Five-ball hilted sword, which belonged to Commander Alexander Keeler (died 1831). The hilt of the sword consists of a gilt brass stirrup guard cast with five graduated beads at its mid-point. The stirrup is straight, and extends via a cross-guard to an upturned quillon, which has a disc-shaped finial. The guard is cast in one piece with the quillion, which is also cast with five beads at its mid-point. The guard comes complete with a side-ring. Originally contained within the side-ring was a fretted foul anchor, which is now missing. A replacement foul anchor was made at the National Maritime Museum in 1963, which is also now missing. The sword has a gilt brass cushion pommel of octagonal section with double flutes at the neck. The reeded white ivory grip is encircled with a gilt band supporting on the obverse face an oval gilt plaque bearing an engraved crown over a foul anchor motif. The 'spadroon' pattern steel blade is single-edged with a flat back. The blade is not decorated and bears no marks.

This sword is presumably a development of the 'spadroon', which appeared for use by Infantry Officers in about 1786. There is no means of dating the sword accurately but its owner became a Lieutenant in 1794 and he may have purchased it then. Commander Alexander Keeler (died 1831) became a Lieutenant in 1794 and was promoted to the rank of Commander (ret'd) on the 26th November 1830, he died in 1831.