CEREMONIAL SWORD

French, ca. 1750, Jacques Antoine Piguet, Paris.
Iron hilt, composed of cast and forged parts, parcel-gilt. Spherical pommel, rivet head, the knuckle guard ends in the grip base, short quillon arm, two grip hooks, knuckle guard consisting of kidney-shaped halves. Opulently carved and chiseled decoration on a gold ground: medallions decorated with all kinds of trophies, architectural elements, garlands, rocailles and various animals. Handle wrapped with fine copper wire. Blade with triangular cross-section (L 70.2 cm), etched decoration, blued and gilt, signed "Piget M (Maître) Fourbisseur Rue des Petits Champs à Paris" (swordsmith), "De la Marque des Mouchettes à Solingen" (blade supplier). Matching scabbard covered with parchment, carrying hook missing.
L 88.2 cm.

The blade supplied from Solingen by Peter Zilles Kirschbaum (mark: "des Mouchettes" = a pair of snuffers) was equipped with an exquisitely-crafted iron hilt in the Louis XV style by Jacques Antoine Piget, swordsmith, Rue Croix des Petits Champs à Paris. Of rare quality and completeness. Cf. Erika Schlesinger, Solinger Handwerkszeichen, 1978, p. 150. Le "Qui est qui" de l'arme en France de 1350 à 1970, Vol. 1, 1970, p. 322.