A MAGNIFICENT SWEDISH ORMOLU-MOUNTED SWORD OF HONOUR PRESENTED BY CARL JOHAN XIV, KING OF SWEDEN &

A MAGNIFICENT SWEDISH ORMOLU-MOUNTED SWORD OF HONOUR PRESENTED BY CARL JOHAN XIV, KING OF SWEDEN & NORWAY, FORMERLY JEAN BAPTISTE JULES BERNADOTTE, PRINCE OF PONTECORVO & MARÉCHAL DE FRANCE
CIRCA 1820-30
With slightly curved pipe-back blade with etched watered steel pattern towards the stelliferous tip, the outer face decorated (from tip to forte) with burnished stars, a small trophy of arms formed of gilt circular shield engraved with flowering foliage with burnished crossed sword and mace behind and a blued stylised helmet of Minerva with burnished plume above, a burnished French Imperial eagle clutching in its talons a gilt foudre with six lightning flashes with a burnished crowned 'C XIV J' monogram below, a large trophy of arms comprising a burnished full armour with blued details, four standards crossed behind, and standing on an oval gilt shield engraved with a lion-mask representing the arms of Norway with four smaller crossed standards beneath, another trophy of arms consisting of a blued Classical Roman fasces lictoriae with a double-bladed axe head swathed in oak and laurel leaves with a brace of cavalry sabres crossed in front, and a vignette of a mounted knight in full blued armour carrying a burnished lance and gilt shield beneath a swag of scrollwork, all images against a gilt ground, the forte decorated with a gilt panel engraved with a lion-mask representing the arms of Norway, and a rectangular panel engraved with scrollwork and a flower-head, the inner face decorated (from tip to forte) with silver stars mirroring those on the outer face, a small trophy of arms involving a blued stylised helmet of Minerva with burnished plume above a gilt semi-circular shield engraved with a flower-head and with burnished lion-head finials, two burnished crossed swords behind, a burnished figure of an owl of Minerva with two smoking blued flaming torches in front, and two blued leafed branches beneath, a crowned shield bearing the triple-crowned Swedish Royal arms against a blued ground, a large trophy of arms centred around a burnished half-armour wearing a blued sash and with burnished plume extending to a blued Classical Roman fasces lictoriae with a double-bladed axe head with four crossed burnished standards behind, four crossed standards each with gilt flag behind the armour, and a brace of kettle drums, bugles and flintlock pistols beneath, a further trophy of arms beneath comprising a bright Eastern helmet and oak leaves, a blued tournament lance and a gilt-hilted broadsword with blued blade centred around a gilt shield with blued rim, and a vignette of a knight in blued full field armour with bright plume holding a gilt-hilted sword with a gilt shield at his feet, all images against a gilt ground, the forte decorated with gilt panels en suite with the outer face, the back-edge gilt and engraved with oak leaves, ormolu-mounted hilt comprising rounded guard cast in high relief with a Classical trophy of arms on each side, rear-quillon decorated with oak leaves and a stylised eagle's head, knuckle-guard of stirrup-type decorated with a further trophy of arms and set with three foiled amethyst collets on the bow, and pommel in the form of the helmet of Minerva with large plume, laurel wreath and Medusa-mask, green bloodstone grip with fine applied gold-plated silver crowned monogram of Carl Johan XIV of Sweden and Norway, in original black-leather-covered scabbard with gilt mounts decorated with panels of relief ornament all against a stippled ground, those on the locket involving a large trophy of arms centred around a Classical armour with crossed standards flying behind bearing the Swedish Royal arms, the central mount with a smaller trophy of arms centred around a shield bearing the Swedish Royal arms with a griffin above, a Classical Roman fasces lictoriae with a halbard-head behind, and a brace of crossed cavalry sabres beneath, and chape with further Classical trophy of