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Nation : -
Local Price : 435.00 USD

SARDINIAN NCO SWORD C.1850. Brass hilt with baluster knuckle bow and radial pattern pommel. Good one piece diced ebony grip (crack). 27” slightly curved blade of heavy wedge section shows gray patina, some isolated pitting and surface marks from use. Dating to the period of the peasant revolts against the privatization and their exclusion from the lands on which they farmed, all of which were repressed by the Sardinian military.

Nation : French
Local Price : 435.00 USD

FRENCH ENLISTED MAN HANGER, THIRD REPUBLIC. Possibly infantry but a pattern we have not encountered before. Brass hilt with D form guard. One piece grip (spirally ribbed one side) and globular pommel with the Third Empire cock or rooster in high relief. 24 7/8” straight broad fullered blade marked SOLINGEN at the ricasso. The right side with a large inscription, weak as applied and indiscernible. Surely rare and potentially important example.

Nation : American
Local Price : £310.00

WW1 US Battle Of “Château-Thierry”.... An interesting First World War period American trench knife. A double-edged steel blade, showing no signs of manufactures mark. The grip is cast from

Nation : British
Local Price : £310.00

Prussian M1816 Infantry Hanger / Sabre. Curved hanger blade with hatchet point, single fuller. Cast brass heart-shaped hilt with short quillon and knucklebow, brass grip with diagonal grooves on one side and smooth on the other, round brass pommel. No scabbard. Blade 25½ inches (65cm) in length, the sword 31½ inches (80cm) overall. The M1816 was a near-copy of its predecessor the M1715 infantry sword. The Napoleonic Wars having finally concluded, the Prussian army chose in 1815 to adopt the French infantry saber as standard for their infantry – the Guards regiments however preferred the old Prussian model and so new stocks were produced. The blade is of the form the English called a ‘hanger’ although German sources consider it a sabre. Sturdy and simple to produce, these swords had a long service life, remaining in use longest as a parade weapon with the Schloßgarde-Kompanie (guards of the royal palaces) until they units were disbanded with the end of the Prussian monarchy in 1918. This example is very slightly non-standard, having simpler ferrules and a blade about 3/8 of an inch longer. It bears no official markings so might be a privately purchased version. The blade has a bright polished finish. There are a few small nicks to the blade around its midsection and some very small patches of pitting in the same area. The brass of the hilt has an even patina, with the usual minor dents and some brown spotting. It has one small crack near where the knucklebow meets the hilt, but remains solid with no movement. The quillon is bent slightly to one side.

Nation : British
Local Price : £310.00

British Mark I 1856 Pattern Drummer's Sword, Royal Fusiliers, Circa 1886 by Mole. Straight unfullered double-edged spear-pointed blade with diamond cross-section, brass hilt with central VR cypher of Queen Victoria, triangular langets and trefoil finials. Longitudinally ribbed brass grip, flared pommel with tang button. Black leather scabbard with brass fittings at throat and chape, the throat piece with teardrop-shaped frog stud. The brass grip is stamped on one of the narrow, smooth sides with ‘R F. L.COY.’, indicating that this sword was issued to L Company of the Royal Fusiliers, as well as a broad arrow over ‘WD’ which is a War Department stores mark, and a crown inspection stamp. The other smooth side of the grip is marked with what are probably rack numbers including ‘33’. All the grip markings are somewhat faint due to rubbing which has somewhat smoothed the features of the hilt overall – this is probably attributable to repeated polishing of the brass, probably during its service life. The edge of the ricasso is stamped on one side with an illegible mark that may be two overlaid stamps. The throat piece of the scabbard is stamped on one edge with the maker’s mark ‘MOLE’, and next to the throat with the date ‘2 . 1886’ indicating February 1886, probably the manufacture date. These short swords were issued to drummers of infantry regiments. While the pattern was ordered to be adopted in 1856, there is evidence that similar-looking swords were being carried by musicians in some units as early as 1843, and some units did not actually adopt the new pattern until years after its introduction. Wholly ornamental, an identical version with a cast iron hilt was issued for buglers. The blade has some light patination in places. The brass hilt and grip has a few tiny spots of patination in recesses, raised areas with overpolishing as previously mentioned. A few small nicks to the unsharpened edge on one side near the midpoint. The leather of the scabbard remains flexible – take care to support it when withdrawing the blade. Some surface-level flaking and cracking to the leather. All its stitching is intact. The brass pieces of the scabbard have a darker patina. Some dents to the edges of the throat piece. Some light dents and scratches to the chape piece, these creating a few tiny spots of brighter brass. None of these interfere with sheathing and drawing the blade.

