Turkish dress sword. The hilt consists of a gilt, solid half basket guard with raised bars. In place of the British crown and anchor badge, there is an anchor with a crescent placed beneath it encircling two flukes. The folding flap is pierced to engage the stud on the top locket of the scabbard (reverse). The hilt is also pierced by a slit near the pommel and by two circular holes near the folding flap. It is fitted with a short up-turned quillion with disc terminals and a lion's head pommel, with prominent tang button, and back-piece, the mane extending to the striated ferrule at the top of the grip. The white fish-skin grip is bound with three gilt wires.

The very slightly curved blade is flat-backed, with a single fuller each side running from the 1.3 inch deep shoulder to within 8.2 inches of the point and is engraved for about three-fifths of its length. The obverse is engraved with a Shield of David within which there is a white metal proof-mark bearing (in very uncertain lettering) the word 'PROVED', and engravings of interwoven ropes and sprays of oak. The shoulder of the reverse is engraved with the words 'GIEVE MATHEWS & SEAGROVE'. Also on the reverse is a spray of oak; blank space for owner's name; interwoven ropes and oak sprays; anchor and crescent badge; and ropes and sprays of oak. The scabbard is missing.

This sword is very like its British contemporary. Two sets of dates are given as there is no evidence as to whether it was made in Porstmouth or in London. The crescent is traditionally the badge of Constantinople/Istanbul and appears too in the Order of the Osmanieh. No star is found with the crescent on the sword but it seems likely that it belongs to Turkey. Only Egypt can be suggested as an alternative as that country too had a navy at this time (under British charge). As, however, Egypt was monarchy and used the Royal crown extensively it would seem probable that it was used on naval swords as well. Apparently, there were only minor differences between British and Turkish naval uniforms in the period of 1900-1914. Therefore, it is possible that British style swords were worn too. The design on the blade (ropes and sprays of oak) is similar to those on the sword of Vice Admiral D T Norris also supplied by Gieves. It seems likely that this blade and sword in general are the work of Joseph Starkey.