Lot Nr.6254

Prince Adalbert of Prussia (1811-1873),

nephew of King Friedrich Wilhelm IV and Kaiser Wilhelm I, Supreme Commander of the Prussian Navy from 1849 on, Admiral of the Prussian Coasts with the rank of Lieutenant General in 1854, promoted to Admiral in 1859, General Inspector of the Prussian Navy from 1871 until his death.
A Presentation Sabre commemorating the first battle fought by the Prussian Navy on 7 August 1856 at Cap Tres Forcas (Morocco). Slightly curved single-edged blade (lightly cleaned) with double-edged point, the etched inscription "Kap Tres Forcas" on the obverse side and "7 August 1855" on the reverse. Finely worked, relief decorated brass hilt with partially preserved fire-gilding, a lion's head pommel, and stamped collection? number. Ivory grip cover with brass wire winding. Length 93.5 cm. Black leather scabbard with three brass fittings retaining remnants of gilding. The locket engraved with the Prince's crowned cipher "A".
An important sabre from the possessions of the founder of the Prussian Navy.
The Prince, who was known from his youth as a vehement supporter for a strong Prussian Navy, after the painful experiences of the 1848 campaign when Danish gun boats slaughtered Prussian cavalry on the Nübel Plateau, took the first opportunity to employ his young navy in the summer of 1856. After manoeuvres under his command at Madeira that summer, he took the "Danzig" on a so-called "reconnaissance voyage" along the coast of Rif-Kabyle, where a Prussian sailing brig had been plundered by pirates in 1852. He had the "Danzig's" boats cruise along that coast until they came under rifle fire. He then immediately assembled a landing party of 68 men under his command, but it was unable to take the beach in the face of the numerical superiority of the Rif-Kabyles. There were seven dead, 12 badly and 10 lightly wounded, including the Prince himself. Although he did not receive the royal recognition from the King for this first naval fight, it did serve to make the navy noticed. General von Gerlach wrote to Bismarck: "I cannot agree with the Prince Admiral's human denunciation from so many sides. A few drops of royal blood fertilize the Army's honour, and it was good for our maiden flag to behave well under fire, even if the outcome was unfortunate". See: Duppler, Prinz Adalbert von Preußen - Gründer der deutschen Marine, p. 55.

Condition: II-

Limit: 15000 EURO