Nation : Indian
Local Price : £310.00

Late-Victorian Bengal Police Officer's Sword by Pillin. EL7334 - A late-Victorian (circa 1895) Bengal Police officer's sword, by Pillin. In rather worn condition, with quite faint etching to the 32 inch 1892 pattern blade, and the shagreen of the grip very worn from use. The brass Gothic hilt furniture was plated and most of this remains. Complete in Indian field service scabbard. A relatively scarce sword.

Nation : American
Local Price : 425.00 USD

AMERICAN SECRET SOCIETY SWORD. Knights of Friendship, a relatively small and obscure secret society founded by Dr. Mark Kerr in 1859. The popularity of secret societies in America expanded after the Civil War making this one of the earliest. The plated hilt has an arrow cluster among sun, moon, and stars, and globe form pommel with a C on each side (significance unknown). Black japanned grip. The blade is 28 ½” in length, double-edged and excellent. The plated scabbard retains its suspension chains with high relief figure of a 3/4 armor atop a cross through a crown. That last is a Masonic symbol and it is known that Kerr was a Mason, suggesting that the Knights of Friendship, like other know groups, was an auxiliary of the Free Masons.

Nation : American
Local Price : 425.00 USD

AMERICAN SECRET SOCIETY SWORD LATE 19TH-EARLY 20TH CENTURY. The Odd Fellows, founded in England in the 18th century, was a secret society which promoted brotherhood and good will among its members. It is thought that the name referenced skilled workers in fields outside the organized guilds and thus outsiders to the main workers community. This sword is a good example, beautifully finished and overlaid in gold, much of which remains. The chain knuckle bow is lacking. The 27 1/2” blade, in original preservative, is decorated with gilt foliate panels Kiarsarge Encampment. The scabbard is hand engraved with gilt mounts matching the hilt.

Nation : Spanish
Local Price : 425.00 USD

SPANISH NON COMMISSIONED OFFICER’S SWORD, EARLY 20TH CENTURY. Probably dating to the Spanish Civil War of 1936-39 or before. Brass hilt with lion head pommel and cross on eagle motif shell guard. Two piece countered wood scale grip. Unmarked 30 ¼” slab side blade evidently patterned after the Japanese 1875 pattern blades.

Nation : British
Local Price : £300.00

Indian 19th Century Foot Artillery Sword. Slightly curved unfullered blade with false edge and spear point. Blade 65.8cm in length, ¼ inch (6.5mm) thick at the shoulder, the sword 78.4cm overall. Steel hilt with forward curving comma-shaped quillon and recurved single bar knucklebow. Full-width tang with slab grips of black hardwood secured by five rivets. Flat teardrop-shaped pommel. No scabbard. These swords are thought to have been used by one of the princely states of British India during the 19 th century. Princely states were protectorates with a degree of autonomy and sometimes considerable wealth, which could raise and equip their own armies or even navies. The swords are somewhat scarce – supposedly all extant examples were discovered as a group and exported together during the 1980s, presumably as a clearout of an old armoury. If true this suggests that they were a small custom order probably intended for a single unit. No scabbards appear to have survived, if they had one originally. The outside of the knucklebow is engraved in Hindi with what appears to be ज ४ ०. In the Devanagari script ज is a consonant with the sound ‘ja’ and ४ ० are numerals for ‘4 0’. I therefore believe this is a rack or serial number, essentially equivalent to ‘J40’. All other examples I can find use the ज prefix and two following digits – I have noted ‘2 9’ and ‘5 0’. Were there fewer than 100 examples? Its design is clearly inspired by standard-issue British Army swords of the 19 th century, especially the 1853 Pattern Cavalry Trooper’s sword, which also uses a full-width tang, black slab grips secured by five rivets and a similar shaped quillon. This model in particular seems to have been well regarded in India – the swords used by the cavalry of the Baroda State were also modelled on it. The blade reminds me somewhat of that of the Baker rifle bayonet: a similar length, unfullered, with a prominent false edge. Baker bayonets were often used as sidearms even beyond the life of the Baker rifle itself. However, some elements of its design are simpler than on British types, such as its unfullered blade and lack of leather covering on the grips, and its construction seems more artisanal than one would expect from British workshops or even larger Indian workshops like Rodwell & Co which made the Baroda swords. This may mean that the swords were made locally by blacksmiths. They are consistently referred to as ‘foot artillery’ swords and this seems reasonable given their design, but I can find no hard evidence for it. They are certainly too short for cavalry use and their thick heavy blades (with essentially no distal taper until the last 12cm) are a far cry from the light, flexible and razor-sharp cutting swords favoured by most Indian swordsmen. Indian foot troops would have been shorter men than the British in that period, and if they were indeed artillerymen they would have also had to kneel while crewing guns without their sidearms getting in the way, and would not have been expected to fight hand-to-hand except in extremis. The blade has been sharpened along the true edge, the false edge is unsharpened. The blade has some spots of patination, one larger spot also with light pitting, some tiny divots which I think are imperfections in forging. Some undulation to the spine, possibly from hand manufacture, with patination to the recessed areas. Some areas of darker patination to the hilt and exposed tang. One grip slab is intact, the other has areas of chipping which partly expose the tang on the edge side and one of the rivets next to the pommel.

