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Nation : British
Local Price : £1975

English Silver Hilted Small Sword by John Radborn of London Hallmarked for 1767 / 1768. An English silver hilted small sword by John Radborn of London with hallmarks for 1767 / 1768. The hilt is mounted with a dish guard which is exquisitely pierced and chased with rococo foliate scrolls between curling tendrils on both sides of filigree delicacy. The design is the common theme on the other major silver components of the hilt which attests to the homogeneity of the parts. The sword is well-balanced in hand and the silver hilt is, unusually, in excellent condition having experienced almost no wear, and has maintained its shape without damage or repair. The sword is mounted with a tapering hollow ground triangular section blade. The hilt is an example of the high standards of design and execution required of the 18th century London silver hilt maker, as well as an example of one of the most effective weapons of the 17th and 18th centuries, which at this time was at the pinnacle of its evolution. Silver hilted small swords were fashionable attire for gentlemen. Mostly worn for effect, someone wearing such a sword was also announcing to the world that he was able to use it. Despite the stylish and often delicate appearance of these swords they were formidable dueling weapons. The sword hilt is in excellent crisp condition without losses or repairs and has maintained its original pleasing profile. The shallow dish guard has a strengthened rim shaped as four crescents on the outside which supports the chased foliate designs within. The ricasso, pas d' ane rings, knuckle bow, quillon and pommel are pierced and chased in the same decorative style as the dish guard. The stamped maker's mark of “I R” is present on one side of the knucklebow near the pommel in raised relief inside a depressed rectangle, accompanied by the crowned leopard's head assay mark, the royal lion passant purity and date marks. The baluster shaped rounded rectangular section grip is covered with spirally wrapped bevelled silver strip, separated by wrapped silver twisted wire, flanked by thinner ropes on either side. Silver cap terminals are present top and bottom of the grip engraved with scallops on each side. The tapering, hollow ground, stiff, triangular section blade is in good mottled condition and retains evidence of its original engraved foliate panels near the hilt. John Radborn was one of the most gifted silver hilt makers and sword cutlers of his time. He worked in the New Street precinct of the City of London for all of his professional life. He is first recorded when he was indentured to the cutler Nathaniel Young in 1737. On the death of Young in 1742 he was turned over to John Smith for the remainder of his term and was sworn free of the Cutlers' Company by servitude in 1745 when he probably entered his first mark at Goldsmiths Hall which is now lost. His first surviving mark was entered in 1762. On moving address in 1769 Radborn entered another mark which was very similar to the last to confirm the move. He was admitted as a pensioner of the Cutlers' Company in 1776 and died in 1780. For further information on John Radborn see Leslie Southwick “London Silver-Hilted Swords”, their makers, suppliers and allied traders, with directory, 2001, Royal Armouries, and particularly page 206 for the biography and examples of his work in plates 46, 66, 72-3, 74 and colour plate 3. The blade is just under 33.25 inches (just over 84.5 cm) long and the overall length of the sword is just under 40 inches (101.5 cm).

Nation : -
Local Price : 2,750.00 USD

US M.1832 GENERAL OFFICER’S SWORD. An exceptional example of a rare pattern is Peterson #113. Gilt hilt with boat-shaped guard. The guard edge and knuckle bow with the beaded motif. Olive-shaped pommel secured with a nut. Silver sheet simulating wire wrap to the grip. 30 ½” broad d.e. blade decorated with naturalistic foliage, potted foliate display, Eagle with motto ribbon, arms display with crossed cannons, draped vignette, and Indian headdress with star band. Exceptional condition throughout. The decoration is uniform and complete. Hilt with near-all heavy gold overlay, the left edge of the guard, and the pommel top are only weak/worn from being worn and resting the hand on the pommel. Just the second example we have ever offered and the best we have seen.

