SABRETACHE plate found--- help?

[Finnishlion178]

Hello Everyone,

                          I recently pick this item from a well known auction website and I was wondering if anyone would happen to know anything about this plate? I know that it was found in Cannes, in 1884 but do not know if it's from the Italians in the Great Armee or maybe even from the Kingdom of Sardinia? Could it happen to be from a later date? I am grateful for any aid that anyone can give.

[Owen]

This doesn't look like an imperial French eagle - hard to see the detail and looks as though the top of the shield is missing,so not sure if a single or double headed eagle.   It also appears to have a cross in the centre.  The shape of the body/wings, together with the cross, look like a Prussian/Austrian eagle.     This is wild guesswork with no intimate knowledge, however, as a starter for 10, the Vienna crest has  similar eagle with cross at the centre....might be worth investigating:

Coat of arms of the Austrian federal state of Vienna

Owen