PLAQUE DE CEINTURON D'OFFICIER DES GRENADIER OU CHASSEURS À PIED DE LA GARDE IMPÉRIALE, MODÈLE 1804, PREMIER EMPIRE.
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OFFICER'S BELT BUCKLE OF THE GRENADIERS OR CHASSEURS À PIED OF THE IMPERIAL GUARD, model 1804, First Empire.
It is around the middle of the Empire, from 1809 onwards, that this new model appears. Its shape is rectangular with rounded left and right sides. The buckle is made of cast brass with all the decorations and background entirely chiseled and then gilded.
In the center, an eagle turning its head to the left is placed on a spindle from which lightning bolts emerge. The eagle is topped with an imperial crown and is surrounded by a laurel branch (on its right) and an oak branch (on its left). In the bottom center of the spindle, a Legion of Honour star is attached with a ribbon. The background of the buckle is finely sandblasted. The buckle is bordered by a triple molding. At the back, a double prong buckle (one hook missing) and a hook are soldered.
The back of the buckle is simply brushed, it is never gilded on original pieces, and it is lined with a small piece of bleached calfskin.
Height 69.2 mm, width without curvature 89 mm, width with curvature 97 mm, thickness approximately 5 mm.
Height of the rear hook 18 mm, length 22 mm, maximum thickness 4 mm.
Height of the rear prong 62 mm, diameter 4 mm.
Weight 133 grams.
We have studied two authentic buckles in public collections. One is displayed at the Army Museum, with dimensions as follows: height 72 mm, width without curvature 90 mm, width with curvature 98 mm, thickness approximately 4 mm, weight 122 grams. The other comes from the former Raoul and Jean Brunon collections, measuring: height 69.2 mm, width without curvature 90 mm, width with curvature 96 mm.
Perfect condition, original piece retaining all its gilding, rear skin in fairly good condition. This specimen is the only one we have examined with an encircling rod executed with such high-quality engraving.
France.
FIRST EMPIRE.
NOTE
Numerous variations:
Contrary to a widely held belief repeated for many years, Imperial Guard belt buckles are not always decorated with an eagle.
During the Consulate, the commonly found ornament on the Guard's copper pieces is the grenade. At the beginning of the Empire, this emblem is retained. An interesting drawing by Captain Jacques Malassagne, of the 4th regiment of Guard skirmishers, where he depicts himself in 1813, clearly shows his belt buckle decorated with a grenade and his collar. These buckles are rectangular with a gilded plate, a gilded or silvered frame, and a grenade. The frame is differently molded depending on the manufacturing. The grenade may or may not be placed on laurel and oak branches.
However, the most commonly encountered models remain the eagle buckles. Often rectangular in shape, they can be cast or have applied decorations. The plate is gilded brass, framed with a molded rod, and a fixed eagle in the center. The eagle can be gilded or silvered, surrounded or not by oak and laurel leaves. Officers, sourcing directly from specialized merchants, choose the style and quality of their equipment themselves. Therefore, there are no specific models for the Guard Infantry per se.
HISTORICAL
The Guard Infantry is made up of three corps. The Grenadiers à pied, formerly the Consuls' Guard, became the Imperial Guard on the 28th of Floréal An XII (18th May 1804), comprising up to three regiments in 1811, and then four in 1815. The Chasseurs à pied, like the Grenadiers, are attached to the new Guard, divided into two chasseur regiments and one vélite regiment in 1806. The Fusiliers were created on the 19th of October 1806, with a single regiment, soon supplemented by a second on the 15th of December of the same year.
It is around the middle of the Empire, from 1809 onwards, that this new model appears. Its shape is rectangular with rounded left and right sides. The buckle is made of cast brass with all the decorations and background entirely chiseled and then gilded.
In the center, an eagle turning its head to the left is placed on a spindle from which lightning bolts emerge. The eagle is topped with an imperial crown and is surrounded by a laurel branch (on its right) and an oak branch (on its left). In the bottom center of the spindle, a Legion of Honour star is attached with a ribbon. The background of the buckle is finely sandblasted. The buckle is bordered by a triple molding. At the back, a double prong buckle (one hook missing) and a hook are soldered.
The back of the buckle is simply brushed, it is never gilded on original pieces, and it is lined with a small piece of bleached calfskin.
Height 69.2 mm, width without curvature 89 mm, width with curvature 97 mm, thickness approximately 5 mm.
Height of the rear hook 18 mm, length 22 mm, maximum thickness 4 mm.
Height of the rear prong 62 mm, diameter 4 mm.
Weight 133 grams.
We have studied two authentic buckles in public collections. One is displayed at the Army Museum, with dimensions as follows: height 72 mm, width without curvature 90 mm, width with curvature 98 mm, thickness approximately 4 mm, weight 122 grams. The other comes from the former Raoul and Jean Brunon collections, measuring: height 69.2 mm, width without curvature 90 mm, width with curvature 96 mm.
Perfect condition, original piece retaining all its gilding, rear skin in fairly good condition. This specimen is the only one we have examined with an encircling rod executed with such high-quality engraving.
France.
FIRST EMPIRE.
NOTE
Numerous variations:
Contrary to a widely held belief repeated for many years, Imperial Guard belt buckles are not always decorated with an eagle.
During the Consulate, the commonly found ornament on the Guard's copper pieces is the grenade. At the beginning of the Empire, this emblem is retained. An interesting drawing by Captain Jacques Malassagne, of the 4th regiment of Guard skirmishers, where he depicts himself in 1813, clearly shows his belt buckle decorated with a grenade and his collar. These buckles are rectangular with a gilded plate, a gilded or silvered frame, and a grenade. The frame is differently molded depending on the manufacturing. The grenade may or may not be placed on laurel and oak branches.
However, the most commonly encountered models remain the eagle buckles. Often rectangular in shape, they can be cast or have applied decorations. The plate is gilded brass, framed with a molded rod, and a fixed eagle in the center. The eagle can be gilded or silvered, surrounded or not by oak and laurel leaves. Officers, sourcing directly from specialized merchants, choose the style and quality of their equipment themselves. Therefore, there are no specific models for the Guard Infantry per se.
HISTORICAL
The Guard Infantry is made up of three corps. The Grenadiers à pied, formerly the Consuls' Guard, became the Imperial Guard on the 28th of Floréal An XII (18th May 1804), comprising up to three regiments in 1811, and then four in 1815. The Chasseurs à pied, like the Grenadiers, are attached to the new Guard, divided into two chasseur regiments and one vélite regiment in 1806. The Fusiliers were created on the 19th of October 1806, with a single regiment, soon supplemented by a second on the 15th of December of the same year.
Reference :
4037
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FOR ALL PURCHASES, PAYMENT IN MULTIPLE CHECKS POSSIBLE
bertrand.malvaux@wanadoo.fr 06 07 75 74 63
An authenticity certificate of the item including the description published on the site, the period, the sale price, accompanied by one or more color photographs is automatically provided for any item priced over 130 euros. Below this price, each certificate is charged 5 euros.
Only items sold by me are subject to an authenticity certificate, I do not provide any expert reports for items sold by third parties (colleagues or collectors).