonds are set on either side of the horizontal knuckle guard's cross. A rose-cut diamond is set in a fleur-de-lis chiselled on the upper part of the internal tondo.
Beneath the guard, an oval gold cover with a guilloché border is fitted over the top of the chape. The cap is in gold, with a long, rounded tail, chiselled with relief foliage on an amati background, with finely engraved beaded borders. The entire handle is chiselled, simulating a unified filigree, bordered by a laurel branch. Its two faces are adorned with a large oval reserve, decorated in relief on an amati background with a trophy of arms: armor, a plumed helmet, and a bundle of flags on the external face; a shield, sword, and a bundle of flags on the internal face.
The European Damascus steel blade is slightly curved, with a flat spine and fullers, and bears insignia.
My orders
Sale information
Sales conditions
Return to catalogue