Brass hilted Pattern 1798 Offices Basket Hilt
Brass hilted Pattern 1798 Offices Basket Hilt
Date: c1798
Nationality: Scottish
Overall Length: 38 ¼” 97.1cm
Blade length: 32 ¾” 83.2 cm
Blade widest point: 1.1/2” 3.7 cm
Hilt widest point: 5 ¼” 13.5 cm
Inside grip length: 4 ¼” 10.2 cm
Marks, etc.: J J Runkel Solingen (only the letters J J R and gen are clear)
Description
Basket Hilt-Scottish-c1798-Highland Officer broadsword Brass hilt
Highland infantry officer's broadsword; the type carried by Scottish infantry regiments during the Peninsula War and Battle of Waterloo against Napoleon's forces. The single fullered broad sword blade is marked J J Runkel Solingen, has been ground at some point which gives it the illusion of being watered. The hilt is brass hilt is constructed of solid plain panels and has remnants of past gilding. The grip is fish skin with brass wire. Provenance : William Kearney Collection (Adams Auctions Dublin 1990)
General Remarks
The 1798 Pattern was the first attempt by the British to standardize sword patterns for the Scottish regiments and was very loose in some respects, with blades coming from Solingen (Prussia / Germany), England and Scotland, clearly with officers mounting the blades from their existing pre-pattern. All highlander officers were wearing this sword at Waterloo. Scottish regiments from loyalist families as well as some rearmed rebel families who had sworn allegiance to the king, were fielded in the war with France. Officers were armed with these swords as a concession to their fiercely defended Scottish heritage.
Cheers Cathey and Rex
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