Continental Austrian Bronze Lion Head Sword with Scabbard

American Victorian bronze presentation sword with an American crest and eagle plate over the handle (inscribed behind handle)

English Renaissance (19th Century) curved sword with brass fluted handle and black leather scabbard. Condition: Good; Minor losses

English Victorian burl wood cane with large brass ball top and fluted sleeve.

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

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...

Sword with Wrought Iron Blade with Traces of Gold on Hilt with Leather Cover Sheath

The, antique classic xiphos style blade was crafted in Greece, circa 2000. The old world sword features a double edge blade with two griffins and intricate motifs on both sides. The ...

This curved sword has a blued steel German blade with an ivory cross-hatched grip bearing silver and gilt mounts in the form of a lion’s head and mane. ...