Solid half-basket hilted sword. Owned by Admiral R.A. Oliver (1811-1889). The hilt consists of a solid, half-basket guard with raised bars, a crown and anchor badge and a folding flap on the inside. There is a lion's-head pommel, the mane extending one-third of the length of the back-piece and a white fish-skin grip bound with three gilt wires. The slightly curved blade has a pipe back, a double-edged spear point and no shoulder, instead it emerges straight from the hilt. The blade is inscribed with Royal arms and a crown and foul anchor. The black leather scabbard has two gilt lockets, rings and chape. The sword knot is of blue and gold 1891 pattern. The scabbard is not original and neither is the knot. The scabbard may have been produced to conform to the regulations of 1856 but the wide mouth of the top locket and the pointed shoe seem to indicate that it is even later than that. It is a poor fit being nearly 38mm longer than the blade. The sword knot is also of a later pattern. Richard Aldworth Oliver entered the Navy in 1825 and rose to the rank of Admiral 9 March 1884. He was the son of Admiral Robert Dudley Oliver (1766-1818) and grandfather of Captain R. Oliver-Bellasis.