Naval Officer's Sabre of Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich

This naval officer's sabre was a gift to Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich (1827–1892), the second son of Emperor Nicholas I. As General Admiral, he headed the naval ministry from 1853, and from 1855 he ran the fleet with the rights of a minister. The blade was forged in Toledo, Spain, and the mounting was made in St Petersburg.

The main decoration of the blade is a pierced presentation inscription in Spanish: "To Grand Duke Konstantin from the Duke of Osuna". In 1859 the title was held by Mariano Téllez-Girón (1814–1882), a Spanish diplomat who represented Spain in St Petersburg in 1856–1868. At the base of the blade the words "Anno de 1859" are etched and gilded, and on the other side "FABRICA DE TOLEDO". The Royal Arms Factory of Toledo was founded by King Charles III in 1761.

The 74 cm blade is decorated for 42 cm from the hilt with etching, bluing, pierced work, gilding, chasing and engraving. The inscription is set in a frame of foliate ornament, with pierced lozenges and circles beside it; near the base is the gilded coat of arms of the Russian Empire, and towards the point a palmette with acanthus scrolls. The brass guard has three bars, and the wooden grip is covered with black mastic and wound with 19 turns of twisted wire. The tang bears the mark BARRIE, and the crossguard the mark "V. Skosyrev".