Fighting sword of a Midshipman or Warrant Officer. The sword consists of a gilt brass stirrup guard extending via escutcheon shaped langets to an upward curved quillon with a dsic finial. The langets are engraved with the foul anchor. Smooth domed pommel and back-piece. Black fishskin grip with three copper wires. The guard is pierced by a slot near the pommel for a sword-knot (missing). The blade is steel, straight and flat-backed with traces of gilt and blueing. The blade is engraved with foliage and military foliage.

The scabbard is made of black leather with two gilt brass lockets and chape with a small shoe. Engraved on the reverse of the top locket: Hunter Boyd & Co/Edinburgh and below this a foliated monogramme JB. On the obverse is engraved: Nile/Copenhagen/Trafalgar.

A paper label is attached to the top locket with the following manuscript notes: "No 5 -1825 Dress sword of a Master or Warrant Officer. This sword was worn at the Nile (1798) Copenhagen (1801) and Trafalgar (1805). It might have belonged to the Master of the Fleet'. As Hunter & Boyd were only in association 1809-1810 and as the scabbard seems original for this sword which is of the 1805 pattern, the sword may be dated accordingly. It cannot have been worn at any of the battles mentioned on the scabbard and there is no justification for any of the comments on the label. The comparatively small size of this weapon may indicate that it belonged to a Midshipman but it could equally have been worn by a Warrant Officer.