Nation : British
Local Price : £300.00

British 1905 Pattern Infantry Staff Sergeant’s Sword, 1912 Rehilt and Conversion for George V. Straight single-fullered spear-pointed blade. Nickel-plated steel hilt of the 1897 Pattern infantry design, with pierced decoration including the crown and cypher of King George V. Ribbed ferrule and fully chequered steel backstrap, integral oval pommel with tang button, these parts non-ferrous and probably German silver (copper-nickel-zinc alloy). Wire-bound black shagreen grip, brown leather washer. Blade 32½ inches in length, the sword 38½ inches overall. Nickel-plated steel infantry parade scabbard with two hanging rings. The blade is stamped at the forte on one side with the manufacture date ’00, an issue stamp ’03, and two crown inspection stamps with ‘E’ for Enfield. The other side is stamped with an ‘X’ indicating that the blade passed a manufacturer’s bending test, and another mark, mostly erased by grinding – by comparison with other examples this is probably the remnant of the maker’s mark EFD, indicating the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield. The spine of the blade is stamped with /99, indicating the pattern, and another Enfield crown inspection stamp. Unlike officers who privately purchased and owned their own swords, staff sergeants were issued their swords from regimental stores like a musket or bayonet, and the swords remained government property. The 1905 Pattern staff sergeant’s sword was unusual in that it was manufactured using surplus 1899 Pattern cavalry trooper’s sword blades, which is thought to have been done to replace swords lost in the Boer War without too much expenditure. As originally produced the 1905 comprised of an unmodified 1899 Pattern blade fitted with new slab grips secured with rivets and an 1897 type infantry hilt bearing the cypher of Edward VII. In 1912 both the 1898 and 1905 Pattern staff sergeant’s swords were officially rehilted to replace the old royal cypher with that of King George V. Having encountered and stocked multiple examples like this one, it is clear to me that other modifications were carried out to many of the 1905 Pattern swords beyond simply replacing the hilt, these modifications tending to bring them closer in form to the infantry officer’s sword (much like the 1898 Pattern sergeant’s sword, which was already a doppelganger of the officer’s model). This example is typical. Its blade has been reduced in length by trimming the tip, and narrowed in both width and thickness by grinding the faces, belly and false edge such that it now fits in an infantry scabbard, a significant change compared to the cavalry type. For comparison: Original 1899 Pattern cavalry blade: Curved, 33½ inches in length, 1.45 inches wide at the shoulder (due to a flare at the base designed to add strength there specifically), 1.05 inches wide at the midpoint (16.75 inches from shoulder), 0.36 inches thick at the shoulder, 0.275 inches thick at the midpoint This sword’s blade: Straight, 32½ inches in length, 1.03 inches wide at the shoulder, 0.76 inches wide at the midpoint (16.75 inches from shoulder, ignoring shortening for a more direct comparison), 0.3 inches thick at the shoulder, 0.18 inches thick at the midpoint After this reshaping, which would have required complete reprofiling of the tip, the blade has been sharpened and mounted with its new hilt plus a new infantry-style shagreen grip and a standard infantry backstrap. The grip is very distinctive on these swords as it is quite crude compared to contemporary equivalents, lacking for instance grooves for the wire. Possibly the tang is wider than standard requiring something bespoke yet easily fabricated. Even with a few manufacturing shortcuts, why the military went to such effort to convert these is an interesting question. My thought is that the 1912 sword would have stood out less on parade than the 1905 Pattern, which needed a larger scabbard and distinctive riveted grip to fit its cavalry blade. Rehilting swords for a new monarch may have become an opportunity for the Army to ‘fix’ the odd-looking and cumbersome 1905 Pattern into something that looked less makeshift, at minimal cost. This rehilt & conversion type is not found in lists of official patterns, but the change is extensive enough that perhaps we ought to consider the 1912 Sergeant’s sword worth noting as a distinct model for collecting purposes. Its features are consistent and it helps explain why the 1905 Pattern staff sergeant’s sword is quite rare today. The blade has visible grinding and sharpening marks to its faces from its conversion, with no apparent effort to put on a polish. Some examples have plated blades but not this one. The edge is, as mentioned, sharp along about 4.5 inches of the false edge and 13 inches of the true edge, with no edge damage and an intact tip. Some spots of moderate patination and a few tiny areas of light cleaned pitting on one side. The hilt and scabbard are all nickel-plated, with some wear and flaking to the plating exposing dark patinated steel, quite extensive in high-friction areas like the inside of the guard and around the sword knot slit. The alloy backstrap and ferrule are bright and clean with only a tiny patch of verdigris on the pommel. The backstrap does not completely fit into the ferrule, and the ferrule itself is slightly misaligned, but despite these the sword is well peened, completely solid in the hand with no movement to any part, and the blade rings when struck. The shagreen of the grip is all intact with light handling wear, its wire binding is all present with slight movement to all loops. The blade sheaths and draws fully and smoothly, its scabbard is free of dents.

