Naval cutlass. The hilt of the cutlass consists of a figure-of-eight guard. The guard is of blackened steel bent round from the tang to form an oval shell, the centre part of the trailing edge of which is bent over. The knuckle guard is enlarged to form an oval nearly as large as the shell. Cast iron grooved grip. Blade; steel, curved (falchion form) and flat-backed to the point with a shallow groove near the back edge. Inscriptions: stamped with crown over GR. The cutlass has an all metal scabbard fitted with two rings for suspension. The figure-of-eight or two disc hilt was in use in the early nineteenth century but this type of blade is not usual with this hilt. This pattern cutlass was introduced in 1814 - very few were produced and they may have been copied from the American cutlass used in the War of 1812. See WPN1409.