Solid half-basket hilted sword, which belonged to Admiral Thomas Barnardiston (1833-1907). The hilt of the sword consists of a gilt solid 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 the length of the back-piece. The fish-skin grip is bound with gilt wires. The sword knot consists of blue and gold rope, with a vellum basketwork head and twelve gold bullions. The flat-backed steel blade is slightly curved with a double-edged spear point. The blade is engraved on the shoulder with a proof mark, and is decorated with the Royal arms and mottoes and bears the words 'Henry Wilkinson Gun and Sword Maker Pall Mall London', along with a crown and anchor motif, and the number '6388'. The black leather scabbard has two gilt lockets, rings and chape. The top locket has two rings, one on each side. All of the mounts are ornamented with fluted threads. The sword hangs vertically from two short slings of equal length and has no mid locket. The sword conforms to the regulations of 1847. Admiral Thomas Barnardiston purchased the sword from Henry Wilkinson on the 1st February 1856, when he was a Lieutenant. The National Maritime Museum also holds Admiral Thomas Barnardiston's Baltic and Abyssinia medals.