Nation : US
Local Price : £300.00

US Navy Model 1870 Yataghan Bayonet. Yataghan blade, brass hilt with partial muzzle ring and lobe quillon, brass grip with ‘feathered’ or ‘fishscale’ texture, beaked pommel with motif of crossed cannon barrels over an anchor. Unusual hilt design with high leaf spring locking catch and lower hole to accommodate the cleaning rod of the 1870 rifle. Black leather scabbard with brass locket and chape, with frog stud. Blade is unmarked. Hilt is marked with ‘S’. The back of the grip is stamped with ‘GGS’ and the pommel end with ‘J.G.B’. The US 1870 Navy rifle was a Springfield made rolling block type – the bayonets for it are thought to have all been made by the Ames Manufacturing Company of Chicopee, Massachusetts. Two versions are known to exist, this version with the yataghan blade and a straight-bladed version. Blade has some pitting, brass hilt has some very small dings and patina as expected for age. Scabbard is very good, only minor rubbing to the leather, no structural damage. Some small dents to the chape piece.

Nation : British
Local Price : £300.00

British Mark I 1856 Pattern Drummer’s Sword, East Kent Regiment. Straight unfullered double-edged spear-pointed blade with diamond cross-section, brass hilt with central VR cypher of Queen Victoria, triangular langets and trefoil finials. Longitudinally ribbed brass grip, flared pommel with tang button. Black leather scabbard with brass fittings at throat and chape, the throat piece with teardrop-shaped frog stud. The brass grip is stamped on one of the narrow, smooth sides with ‘E.K.’, indicating that this sword was issued to the East Kent Regiment. The throat piece of the scabbard is stamped on the rear face next to the staple with ‘RENOVATED POTTER ALDERSHOT’. These short swords were issued to drummers of infantry regiments. While the pattern was ordered to be adopted in 1856, there is evidence that similar-looking swords were being carried by musicians in some units as early as 1843, and some units did not actually adopt the new pattern until years after its introduction. Wholly ornamental, an identical version with a cast iron hilt was issued for buglers. Henry Potter & Co is a musical instrument maker founded in 1810 by Samuel Potter, a Drum Major of the Coldstream Guards, supplying musical instruments such as drums, fifes and bugles to the military. Initially based in London, William’s son George created a branch at Aldershot, which was the site of the Army's first permanent training camp established in 1853. Over time Aldershot grew into a major military town and garrison seen to this day as the home of the British Army, providing continuing business for the highly specialized craftsmen at Potter & Co. It is interesting to see that they did renovation work on bandsmen’s swords – while not swordsmiths they would most likely have had all the skills needed to repair or spruce up brass and leather parts, and regiments would have been used to doing business with them. The company is still in operation at Aldershot to this day. The blade has some spots of light patination and some old polishing marks. The brass hilt & grip and the brass fittings of the scabbard have an even patina, with a brighter area on the scabbard throat piece where it is covered by the langet when the sword is sheathed. The leather of the scabbard remains flexible – take care to support it when withdrawing the blade. Some surface-level flaking and cracking to the leather. All its stitching is intact.

