Small-sword thought to have belonged to Richard, Earl Howe (1726-1799). The hilt has a silver, hall-marked ovoid pommel with swept or curved striations, a silver knuckle bow decorated in the same style as the pommel, embryo pas d'ane rings and inversed, fluted quillions with straight ends, a single heart shaped shell with straight to tongue above the trailing quillion and raised and part straightend bar edges with a cut a the leading point to allow the knuckle bow to pass through it. The ricasso is small and decorated with parrallel, diagonal lines. The grip is of wood covered with a spiral silver gilt ribbon, which, in its turn, is bound with plaited silver wire, also spirally. Two ferrules secure the grip, the lower being circular and the upper, oval to admit the flattend of the grip near the ricasso.

The blade is straight, triangular, of 'Colichemarde' type, and is much damaged by rust. The broad part is 7.4 inches long and each face is hollow from the shoulder to the point. There are traces of engraving for the first 6 inches from the shoulder. The obverse (two faces) is engraved with traces of arabesques and strapwork terminated by a horizontal line. The reverse (one face) is engraved with traces of arabesques and strapwork terminated by a horizontal line which is slightly nearer the hilt than that on the obverse. The black leather scabbard has a silver top locket fitted with a hall-marked silver hook for suspension from a frog. Of a 'colichemarde' shape itself, the scabbard is extensively damaged and the bottom 4 to 5 inches are missing together with any chape which may have been fitted. On the reverse of the locket which has horizontal line engraving all round above the hook is engraved 'HILLMAN, BOND STREET'.

There is no proof, one way or the other, to support the view that Lord Howe once owned this sword save that the date is appropriate. Its hilt strongly resembles that of the sword by Feesey illustrated in J D Aylward's, 'The small sword in England' (plate 40). This hilt is marked with the device of Joseph Bell whose mark was entred in London in 1756. the date-letter indicates the date 1761 - 1762. The Hillman of Bond Street mentioned on the scabbard may be a reference to John Hillman of New Bond Street near Hanover Square who was assembling swords in 1764 at that address. Compare this sword with WPN1056.