Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - Help to identifying a Wilkinson London blade

Jim McDougall · 7th December 2018, 07:44 PM

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=12612

Agree totally with MacCathain , this is a British constabulary hanger which is probably from 1880s. The book title listed in the linked thread from 2010 sounds promising:
"Those Entrusted with Arms: A History of Police, Post, Customs and Private Use of Weapons in Britain" by Frederick Wilkinson.

Also as noted in my post there:
"William Parker and Parker Field, Gunmakers" by Frederick Wilkinson in 'Arms & Armor Annual" (ed. Robert Held, 1973, pp.275-282) is most helpful.

While civilian weapons, these are very esoteric items in the collecting community and intriguing elements in the transition to civilian police forces from military patrols. While many police arms were made by the Parker firm noted, it would seem this was a private contract with Wilkinson probably in this later period. In earlier times with the Wilkinson firm they were primarily engaged in supplying officers swords, and moved into other ranks and private swords later in the century.

While later in the century, this example has a very nice blade and is an item from a very specialized field of collecting, also from most interesting times in these areas of London.

7th December 2018, 07:44 PM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,746	http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=12612 Agree totally with MacCathain , this is a British constabulary hanger which is probably from 1880s. The book title listed in the linked thread from 2010 sounds promising: "Those Entrusted with Arms: A History of Police, Post, Customs and Private Use of Weapons in Britain" by Frederick Wilkinson. Also as noted in my post there: "William Parker and Parker Field, Gunmakers" by Frederick Wilkinson in 'Arms & Armor Annual" (ed. Robert Held, 1973, pp.275-282) is most helpful. While civilian weapons, these are very esoteric items in the collecting community and intriguing elements in the transition to civilian police forces from military patrols. While many police arms were made by the Parker firm noted, it would seem this was a private contract with Wilkinson probably in this later period. In earlier times with the Wilkinson firm they were primarily engaged in supplying officers swords, and moved into other ranks and private swords later in the century. While later in the century, this example has a very nice blade and is an item from a very specialized field of collecting, also from most interesting times in these areas of London.