French infantry soldier's cleaver of the 1831 model

Общая длина без ножен: 640 мм.
Длина клинка: 485 мм.
Ширина клинка у пяты: 46 мм.
Длина ножен: 517 мм.

The blade is steel, straight, double-edged, without lobes, with a 6-sided heel. The tip of the blade is shaped like a carp's tongue. The hilt is brass, solid cast, and consists of a handle and a crosspiece. The handle is barrel-shaped, with transverse grooves. The handle head is oval in shape with a rivet, made in the shape of a semicircular cap. The crosspiece is straight with round ends. The scabbard is made of leather with a brass device consisting of a mouth with a fixed suspension bracket and a tip with a ball.

• the base of the blade is stamped with the inscription "Talabot PARIS" — the brand of the French manufacturer, mainly found on the cleavers of French infantry soldiers.


• Crosspiece /mouth of the scabbard: "193" - the stamp of the army acceptance, the number of the cleaver.


• The crosspiece at the bottom / base of the blade: the stamped abbreviation "P.R." is applied - the stamp of the inspection acceptance.


• The leather of the scabbard: the poorly readable stamped brand of the manufacturer (?) is applied.


• The tip of the scabbard: "9" in the rhombus and "B" in the rhombus are the stamps of the inspection acceptance.

The item is in good collector's condition. Minor surface corrosion marks on the blade. Scuff marks on the leather of the scabbard.

The cleaver was in service with the soldiers of the French army from 1831 to 1871. During its use, the cleaver has undergone a number of successful and not very successful changes. On September 6, 1846– the manufacture of the Manso scabbard from pressed leather with a side seam was started. The tip was mounted inside with a cone with a rod, which was inserted through a vertical hole in the rivet, thus eliminating the need to rivet and glue the tip. December 14, 1852 – a blade with one median lobe. October 19, 1855 – an indication of the designation of the model in the following words: "Troupe a pied, Mle. 1831" ("Infantry troops, Model 1831"). At the same time, the following description is given in a memo for artillery officers in 1856: "the cleaver has the same characteristics as the 1831 model, and differs only in size." Small cleavers were worn and acquired by the guards, and even smaller cleavers were worn by the sutlers in the infantry troops.