*Original, Napoleonic, English, 1796 Pattern Light Dragoon Sabre & R. Wallis Brass Scabbard*
Napoleonic English 1796 Pattern Light Dragoon sabre. It has a 33 inch curved blade and a single broad fuller on each side. Brass stirrup hilt with leather covered grip. In its brass scabbard with cartouche at the top engraved “R. Wallis, London”
The Pattern 1796 light cavalry sabre is a sword that was used primarily by British light dragoons and hussars, and King’s German Legion light cavalry during the Napoleonic Wars. It was adopted by the Prussians (as the 1811 pattern or Blücher sabre) and used by Portuguese and Spanish cavalry. The 1796 sabre had a pronounced curve, making the kind of slashing attacks used in cavalry actions decidedly easier. Even cavalrymen trained to use the thrust, as the French were, in the confusion of a melee often reverted to instinctive hacking, which the 1796 accommodated. Its blade, unlike other European sabres of the period, widened near the point. This affected balance, but made slashes far more brutal; its action in the cut has been compared to a modern bacon slicer. The sabre was lighter and easier to use than its heavy cavalry counterpart, the pattern 1796 Heavy Cavalry Sword, which had a less ‘scientific’ design. The sabre was intended to be usable by all cavalrymen, not solely the largest and strongest.
Condition
This 1796 is in good condition commensurate with its ages. The blade has some tarnishing, pitting and minor chips to the blade. The original grip shows signs of wear and tear with some leather missing at the top, as you’d expect from an original sabre; most issued (crown marked) sabres had a long arduous service life. The scabbard has the dings you’d expect after active service, is quite loose to the draw with some damage to the top of the throat. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
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