BEAUTIFUL PRESENT SABER GIVEN BY GENERAL DE DIVISION MERLE (1766-1830), TO CAPTAIN ADJUDANT DE PLACE GUISSE. Finely checkered ebony handle. Chased, gilded brass mounting. Short-skirted lion's head cap, ending in fish scales and palmettes. Guard with two inverted quillons with flower-shaped ends and two oval Bellone-headed auricles on a radiating background. Superb curved blade with round back, counter-edge and gutter running the length of the back, marked "Coulaux Frères" on the heel, engraved, gilded and one-third blued, with laurel wreath, flowers and foliage on one side, crowned eagle in cartouche, military attributes, lictor beam, flags, trumpets, axes, cannons, shield decorated with eye and cannonballs; on the other side, a helmet emblazoned with a crowned eagle on a laurel wreath and in a cartouche inscribed "Don fait par Monsieur le Général de Division Merle Gouverneur de Braunau à Monsieur Guisse" and military attributes, spears, ensigns, lictor beam, breastplate, snake-decorated shield, sword, cannon, cannonballs, marked on the heel "Manufacture de Klingenthal", "Coulaux frères"; all on a gold background. Blued iron scabbard, patinated, with four brass fittings, cut out, gilded, with repoussé decoration in ovals, of military attributes, bundle of flags, empanelled helmet, laurel branches, cannon, shield, powder keg, cannonballs, timbales, quivers, flowered urns, geometric motifs and foliage. Iron sting. Fruit and foliage ring pitons, two gilded iron rings. B.E. First Empire period (restored crack to ebony handle on back). Accompanied by a six-page handwritten letter to the Ministry of War. "French Republic", dated "March 7, 1932", relating the service record of Jean Louis Guisse. Signed by Commandant Lasseray of the Army Staff.... quoting Merle's opinion of December 10, 1807..." I, the undersigned, certify that Mr. Guisse, Captain Adjutant of the place, has for fifteen months been employed under my orders in the fortress of Braunau, served with as much zeal as intelligence, and paying homage to the truth, I must say that the activity of this soldier has begged for a staff officer who would have been indispensable for the surveillance required by the war service of this place, if Captain Guisse had not devoted himself day and night to fulfilling his arduous duties. In addition to his wound (shrapnel in the right leg), he was shot in the left cheek on the day he was taken prisoner by the Prussians. He was shot again in the leg......... ". Historical background: Napoleon attached great importance to the possession of Braunau, "which can be considered one of the finest acquisitions of the army". He added in his correspondence: "I am delighted with the capture of Braunau, it is one of the keys to Austria". To lead this key position, he chose an energetic and prudent commander, General Merle. As soon as he was appointed governor of Braunau, General Merle had to complete his staff. Guisse played a major role in this organization, as an 1807 notice states that "general" Guisse, "commander of the Braunau position", had left the position on August 8, 1807, for Paris. BRAUNAU-BROUMOU BRÜNN-BRNO, Czechoslovak town in southern Moravia, 148 km northeast of Prague.