A Very Fine & Rare Blue & Gilt 1805 Naval Flag Officers Dress Sword.
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34” overall, 29” small sword with triangular Colichemarde blade decorated with stands of arms, foliate sprays and the figure of Neptune, all highlighted in gilt on a blued ground. Gilt hilt, the langets decorated with crowned fouled anchors, the angular D-shaped knuckle guard decorated with acanthus leaves and flowers, the pommel in the form of a recumbent lion. Back strap engraved with a serpent and laurel leaves, wire bound grip. Contained in its original gilt mounted leather scabbard, the upper mount engraved with foliage and a hippocamp, maker's panel ‘Dudley Grand Parade Portsmouth’, the lower mounts engraved with foliage. Weight in Scabbard 475 Grams and sword weight 380 Grams.
Circa 1805
Dudley was trading at The Grand Parade 1790-1805 79 High Street 1805-1887
A very rare recumbent lion pommelled sword, only a very small number of this design are known, two such are the swords of Sir Sidney Smith and Admiral of the Fleet Sir Provo Wallis. This is as far as I can discover the only example with a small sword style blade.
See Naval Swords and Dirks by Sim Comfort Vol II pages 292-97 and Swords for Sea Service vol II plate 37 for the sword of Captain Sir John Woolmore.