Maritiem Digitaal
collectie zoeksyteem van de maritieme musea
geen titel
| titel | geen titel
|
|---|
| inventarisnummer | WPN1371
|
|---|
| collectie | Edged Weapons
|
|---|
| museum | National Maritime Museum, Greenwich
 |
|---|
| datum | circa 1915
|
|---|
| omschrijving | Steel hilted sword which belonged to Royal Naval Division officer. The hilt consists of a steel solid half-basket guard to an upturned tongue- the inside edge being turned up to avoid chafing the uniform and the exterior face of the upper part of the guard being deeply indented to provide more room for the knuckles and fist. It is pierced near the bottom by the pommel with a slit for the swordknot- the guard bears the incised cypher of George V with the crown above. In outline- the guard has the same shape as the infantry officer's sword guard of the same date. There is a plain domed steel pommel with prominent ball tang button and plain steel ferrule at the top of the grip. The grip is of some black composition material decorated to simulate binding and back-piece.
The blade is a very slightly curved flat-back with a 292mm false edge and a broad fuller running some 457mm from the shoulder and is decorated for about 457mm from the guard. Above the fuller- the blade is of flattened diamond section and ends in a spear (uniform) point. The blade has been broken and welded at the end of the fuller. The obverse has been inscribed with a proofmark (at the shoulder)- foliage- space for owner's name (blank) foliage- foul anchor with the words 'Royal' (above) 'Navy' (below)- surmounted by rays- and foliage and pellets. The reverse is inscribed with the maker's mark (at the shoulder)- foliage- space for owner's name (blank)- foliage- the cypher of King George V surmounted by the crown with rays above- and foliage. The scabbard is brown leather over a wooden core- fitted with a prominent steel throat and leather collar with strap attached for securing the whole of the frog. There is a small-leather covered shoe- the whole is sewn down the back edge.
This sword was made by H.H. Taylor of Sheffield whose mark it bears. Though not certainly the sword of R D- the combination of military style hilt and naval blade suggest most strongly that this weapon is correctly identified. Mr W. Reid of the Armouries- HM Tower of London says that the hilt has also been found on Colonial Police swords. Some RND officers wore ordinary RN swords- often in leather scabbards as worn by the Army and Royal Marines. It seems- however- that this is a more likely sword for the majority of (especially) young officers to have used and the fact that the hilt was already in existence makes it a more convenient sword to manfacture.
|
|---|
| afmetingen | Blade: 826 x 25 mm
|
|---|
Commentaar van bezoekers