Nation : British
Local Price : £300.00

British George V 1897 Pattern Infantry Officer’s Sword, Probably WW1. Straight single-fullered spear-pointed blade. Steel hilt with pierced and imprinted decoration including the crown and cypher of King George V (reigned 1910-1936). Steel ferrule, fully chequered steel backstrap, integral oval pommel with tang button. Wire-bound black shagreen grip, brown leather washer. Steel nickel-plated parade scabbard, with two hanging rings. Blade 32 5/8 inches in length past the washer, 1 inch wide at the shoulder, the sword 38½ inches overall. The blade is stamped on one side at the ricasso with a proof mark that is simply ‘PROVED’ with the letters arranged in a circle. This is a more economical form of the traditional proof, which would usually take the form of an inset brass proof slug surrounded by etching. There is no maker’s mark or other markings on the blade. I have seen this simplified proof mark before on swords produced during WW1, by the manufacturers Fenton Brothers and Hawksworth, both in Sheffield. These firms did not typically manufacture swords and only began to do so due to the war. I have also seen examples stamped with this proof mark but no maker’s mark, just the text ‘MADE IN SHEFFIELD’. Lacking all of the equipment and skilled labour that would be available at a firm of sword cutlers, these wartime manufacturers at times had to improvise, such as making hilts out of materials other than steel (to avoid the need to bend a steel ‘flat’ into shape which required specialised tooling) or swapping the shagreen grip for leather. Skipping the traditional but non-essential slugs for a simple stamp on the steel may have been another such measure and does not seem to have been done by any established firms. Wartime swords did typically have decorative etching, so this example is a little unusual in having a completely plain blade. There might have once been shallow etching that has been completely polished off subsequently. The blade is bright with a mirror polish, with some light frosting in places, a few small spots of patination, small patches of heavy patination at the very shoulder abutting the washer, and polishing marks. The blade’s edge is unsharpened and undamaged. The shagreen of the grip has a few small spots of wear and one lost scale which show up brown, its wire binding is all present with some movement to all the loops. The hilt, ferrule, backstrap and pommel have all been nickel-plated and this plating is in very good condition with little wear even on high-wear areas like the edges and inside of the hilt. No movement to the hilt, the sword is solid in the hand. The scabbard’s plating has a few spots of wear revealing patinated steel, the scabbard as a whole is straight and free of dents allowing smooth sheathing and drawing.

Nation : American
Local Price : 415.00 USD

AMERICAN SECRET SOCIETY SWORD. Ancient Order of United Workmen, organized immediately after the Civil War to provide security and death benefits to workmen, originally, on the railroads. As with all such societies of the period, membership was restricted and tenets regarding moral conduct and intoxicants were incorporated in the bylaws. The sword is of excellent quality with pierced cross guard decorated with AOUW. The ivory grip shows age and checks. The eagle on helmet pommel retains most of original gold surface. The 28 ¼” blade is marked with retailer's name, J W VICKERS BUFFALO NY at the forte and decorated with foliage AOUW and owner's name. The brass fitted iron scabbard has a smooth brown patina.

Nation : British
Local Price : £295.00

Early Victorian 1822 Pattern Infantry Officer's Sword. ON HOLD EL7203 - An early Victorian (1837-1845) 1822 pattern infantry officer's sword. Hilt firm on the tang, folding guard section working well, grip very good, blade bright but over-cleaned, with light pitting. No scabbard.

Nation : -
Local Price : £295.00

1890 Pattern Cavalry Sword for Restoration. EL7211 - An 1890 pattern cavalry sword. With numerous stamps, showing that this was made in 1890 and approved for service in Birmingham, then re-issued in 1895. The blade is nice and clean, with a bright finish. The hilt and scabbard have been painted and this should be removed, and there is a red cloth liner added to the guard, which I imagine was for theatrical purposes. A restoration project

Nation : Japanese
Local Price : £295.00

**FROM THE PERSONAL COLLECTION OF UK JAPANESE SWORD EXPERT BILL TAGG**C1550’s - 1600 Japanese Late Muromachi Period Large Mokko Shaped Iron Tsuba For Handachi Mounted Swords With Silk Lined Pouch. ED 3055 -. This ancient Japanese Tsuba (hand guard) is from the personal collection of UK Japanese sword expert Bill Tagg. The Tsuba is contained in its silk lined cloth protective storage pouch with Velcro tab fastener. A short descriptive note written by Bill accompanies the Tsuba. The note reads “ Large mokk!3; shape iron tsuba for a handachi mounted sword, with some Yoshihira z!3;gan (brass inlay). Tiny bit of wear, nice black patina. Ancient could date to late Muromachi era 1550’s – 1600”. The price for this attractive and well preserved piece includes UK delivery. ED 3055 (in tsuba drawer office)

