Austria, Empire. An M1861 Infantry Officer’s Saber

Standard issue M1861 model that  features  a nickel-plated steel blade, narrow, slight curvature, single-edge measuring 76 cm in length, with runner marks, very fine. 

The hilt of the saber consists of a hilt and grip. The hilt is wooden, covered with sharkskin; straight, oval in cross-section, with a beveled upper part, wrapped along nine transverse grooves with triple wire that has become loose overtime. The back of the hilt is covered with a concave metal bar, smoothly passing into a rounded head, fixed with an oval nut on the blade shank. The guard is white metal, formed by a protective shackle with a bend reminiscent of the “blucher” shackle. The scabbard exhibits surface rust, and is all-metal. The scabbard includes two collars, the upper one with a soldered bracket, the lower one with a ring, 92 cm overall and fine.