May 17, 2022 Early Arms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/17/2022
A Georgian Royal Navy commissioned officer’s sword, circa 1775, with a straight or spadroon-form blade of 25" length, with wide and narrow fullers, false edge, and terminating in a spear point tip. The gilt, slotted hilt of stirrup form, the outer bars of the crossword of which incorporate a fouled anchor device, with a fluted knucklebow with pierced panel with fouled anchor motif, terminating at the fluted, ovoid pommel. The scabbard has gilded brass mounts consisting of throat, middle band, and drag with engraved edge lines, the two former with suspension rings. A classic and desirable pattern that is found depicted in the wartime portraits of Royal Navy officers and also known to be carried by their American opponents (a near-identical sword and scabbard, carried by Lieutenant Charles Bulkely of the Continental Navy, is now in the collection of the US Naval Academy Museum). CONDITION: The grip retains its original wrapping of silver-on-copper wire and banding and 60-65% of the brass hilt’s original gilding remains; the scabbard leather is a later replacement, but skillfully done. JLK