Measuring 37 3/4 inches overall, the lightly engraved and gold highlighted blade runs 32 1/4 inches, starting in a trefoil configuration for the first 17 1/4 inches before transitioning into a hexagonal cross-section, ending with a lozenge cross section at the tip. No maker's marks are present. Gold finished hilt, with a floral decorated ball quillon and knuckleguard, a wide languet featuring a bust of a woman flanked by griffins, and a pair of smooth mother of pearl grip panels bearing golden badges depicting a pharaoh wearing a traditional head dress. Notes provided by the consignor suggest that this sword was part of a small batch produced by Jean le Pale, gunsmith to Louis XVI before the revolution and to Napoleon personally afterwards, intended to be presented to the Generals in the Egyptian Campaign as well as members of the Institute d'Egypte, the cultural and scientific expedition that traveled with Napoleon's forces. Though the expedition was a failure for France as a whole, Napoleon in particular managed to come out relatively clean, claiming multiple tactical and strategic victories while pinning the overall performance in the campaign on one of his subordinate officers. The overall design combines features of the small sword, with it's overall light and agile profile, with the colichemarde, which used differing cross-sections to retain rigidness in parrying without compromising thrusting speed, as well as a rigidly mounted and thoroughly adorned hilt.

Fine hilt. The fair blade shows a mixed gray patina overall, with strong gold highlighting in the engraving, extensive amount of pitting and mild handling marks. The gold finish is strong on the hilt, with very fine detail in the decoration and a few tiny chips visible on the mother of pearl. A highly attractive European sword, attributed to one of the most important campaigns of Napoleon's military career.