Lot n° 235
Estimation :
50000 - 80000
EUR
Luxury Admiral's sword in vermeil, signed Manceaux, Restaura - Lot 235
Luxury Admiral's sword in vermeil, signed Manceaux, Restauration
Mounting and scabbard fittings in vermeil, hallmarks: vieillard 1er titre de Paris, 1819/1838; moyenne garantie de Paris, 1819/1838; first hallmark of the silversmith Cahier (a pupil of Guillaume Biennais, whose firm he took over in 1821 before going bankrupt in 1830, he was Orfèvre du Roi). Smooth single-branch hilt, decorated in the lower part with acanthus leaves, palmettes and flowers. Cross with a large auricle on each side, representing Neptune's face set on buttons with pinnate leaves, flowers and lightning bolts, curved quillon in the shape of a lion's head with foliage and acanthus leaves. Pommel adorned with the head of a goddess with braided hair (Amphitrite?) or a warrior, with acanthus leaves, palmettes, pinnate leaves, transverse perforation for the lanyard. Silver filigree horn handle.
Damascus blade signed "Coulaux frères / à Klingenthal", mirror-polished with gold ground over the first 37 cm. Abundantly decorated on the front face from top to bottom with floral motifs, acanthus leaves, pinnate leaves, buttons, trophy of arms, then a cartouche bearing the inscription "F DE NORMANDIE", a cartouche with a lion, a medallion with a dolphin and winged Jupiter thunderbolt. The other side is identical, but the central cartouche has no inscription. Blade length 84 cm.
Wooden scabbard sheathed in black waxed leather, silver thread embroidered stitching on the back, with three trims of molded decoration in relief on the front, and smooth on the back. Mantle signed "Manceaux à Paris", with trophy of arms and antique helmet. Central trim with trophy of arms and antique cuirass. The long end of the scabbard is edged with: at the top, flowery foliage with palmettes, Athena resting on a globe and an architectural capital, and a mask at the base; in the center, winged Jupiter spindle with Nemean lion's head, flowers and acanthus leaves, framed at the top and bottom by a molding with pinnate leaves and flowers; at the bottom, palmettes, acanthus leaves, flowers and lion's head. Iron sting.
France
Restoration
Very good condition 4 B This saber model is very directly inspired by, if not copied from, the model created by Nicolas Boutet of the Manufacture de Versailles for certain admirals under the French Regime.
Versailles for certain admirals under the First Empire; we currently know of two examples: one that belonged to Admiral Ganteaume, from the Ganteaume estate, sale in Lyon on May 12, 1969, then the Hutin collection, sale in Reims on March 26, 2000, then Jean-Louis Noisiez, sale in Fontainebleau on February 2, 2025; a second example from the home of the first and second Barons Bloomfield, in Loughton, County Offaly (Ireland), then by descent until its sale at auction by
Christie's London, April 7, 1982, lot 58. The example shown appears to be the only one currently known to have been produced by Manceaux.
Manceaux Joseph-François. Formerly head of bladed weapons production at the Manufacture de Versailles, he settled in Paris around 1806 as a fourbisseur and became a renowned fourbisseur of the period; he managed the Klingenthal depot under the Empire, then the blade depot of the Manufacture Royale de Klingenthal.
Luxury admiral's sabre in vermeil, signed Manceaux, Restoration period.
Hilt and scabbard fittings in vermeil, hallmarks: "vieillard" first title of Paris, 1819/1838; "moyenne garantie" of Paris, 1819/1838; first hallmark of the silversmith Cahier (a pupil of Guillaume Biennais, who took over his workshop in 1821 before declaring bankruptcy in 1830, he was the King's Silversmith). Guard with a single smooth branch, decorated at the lower part with acanthus leaves, palmettes, and flowers. The knuckle guard features a large ear on each side with the face of Neptune on buttons adorned with pennant leaves, flowers, and lightning bolts, the quillon curled in the shape of a lion's head with foliage and acanthus leaves. The pommel is decorated with the head of a goddess (possibly Amphitrite?) or a warrior, with braided hair, surrounded by acanthus leaves, palmettes, pennant leaves, and a perforation for the passage of a knot cord. Handle in filigree silvered horn.
Damascus blade signed "Coulaux frères / à Klingenthal," mirror-polished with a gold background on the first 14 9/16 in. The blade is richly decorated on its front face from top to bottom with floral patterns, acanthus leaves, pennant leaves, buttons, and a trophy of arms, followed by a cartouche inscribed "F DE NORMANDIE," a cartouche with a lion, and a medallion with a dolphin and Jupiter's winged thunderbolt. The other side is identical but with a central cartouche lacking an inscription. Blade
L. 33 1/16 in.
Scabbard in wood, covered in black polished leather, with embroidered silver thread
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