FULL DRESS BELT FOR BODYGUARDS OF THE KING'S MILITARY HOUSE, COMPAGNIE FRANÇAISE (second company), Former Monarchy (1770-1780). 14472/10553-1
Rectangular plate H 6.2 cm, width 7.7 cm, in iron covered with dark green cloth, edged with a silver molded framing strip in relief with lines (width 0.7 cm), and in the center , a silver badge stamped in relief and cut in the shape of the face of the sun on a radiating background (diameter 3.5 cm).
White buffalo sword belt, width 5.5 cm, length 90 cm. The sword holder is V-shaped with a gusset with an opening for the clevis button, H of the gusset alone 13 cm, H with the two suspension parts 23 cm (not counting 2 cm initially sewn under the braid). Originally this belt was covered with two silver stripes woven in the pattern of the uniform stripes of the King's Bodyguards, each 2.8 cm wide. Now extinct, these braids have left traces of the design of their weaving.
France.
Former Monarchy, circa 1770-1780.
Good condition (incomplete with its silver stripes), top sheet with gaps and moth holes.
NOTE :
From the ordinance of 1758, the belt of the Gardes-du-Corps is in silver embroidered buffalo. Nothing exists in the period texts concerning the belt plate of the Old Monarchy. However, the iconographic documents allow us to locate the appearance of this type of tray around 1770. A second type of tray exists, it is similar but with a rounded border in the corners and more richly decorated, which makes me think that this second type appeared later 1780-1789 (?).
THE COLLECTIBLE’S ITEM:
The belt plate is very rare, personally we have listed only four examples (two from the Scottish company, one of which is in the collections of the Musée de l'Armée in Paris, and two from the French company, one of which with very little remaining sheet). The second type is known in a few more copies but still very limited.
The belt seems to be the only copy that has come down to us, so it is almost a unique witness.
Reference :
14472/10553-1