Sword

Stirrup hilted sword. The hilt consists of a gilt stirrup pierced with a slit near the pommel with an upturned quillon with disc terminal. A langet is fitted each side and decorated with a plain border enclosing a frosted ground on which is a foul anchor. The lion's-head pommel and back-piece has a mane extending one-third of the way up to the small decorated ferrule. The white ivory grip is bound with three gilt wires.

The blade is a straight flat-back with a broad fuller running the whole length, the blade bears some traces of gilding and may well once have been partly blued. This blade is also engraved (now faint) for about 330mm. The obverse engravings are a spray of foliage, a foliated representation of the Royal arms (1801-16), above a lion passant, surmounted by a crown, foliage; a trophy of a buoy, anchor, mast and rigging, foliage. On the reverse is a spray of foliage, foul anchor surmounted by a crown, foliated tropy of buoy, gun, flag and mast, an arch surmounted by scrolls and foliage. The scabbard is missing.

This sword is of the pattern introduced in 1805. Its white grip indicates that it was appropriate to an officer above the rank of lieutenant. It is another example of the introduction of the lion's-head pommel into the Royal Navy. The arms on the blade bear the Irish harp and therefore date from after 1801, and the Hanoverian escutcheon with an Electoral Bonnet which disappeared in 1816. As the pattern was introduced in 1805, the weapon must date from the period 1805 to 1516. The decoration on the blade is very like that found on WPN1083 which was probably made by Dudley, Grande Parade, Portsmouth. This may indicate that this sword was also made by Dudley but this is far from certain.

Object Details

ID: WPN1323
Collection: Weapons
Type: Sword
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Unknown
Date made: 1805-1816
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Blade: 819 x 27 mm
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