Vintage French Sabre à Champagne

This wonderful Sabre à Champagne on its stand is made from Inox and is engraved with the word Champagne with an image of grapes. The handle is mother of pearl style with brass and has its tassel. The stand is wood and measures w 48cm x d 8 x h 1.5cm. The Sabre itself measures a length of 44cm. The set weighs 972 grms. A grand gift from France for the wine connoisseur. Postage from France included.

What is a Sabre used for?
Sabrage is a technique for opening a champagne bottle with a Saber, used for ceremonial occasions. The wielder slides the saber along the body seam of the bottle to the lip to break the top of the neck away, leaving the neck of the bottle open and ready to pour. The force of the blunt side of the blade hitting the lip breaks the glass to separate the collar from the neck of the bottle. One does not use the sharp side of the blade. The cork and collar remain together after separating from the neck.

The technique became popular in France when the army of Napoleon visited many of the aristocratic Domains. It was just after the French Revolution and the Saber was the weapon of choice of Napoleon’s light cavalry (the Hussars). Napoleon’s spectacular victories across all Europe gave them plenty of reason to celebrate. During these parties the cavalry would open the champagne with their Sabers. Napoleon, who was known to have said, “Champagne! In victory one deserves it; in defeat one needs it”, may have encouraged this.
There are many stories about this tradition. One of the more spirited tales is that of Madame Clicquot, who had inherited her husband’s small Champagne house at the age of 27. She used to entertain Napoleon’s officers in her vineyard, and as they rode off in the early morning with their complimentary bottle of champagne, they would open it with their Saber to impress the rich young widow