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Originally Posted by David R
In the Leeds Royal Armouries store room there is a crate fitted out with muskets, pistols and cutlasses, about a dozen of each if memory serves me. Bought from a private collection, and for years thought to be an issue package for merchant or Navy ships. Research now indicates that these (multiples of these crates were produced) were sold as a package to large houses, manors etc for home defence during the Chartist period when Revolution and riot were seen as a likelihood. Perhaps that is the origin of these variant cutlasses, civil defence rather than shipping.
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Thanks for that information, that is interesting. I have seen pictures of these fitted cases and I remember thinking at the time that it did not seem a very 'nautical' type storage arrangement.
Regards CC