Replica of the French Young Guard Sapper Briquet Saber (c. 1810)
Replica of the French Young Guard Sapper Briquet Saber (c. 1810)
Every infantry regiment commander wanted to field the most beautiful, colorful, and richly equipped unit of sappers. There were not many of them in a regiment—only nine according to the establishment. They were chosen from tall, strong men. They were required to have full facial hair; if they lacked it, artificial beards were provided. It happened that sapper equipment, despite its undeniable attractiveness, was not useful for any actual work. In one regiment, impressive maces even appeared, but they were quickly criticized and banned by inspecting officers. The sapper briquet saber presented here combines the qualities of a craftily made, beautiful weapon with a useful work tool. The hilt is cast in brass in the shape of a rooster’s head. The crossguard is decorated with Medusa and lion heads. The massive blade performs well in both combat and work. The spine of the blade is notched with fine teeth, creating a saw that can be used to cut wood. Such sabers were produced at the Imperial Manufactory in Klingenthal for Napoleon’s Guard. Line regiment sappers did not use such beautiful and expensive specimens.
3D models
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