Nation : British
Local Price : £1950

English Silver Hilted Hunting Hanger by John Carman (I) Hallmarked for 1740 / 1741. An English Silver Hilted Hunting Hanger with London Hallmarks for the year 1740 / 1741, made by the silver smith and cutler, John Carman (I) of The City of London. This plain but elegant hanger was a gentleman's weapon. The most distinctive feature of the hilt is the large convex scallop-shaped shell guard with its moulded edge which emanates from the cross guard at the front and extends parallel to the blade towards its point. The knuckle bow is clearly marked midway along one side with incuse stamps for the date, the royal lion passant, the crowned leopard’s head assay mark and the makers mark of “J C”. The leopard’s head and lion stamps are repeated underneath the hilt. This maker’s mark is most certainly that of the London cutler and silver hilted sword maker John Carman (I). The top of the knuckle bow is secured into the pommel cap with a terminal hook of usual form. The pommel cap has an integral ribbed button on top and is grooved at the side in similar style to the base ferrule of the grip. The attractive grip is formed from four plates of natural horn. The curved, single edged blade broadens slightly at the tip and is 25 inches (63.5 cm) long. It has a short ricasso and a single fuller which extends from the hilt underneath the spine of the blade and terminates almost at the tip. The blade on each side is marked with the talismanic date 1555. The numbers are separated in the middle by an orb mark with a cross attached either side. The word “S A H A G V M” appears inside the fuller on each side. This mark appears with variants on a number of blades in the 17th and 18th centuries mounted on Dutch and English swords and were probably made in Solingen. During the 17th and 18th centuries, when swords were a popular weapon for gentlemen, hunting swords and hangers were a robust, shorter, secondary side arm used for self defence when walking about town and travelling in general. Although referred to as “hunting” weapons, they probably had minimal use in hunting. Self defence in crowded areas, and in the tight confines of dangerous alleyways in cities, required a weapon which was shorter than a full length sword for close-in use in these confined spaces. The blade of this weapon is a fighting blade which would probably have been impractical to use in a hunting environment and further outlines the misnomer of the term “hunting” when generally applied to these swords. The date of this hanger shows that John Carman (I) made it shortly before his death in 1741. Unfortunately the signature mark is no longer available to us in the records at Goldsmiths’ Hall. The Smallworkers’ Book of 1739 – 1757 which might have recorded this mark, plus many others struck between these dates, is now lost. John Carman (I) had a son who was also a silver hilted sword maker and cutler. He is recorded from 1721 when he was born until 1664 when he died. He was indentured to his father, and sworn free by servitude of the Cutlers’ Company in 1743. It is likely that he registered a mark then, or shortly after, possibly prompted by the death of his father and the resulting need for stability in the business. Given these circumstances John Carman (II) could not have had his own name mark registered at Goldsmiths’ Hall and be making swords in his own right before 1743. Hence the mark is of Carman (I) given the absence of any other recorded makers with names that may have marked in this manner at this date. The above reference work borrows from Leslie Southwick, “London Silver – Hilted Swords, Their makers, suppliers & allied traders, with directory”, 2001, Royal Armouries. The sword overall is in good condition. The total length is 30.25 inches (79.5 cm).

Nation : British
Local Price : £1,950.00

Wilkinson Sword VC Officer&#acute;s Sword – Thomas Colclough Watson. Wilkinson Sword VC winners Officer&#acute;s Sword belonging to Thomas Colclough Watson Victorian Engineers officer&#acute;s sword number 35643 regulation sword with steel guard with VR and crown and fisk skin grip. The blade with owner&#acute;s initials J C W Royal Engineers regimental badge and maker marked. It is complete with steel scabbard and is sold with a copy of the Wilkinson Sword register. Notes: Watson was 30 years old, and a lieutenant in the Corps of Royal Engineers, British Army, attached to the Bengal Engineers, British Indian Army during the First Mohmand Campaign in British India when, on the night of 16/17 September 1897 in the Mamund Valley, North-West India, Lieutenant Watson and James Morris Colquhoun Colvin collected a party of volunteers (including James Smith) and led them into the dark and burning village of Bilot, to try to dislodge the enemy who were inflicting losses on British troops. After being wounded and driven back by very heavy fire at close quarters, Lieutenant Watson made a second attempt to clear the village and only gave up after a second repulse and being again severely wounded. An account mentioning him is given in Winston Churchill’s “The Story of the Malakand Field Campaign”.

Nation : British
Local Price : £1,895.00

**NAPOLEONIC WARS ERA**British 1796 Pattern Yeomanry Officer’s Light Cavalry Sabre With Quality Gilt & Blued Etched Blade & Scabbard. Sn 22733 -. These Sabres were primarily used by British Light Dragoons and Hussars during the Napoleonic Wars (see page 78 of World Swords by Withers). The blade is remembered today as one of the best of its time and has been described as the finest cutting sword ever manufactured in quantity. Officers of the famous 95th Rifles, Light Infantry Regiments and the "flank" Companies of Line Regiments adopted these Swords (The Hit Napoleonic War, Book & TV series Sharpe’s Rifles featured this pattern of Sword). Pattern 1796 Sabres were used at The Battle of Waterloo 1815. This original Officer’s quality 1796 Sabre is in very good condition. It has a single edged, 30 ½” slim sabre blade (35” overall). The slim blade indicates that this sword was most likely a Yeomanry cavalry Officer’s privately commissioned piece. The blade has some staining consistent with age but no rust and the cutting edge has a few small nicks consistent with age and service use. The nicks are only visible on close inspection. Both sides of the blade have decorative Gilt & Blued panels with Banners & Arms, Crown & Royal Cypher ‘GR’ (George Rex). There are no visible maker marks on the blade. It has a steel cross guard with rounded langets, knuckle guard, grip frame and fish skin covered ribbed grip with wire binding. The covering is worn in areas exposing the wood grip underneath and some of the grips original wire binding is present. The Sabre is complete with its original steel scabbard with 2 hanging rings. The scabbard has even patina. There are no maker marks visible on the scabbard. The price for this attractive Napoleonic Wars Era Sword & Scabbard includes UK delivery. Sn 22733

