EL6464 - A scarce French colonial officer's sword, probably for an infantry officer in North Africa, for example of Zouaves, featuring a Toledo blade. The steel hilt is of the distinctly French North African Army style, popular from the middle of the 19th century until the early 20th century, and forming the basis for the French M1882 infantry officer's sword. The hilt has been painted black, perhaps for WW1, and I have not touched the paint in case it has some sort of historical importance that I am unaware of. However, it seems that the hilt (firm on the tang) is in perfectly good condition under the paint and it could be stripped back to the original metal. The blade, 'made in Toledo', is of the characteristic Toledo style, 31 inches long, with rectangular fullered forte, transitioning into double-edged flattened diamond section. Complete with matching two-ring scabbard, which perhaps indicates a date of around 1860-1885.
