A Very Rare Oval Side Ring Hilted Sword.
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32” overall, 25 ½” straight blade with double edge spear point, with two fullers; one broad, one narrow and engraved with scrolls of foliage. Steel gadrooned hilt with oval side ring, single knuckle bow and quillion and round pommel all deeply reeded. Gilt wire and copper ribbon hilt grip.
A very rare high quality sword in fine condition.
Circa 1780
Oval side ring hilted swords are associated with Naval officers, Nelson used one as a fighting sword throughout his life. See ‘Lord Nelson Swords’ by Sim Comfort pages 7-42. The whereabouts of Nelson’s sword is not known.
A similar example owned by Captain Alexander Hood (1758-98) is held in the National Maritime Museum Collection (E1312) See ‘Swords For Sea Service’, May & Harris. H.M.S.O pages 21,22.