Small-sword, thought to have belonged to Rear-Admiral Robert Keeler (active 1756-1790). The hilt of the small-sword consists of an olive-shaped steel pommel, pas d'ane rings, two shells and a plain knuckle-guard. The straight, double-edged steel blade is very rusted. Of the engravings on the obverse of the blade only a few traces of lines remain as the small-sword is much rusted. The reverse of the blade is engraved with a number which is thought to be '1722' and a German wolf mark. The third figure of the date is the only one about which there is any doubt, as the small-sword is much rusted at this point. A label attached to the small-sword states that it belonged to a 'Captain Keeler'.
Rear-Admiral Robert Keeler (active 1756-1790) became a Lieutenant on the 26th August 1756 and a Commander on the 4th September 1759. He was promoted to the rank of Captain on the 19th May 1761 and to a Superannuated Rear-Admiral on the 22nd September 1790. This small-sword is evidently the weapon that is recorded as 'a rapier', which was presented to the National Maritime Museum by Sir Bruce Ingram in 1935.