American Victorian Bronze Presentation Sword with Scabbard

Continental (19th Century) metal sword with silver filigree handle wrapped in black rope with a small dolphin detail.

Continental Austrian-style (19th Century) bronze sword with lion head and pearl handle with double eagle head coat of arms. Condition: Good; Minor losses

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English Renaissance-style large iron longsword with cross design and woven handle

A fine presentation sword given to Lieutenant Charles Peake as a token of gratitude by the Men of His Ship when recommissioned for Foreign Service i...

20th Century chinese Zhongzheng/Chengren military commemorative short sword and scabbard gifted by Chiang Kai-shek By: unknown Material: iron, metal, paint, bronze, copper, wood, sh...

A Napoleon III sword in gilt brass. Handle is decorated with 2 mother of pearl plates. Urn shaped pommel. Knuckle guard transitioning into cross guard. Guard plate with eagle. Black ...

This important and unique sword was presented to the famed French painter Jean-Gabriel Domergue to commemorate the painter's election to the illustrious Académie des Beaux-Arts in 1950. One of the highest honors bestowed on a French artist, the ceremonial induction into the French Academy has been accompanied by the presentation of a sword since the age of Napoléon. Rather than a weapon, the sword became part of the Academician's uniform, and, over time, its design came to represent the interests and aspirations of its recipient. This example was designed entirely by Domergue's wife Odette, a great sculptor in her own right, and thus it represents both a highly personal gift and an important art historical relic. The design of the sword is simply magnificent. Odette Domergue found her inspiration in antiquity, a theme that is also seen in the neoclassical sculptures that occupy the gardens of the couple's famous home, Villa Fiesole - also known as Villa Domergue - in Cannes. The impressive weapon boasts a solid gold handle that takes the form of a sinuous caryatid, who is nude save for a single swath of drapery. While the female figure recalls the sculpted supports prevalent in ancient Greek architecture, she also calls to mind the subjects for which Domergue was renowned - languorous, slightly risqué women with a seductive air. Other decorative elements such as fauna, cypresses, and grotesque heads enhance the whimsy and imagination of the incredible neoclassical design. Furthermore, the scabbard that contains the finely etched blade is also an impeccable work of art. Crafted of black Moroccan leather in imitation of the snake skin, it displays intricately engraved foliage patterns with a lion's head and Domergue's coat of arms. Though imagined by his wife, the sword was expertly chiseled by the celebrated goldsmith R. Delsinne and assembled by the atelier of the famed sculptor and medalist Raymond Delamarre...