Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Jim McDougall · 31st August 2025, 03:15 PM

I think Radboud is onto it. The close in quillon and hilt form are compellingly similar.
In my desperate research trying to identify a briquet that was listed as a foot artillery gunners sword in the early references on British military swords and in Blair ("European and American Arms", 1962), I found there was NO such pattern or issue of such a sword.

The only foot artillery swords were the Dundas or Spanish.

The blade on this example is 18th c. and would have to be 1780s-90s for it to be Thomas Gill's. By early 19th during the presumed period of these 'foot artillery' swords shown in the Robson plate are likely War of 1812 as Glen suggests . By then John Gill was the maker for the Gill's.

31st August 2025, 03:15 PM	#26
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,547	I think Radboud is onto it. The close in quillon and hilt form are compellingly similar. In my desperate research trying to identify a briquet that was listed as a foot artillery gunners sword in the early references on British military swords and in Blair ("European and American Arms", 1962), I found there was NO such pattern or issue of such a sword. The only foot artillery swords were the Dundas or Spanish. The blade on this example is 18th c. and would have to be 1780s-90s for it to be Thomas Gill's. By early 19th during the presumed period of these 'foot artillery' swords shown in the Robson plate are likely War of 1812 as Glen suggests . By then John Gill was the maker for the Gill's.