Open half-basket hilted sword, which belonged to Admiral John Lort Stokes 1812-1885. The hilt of the sword consists of a gilt open half-basket guard with raised bars and a crown and anchor badge. There is a folding flap on the inside of the guard. The sword has a lion's-head pommel and back-piece, the mane extending a third of the length of the back-piece. The fish-skin grip is bound with gilt wires.

The slightly curved steel blade is pipe-backed with a double-edged spear point. The obverse of the blade is engraved with the words 'Warranted; Widdowson & Veale Sword Cutlers to Prince Albert 73 Strand, London', the Royal arms, and a crown and anchor motif. The reference to Prince Albert means that the blade was made not earlier than 1840.

The black leather scabbard has one gilt locket with a ring on both sides and a gilt chape. Both the locket and the chape are engraved with oak leaves and scrolls. The sword-cutler's name and address is engraved on the top locket. The scabbard is mysterious as it is a Flag Officer's pattern scabbard dated to between 1847-1856, but the owner of the sword did not become a Flag Officer until 1864.

Admiral John Lort Stokes 1812-1885 was a hydrographical surveyor of some distinction in his day. He served for many years aboard the 'Beagle' and was one of the Officers aboard that vessel with Charles Darwin between 1831-1836. He entered the Royal Navy in 1824 and was promoted to the rank of Flag Officer in 1864. He was promoted to the rank of Admiral on the 1st August 1877 and died in 1885. See WPN1025, which also belonged to Admiral John Lort Stokes 1812-1885.