Nation : British
Local Price : £295.00

Boer War Era British Officer’s Brown Leather Covered Swagger Sword Stick With German W.R. Kirschbaum & Co (Later WKC) Solingen Triangular Section Blade With Plaited Leather Retaining / Wrist Strap. Sn 23182 -. This is an original Boer War Era British Officer’s brown leather covered wood Swagger Sword Stick & Scabbard. It has a 15 ¼” triangular section blade that tapers to a pin sharp point. It measures 22 ¼” overall in its scabbard. The blade is stamped with the “Knight Helmet” trademark used by W.R. Kirschbaum & Co. of Solingen, later part of Weyersberg, Kirschbaum & Co. (WKC). The wood grip & scabbard are bound in brown leather. The leather has some light scuffing consistent with age and the throat of the scabbard is securely mounted with a plaited leather wrist strap that doubles as a hilt retaining strap. The price includes UK delivery. Sn 23182 (top of gun rack armoury)

Nation : German
Local Price : £295.00

Royal Saxon Hanger M1840 Prussian Army. EL7219 - A 1st Royal Saxon Grenadier Regiment, No. 100 of the Prussian Army, M1840 faschinenmesser hanger. Blade very clean on one side and the other side with more patina, firm in the hilt. Brass hilt in good shape with clear markings. Complete with matching scabbard, though the leather is very dry and with a couple of cracks, but nevertheless it is complete and sheathes well.

Nation : Italian
Local Price : £295.00

Italian M1860 Cavalry Sabre by Schnitzler & Kirschbaum. EL7295 - Italian M1860 cavalry sabre by Schnitzler & Kirschbaum. Large 35.5 inch blade, firm in the hilt, no movement. Blade with dark patina and some light pitting in blades - it has been service sharpened. Brass wire replaced to the grip. Complete in earlier type of scabbard with two rings.

Nation : German
Local Price : £295.00

19th Century Continental Spadroon. EL7323 - A 19th century, possibly German, infantry officer's spadroon, with a single edged blade which has been re-tipped and is now 28.5 inches long (probably an inch longer originally). The emblem on the shell guard is that of a knightly plumed helm, but I don't know what this signifies, so research is required. Complete with what appears to be the original leather and brass scabbard.

Nation : French
Local Price : £295.00 GBP

French Naval Administrator's Dagger. An M1860 French Naval Administrator's Dagger. Some sources indicate these were issued to officers stationed in the South China Sea at the time of the Boxer Rebellion."

Nation : British
Local Price : £295.00

British Cavalry or Artillery NCO's Sword. EL7302 - A mystery British sword, perhaps for an artillery or cavalry NCO. Featuring a completely plain and un-etched blade of just under 33 inches long, retaining most of the original mirror polish. Firm in the hilt, but with the tiniest bit of movement in the guard. The shagreen of the grip in good condition, but with no grip wire. The three-bar hilt with light pitting and traces of gold paint

Nation : British
Local Price : £295.00

1890 Pattern Cavalry Sword. EL7325 - A late-Victorian 1890 pattern cavalry sword, with numerous markings, in quite good condition, with some pitting at the ricasso, and no scabbard.

Nation : British
Local Price : £295.00

Mid-Victorian Infantry Officer's Sword by Buckmaster. EL7313 - A good quality mid-Victorian 1845 pattern Infantry officer's sword by Buckmaster. Bright blade with good detailed and crisp etching, firm in the hilt. The brass guard has a very tiny amount of movement, but very small, the grip in good condition and firm on the tang. The folding drop works well. No scabbard.

Nation : -
Local Price : 405.00 USD

US 1902 SWORD FOR ALL OFFICERS. See The American Sword, Peterson #77. Pattern still in current use. This example among the earliest, probably WWI and before. 27 5/8” curved broad fullered blade, undecorated. The ricasso marked with retailer's name, RIDABOCK & CO, NEW YORK, (established 1847). Finger stall japanned grip integral with the pommel and backstrap. Plated scabbard with a few small nicks and the plating worn along the top edge. Hilt plating worn and oxidized. Early construction and condition indicative of considerable service. Exceptional character for these.

Nation : American
Local Price : 405.00 USD

US MILITIA NON COMISSIONED OFFICER’S SWORD, CIVIL WAR OR LATER. One of the many variants (see Peterson #11 and #12) which were purchased by state militias before, during and after the Civil War. Brass hilt with cruciform guard and shield form langets. Plumed helmet pommel and reded bone grip. 27 3/8” rounded face straight double-edged blade struck with a walking bear maker's mark at the forte. That mark is well known, but the subject of some confusion. It is recorded on some Civil War swords, but mostly later examples. It may be the mark of the Weyersberg family of sword makers who were active before the Civil War. Brass mounted leather covered steel scabbard, the screw for the bottom mount lacking. As with most undated swords of types used during the Civil War, dating is speculative. However, it would be perfectly at home in a Civil War collection.

