#mameluke

French 'Sabre a l'Orientale' cavalry officers' sword

The 'Sabre a l'Orientale' (often called mameluke swords in English) gained popularity with fashionable officers during the French campaign in Egypt and Syria (1798 to 1801).

Initially, these swords would have been acquired in battle either as a trophy, from being given as a token of respect by allies, or from a surrendering foe.

However, as the fashion spread throughout Europe, local sword makers and cutlers began to produce their own interpretations of the style, such as the regulation dress sabres of British Lancers.

This sword style remains in service today as the British 1831 Pattern General Officers sword and US Marine Corps Officer dress sword.

My sword likely dates from 1810 to 1830 and caught my interest because it features an Eastern-produced shamshir blade mounted in a European-made mameluke-style hilt with cow or buffalo horn grip scales. The sword is plain and functional without the ornamentation typically found on swords belonging to senior officers. Going by the style of scabbard drag, this sword originally belonged to a French cavalry officer.

The Osborn Flank Officer’s Sabre

Henry Osborn (C.1785-1808) is one of the most famous sword cutlers in Georgian Britain. He created the famous 1796 Patterns of cavalry swords, in collaboration with Major-General John Gaspard Le Marchant to create what he thought was the best sword. He partnered with John Gunby in 1808, becoming Osborn & Gunby (C.1808-1820). These sabres have an average of a 10cm curve. Used by Officer’s of the Light Cavalry and Infantry as a frock/dress/fighting sword. A 10cm curved blade is one of the most curved styles of sabre in British Regiments, being highly irregular, rare and practically unusable in fighting circumstances. These sabres were based off the famous, well-liked and popular 1796 Pattern Light Cavalry Sabre, but sized-down for infantry/dress. Also highly inspired by Shamshirs, following the 1798-1801 Egyptian Campaign, copying the Mameluke-style, being unfullered and highly curved. These have stirrup-hilts or D-guards and shamshir/fullered half-moon blades. The term ‘flank officer’ refers to the Flank Company's of Light Infantry and Grenadiers, but the term ‘flank officer’s sabre’ normally refers to a light-weight, highly curved officer’s sword of the Georgian-Period. Naval, Infantry, Cavalry, Army and Volunteer Officers etc. could all carry this type of sword via regulation. 

The 11th sword’s (L-R) scabbard is not made by Osborn but by J.S. Lowther, possibly originally had the red dot’s. The green dot fitting florals (twin tulip) only occur on steel mounts, while the red dots (3-pronged rose) only occur on brass mounts. The steel mounts could be earlier, but can’t say for now.

Happy Fathers Day! This was my weekend’s project; another display board. More of a random theme this time round as I fill it with odds and ends that have caught my attention.

British Pattern 1831 General Officer’s Sword, c.1880