Imperial Klingenthal Waterloo French An XIII Cuirassier Sword, Sold

In very good condition, a guaranteed authentic Imperial Klingenthal French An XIII Cuirassier Sword, a British Waterloo battle trophy.

A superb example complete with original grip leather and twisted wire, scabbard still browned. This is a Battle of Waterloo pick up / 100 Days War trophy, 100%. Why? No post 1815 poinçons / a single rack number to the hilt (if it had stayed in French service the sword with a mismatched / marriage scabbard would be inspected and renumbered). The scabbard and hilt numbers are mismatched, indicating the sword was picked up from the battlefield and later married up with another cuirassier's scabbard. The Imperial Klingenthal date inscription to the blade's spine is September 1813, which conforms to the poinçon inspection marks for Joseph Innocent Krantz, Jean-Georges Bick and François Louis Lobstein. This sword came from the estate of the late Alistair Morris, the former MD of Sotheby's Sussex.

The 95 cm spear point blade is in good condition and firm in the hilt (not 96cm; this almost certainly means the tip was damaged and ground down to form a new point during the prior War of the 6th Coalition). The hilt in very good condition, a slight gap where the backpiece meets the pommel (nothing consequential, probably through battle use). The leather grip is worn but complete and sound. The original grip wire is good. The browned scabbard with some age. The sword sheathes and draws well.

A collector's dream. Well worth £? (too late, now sold). Please quote item reference AC57 (0314). Further / full sized images available upon request.