Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Jim McDougall
Hi Norman,
The reason I was suggesting dress sabre was simply due to the nature of the hilt components. Ivory and silver would tend to add to the fragility of the hilt, and seem to defer from combat choice. However, that is not to say an officer would not take it on campaign, as it is certainly still effective as a weapon, regardless of being more highly prone to damage.
Officers as previously mentioned, were highly inclined to flamboyance, so I suppose how to properly classify this sabre would be subjective...
|
Amen
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Jim McDougall
... The stamped marking in the hilt I would consider a hallmark, as typically hilts were not marked by makers, and virtually all silverwork items required being hallmarked....
|
I also think silver hilts would be hall marked in a general manner, and not as 'weaponry silver'... Britain and elsewhere.
The British system follows basically the pattern here illustrated.
If this sword (hilt) was British made, and judging by the orientation of that letter
T, this could be the initial of the maker, assuming the little probability of the remaining symbols, which have to be horizontaly aligned, be hidden beneath the grip mount.
The last letter in the hallmark symbol sequence is the 'date letter', a system as old as beg. XVIII century, i would say. It is a precious symbol for dating and placing British silver stuff. There are lists with these letters, where one can see, depending on which letter, its font and the shape of 'estucheon' is inserted in, the date and city where the item was made ... better say, marked.
But this would not be the case of the letter in Norman's sword hilt, i guess.
Fernando
.