"...a silver sword? well thou shalt have that too , now hast thou everything".
-VANBRUGH, 1705
This is a beautiful example of small sword by William Kinman of London, of 8
Snow Hill, Holborn Cross Precinct, London, who seems to have been quite prolific and important in precious metal hilts and guilds and associations.
The four key markings here are placed on the vestigial pas d'ane rings, as the practice by 1770s and earlier.
In Aylward (1945, fig. 46) a silver hilt remarkably similar in all its features is shown , by John Fayle, Fleet St. in diamante work ( with facets and bead work).
Aylward remarks( p.75) that this sword may well have been such a weapon that the character Capt. Absolute was hiding under his cloak, in the play "The Rivals" by Sheridan produced the same year , 1775.
Perhaps the fashion was at least present already by 1772.
A great deal of history, elegance and fashion, yet still a most deadly weapon.
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