Beautiful brigade or division general's sword, model derived - Lot 231

Beautiful brigade or division general's sword, model derived from that of Year VI (20 Thermidor Year VI - August 7, 1798), from the descendants of Rear Admiral Infernet, attributed by family tradition to General Masséna: Chased and gilded brass guard, quiver-shaped right crosspiece with arrows and bow on the front, engraved with scales on the back, the body knot bears a chased shield-shaped keypad in the center of an upright rooster on the front, and a simpler, perpendicular shield engraved with scales on the back; The pommel is spinner-shaped, engraved with Greek and laurel leaves, and has an acorn-shaped top. The fluted ebony spindle is adorned on the front with a staff thunderbolt carved with lightning bolts, and at the base with a ring carved with oak leaves. Diamond-section blade, with two central grooves on each side, engraved, gilded and one-third blued. Chagrin-covered wooden scabbard, three gilded brass fittings and splints; chape engraved with half-rosettes of laurel leaves and embellished with a guilloche ring, decorated with pearls and foliage in continuation with the scabbard entrance; rectangular chape knob with cut sides, chased with a Medusa head; central trim engraved with a staff thunderbolt, decorated with two rings in a row, the trapezoidal ends engraved with scales; bolt decorated with two rings in a row and engraved, in the middle, with a caduceus, and, at the rear, with oak leaves; nicely cut dart; splints engraved with fillets and light decoration. Total length 94 cm. Made by a Parisian fourbisseur, perhaps Juste (1786/1818) or Dupont (circa 1780/1823). Directoire period. Very good condition. PROVENANCE: descendants of Rear-Admiral Louis Antoine Cyprien INFERNET, through his wives. This sword is said to have been given to him by his first cousin, General, then Marshal, André MASSÉNA, who received as a national award his divisional general's sword from the Manufacture de Versailles, BOUTET directeur artiste, on 29 ventôse an VII (March 19, 1799), fitted with its scarlet leather, gold-embroidered shoulder strap (known at the time as a "bricole"), inventoried at no. 234, at a price of 1,200 francs (reference Musée de l'Armée archives). The sword we are presenting is certainly the one owned by General MASSÉNA before, and which he may no longer have worn after receiving the one from the Manufacture de Versailles. Presumably, he later offered it to his cousin. This sword could not have been worn by Admiral INFERNET, as at that time he was only a capitaine de vaisseau (a rank equivalent to colonel in the army), and it is not a naval sword. Moreover, his appointment as rear-admiral was not made until his retirement on July 1, 1814, confirmed during the Hundred Days by decree on May 4, 1815. INFERNET Louis Antoine Cyprien, born in Nice on July 11, 1756 (two years before MASSÉNA in the same town) † in Toulon, rue Bonaparte, n° 25, on May 4, 1815, first cousin of MASSÉNA on his mother's side. He began his career as a novice on May 8, 1770, then as a seaman on January 26, 1771, on the Cheval Marin, then served as a writer on the same ship. He joined the royal navy as a sailor on March 9, 1776, on the frigate L'Atalante, stationed in the Levant; he was then taken on board as helmsman on April 14, 1777, on the 64th vessel La Provence, fitted out at Toulon for a Mediterranean cruise (April/December 1777); helmsman, February 28, 1778, on the 64 vessel Le Vaillant, as part of Comte d'Estaing's naval army (February 1778/December 1779), campaigning in America and the West Indies; assistant pilot on the 118th vessel Le Terrible (June/December 1780); then auxiliary officer on January 15, 1781, on the 74th vessel Le Scipion; first pilot on February 27, 1781, on the 74th vessel Le César; battle of Fort-Royal, capture of Tobago, battle of the Chesapeake on September 5, 1781, siege and surrender of Yorktown... Wounded in the right leg at the Battle of Les Saintes on April 12, 1782, against Rodney's English squadron, he was taken prisoner of war. He was commissioned a merchant captain on November 23, 1786. He returned to commercial service as second captain on April 3, 1787, on Le Surveillant (April 1787/August 1789)... With the Revolution and the outbreak of hostilities with England, he re-entered the service of the State Navy, with the rank of ensign on December 10, 1792; appointed lieutenant on March 1, 1793; commander of the frigate La Vestale, stationed at Villefranche (April 27, 1793/May 8, 1795); captain of the frigate La Vestale, stationed at Villefranche (April 27, 1793/May 8, 1795); captain of the frigate La Vestale, stationed at Villefranche (April 27, 1793/May 8, 1795); captain of the frigate La Vestale, stationed at Villefranche (April 27, 1793/May 8, 1795).