Get To The Point

...But not with this blade...

FONTAINEBLEAU, France — "After more than 200 years in the family, the gold-encrusted sword Napoleon carried into battle in Italy will be auctioned off this weekend, across the street from one of his imperial castles.

The intricately decorated blade is 32 inches long and curves gently — an inspiration Napoleon drew from his Egyptian campaign, auctioneer Jean-Pierre Osenat said.

"He noticed that the Arab swords, which were curved, were very effective in cutting off French heads" and ordered an imitation made upon his return, Osenat explained.

The design is of course that of a scimitar. Favored by horseman, it allows a continuous slicing action that prevents the sword from being lodged in the body of an opponent. The Romans and Greeks...pretty good blade designers... favored weapons that caused damage as they inflicted stabbing or thrusting blows, but they for the most part distrusted cavalry hence the paucity of curved swords. Hack and slash became all the rage when knights in shiny armor took the field, and it was quite a while before the Italian sword masters reintroduced getting back to the point. Thrusting requires skill. Hacking and slicing not much more than sheer brawn or momentum as when swung from the back of a racing steed. The perfect sword is one that features both a good point as well as the strength to swing away without shattering should the need arise.

If you've a spare million and a half stashed in the mattress nows your chance to own a piece of history. But, you must have an address in fwance and the sword has to live there for 5 to 6 months of each year. John Kerry would fit the bill just fine, but I am unaware of whether or not his acumen with the blade equals his proficiency with a shotgun.

UPDATE

FONTAINEBLEAU, France — "A gold-encrusted sword Napoleon wore into battle in Italy was sold on Sunday for more than $6.4 million at an auction south of Paris, the auction house said.

The last of Napoleon's swords in private hands, it had been expected to fetch more than $1.6 million, the Osenat auction house, managing the sale, said. The buyer was not immediately identified."

Dayum. The bidding must have been fast and furious. In the Fontainebleau of Napoleon's day, a Frenchie could carry the most modern of weapons for his protection, but alas no longer. Forget about getting a license to carry unless one is a high ranking politician or only one. And hollowpoints are banned from the entire country itself because the Frenchies are so afraid the moslems will get their hands on such deadly stuff.