Small-Sword

Small-sword. The hilt consists of russet and gilt with fully formed pas d'ane rings and two equal shells. A knuckle-bow leads from the pommel via the ricasso to a short quillon swollen terminal curved to the obverse and thus kept within the line of the shell. Decorated with strap-work and interlaced foliage with trophies of the shields, trumpets and flags on both faces of the shells, on both sides of the ricasso and on both sides of the near-spherical pommel. The grip is decorated in a modified writhen with bands of formalised foliage and ribbons placed alternately. The knuckle-bow swells at its mid-point to admit a spray of foliage and the pseudo ferrule at the top of the grip has a running design of scallops. A small flattened tang button is also fitted.

The blade is straight, of even taper, triple-edged and hollow ground with a deep narrow fuller running along the reverse face from a point 165mm from the guard to within 178mm of the point. The blade is engraved for rather less than a quarter of its length from the hilt. The inscriptions on the obverse (two faces) are interlaced strap-work and foliage on a straightened ground and on the reverse (one face) interlaced strap-work and foliage on a partly straightened ground. The scabbard is missing.

There is not a lot of evidence available to determine the nationality of this sword. As English cutlers favoured anonymity it may well have been assembled in this country and probably consists of a German blade and a French or English hilt. The style of the hilt suggests that it was made in the 1730s but russet and gilt hilts remained popular into the last quarter of the 18th century and in France, full size pas d'ane rings were still being produced as late as the 1780s. Thus, the provisional date given above may be half a century too early. In passing, it is worth noting that the decoration of the hilt has a military flavour and may well have belonged to a soldier.

Object Details

ID: WPN1336
Collection: Weapons
Type: Small-Sword
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Unknown
Date made: circa 1735
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Blade: 813 x 22 mm
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