Cavalry Sword, 1808

Amazing antique cavalry sword made in Toledo (Spain) in 1808. The weapon bears two inscriptions in the ricasso: 1808 TDO (acronym of the city of Toledo, where the sword factory was) and FDO VII. This last inscription indicates that the article was made during the reign of this Spanish monarch. This reign lasted from March to May in 1808, and after the defeat of Joseph Bonaparte (in the end of the Napoleonic Wars), from 1813 till his death in 1833 (except for a brief lapse of time in 1923, when he was temporally bereft from his post by the Regency Counsel).All these data indicate that this sword was made during the Independence War between Spain and France, a conflict that started when Napoleons army entered Spain. The item keeps all its stylish beauty and design, full of attractive in its simplicity. The beautiful hilt is very remarkable, being made up of a lovely basket guard that curves to protect the swordsmans hand and extends to become a nice quillon that reaches the pommel. Inside the basket there is a fine cross-guard with curved ends that come out of the piece generating a really harmonious design.The sword is made of steel and preserves all its original parts. The blade is slightly worn in its last two thirds, something due to the intense use of the weapon and the hundreds of years that have passed by since it was made. It is undoubtedly a military sword and not an ornamental one, that surely lived times of glory in the battles against the Napoleonic invaders. For all these reasons and also because of its fine and simple look, this sword is a valuable piece that deserves a place of honor in the best collection of antique weapons.Measurements: Total length: 105 cm. Blade length: 88 cm.