A Black Watch Scottish Basket Hilt

[Jim McDougall]

In reviewing "Scottish Swords from the Battlefield at Culloden", Lord Archibald Campbell, 1894.....reprinted Andrew Mowbray, 1971.

I noted that it is suggested that two of these munitions grade hilts may have been among those of the 190 swords retrieved on the Culloden field. (p.22)

On p.10, (Mowbray)"...around 1740, Drury, Jeffries, Harvey and perhaps others accepted contracts from the English government to produce swords of the Highland pattern".
These are described as cheap, but serviceable blade stamped with GR and crown, in rough approximation of Glasgow styling. ...."it is almost certain that Campbell was referring to two of these blades being among his Culloden group".

Campbell acquired about 137 blades which had been fashioned into a travesty of a fence on an English estate, comprised of the blades of the Jacobite swords recovered from Culloden. This 'Twickenham' disgrace had dismounted the blades, which were of the varied forms of Solingen blades including ANDREA FERARAS.

It would seem possible that these two basket hilts of English munitions grade might have been in Jacobite hands, thus the defaced royal cyphers.
There were basket hilts in simpler forms like this with the various Highland units formed by the British army as early as 1709.
The Black Watch from about 1740 (then known as 43rd).

While "Swords for the Highland Regiments" (A. Darling, 1988) suggests these tall cone pommel munitions grade basket hilts were likely from a contract of 1759 from unnamed contractor, but Jeffries comes up c1768 or before.

The example I have is with the familiar hilt, but unmarked. It has been refitted in its working life with a M1788 light cavalry saber blade. This is likely from after these were returned to stores when the infantry ceased carrying swords in 1784. While there is no certainty of how this amalgamation took place, I have seen only one other example (Pat Tougher, 1994) with another I cannot specifically recall.
While interesting, it is unfortunate as without the original blade cannot determine more on dates etc.