Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Norman McCormick · 7th August 2009, 10:45 PM

Hi Mark,
This is the 1845 Pattern Infantry Officers sword. In 1822 a new sword was introduced with the 'Gothic' type folding guard hilt and a 'pipe back' blade, the 1845 has the same guard but the blade was replaced with the Wilkinson designed single fuller and spear point blade, this is the type you have. In 1854 the folding guard was replaced with a rigid non folding type. Further modifications were introduced in 1892 and subsequently. I think the retailer, E&W Seagrove may have been essentially a Naval supplier and therefore the sword may have belonged to a Marine Officer, although I am far from certain about this. To me the scabbard is unusual as the ones I have seen for infantry are normally steel or sometimes brass for staff officers. Naval officers scabbards are usually leather with brass furniture. I have a 19th/early 20th Cent. R.N. marked telescope sold by a retailer situated on The Hard, Portsea. I'm sure more knowledgeable members will be able to resolve this wee conundrum.
My Regards,
Norman.

P.S. As the sword has a different retailers name than the scabbard it could just be that the match was made well after the working life of the sword and therefore historically the sword/scabbard have nothing to do with each other.

7th August 2009, 10:45 PM	#3
Norman McCormick Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,575	Hi Mark, This is the 1845 Pattern Infantry Officers sword. In 1822 a new sword was introduced with the 'Gothic' type folding guard hilt and a 'pipe back' blade, the 1845 has the same guard but the blade was replaced with the Wilkinson designed single fuller and spear point blade, this is the type you have. In 1854 the folding guard was replaced with a rigid non folding type. Further modifications were introduced in 1892 and subsequently. I think the retailer, E&W Seagrove may have been essentially a Naval supplier and therefore the sword may have belonged to a Marine Officer, although I am far from certain about this. To me the scabbard is unusual as the ones I have seen for infantry are normally steel or sometimes brass for staff officers. Naval officers scabbards are usually leather with brass furniture. I have a 19th/early 20th Cent. R.N. marked telescope sold by a retailer situated on The Hard, Portsea. I'm sure more knowledgeable members will be able to resolve this wee conundrum. My Regards, Norman. P.S. As the sword has a different retailers name than the scabbard it could just be that the match was made well after the working life of the sword and therefore historically the sword/scabbard have nothing to do with each other. Last edited by Norman McCormick; 7th August 2009 at 11:03 PM.