Small-sword which belonged to Alderman Joshua Jonathan Smith (active 1810-1844), Lord Mayor of London 1810-1811. The hilt of the small-sword consists of a gilt knuckle-bow, which is decorated with a row of bright diamond-shaped steel studs inserted at the centre of the knuckle-bow. The small-sword has a gilt vase-shaped pommel, which is decorated around its outside edge with a ring of steel studs. The fluted gilt grip is divided up into four panels by four rows of steel studs. The small-sword has double quillons with rounded turned-up ends, which have a steel stud in the centre on both sides. The flat oval shell has an outer and inner ring of bright steel studs on the underside, and a rudimentary pas d'ane. The small-sword has a hollow triangular steel blade. The white or buff vellum scabbard has two gilt lockets and a gilt chape. The top locket bears the words 'Langford No50 Fleet Street'.

The maker of the sword Thomas Langford was a 'haberdasher of hatts' and a sword-cutler with premises at 50, Fleet Street between 1767-1797 when he went out of business. This sword must have been made before 1797 and its style and type date it no later than 1790.

This sword was the subject of a libel action against The Times. An antique dealer called Evans had bought the sword after Alderman Smith's death in 1844 and claimed that it was the sword worn by Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson (1758-1805) at the Battle of Trafalgar. Smith had been a friend of Emma, Lady Hamilton's (circa 1765-1815) and after her death various articles of uniform, cocked hats and this sword were left to him. These items were left in crates and never unpacked. After Smith's death, his wife sold this sword to Evans. When Evans learned that Nelson wore no sword at Trafalgar he advertised it as the one, which was in his cabin during the battle and was that which was on the coffin when lying in state at Greenwich and during the service at St Paul's.

This led to vitriolic correspondence in The Times between Evans and Sir Nicolas Harris Nicolas who asserted that the sword was a civilian's small-sword belonging to Alderman Smith. The sword was eventually acquired by the Royal Hospital at Greenwich although the attribution to Nelson was not accepted. It is possible that the sword belonged to Alderman Smith or Sir William Hamilton (1730-1803).