File:Sword (AM 696824-2).jpg
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editSword
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| Artist |
Maynard & Harris |
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| Title |
Sword |
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| Object type | Classification: 72207 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Description |
English: General Officers (Levee) sword, pattern 1831 very curved blade (Maynard and Harris.); brass and ivory Marmeluke crosspiece hilt with sword knot; gilt brass; ivory grip; scimitar blade marked with Egyptian looking seal; no scabbard |
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| Date | Unknown date | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dimensions | notes: length: 260mm | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Collection |
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| Accession number |
696824 (object number) |
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| Place of creation | United Kingdom | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notes | General Officers (Levee) sword with Mameluke crosspiece Ref. Robson- fig 160-162 pp144-145 General Officer Pattern 1831 Blade length and width- 31 in x 1 in. Blade type- rounded back, double edged for last 12 inches. Guard- gilt brass, ring for sword knot near hilt. Hilt mounts- gilt brass Grip- ivory. Scabbard- a) black leather on wood, gilt brass mounts. b) brass Sword weight- 1lb 8oz. - 1lb 10oz. Scabbard weight- 1lb 13 oz. - 1lb 2oz. Notes- The scabbard bears a seal consisting of a wreathed crown with the words ‘Pattern Ordnance’. Robson Chap. 9 p140-145 “General and Staff Officers’ Swords The identification of the patterns of swords worn by general officers at different times is complicated by their tendency to be a law unto themselves and wear any non-regulation sword that happened to appeal. The duke of Wellington habitually wore a mameluke-hilted scimitar long before such a pattern became regulation. There were no regulation swords for general and staff officers before 1796. They normally carried a sword appropriate to their original arm of the service or a light sword similar to the 1786 infantry officer’s sword. Fig. 114. There is evidence to suggest that for the period 1796 to 1802 a gilt, boat-shell hilted sword, similar to the dress sword introduced for heavy cavalry officers in 1796. This pattern differed from the heavy cavalry dress sword as regards the hilt which had two loops (pas d’ane) - one on each side of the base of the grip between the quillons and the boat-shell - fig. 115. After the campaign in Egypt in 1801 mameluke hilted swords became fashionable among generals. A new regulation pattern for general officers appears to have been issued in 1803. This was a slightly more ornate version of the grenadier and light infantry company officer’s sword, Pattern 1803 (p.111). An example in the Tower Armouries has an ivory grip with a gilt brass ferrule at the bottom decorated with a rose and petal design. The blade is unfullered. Whether this pattern was widely adopted by general or staff officers remains doubtful. There is evidence that in the period- 1803-1816 the boat-shell hilted swords continued to be carried by generals. In 1816 a memorandum directed the wearing of the Pattern 1796 infantry officer’s sword. For full dress the scabbard was to be of black leather, but for Dress and Undress it was to be of steel. The Pattern 1796 sword remained in used until 1822, in which year general officers and staff officers of particular grades adopted virtually the same Gothic-hilted sword as introduced for infantry officers, wit 3 differences- a) a crossed sword and baton replaced the Royal Cipher b) the prescribed blade length was 34 “ instead of 32 ½ “ c) the Dress and Undress scabbard was of steel. This pattern of sword remained in use for staff officers until 1845 when the pipe backed blade was replaced by the so-called Wilkinson blade. For generals the Pattern 1822 sword was replaced by a completely new sword in 1831 - a sword influenced by the Duke of Wellington’s mameluke hilted sword. Two patterns of scabbard were originally authorised- a black leather scabbard with elaborate gilt mounts for levees, drawing rooms and evening occasions (plate 160) and a brass scabbard for all other occasions. In practise the wood-lined brass scabbard became universal. This had a square toe with only a vestigial shoe and two loose rings on cruciform bands (plate 162.) this sword, with a change of scabbard in 1898 has remained the regulation pattern for general officers ever since. After 1800 light cavalry officers in Full Dress began to wear mameluke-hilted sabres of varying degrees of ostentation. A similar practise in the Royal Artillery was ascribed to the influence of the Egyptian campaign of 1801. (p.67) Ref. Robson figs. 65 - 72, pp 68-73 The carrying of mameluke-hilted sabres by Lancer officers was a continuance of a light cavalry custom dating back to the earliest years of the century. As early as 1805 officers of the 7th, 10th and 16th Light Dragoons were carrying this sword unofficially and the custom was widespread among light cavalry regiments by the end of the Napoleonic wars. The sword authorised for Lancer officers is described in the Dress Regulations of 1822 as follows- White mameluke hilt, gilt cross, ornaments and mountings embossed, blade 30 inches long, one and a quarter inches wide at the shoulder, ornamented on each side with lancers, next number, above this two lances transverse, surmounted by a crown. For Full Dress the scabbard was to be of crimson velvet, with richly gilt, chased mounts and loose rings. For Dress, it was to be replaced with one of plain steel. The blade was curved, pipe-backed and ended in a spear point. The fact that the mameluke-hilted sabre was officially authorised only for Lancer Officers did not inhibit other light cavalry regiments with regard to its adoption. By about 1820 most, if not all light cavalry regiments (and some heavy cavalry regiments) carried sabres of this kind in most orders of dress, with the major exception of when in the field. Faced with this situation the Adjutant-General capitulated to the extent of wearing of this type of sabre by Hussar regiments as well as Lancers. Ref. Robson- fig 65 p68-69 65- Lancers, Officer, Full Dress, Pattern 1822 Blade length and width- 30 ½ in x 1 ¼ in. Blade type- curved, pipe-back, spear point, chamfer or double edge for last 10 inches. Guard- gilt brass cross-guard Hilt mounts- gilt brass Grip- ivory; hole for sword knot at the top. Scabbard- blue velvet, gilt brass locket, two bands with loose rings and chape, all elaborately moulded and chased. Ref. Robson- fig 66 p71 16th Lancers, Officer, Levee, post-1832 Blade type- curved, unfullered, spear point. Hilt mounts- gilt brass Grip- ivory Scabbard- steel, gilt mounts, two loose rings. Ref. Robson- fig 67 p71 3rd Light Dragoons, Officer, Levee, c.1830 Guard- gilt brass cross, ecusson decorated with rose Hilt mounts- gilt brass Grip- ivory Notes- blade has cipher of William IV (1830-37) Ref. Robson- fig 69-70 p72-73 18th Hussars, Officer, Levee, c.1901 Guard- gilt brass cross Hilt mounts- gilt brass Grip- ivory Scabbard- steel with gilt mounts Notes- blade has cipher of Edward VII (1901-1910) Ref. Robson- fig 71-72 p73 15th Hussars, Officer, Levee Guard- gilt brass cross Hilt mounts- gilt brass Grip- ivory Scabbard- gilt brass with fishskin inserts Notes- the carving on the grip is characteristic of this regimental pattern. Note the method of attaching the sword knot. Ref. Robson- fig 156-157 p140-143 General Officer Pattern 1803 Blade length and width- 30 ½ in x 1 3-8 in. Blade type- flat-back, unfullered, spear point, double edged for last 9 ½ inches. Guard- gilt brass, ring for sword knot near hilt. Hilt mounts- gilt brass Grip- ivory bound with gilt brass wire. Scabbard- black leather with gilt mounts. Sword weight- 1lb 12oz. Scabbard weight- 13 oz. Notes- The scabbard bears a seal consisting of an wreathed crown with the words ‘Pattern Ordnance’. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Source/Photographer | Photo | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Permission (Reusing this file) |
This image has been released as "CCBY" by Auckland Museum. For details refer to the Commons project page. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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