Stirrup hilted sword. The hilt consists of a stirrup guard, with crocodile pommel, scales extending for one-third of the length of the back-piece. The front of the guard, for the top half, has a laurel wreath, enclosing an ovoid plaque. There is a round finial with leaf decoration, langets with raised foul anchor, and a white ivory grip, grooved, with a leaf-decorated ferrule. The hilt is pierced for swordknot. The blade is very curved, flat-backed with a single broad fuller running for all of its length. There are traces of rather crude decoration, it was originally blued and gilt and there are very faint traces of gilding towards the hilt, but the blade is very discoloured. The scabbard is missing. The obverse of the blade is inscribed with strapwork and flowers 'extended fleur-de-lys', sparse 'floral' decoration?, ribbon bearing the motto '...NON ORD', garter inscribed 'HONI SOIT QU....' with coat of arms which includes a harp, and more floral outpourings, but simple rather than dense decoration. On the reverse is strapwork and flowers, trophy of arms including cannon, drum and trumpets/horns, shield, cannon, flags and halberd, cypher? (partially obscured) surmounted by crown, and traces of further decoration.

This sword was one of seventeen deposited with the Museum on 9 June 1978. The crocodile hilt is thought to have been popular after the formation of the 'Egyptian Club' following the Battle of the Nile (1798) when the captains of the fleet met together aboard 'Orion', and invited Lord Nelson to accept the gift of the sword and to have his portrait taken by the club. The original sword had the grip and pommel formed by a crocodile and it is thought that the captains had cheaper copies made for themselves, and a fashion for such swords in imitation of this grew up.