Sword, which belonged to Admiral Richard Howe, Ist Earl Howe and latterly Admiral of the Fleet (1726-1799). The hilt of the sword consists of a silver gilt guard, a round silver gilt pommel and a small silver gilt pas d'ane. The whole of the hilt is covered with a design executed in low relief, which includes human figures. The obverse of the silver gilt grip is, also, decorated in low relief with a lyre, whilst the reverse of the grip is decorated in low relief with a depiction of Fame's trumpet. The grip also bears the mark of the Paris Assay Office for the year 1759 and an unidentified silversmith's mark. The colichemarde steel blade has been engraved but the engraving is too worn to be identified. The wooden scabbard is covered with parchment, which has been painted white, and has three gilt lockets and a chape. The top locket is decorated with a design in relief and bears the remains of a broken frog hook. The second locket does not appear to be original. The obverse of the chape is decorated with an engraved design.

The hilt of the sword was made in Paris in 1759 and peace was signed four years later. At that time Howe had recently come into a fortune on the death of his elder brother, after having been extremely poor and it would, therefore, seem quite likely that he would have provided himself with an expensive weapon. Howe is said to have given this sword to Captain William Locker (1731-1800) but more likely he left it to him at his death. It remained in the Locker Family until 1963 when it was purchased by the National Maritime Museum. It is believed to be the sword worn by Howe in an oil painting by Henry Perronet Briggs entitled 'Visit of George III to Howe's Flagship, the 'Queen Charlotte', on 26th June 1794' which is held by the National Maritime Museum (see BHC0476).

Howe entered the Navy on board the 'Pearl' in 1739 but probably remained at school for another year. He accompanied Edward Legge in 'Severn' at the start of Anson's voyage round the world but turned back a short time after having rounded Cape Horn. He was promoted to the rank of Captain on 10 April 1746. Commanding the 'Baltimore' sloop, he was seriously wounded in an action with two French privateers on 1 May 1746. In May 1757 he was elected Member of Parliament for Dartmouth. In command of ‘Magnanime’, he took part in the abortive expedition against Rochefort during the same year and various attacks on the French Channel ports in 'Essex' the year following. Under Hawke, he bore a distinguished part in the Battle of Quiberon Bay on 20 November 1759. After peace was declared, Howe accepted a seat at the Admiralty, afterwards being appointed Treasurer of the Navy. He was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 18 October 1770 and to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 5 February 1776.

Also in 1776 Howe was appointed Commander-in-Chief in North America and remained so during the subsequent war until his resignation in 1778. He returned to active service in 1782 as he was promoted to the rank of Admiral on 8 April 1782 and Commander-in-Chief in the Channel and succeeded in getting a convoy through to relieve the besieged fortress of Gibraltar. After a spell as First Lord of the Admiralty, Howe was once again appointed to command the Channel fleet in 1790. He defeated a French fleet in the first major naval action of the French Revolutionary War on 1 June 1794. He was appointed Admiral of the Fleet on the 12 March 1796 and negotiated with the Spithead mutineers, his last official act prior to retirement. He died three years later on 5 August 1799. This sword was a gift or bequest to Captain William Locker (d. 1800), from one of whose descendants it was purchased in 1963 with WPN1248.