Vintage Replica of Jose de San Martin's Curved Saber in Sheath. A tassel is affixed to the pommel, with a gilt bottom and a star-like shape in the middle of the sheath head as well as two circular belt attachments. The original historic weapon was acquired by the general in London and used throughout the South American wars of independence, favored for the curved design for cavalry charges and later acquired en masse to equip his Mounted Grenadiers unit with similar sabers. In his will, he bequeathed the weapon to Governor Juan Manuel de Rosas as a tribute to the governor's firm defense of Argentine honor against foreign interests. After being held by various families and eventually donated to the National Historical Museum in 1897, the sword was stolen twice in the 1960s by political activists. Following its second recovery in 1965, definitive custody was granted to the Mounted Grenadiers Regiment, where it remains securely displayed in a custom gazebo to this day. An inscription of the general's name on the side of the blade indicates both its origins and his enduring popularity throughout the Old and New Worlds. 

Size: 23 1/2 x 4 1/4 in. 

José Francisco de San Martín (1778-1850) was an Argentinian general and a pivotal leader in South America’s successful struggle for independence from the Spanish Empire. After serving in the Spanish military during the Peninsular War, he returned to Buenos Aires in 1812 to join the revolutionary cause in the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata. He famously organized the Army of the Andes and executed a daring crossing of the mountain range to liberate Chile following victories at Chacabuco and Maipú. In 1821 he seized Lima and was appointed Protector of Peru, officially declaring the nation's independence from royalist rule. However, following an 1822 meeting with Simón Bolívar in Guayaquil, San Martín resigned his command and went into self-imposed exile in France, refusing to become a dictator who would enforce the rule of law on a united continent. Today he is revered as a national hero in Argentina, Chile, and Peru, and remains celebrated as one of the great "Liberators" of South America. 

All items are sold AS IS. Lot and condition details are for descriptive purposes only. Sarasota Estate Auction is not responsible for errors and/or omissions of condition. The absence of a condition report does not imply that the lot is perfect or free from wear, flaws, or characteristics of age. Please bid according to your own expertise, or request any additional information and/or photographs you deem necessary.