1760-80's British Cavalry Sword

Jim McDougall · 30th April 2019, 03:28 AM

[QUOTE=Will M]Jim I did find one German sword with very similar blade, the wider fuller beginning further down the ricasso. Could be German imported blade with British hilt?
I have not found any portraits yet showing this type hilt, all so far have been full basket hilts.[/QUOTE

Exactly Will, these are very typical cavalry blades of this period of the 18th century. To be more specific, dragoon type (later heavy cavalry) who were essentially mounted infantry who rode to battle but fought on foot. The light dragoons were hussar type cavalry with sabres.
To be sure, dragoons were not excluded from mounted action, but typically were used in campaign as noted.
Do you have "Swords and Blades of the American Revolution" by Neumann or 'British Basket Hilt Swords" by Mazansky?
Portraits are in many cases reliable as figures important enough to commission such a work typically used their own swords, but sundry paintings of events or groups, might not be so much the case.

In the mid 18th century many types of swords were in fact somewhat versions of Prussian military hangers for example the M1742 and 1751.
These dates were used by the artists depicting military regiments, and with swords already well in use, but the date of the paintings became the classification of the 'patterns'.

30th April 2019, 03:28 AM	#7
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,282	[QUOTE=Will M]Jim I did find one German sword with very similar blade, the wider fuller beginning further down the ricasso. Could be German imported blade with British hilt? I have not found any portraits yet showing this type hilt, all so far have been full basket hilts.[/QUOTE Exactly Will, these are very typical cavalry blades of this period of the 18th century. To be more specific, dragoon type (later heavy cavalry) who were essentially mounted infantry who rode to battle but fought on foot. The light dragoons were hussar type cavalry with sabres. To be sure, dragoons were not excluded from mounted action, but typically were used in campaign as noted. Do you have "Swords and Blades of the American Revolution" by Neumann or 'British Basket Hilt Swords" by Mazansky? Portraits are in many cases reliable as figures important enough to commission such a work typically used their own swords, but sundry paintings of events or groups, might not be so much the case. In the mid 18th century many types of swords were in fact somewhat versions of Prussian military hangers for example the M1742 and 1751. These dates were used by the artists depicting military regiments, and with swords already well in use, but the date of the paintings became the classification of the 'patterns'.