COMMEMORATIVE DAGGER OF THE FOOT HUNTERS OF THE GUARD DURING THE CRIMEAN WAR, Second Empire. 28255
Cast bronze mount representing a Guard foot hunter placed on a double quillon cruise decorated with foliage. H of the hunter on foot 12.5 cm, H with the cruise 14.3 cm. Two-sided, double-grooved blade, length 16.3 cm. Total length 12 inches. Cast bronze scabbard richly molded in relief of military and floral trophies, grotesque masks, a combat scene surmounted by an escutcheon marked “Tour Malakoff”, an oval coat of arms marked “INKERMANN / SEBASTOPOL / TRAKTIR” surmounted by another coat of arms marked “ALMA”.
France.
Second Empire
Very good condition, blade slightly shortened.
HISTORY:
This hunter on foot represents one of the four sculptures from the work of Georges Diebolt which adorned the Pont de l'Alma in Paris: zouave, grenadier, hunter on foot and artillery. Today, only the zouave is preserved on the bridge since in 1970 the bridge was replaced and only the zouave was preserved.
The Chasseurs à pied of the Guard were engaged during the Crimean campaign in different battles: Alma in September 1854; Inkermann in November 1854; Sevastopol in October 1854; Traktir in August 1855; Malakof Tower in June 1855.
Reference :
28255