Item:
ON1331

Original British Napoleonic P-1796 Dragoon Saber Converted to Naval Cutlass circa 1820-1840

Item Description

Original Item: Only One Available. We actually discovered TWO of these in an English Trafalgar period Naval Collection. This saber started life as a 1796 "hatch pointed" Light Dragoon or Light Cavalry Saber and was the subject of a complaint from NAPOLEON BONAPARTE,stating that the blade design, being wider at the front, was against the "The Rules of War" and was inhumane. Interestingly the Prussians immediately adopted the design naming it the "BLEUCHER SABEL".

Probably after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, the need for land based troops was greatly reduced, however Britain's Naval obligations all over the globe became much more intense. As a result The "Board of Ordnance" which supervised all arms supplies to the British Military designated an interim Naval Cutlass of 19th century design with fluted iron grip to be mounted onto original P-1796 Cavalry hatchet pointed blades.

Each Saber blade retained it's original maker's name on the back of the Blade, which looks to be CRAVEN of Birmingham in this case, and the blades were stamped with a Broad Arrow and B.O. for Board of Ordnance. Blade edge shows combat use, probably from some Schoolboy battling his brother, but who knows? Often issued without scabbards, these were intended to be aboard ship in racks ready for use at a moments notice.

By the late 1840s fresh Cutlass designs with straight blades were introduced.

In Nice condition, ready to display.

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