Sword

Open half-basket hilted sword, which belonged to Captain George Bohun Martin (1799-1854). The hilt of the sword consists of a gilt openwork half-basket guard with a crown over a foul anchor surrounded by a wreath inserted in the outward bars. The sword has a lion's-head pommel and back-piece, the mane extends the length of the back-piece. The knurled ivory grip is bound with three gilt wires. The steel blade is engraved with a wreath, which has space inside it for the insertion of a name, along with a foul anchor surrounded by a wreath, with a crown above, and the remainder of the decoration is rusted. The reverse of the blade is engraved with the name 'LAMBERT & MACLAURIN, Regent St. Hanover Sq. LONDON' on the shoulder, a space, a foul anchor surrounded by a wreath, with a crown above, and the remainder of the decoration is rusted. The black leather scabbard has two gilt lockets with rings, and chape, which are engraved with threads and scrolls. The sword has a lion's-head frog button on the top locket. The scabbard is now in three pieces. The seam in the leather is on the reverse instead of the obverse. It seems probable that this unusual form of hilt was made by a sword-cutler who had imperfectly understood the newly issued instructions of 1827.

Captain George Bohun Martin was born on the 21st March 1799; he entered the Royal Naval College on the 3rd April 1812; he became a Midshipman on the 11th April 1815; was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on the 17th March 1821; to Commander on the 24th April 1824; to Captain on the 19th April 1828 and he died on the 13th October 1854. He commanded HMS 'Mosquito' at the Battle of Navarino.

Object Details

ID: WPN1150
Collection: Weapons
Type: Sword
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Lambert & Maclaurin
Places: Pilos
Events: Greek War of Independence, Battle of Navarino, 1827
Vessels: Mosquito 1825 [HMS]
Date made: 1827
People: Martin, George Bohun
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Overall: 90 x 970 x 120 mm
Parts: Sword