La Sabretache

La Sabretache — formally the Société des collectionneurs de figurines et des amis de l'histoire militaire — is a French cultural association dedicated to the study and preservation of military history. Founded in 1891 by a circle of painters, officers and collectors, it is one of the oldest military history societies in the world. It is governed by the French law of 1901 on associations and is officially recognised as being of public utility (reconnue d'utilité publique). The society takes its name from the sabretache, a flat leather pouch worn on the belt by cavalry officers in the 17th and 18th centuries. The first object donated to the society's nascent collection was a sabretache from the Consulate period, and the name was adopted by the twelve founding personalities, among them the military painters Édouard Detaille and Meissonier. Detaille became the society's first president. Its original purpose was to lobby the military authorities for the creation of a Musée de l'Armée; that museum was subsequently established at the Invalides. La Sabretache publishes Le Carnet de la Sabretache, a quarterly review of military history and uniformology that has appeared in Paris since 1893, interrupted only during the two World Wars. It also issues thematic hors-série dossiers that are reference works in uniformology, militaria collecting, historical reenactment and Napoleonic figurine circles. The society maintains a specialised library of more than 6,000 volumes at Rueil-Malmaison, along with extensive iconographic documentation, regimental files and biographical dossiers. Membership includes free access to the Musée de l'Armée in Paris. With around 1,100 members, both institutional and individual, La Sabretache organises friendly meetings at its headquarters, a monthly lunch, lecture series known as the "entretiens de la Sabretache", and an annual military history trip in France or abroad. In 1971 it merged with the Société des collectionneurs de figurines historiques, and its statutes were adapted to reflect a mission of preserving the memory of the French armies and promoting military history through uniformology, vexillology and historical figurines. Its motto, borrowed from the Colonel-Général Infanterie regiment, is "Praeteriti fides exemplumque futuri" — fidelity to the past and example for the future. In 2020 it entered a partnership with La Compagnie d'Elite and the company Epopées.

La Sabretache was founded in 1891 in a climate of patriotic fervour that followed the French defeat of 1870 and the subsequent rebuilding of the army. A group of friends — painters, officers and collectors passionate about military history — were inspired by the success of the pavilion dedicated to the glory of the French armies at the 1889 Exposition Universelle. They resolved to campaign for the creation of a Musée de l'Armée. The first object obtained through a press appeal was a sabretache from the Consulate period. The painters Meissonier and Detaille, together with ten other civilian and military figures, gave the name of that object to the military archaeology society they decided to found. Its primary aim was to persuade the military authorities to establish the Musée de l'Armée. Édouard Detaille, the great specialist in military painting, became the society's first president. It was legally recognised in 1893, the year the first Carnet de la Sabretache appeared. A few years later the museum its founders had called for was created at the Invalides. La Sabretache continued its military history studies, and the Carnets became a mine of information in that field. Governed by the law of 1901, the society is, like the Souvenir Français, recognised as being of public utility. It has 1,100 members and welcomes both institutions and private individuals. Apart from a period of dormancy during the two World Wars, its Carnets have appeared without interruption since its foundation. Its centenary was marked in 1993 by a fine exhibition at the Musée national de la Légion d'honneur. Besides the Carnet, which is published four times a year including a special issue devoted to a particular army, arm or unit, the society offers its members friendly meetings at its headquarters, a monthly lunch, lectures known as the "entretiens de la Sabretache", and an annual military history trip in France or abroad. Its heritage includes a specialised library of more than 6,000 volumes, extensive and often unpublished iconographic documentation, files on troop corps, units and services, and numerous dossiers on figures linked to military history. In 1971 it merged with the Société des collectionneurs de figurines historiques. Wishing today to play a role in strengthening Army–Nation links, it adapted its statutes: La Sabretache, a society for the study of military history, has the vocation of "preserving the memory and safeguarding from oblivion and destruction the glorious memories of the French armies, and propagating a taste for military history, notably through uniformology, vexillology and historical figurines." Its members strive to maintain the motto of the Colonel-Général Infanterie regiment, which they have adopted as their own: "Praeteriti fides exemplumque futuri" ("Fidelity to the past and example for future generations"). In 2020, La Sabretache entered a partnership with La Compagnie d'Elite and the company Epopées.

• 2020

  Partnership with La Compagnie d'Elite and Epopées.

• 1993

  Centenary marked by an exhibition at the Musée national de la Légion d'honneur.

• 1971

  Merged with the Société des collectionneurs de figurines historiques.

• 1893

  Legally recognised; first issue of Le Carnet de la Sabretache published.

• 1891

  Founded by a group of painters, officers and collectors, including Édouard Detaille and Meissonier.

A learned society and reference publisher in French military history, uniformology and historical figurine collecting.

• Le Carnet de la Sabretache

  Quarterly review of military history and uniformology, published in Paris since 1893.

• Hors-série dossiers

  Thematic special issues that are reference works in uniformology, militaria collecting, historical reenactment and Napoleonic figurines.

1. 1La SABRETACHE - Société des collectionneurs de figurines et des amis de l'histoire militairelasabretache.fr
2. 2Sabretache - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3La Sabretache - Wikipédiafr.wikipedia.org