Nation : American
Local Price : $1895.00

Remington 1857 Maynard-Primed Rifled Musket. 21,952 M1816 flintlock muskets were altered at the Frankfort Arsenal between 1856 and 1859. The locks and chambered breech pieces were made by Remington of Ilion, NY, but they did not perform any work on the guns themselves. These guns were also rifled, though only 14,989 were fitted with rear sights. About 1,300 of these muskets were altered for New Jersey, of which only 200 had rear sights. This example with lockplate stamped vertically “REMINGTON’S/ILION.N.Y./1857/U.S.” behind the hammer; serpentine side plate. Rifled 42” .69 caliber barrel stamped with eagle head and “P” at the breech, secured by three barrel bands to the walnut full stock. This example one of the approximately 7,000 made without rear sight. Sling swivels at front of trigger guard and on middle band; iron ramrod. Overall length 57 3/4”. Metal parts with light pitting and age staining; heavier pitting on the butt plate. Bore with only faint traces of rifling; stock with wear and handling marks and a few deeper dents on the left side. Mechanically very good. These muskets were the best of the percussion-altered muskets available at the onset of the Civil War and were widely used by both sides. While a novel idea that could shorten the time to prime a musket, the Maynard tape primer proved unreliable, especially in wet conditions, and was often disabled in favor of conventional percussion caps.

Nation : American
Local Price : $1895.00

US M1840 Foot Officer’s Sword. While the M1840 NCO sword is quite common, the officer's version is far more scarce, as it was superceded by the M1850 Foot Officer's and Staff and Field Officer's models in 1851. After that time, it was generally carried only by generals and there is a well-known photograph with Union General Ambrose Burnside carrying this model during the Civil War. That exact same sword sold at auction recently for over $40,000. While of comparable quality and condition, the sword offered here unfortunately has no inscription or provenance to link it with a specific officer. There was a great deal of variation in this model, as each one was individually purchased. The model follows the basic style of the M1840 NCO sword in that it has a straight single-fullered blade and a cast brass hilt featuring straight single quillon, D-guard knuckle bow, cast brass simulated wire grip, and plain shell guards. The sword offered here differs in that the pommel and knuckle bow have raised floral decoration, the counter guard folds (as do some examples of the NCO sword), the grip is silver-plated, the 32 3/8″ blade is lightly etched with floral decoration and stands of arms, with “E Pluribus/ Unum” in script (etching worn), and the scabbard is brass. Scabbard features engraved acanthus decoration and a wrigglework border, with twin carrying rings (some examples had three) and decorated frog stud. This example has no drag and possibly never had one or it was intentionally removed, as it is still longer than the blade and shows no signs of having been broken or worn off. Sword in very good condition, as carried in the field, with wear and patches of light pitting on the blade and the guard slightly loose. The scabbard has a number of shallow dents on both sides on the lower half. Brass on hilt and scabbard with a pleasing mustard brown age patina. Overall length 38 5/8″, not including scabbard. The first example of this officer's model we have had in nearly 25 years of business.

Nation : Japanese
Local Price : £1,875.00

**SCARCE**MAN TETSU SWORD COMPANY DOUBLE SIGNED KOA ISSHIN MANTETSU (Respectfully Made) BLADE*WW2 Japanese Officer’s Gendaito Katana Sword Officer’s Rank Tassel, Scabbard With Leather Combat Cover & Expert Assessment. ED 3018 -. A scarce original WW2 Japanese Officer’s Company made Sword with signed tang and scabbard. The sword has been assessed by UK Japanese sword expert Bill Tagg. A copy of his hand written notes and illustrations accompany the sword. In extracts from his notes he states “A scarce example of a company produced sword not signed by a swordsmith. A Koa Isshin Man Tetsu (Respectfully Made) see John Slough’s book Modern Japanese Swordsmiths 1868-1945 page Numbers 94,95,96, 3 pages of information on these swords. 2 types were made Medium to Superior Grade Show-To and Medium to High grade Gendaito. This is bright with old rust at point. You can see vague nioi hamon. I class them as basic Gendaito, lots of handwork. The best ones were made in Japan 1st produced for the Manchurian army in occupied China in 1937. Originally made in the Diaren Railway factory after 1937 for the Canton Army. Well balanced & very good nakago tang, lovely well cut kanji. Saya gunto parade steel with green army paint covered with very good condition & good quality leather combat cover. Copper blade collar habaki with big heavy pierced brass tsuba & one seppa. Tsuka hilt all original, locking catch & sarute knot loop with ¾ of original Lieutenant To Captain rank tassel (worn). Binding & Ray skin intact but dirty. A good example of a Koa Isshin Man Tetsu sword. In his illustrations Bill translates the tang Kanji. One side War slogan ‘Develop Asia By One Mind’ and ‘Man Tetsu Company Made This’. The reverse Junish & Zodiac dates? And Autmn (date not translated). The spine of the blade marks are translated as ‘2744 Showa’. He measures the cutting edge as just under 67 cms, total length 88 cms and describes other blade and tang measurements & characteristics which can be seen in image 2. The price includes UK delivery. This sword is worthy of further research. ED 3018