An original French or Batavian Republic sword knot (dragonne) for a sous-officer, dating from the Revolutionary period.

The piece is distinguished by its broad red woven strap and substantial tassel worked in contrasting red and metallic threads. Sword knots of this type formed part of the military equipment of sous-officers, serving both as a practical attachment to the weapon and as an indication of rank.

The attribution to the French or Batavian Republic places the piece within the turbulent period following the French Revolution, when French military influence extended strongly into the Netherlands and the Batavian Republic.

A particularly attractive surviving piece of late-18th/early-19th-century military dress, retaining strong colour and much of its original textile construction.