Another naval cutlass- I'm addicted

M ELEY · 1st July 2010, 08:22 AM

Yes, I can't seem to get enough of these. An eBay buy, I was lucky o get the high bid. Good price, though...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

The pics here don't do it justice, but don't have time right now to take any (plus my computer crashed and took my pic program with it!) Hopefully, I can snap some shots soon with a comparison with my other cutlasses.

This cutlass similar to the one pictured on pg 87 of Boarders Away. Private purchase, of course. My question about this piece is the faint marking found on the blade and here is the conundrum. It is a very weak crown with a faint slanted line next to an R. The typical culprits are for GR, WR or VR (George III/IV, William IV Or Victoria. The slanted line COULD be part of the V or W, but this cutlass strikes me as being of the earlier patterns than other Brit models (m1845/55, etc). I have seen some GR swords with the G having a pronounced curve on its top, perhaps explaining the weak slanted line? Or does anyone ever know if older swords were sometimes restamped at later periods? I have seen Victorian cutlasses with the VR marking, but most of them don't resemble the m1803 so much as this one. Opinions? Info? Thanks!

M ELEY · 1st July 2010, 12:56 PM

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedi...-sword-british

Hilt is identical. Click on the main pic and off to the right are close-ups of hilt.

katana · 1st July 2010, 01:20 PM

A few pictures

..........

Regards David

.

fernando · 1st July 2010, 03:09 PM

Mark "Cutlass" Eley !

What a nom de guerre

Fernando

M ELEY · 1st July 2010, 09:13 PM

Thank you, David, as always for permanently moving the pics for me. I do appreciate it!!

Hello, Fernando, my friend!

Yes, I do like the sound of that, I must admit. Have you adopted a moniker yourself yet? Definately something "rapier" sharp, i would think.

M ELEY · 4th July 2010, 02:56 PM

Well, silence is golden sometimes. I'm glad there has not been a flurry on how this sword is incongruous or a fake. I shall have to be glad in that regard. Still, if there is anyone out there familiar with this type of private purchase sword, please feel free to respond. If this sword is of the GR period, it stands to reason that it served on a privateer. If it is of the WR or early VR period, I imagine it served on a merchant vessel to dissuade piracy or mutiny. In the earliest years of the Victorian era, I'm imagining the Malay pirates, Opium Wars, Sepoy Munity, etc, etc...

M ELEY · 21st August 2010, 04:49 AM

I bring this one up again to compare with the other thread on a possible fake cutlass. As you can see, mine has the earlier straight blade, cast ribbed hilt, primed brown blade to retard rusting and plain iron sheet guard. Mine has a weak crown with a possible faint "VR"? Something-" /R" It's definately not a "G", I'm afraid. Another mystery...

1st July 2010, 08:22 AM	#1
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,066	Another naval cutlass- I'm addicted Yes, I can't seem to get enough of these. An eBay buy, I was lucky o get the high bid. Good price, though... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWAX:IT The pics here don't do it justice, but don't have time right now to take any (plus my computer crashed and took my pic program with it!) Hopefully, I can snap some shots soon with a comparison with my other cutlasses. This cutlass similar to the one pictured on pg 87 of Boarders Away. Private purchase, of course. My question about this piece is the faint marking found on the blade and here is the conundrum. It is a very weak crown with a faint slanted line next to an R. The typical culprits are for GR, WR or VR (George III/IV, William IV Or Victoria. The slanted line COULD be part of the V or W, but this cutlass strikes me as being of the earlier patterns than other Brit models (m1845/55, etc). I have seen some GR swords with the G having a pronounced curve on its top, perhaps explaining the weak slanted line? Or does anyone ever know if older swords were sometimes restamped at later periods? I have seen Victorian cutlasses with the VR marking, but most of them don't resemble the m1803 so much as this one. Opinions? Info? Thanks! Last edited by M ELEY; 1st July 2010 at 08:49 AM.

1st July 2010, 12:56 PM	#2
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,066	Another one similar... http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedi...-sword-british Hilt is identical. Click on the main pic and off to the right are close-ups of hilt.

1st July 2010, 01:20 PM	#3
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,653	A few pictures .......... Regards David . Attached Images

1st July 2010, 03:09 PM	#4
fernando Lead Moderator European Armoury Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Portugal Posts: 9,638	Mark "Cutlass" Eley ! What a nom de guerre Fernando

1st July 2010, 09:13 PM	#5
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,066	Thank you, David, as always for permanently moving the pics for me. I do appreciate it!! Hello, Fernando, my friend! Yes, I do like the sound of that, I must admit. Have you adopted a moniker yourself yet? Definately something "rapier" sharp, i would think.

4th July 2010, 02:56 PM	#6
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,066	Well, silence is golden sometimes. I'm glad there has not been a flurry on how this sword is incongruous or a fake. I shall have to be glad in that regard. Still, if there is anyone out there familiar with this type of private purchase sword, please feel free to respond. If this sword is of the GR period, it stands to reason that it served on a privateer. If it is of the WR or early VR period, I imagine it served on a merchant vessel to dissuade piracy or mutiny. In the earliest years of the Victorian era, I'm imagining the Malay pirates, Opium Wars, Sepoy Munity, etc, etc...

21st August 2010, 04:49 AM	#7
M ELEY Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NC, U.S.A. Posts: 2,066	I bring this one up again to compare with the other thread on a possible fake cutlass. As you can see, mine has the earlier straight blade, cast ribbed hilt, primed brown blade to retard rusting and plain iron sheet guard. Mine has a weak crown with a possible faint "VR"? Something-" /R" It's definately not a "G", I'm afraid. Another mystery...