Quote:
Originally Posted by corrado26
two very useful books on Italian arms are these volumes 1&2
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Any recommendations for Neapolitan/Southern States & Papal States reference guides? I'd consider myself more knowledgeable than most on those types but even for me there's a whole lot of "yeah I have no idea, it's definitely Italian but isn't a Savoy pattern so let's just go with Naples/Kingdom of 2 Sicilies" for most. I have what Czernys sold as a Papal States sword a year ago that has one of those revolutionary French type of elegant brass guards with the s curves, but could only trace the provenance back to a previous auction for the same sword, and other examples seem to be closer to broad pattern guidelines without official regulations.
I did just win what appears to be a Wilkinson made 1834 Guides Regiment sword from Czernys. Blade has British markings & no proof disc, but the 5 bars of the guard and the checkered thumb rest on the backstrap & other details all seem to back up this being 100% English made but for the Guides. If it IS Wilkinson, I would be able to trace the s/n and see who ordered it. We know Garibaldi had multiple British sabres including what appears to be an 1857 Royal Engineers pattern. Very excited to receive that along with all the others in my army-in-waiting!