Nation : French
Local Price : £400.00

French 1870 Franco-Prussian War 'Defense Nationale' Bayonet for the Remington Rolling Block Rifle, Repurposed M1831 Sword Blade. Straight unfullered blade with spear point, cross hilt with muzzle ring and hooked lower quillon with ball finial. Ribbed cast brass grip and beaked pommel, one steel rivet which also secures the external leaf spring which actuates the locking catch, peened tang at the pommel. Steel scabbard with frog loop. Blade length: 48.6cm (19 1/8 inches), overall length 61.1cm (~24 inches), muzzle ring diameter 18mm. The hilt is stamped on one side with the serial number ‘859’. These bayonets were made at the French arsenal of Chatellerault for two months of the year 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War (July 1870 - January 1871), intended to fit the Remington Rolling Block rifle. They are sometimes referred to as ‘Defense Nationale’ bayonets, presumably because they were commissioned as a matter of emergency for national defense. They are in many respects like the German ‘ersatz’ bayonets of WW1, including the use of repurposed materials: the French combined the hilt and grip of the M1866 Chassepot bayonet with blades of the much older M1816 and M1831 infantry sidearms, (both of ‘gladius’ style). These obsolete short swords were presumably seen as expendable sources of good blade steel, but they needed significant reshaping to make serviceable bayonets. One edge of the double-edged, diamond profile blade has been ground down to form a flat spine and clear the way for the rifle to be fired. The blade was originally leaf-shaped broadening slightly along its length, and this is still visible in the remaining edge. The shoulder of the blade has been slimmed on both sides. With no fuller and no additional distal taper the blade remains noticeably heavy for a bayonet: a standard M1866 weighs 622g while this piece weighs 774g, despite being nearly 10cm (4in) shorter. Note the small divots on the third rib of the brass grips, placed as a guide to where a second grip rivet would usually be located. That rivet is always absent on these models. Its scabbard is a modified version of the standard M1866 scabbard: identical in its upper section but in its lower section it remains straight rather than curving as the M1866 must to accommodate a yataghan blade. It is oversized in length relative to the bayonet it holds. They were finished in bright steel, never blued. The French acquired around 210,000 Rolling Block rifles from Remington during the Franco-Prussian War, most being the model ordered by Egypt in 1869, chambered in .43. The Egyptian government had been delinquent in payment so Remington happily resold its initial order of 60,000 to France and produced the rest thereafter – the Egyptians had to wait until 1876 to get theirs. Many of the rifles acquired by France were adapted to use the M1866 Chassepot bayonet but these rare bayonets are examples of an attempt to go in the opposite direction. One may marvel today at the very idea of there ever having been a shortage of Chassepot bayonets. See page 415 of Collecting Bayonets by Maddox for discussion of this type.

Nation : Italian
Local Price : £285.00

WW2 Italian Assault Dagger. Second World War, Italian Model 39 assault dagger as used by the Special Forces such as paratroopers. The dagger is in very good original condition with

