Near the mid 1700's the French popularized a variation of the hunting sword pattern usually mounted in silver, with short opposite curving quillons (counterguards) projection as frail counterguards. These dress swords were called "couteau-de-chasse". The early example shown here mounts an ivory grip having brass ropes in its grooves and a rosette-shaped flat pommel. Note that the down-curving quillon also includes the early small final (17th century) at its tip. The substantial double-edged straight blade has two 6 1/2" middle fullers containing star-like marks.
Not all of these delicate cuttoes were mounted in silver. This fine piece, for example, has a brass hilt. Notice, too, the green dyed ivory grip, as well as the curved pommel plate bearing a raised face, and the contemporary designs engraved on the crossguard. Below the elliptical brass washer is the popular curved single-edged cutting blade. Its two fullers measure 1/4" x 17" and 3/8" x 24 1/4"; the false edge is 8 1/2" long. The vulnerability of these ivory hilts is apparent from the chip on the inboard side which reveals its white interior.
The colonial brass pommel head of this example is better defined than many. It is formed from two vertical shells joined at a median seam and secures the wooden grip which does not taper, but provides grooves for steep curving ropes of brass wire. The double-ended counterguard has symmetrical pierced designs that vary sufficiently to identify unskilled hand work. Its curving European blade bears engraved panoplies of arms, as well as the common 18th century "narrow and wide" fuller combination: 1/8" x 20 1/2"; 5/8" x 24 3/4".