Extremely rare, First Empire, late 18th C smallsword for the founders of the "Institute of Egypt".

Extremely rare, First Empire, late 18th C. smallsword for the founders of the "Institute of Egypt". Bronze gilded hilt designed by Nicolas-Noel Boutet at Versailles. The early ones were made in gilt bronze for the Institute founding members in Cairo. The versions made on the return to France were silver. Triangular blade engraved, blued and gilded to the third. Marking on the heel of the blade on the gilding: "ICB" signature of JOHAN & CLEMES BOEGEL in SOLINGEN. The scabbard is made of black leather with gold plated brass fittings. On August 22, 1798, General Napoleon Bonaparte founded the “Institute of Egypt,” whose scientific members were charged with studying ancient and modern Egypt through different fields. It was created by modeled on the National Institute of France. The institute was organized into sections that cover all the topics of interest and study in mathematics, physics, political economy, literature and arts by the Commission des Sciences et des Arts. The society first met on 24 August 1798, with Gaspard Monge as president, Bonaparte himself as vice-president and Joseph Fourier and Costaz as secretaries. An exceptionally rare item for collecting artifacts from the times of the First Empire. Length 94 cm.