Nation : British
Local Price : £285.00

British 1887 Pattern MkIV Martini Henry Sword Bayonet by Enfield, 1887. Straight unfullered spear-pointed blade. Steel hilt with comma-shaped quillon and stepped muzzle ring, steel beaked pommel. Chequered leather grips (technically, knurled) secured by four steel rivets, leaf spring locking mechanism secured to one side with a screw. Black leather scabbard with steel mounts at the throat and chape, with frog hook. The blade is stamped at the ricasso on one side with a crown over ‘V.R.’ for Queen Victoria (this mark mostly erased by polishing with only the V.R. clearly visible), the manufacture date /87 for 1887, a reissue stamp 98 for 1898 and a crown inspection mark with ‘B’. It is stamped on the other side with a War Department mark of a broad arrow over ‘WD’, and a crown inspection mark with ‘E’ for Enfield and an ‘X’ indicating the blade passed a manufacturer’s bending test. The spine of the blade is stamped with two further crown inspection stamps for Enfield. The exposed tang is stamped with a Birmingham repair mark: a crown over ‘BR’ over ‘66’. ‘N’ and a chevron-shaped mark. The pommel is stamped with the serial number ‘5307’. The scabbard is stamped next to the throat with the serial number ‘5312’, which has been stamped over another mark which appears to read ‘CIF 200’. The 1887 Pattern bayonet was introduced into service in the face of the ‘British Bayonet Scandal’ – a controversy (eagerly whipped up by the media) that British Army bayonets were made of inferior metal and/or badly heat-treated, and the Army was outsourcing blade manufacture overseas to the detriment of British industry. The Government responded by centralising bayonet manufacture as much as possible at the RSAF in Enfield. Enfield produced two successive models of trials bayonets in 1886-7 in order to settle on the design for the new model, with 23,668 of the first and 23,569 of the second type. The final design having been worked out, Enfield then manufactured 36,400 new 1887 Pattern Mk I bayonets, but trials bayonets could also be put into service by converting them to the final design. 21,113 of the 23,668 second model trials bayonets were converted in 1887 to Mk I specification. The Mk II and Mk III models were all newly manufactured but in 1891, the Mk IV was approved. This model was another reuse of old stock: it was made initially out 22,845 (nearly all) of the 1 st model trials bayonets, but later in 1894 1,196 of the Mk I bayonets were converted too. This bayonet lacks any of the ‘E-M’ stamps seen on the trials models, suggesting it was a newly-made Mk I produced in 1887 then converted to Mk IV in 1894, which if true would make it uncommon among Mk IVs. The blade is bright with some old polishing marks, refinished during its service life either upon conversion or as part of the marked repair at Birmingham. A few tiny spots of cleaned pitting along its edge. Its tip is undamaged. The hilt is bright with a few tiny spots of patination, the pommel more mottled light patination. The leather grips have light handling wear, a spot of heavier wear to the knurling and one indentation on the leaf spring side. The scabbard fittings have some old polishing marks, light speckled patination to the throat piece, a couple of spots of heavier patination to the chape piece at the edge and at the very tip, the latter also with some light pitting. The leather of the scabbard is good with only light surface rubbing, a couple of small dents at the edges.

Nation : British
Local Price : £285.00

British Bandsman's Sword, Early 19th Century. Straight blade with diamond profile, single short central fuller and spear point, single-piece cast brass hilt with straight crossguard with circular quillon terminals, spiral ribbed grip, lion’s head pommel with eyelet and movable ring. No scabbard. Blade just over 22½ inches (57.4cm) in length, the sword just under 28½ inches (72.2cm) overall. The hilt is stamped on the grip side on one quillon with ‘2B2R’ and the other with ‘B.10’. This might be a unit mark and a few bandsman’s swords do have identifiable regimental markings, but I cannot identify this one. Many bandsmen’s sword markings are cryptic and the letters may, for instance, refer to subunits within a regiment or some idiosyncratic system. There was no standard pattern for the ornamental swords carried by military bands in the eighteenth and early 19 th centuries. Each regiment was responsible for equipping its band as it saw fit, the expense generally paid for by its officers. Nonetheless bands were often well equipped as regiments took great pride in their music and sought to outdo each other in their pageantry. Composed of a mixture of enlisted men and paid civilian musicians, military bands often performed for the public becoming a cultural fixture and a useful means of outreach between military and civilians, a tradition which continues to this day. Despite their non-standard procurement there was a common style to the British band sword (with considerable variation): a short, usually curved, mameluke-style sword with brass fittings and a pommel in the form of an animal head, most often a lion. This one is somewhat unusual given its straight blade, and as mentioned I have only seen one other example. The Royal Armouries collection contains a great number of British bandsman’s swords which the Armouries curators have grouped into types based on the form of their hilts – but this type is not included among them, although it is closest to the ‘Type N’ which also has a straight diamond profile blade and straight crossbar hilt (see Royal Armouries item IX.431 – pictured in their online collection and also in Swords of the British Army, 1 st Edition by Robson 1975, p170). The RA collection is by no means exhaustive however and it is always interesting to find new variants. Most bandsmen’s swords were curved to make them easier to carry on the march, so straight blades are rarer, although this one is quite short. The Mark I Drummer’s sword introduced in 1856 also had a short straight diamond-shaped blade (19 inches), and this type might have been a precursor. Dating this piece is difficult, but the use of such swords would have declined after 1856 and the Royal Armouries generally date their examples to between 1800 and 1860. I have seen another example of this model which was stamped to Wilkinson and unit marked in the same format, so this example too may be by Wilkinson. The blade has spots of light and moderate scratching, light patination, and patches of light pitting, most notably near the tip. No damage to its edge, which is unsharpened. The tip is rounded – it may always have been so but if it was sharp it probably extended by another ~2mm. The hilt, grip and pommel have an even midtone patina.