The m1804 British naval cutlass

M ELEY · 9th November 2022, 06:50 PM

Jim, I hear that Sim Comfort's books are monumental and the photographs like art pieces! I, unfortunately, don't have his two volumes, but hope to get them someday.

So, we've got the classic m1804s from the period 1804/5-1815, with the GR marking either scripted (early issuance?) or block letter, indicating officially government-used, we have many with the makers of the period without the GR stamp (of the period, but made for the private market, but only for British privates/frigates? Or for Britain's allies of Sweden, Portugal, etc?). We have the models with just the crown, which were made for the Swedes (the question here was when? Some say as the wars were going on. Others say they weren't issued until nearly the 1830's?). Finally, we have the completely unmarked examples that might or might not be in the 1805-15 timeline. Still so many questions...

To add to the puzzle, many of the original ordnance of the early period would have been re-issued out at later periods. Maritime weapons were, above all other military force weapons, reused well past the days of Figting Sail. Gilkerson notes well that boarding pikes from 1812 had new hafts made with reused pike heads and these stayed on some ships up until WWI!! Cutlasses likewise remained on the private fleets into the era of the China Clippers. The reason for their continued use was they were second to none in the prevention in boarding. Many of the mid to late 19th century watercraft that were sailing through the South China Sea, off the Philippines, near Borneo or the Aceh peninsula had much to worry about with pirates. Likewise, some of the ethnographic tribes in the Solomons and places like the Kingsmill Islands (for example) were not always friendly to European visitors. Thus, we have another colorful and exciting period for these antiquated weapons.

9th November 2022, 06:50 PM	#24
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,081	Jim, I hear that Sim Comfort's books are monumental and the photographs like art pieces! I, unfortunately, don't have his two volumes, but hope to get them someday. So, we've got the classic m1804s from the period 1804/5-1815, with the GR marking either scripted (early issuance?) or block letter, indicating officially government-used, we have many with the makers of the period without the GR stamp (of the period, but made for the private market, but only for British privates/frigates? Or for Britain's allies of Sweden, Portugal, etc?). We have the models with just the crown, which were made for the Swedes (the question here was when? Some say as the wars were going on. Others say they weren't issued until nearly the 1830's?). Finally, we have the completely unmarked examples that might or might not be in the 1805-15 timeline. Still so many questions... To add to the puzzle, many of the original ordnance of the early period would have been re-issued out at later periods. Maritime weapons were, above all other military force weapons, reused well past the days of Figting Sail. Gilkerson notes well that boarding pikes from 1812 had new hafts made with reused pike heads and these stayed on some ships up until WWI!! Cutlasses likewise remained on the private fleets into the era of the China Clippers. The reason for their continued use was they were second to none in the prevention in boarding. Many of the mid to late 19th century watercraft that were sailing through the South China Sea, off the Philippines, near Borneo or the Aceh peninsula had much to worry about with pirates. Likewise, some of the ethnographic tribes in the Solomons and places like the Kingsmill Islands (for example) were not always friendly to European visitors. Thus, we have another colorful and exciting period for these antiquated weapons.