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Date: |
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Description: | United States Naval sword. The hilt consists of a gilt, pierced, half-basket guard with a slit near the pommel to take a sword-knot, and a recurved quillon with a dolphin's head terminal. The pierced decoration is of oak leaves and acorns with a scroll bearing the letters 'U S N'. The forward-curving pommel bears an eagle display (head to the right) standing on a coil of rope and surrounded by thirteen mullets. From the point where the knuckle-guard joins it, a curving line of oak leaves slopes up to the back of the pommel. The white fish-skin grip, curving forward at the bottom, is bound with three gilt wires.
The blade is slightly curved and flat-backed, with a single fuller within 229mm of the point from the 36mm deep shoulder and a false edge 203mm long leads to a uniform (spear) point. It is engraved for three-fifths of its length. On the obverse of the blade at the shoulder, within a Shield of David, is a brass proofmark, then strap-work enclosing a space (blank) for the owner's name, a foul anchor on which is superimposed an inaccurate representation of the arms of the United States, foliage, and oval shape of sixteen stars, foliage, a foliated trophy of a mast with furled square smils and a flag bearing the letters 'U S N', two axes in slatire and a trident, scrolls and foliage. Engraved on the reverse is foliage surmounted by an eagle displayed (head to the left) standing on plinth, with rays above; foliage; a foul anchor; foliage; a tessellated scroll bearing the letters 'U S N', foliage, a length of rope tassel ends in the form of a figure-of-eight knot interwoven with a spray of oak, foliage and scrolls. The scabbard is missing.
In most respects, this sword resembles WPN 1192 and is of the regulation pattern introduced into the United States Navy in 1852 and which continues unchanged today. The shape of the grip and pommel is interesting in that it clearly shows the influence of French design dating from the early years of the 19th century.
caption: Sword
caption: hilt of sword | Publisher: | "http://collections.rmg.co.uk/" | Rights holder: | "Royal Museums Greenwich" | Subjects: | swords | Source: | Royal Museums Greenwich | Identifier: | http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections... | Go to resource |
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